When life has been lost, Jeff Monreal, of Jeff Monreal Funeral Home, blankets a family with compassion when they need it most
By Patricia Nugent
"It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone” — John Steinbeck
The prospect of planning a funeral can be unfathomable and emotionally draining for families dealing with the loss of a loved one.
For the past 17 years, fifth-generation funeral director Jeff Monreal has helped people find ways to shine the light on their loved one’s life and orchestrate beautiful services that memorialize them in unique ways.
He opened Jeff Monreal Funeral Home in Painesville in 2021. As a former church, the red-brick building features architectural charm. Working with an interior designer, Jeff added modern and elegant touches, retrofitting the open, welcoming space. The building can host one funeral service at a time for up to 1,000 people.
Blanketed with Compassion
With a natural sense of compassion, dignity, honor and respect, Jeff works with families to plan cremations, funerals and burial services. He blankets them in comfort during what can be a polarizing time and helps navigate a service that suits and celebrates the life that’s been lost. Every detail is taken care of. If a larger space for an after-reception is needed, he can help make that happen, too.
“I customize every DVD and service to the person’s life and loves,” he says. “For instance, if I find out a decedent loved butterflies or horses, I’ll incorporate that into the service. Over the years people have put their trust in me and I don’t take that lightly.”
He says people find comfort in knowing they will only be dealing with him throughout the process. There are no administrative or salespeople. Jeff takes your calls, meets with the family, plans and orchestrates the cremation or embalming, visitation and burial. He’s the only point of contact.
“I understand what a painful time this is for families,” he says. “I educate them about what’s possible in a service and let them decide the most therapeutic options for the family.”
The Importance of Pre-Planning
“Sitting down and choosing your last wishes is like a gift for your children,” says Jeff. “Over the past several years, in the wake of the pandemic, people have become more comfortable with discussing death. In the past, they often felt like it was a bad omen to plan for their passing. Now it’s seen as a way to take that burden away from the family and lend them the peace of mind that a service is exactly what you would want. And on the level that I see this every day, the children are always so appreciative there’s no confusion or decisions they have to make. Pre-planning takes the guesswork away.”
The myriad of decisions includes picking out caskets or urns, pre-paying for a cemetery plot and even planning the details of your service, such as flowers and music selection.
From a practical standpoint, he adds that its makes sense to lock into today’s pricing and avoid the rising costs of inflation.
“I offer a range of services to fit different budgets,” he adds. “As someone who grew up in Lake County, I’m part of the fabric of this community.”
Jeff has partnered with many 501(c)3 charities over the years, making them beneficiaries of his annual golf outing. A few include Ronald McDonald House Cleveland, Camp Ho Mita Koda in Geauga County, Footprints for Autism, Miracle League of Lake County, the Travis Mills Foundation for veterans, BreastCancer.org and InMotion, which helps individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. The outings have raised more than $125,000.
Jeff Monreal Funeral Home is located in Painesville at 1000 Mentor Avenue. The building’s spacious lot offers convenient parking. His services are also offered at locations in Willoughby (38001 Euclid Avenue) and Mentor (6330 Center Street). Call 440-527-6294 or visit JeffMonrealFuneralHome.com for more information.