Randy and Eleanor Danielson, owners of the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home for the past 22 years, today announced they have entered into an agreement for the succession of their business to Jim and Terri Weldy and existing funeral home manager and funeral director Caryn Durski.
In looking back at his career, Randy reflected that he began in funeral service at the age of 19 in Plymouth under the mentorship of then business owners Francis and Martha Johnson and skilled assistant Max Tharp. Danielson remembers that at the time they along with most other funeral homes operated the community’s ambulance service, simply the hearse with pop-up jump seats. Both emergency and transfer service was provided until the EMS service was later established.
Randy recalled, “I was hired by the Johnson’s in October of 1973 and was to begin working on Monday but over the weekend, I and three friends came upon a late night two car accident north of Plymouth at Higbee Corner and Michigan Road. The road was blocked and police had already arrived as well as the VanGilder’s ambulance when the second ambulance arrived driven by only Max. He looked around and caught glimpse of me as a by-stander at the edge of the road and he said; “Come on boy, you are going to work.” Randy stated, “I witnessed loss on my very first night ‘on the job’. From that point I knew life in funeral service would remain with abrupt changes in your plans to serve the tragic needs of others 24/7. Most feel called to funeral service and openly accept that lifestyle. The difficulty can come in finding that special someone who can accept that life as well”.
Randy was joined in making this announcement with his wife Eleanor. Ironically, funeral service brought them together as well. Randy said, “In December of 1983 in the community of Bluffton, Indiana, on yet another ambulance call, I met Eleanor Kacmar who was working as a dietitian in the Wells Community Hospital. We would marry in July of 1985 and we returned to Plymouth in 1988 with two daughters in tow. Our son was born in 1990. We worked with then owners Richard and Phyllis Davidson for the next seven years.”
It was on January 3rd of 1995, Eleanor, Randy and the three children; Olivia, Renee and Mark assumed ownership as the sixth family to become stewards of this funeral service firm. Randy stated, “You may own a funeral home but it is more like having the rights of stewardship to serve your community. Eleanor and I have had that honor for more than two decades and it will carry on under new leadership but with familiar faces at every turn.”
Plymouth gains a new family as the Weldy’s have arrived from Havana, Illinois and have made their residence adjacent to the funeral home. The Weldy family originated in Wakarusa, Indiana and moved to Elkhart and Goshen in the 1940’s. Jim still has many relatives in the area. Jim has had the pleasure of serving families in funeral service for 39 years and looks forward to serving the families of Plymouth, and the surrounding areas with the same attention to detail the Danielsons’ have provided. Terri has an extensive banking background and will be involved in the day to day operations of the funeral home and assisting families at the Remembrance Centre.
Caryn and her husband Joe have just added a new member to their family in the birth of daughter, Neala Elizabeth. Caryn, a native of Mishawaka, has been with the funeral home for the past five years and the managing funeral director for the past two years. “She not only has a caring heart while serving others, Caryn is gifted with the art of restoration, which families have come to know at this funeral home and Eleanor and I are pleased to be assured that will continue,” Randy added.
All professional staff members will also remain in place with Kelly Miller as a full-time funeral director and longtime employee and funeral director Don Wilson, who will continue to assist when called upon, with funeral services and monument sales. Susan Taylor will continue to secure one’s wishes through advance funeral planning and after-care services.They are joined by Life Celebrant Jim Smart and support staff members; Dan Shuppert and Patty (Shorter) Welch. Levi Elliott is attending mortuary school this fall for the next year and will return to complete his internship and begin his professional career.
One of the interesting changes Randy and Eleanor brought to the community was, The Remembrance Centre. This retail location was opened in 2009 in the former Orr’s Flowers location. In this space they created a retail store that was not only an extension of funeral related merchandise but also a gift shop for celebrating all occasions of life. Plymouth is one of the few locations with a store such as this. That too is included in the transfer of ownership.
The funeral home began in 1879 with the John Leonard family who established a carriage and undertaking business on West LaPorte St. near the opera house. In 1902 it moved to 100 N. Michigan St. (now home to The REES Theatre) and was known as C.R. Leonard Furniture and Undertaking and later Johnson Bros. Furniture and Undertaking until 1928 when then owners Floyd and Ralph Johnson bought the Xaver residence and established the first funeral home in Marshall County at 1100 N. Michigan Street where it remains today.
There is no denying that many businesses have endured its course of history due to the trust it has built from within a community. Few have the distinction of spanning three centuries of service, but across this great nation many that have are family owned funeral homes. Fewer than 10% of all businesses in America can claim 138 years of continuous operation. They began often as immigrant individuals with a craft of carpentry, building furniture and cabinetry who were then called upon to construct a simple wooden box, a casket for the respectful burial of the dead. Many families have continued that tradition of service.
Together Randy and Eleanor have operated the funeral home sharing the same office, and yet often spending little time together. “Through the years many of the family’s activities were walked away from as abruptly as my first night, ‘on the job.” Randy commented.
After 44 years in funeral service for the Danielson’s, that is about to change. “When you assume ownership of a business that already has a history of over a century, you immediately become concerned for its succession. We are only mortal and at nearly every funeral service a minister would remind me and those in attendance that death will come at the ‘twinkling of an eye’. Two years ago that became more apparent with my own hospital visit that was the result of stress and let’s face it, advancing age. We needed a plan.
Local ownership remained at the top of our list and if that could be accomplished from within an already great staff, all the better. We were able to accomplish a portion of that by sharing our thoughts with them from day one. I personally am not planning to retire for at least another two years but it is time to hand the responsibilities of leadership off to someone new and allow them the ability to realize a lifelong dream. “It’s simply a great feeling for us to know the continuation of this institution is in good hands. We feel blessed for the valued trust that this community has placed in us through our years of guidance and feel assured that it will understand our desire to now enjoy our family in the coming years.” stated Eleanor.
