|
|
Jason Newell at Southern Illinois University in 1994
|
“My Dream”
Written by Jason Newell in 1995 for his business plan loan
Since I was in high school, I have wanted to be a funeral director in my very own funeral home. The first
step towards this dream was enrolling in a Mortuary Science Course at Rend Lake Community College. I took the class as a Junior
while attending Waltonville High School in Waltonville, Illinois. The course reinforced my interest in the field. After graduating
from high school in the spring of 1992, I enrolled in Mortuary Science at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. As part
of my college training, I had the privilege of interning with Herr Funeral Home in Collinsville, Illinois
|
On August 5, 1994, I received my National Board Certificate from the Conference of Funeral Service Examining
Boards of the United States, Inc. In December of 1994, I was granted my degree of Associates in Applied Science and Funeral
Service from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
As part of my Funeral Directing and Embalming license, I served as an apprentice for Huffman-Harker Funeral
Home in Carbondale, Illinois and Crawshaw Funeral Home in Murphysboro, Illinois. After these apprenticeships as well as successful
completion of case reports, I was granted the license from the Department of Professional Regulations in October 1995. The
owners of both funeral homes have been gracious enough to allow me to continue working for them until I have the opportunity
to start my own business.
Now that my training is complete, I strongly feel that I am ready to take the next step in accomplishing my
goals and dreams. I also have a great deal of confidence in myself which has been reinforced by my peers and family.
I feel Mt. Vernon is the perfect place for me to open Newell Funeral Home…
Since then…. Jason met his wife Amy while he was finishing his apprentice work in Carbondale,
Illinois. Jason and Amy married on August 24, 1996 and shared the same vision of staring Newell Funeral Home in Mount Vernon.
After only being married for two weeks, they started building Newell Funeral Home on the property of 2707 North Street. Jason
Newell contracted Newell Funeral in Mount Vernon himself. He designed the funeral home with the families of Jefferson County
in mind. The facility is handicap accessible, has the largest chapel in the area seating 150+ people and has a kitchen for
families to bring in food and is equipped with a TV VCR so children can watch movies while Visitations are taking place.
|
Jason and Amy Newell
August 24, 1996
|
In the spring of 2002 Jason Newell purchased Fry and Frick Funeral Home in Waltonville, Illinois. It is now
known as Newell Funeral Home. Upon taking ownership it was renovated with a new covered porch, paint, furniture and carpet.
Future plans include an expansion of the facility in 2009.
|
The Newell Residence located directly South of Newell Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon
|
On December 18, 2005 Jason, his wife Amy and their two children Emma and Asa completed building their residence
directly behind the Mount Vernon Newell Funeral Home to be more accessible to the families they serve. The residence includes
a 3 stall garage and an additional arrangement room/office on the first floor and a 3 bedroom ranch style apartment on the
second floor. We believe it is good business practice for the funeral home’s owner to live at the funeral home. We are
delighted to be able to offer this for the families we service. We also completed an additional 50 parking spaces to our location.
|
2007 was a landmark year for Newell Funeral Home and the Newell
Family. Not only did we successfully celebrate a decade of service to Jefferson County, but we also welcomed a new addition
to our family, our third child, Izabella "Izzy" Jo Newell on June 28, 2007. Throughout the 2nd half of 2007 and
continuing into 2008 we have updated the facade, parking lot, updated the men's and woman's bathrooms with new flooring, paint
and decor. New carpet was also installed throughout the funeral home. The first phase of new landscape was started,
with the removal of two trees, a new mailbox, new landscape rock, scrubs and ornamental grasses. We are making
plans to upgrade our central heating and air at the Waltonville Newell Funeral Home location. We constantly strive to
keep our funeral homes updated.
We pride ourselves in maintaining the traditional funeral services
for families in Jefferson County, while introducing the latest innovative funeral technology to enhance the tribute of your
loved one. We have always made business decisions with the families we serve in
mind. We are proud of our Newell Funeral Home
website. On this website we offer online obituaries,
online condolences, and online memorial tribute videos featuring photographs set to
customized backdrops, text and music that are also featured during your loved one's funeral services if one chooses. Newell
Funeral Home is the first funeral home in Mount Vernon, Illinois to offer these online services.
We’d like to extend a sincere thank you to the families of Jefferson County that have supported Newell Funeral Home and the Newell Family in our 1st decade of business. We are proud to always
ensure Newell Funeral is one of the most reasonably priced funeral homes in the area. Many of the families we have served
expect our charges to be much higher due to the level of professionalism, ethical standards and quality of our facilities.
The families we have serviced in the past decade have learned first hand that there is a difference and it was not in their
best interest to fall into the trap of traditional loyalty many funeral homes attempt to count on. Today being good is not
good enough. Our goal is to do the best for your family. Our sincere service to your family is just one more reason to give
Newell Funeral Home serious consideration when choosing a funeral home.
|
The Newell Family: Jason, Amy, Emma Grace and Asa
|
|
