NEW OWNERSHIP FOR MEMORIAL OAKS CHAPEL, STRICKLAND FUNERAL HOMES

  

Two local funeral homes are becoming affiliates of a funeral company headquartered in Houston.

Legacy Funeral Group has announced the acquisition of Memorial Oaks Chapel in Brenham and Strickland Funeral Homes in Caldwell and Somerville.  The group owns and operates over 140 funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematories in nine states throughout the southwest and southern United States.

Ryan Stephens will serve as the new managing funeral director of Memorial Oaks Chapel from Legacy Funeral Group.

Memorial Oaks Chapel was built in 1974 by current Funeral Directors Clarence Gerke and Wayne Giese.  Strickland Funeral Homes was incorporated in 1973 after operating as Woods Funeral Home in Somerville for decades prior.  In 1996, Memorial Oaks Chapel purchased Strickland Funeral Homes, which retained its name following the sale.

Giese was recently named the chair of the Texas Funeral Directors Association’s (TFDA) long range planning/building committee.  A total of 15 committee chairs were named by the TFDA.

Gerke and Giese, along with the entire staff, will remain active at Memorial Oaks Chapel.  Meanwhile, Strickland’s Managing Director Ken Wiltz and staff will remain active at their funeral homes.