by Shawn Nowlin
Heather Willis Washington has recently reached a milestone worthy of acknowledgement – 25 years of valued service and leadership with Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home & Crematory.
In addition to managing the care of the deceased, as a funeral service licensee, Washington also coordinates memorial events and guides grieving families, among other duties.
“Congratulations on this significant milestone, Heather. We are grateful that you’ve served our families with such love, care and professionalism for 25 years,” said the organization in a statement.
One of the hardest and most emotional experiences one can face is burying a family member.
For the past 74 years, Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home, founded by Lawrence “Larry” Hamlar and Harry Curtis, Jr., has assisted families throughout the New River and Roanoke Valley regions of Virginia.
Bedford, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Covington, Franklin County, Lexington, Pulaski County. Radford, Rocky Mount, Roanoke and Salem are all areas covered.
Headquartered at 1002 Moorman Avenue in Roanoke, the funeral home has two other locations – 195 Maple Avenue in Rocky Mount while the pet funeral home is at 501 11th Street in Roanoke.
In 1959, a devastating fire engulfed the Roanoke building, nearly destroying it. Thirteen years later, ownership proactively expanded the building to better serve families. The expansion included a chapel for 300, three spacious family rooms and an administrative suite.
Former Virginia Governor Douglas Wider (1990-1994), who was a friend of Lawrence and his family, provided the keynote address at the 1972 re-dedication ceremony.
Today, the funeral home has more than 30 employees. They include Michael Hamlar (president, owner), Katina Hamlar (chief operating officer), Byron Hamlar (accounts manager), Fred Galloway (embalmer), Rev. Dr. Demetrius Russell (chaplain), Gloria Manns (grief counselor) and Sylvia Calloway (secretary).
“We meet with families to provide emotional support and handle all aspects of end-of-life services,” Katina said. “We also partner with other directors to establish standards of procedures and process improvements to continuously ensure our clients receive efficient, effective service.”
Considered one of the better funeral homes in the state, Ashley Jones can personally attest to Hamlar-Curtis’ professionalism. “It is often said that ‘Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer.’ When my uncle passed away, Michael and his staff made the transition as seamless as possible,” she said.
Washington considers herself lucky to work for a company like Hamlar-Curtis. “I am truly blessed,” she said. “I am extremely proud of the work we have done. We are committed to providing quality, professional service.”
