Herman L. McMurtrey had a cabinet business in Summer Shade, located across from the Baptist Church. This cabinet business also including making caskets. The caskets were made as needed when a death occurred.
The funeral business in Summer Shade was owned by White, Bowles and Grider and was located next door to the cabinet shop. At this time, funerals were held in the home of the deceased and very little was done except for filing a death certificate and paper work.
Herman received his funeral directors license in 1928 and purchased the funeral business from White, Bowles and Grider. Hatcher, from Glasgow, would travel to Summer Shade to embalm the bodies. Herman used a horse drawn hearse at that time.
Herman operated in the original location until 1940. At this time, he built a home at the current location of Mcmurtrey Funeral Home and operated his funeral business from this home until 1952 when he added the present funeral home.
Herman and Hazel Grider McMurtrey had a son, Charles Huston McMurtrey, on December 11, 1925. Charles grew up helping his father in both the cabinet shop and funeral business. After service in the Navy during World War II, he attended Kentucky School of Embalming and received his funeral director's and embalming license. He did an apprenticeship with Hatcher Funeral Home before returning to Summer Shade to join his father at McMurtrey Funeral Home.
Charles Thomas "Tom" has followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, receiving his funeral director's and embalming licenses in 2002 and is now the manager of McMurtrey Funeral Home.
