Started by William P. Washburn one year before Minnesota became a state, Washburn Undertakers began as a furniture store, which was common at the turn of the century, and is still seen in small communities throughout the country. Eventually, Washburn chose to specialize in funeral service and changed the company name to Mortuary, to reflect this position.
The company made its first jump into the cemetery business with the purchase of Peterson-Stolberg chapels in 2001, gaining Hillside Cemetery. With a chapel on the grounds, they were able to provide more convenience for families. Their foray into cemeteries did not stop there. In 2005 the company acquired a new chapel as well as one cemetery and two memorial gardens, all with chapels located on the grounds.
Memorial Day 2007 saw the grand opening of our newest chapel at Glen Haven Memorial Gardens. A state of the art facility with advanced technology, it offers families many new options for memorial services. A Veterans Memorial, next to the chapel, was also unveiled that weekend. Designed to honor all veterans, it is the largest Veterans monument in the state.
Throughout our history, Washburn-McReavy has been driven to expand, in order to offer our compassionate service to residents throughout the Twin Cities. The McReavy family and many staff are involved in civic organizations throughout the area, including Rotary Clubs, the Woman's Club of Minneapolis, numerous chambers of commerce, Kiwanis, and the Eastside Neighborhood Association. We do our best to give back to the community.