About Us

L. J. Eddy started his funeral business in 1926, which makes the Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home the oldest operating funeral business in Miami County.

The Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home came to be from the merging of two funeral homes, the Eddy Funeral Home and the Birchard Funeral Home, on February 1, 1977. Larry and Lela Brown owned the Birchard Funeral Home at 203 Main Street and Joe and Martha Moreland owned the Eddy Funeral Home at 339 Main Street. The decision was made to operate the new Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home at the 203 Main Street location since that location had a set chapel and an entrance with no steps. The 339 Main Street location was renovated into a duplex and became the residence for the Browns and the Moreland's.

The Eddy Funeral Home began in 1926 when Leonard "L. J." and Beulah Eddy opened their own funeral home. L. J. had been working for Johnson Undertaking Company for several years before deciding to open his own funeral home. The Eddys operated their business from several downtown store-front locations and then purchased a large home at 339 Main in 1941. Their son William attended the Williams Institute in Kansas City, Kansas graduating with the class of 1929. He returned to Osawatomie and joined his father. In 1947, William "Bill" purchased the business from his father. L. J. continued to serve the community and remained active until his death in 1957. Bill and his wife Nadine operated the funeral home until they sold to Joe and Martha (Barkis) Moreland in 1973.

The Birchard Funeral Home was started in July of 1932 by Willis W. and his wife Edyth M. Birchard. The Birchards had the actual first funeral home (not store-front) in Miami County. They operated their business at 721 Pacific until they moved to 203 Main in 1938. They were joined by their daughter and son-in-law, Larry and Lela Brown in March of 1966. Willis and Edyth remained active in the business until 1976 when their remaining interest in the funeral home was purchased by Larry and Lela.

Larry and Lela retired on March 1, 2005, selling their interest to their partner Joe Moreland.