About Us

Our Story

     Thurman Funeral Home was established in Richmond by Ezekiel Thurman in 1922 when he purchased the Stinnett Undertaking Company, which was located in the Eagles building on south Camden Street, immediately south of the Farris Theatre. The business was later located in the Richmond Hotel building and the Brown building on west Main Street before the present structure at 627 East Main Street became its permanent home in 1938. This home was built circa 1890 by Dr. Robert Sevier on the outskirts of Richmond on his father’s property, which was part of the original Woodson Estate.

     Following World War II, after Levan Thurman returned from the military service and completed his mortuary education, he joined his father in the business in 1947. In 1958, at the age of 78, “Zeke,” retired from active participation in the business and three years later, Levan and August Borcherding of the Borcherding Funeral Home in Hardin, formed a partnership and purchased the Quest-Lile Funeral Home to add to their organization. Kenneth W. Day joined the firm in 1964, shortly after the death of E. Thurman, and the firm was incorporated in 1966.

     In 1975, Bruce Thurman, the third generation of the Thurman family to follow the mortuary profession, would join the firm in a few months upon the completion of his professional training. As a young man, he often played the organ for services in the chapel.

     Bruce continued to run Thurman Funeral Home with his father until January 2001. Michael Graff joined Thurman Funeral Home in September of 1994 and purchased the business in 2001. Bart Willim joined Thurman Funeral Home in 2007, and after Mike retired in 2017, Bart Willim purchased the business and continues to own and operate Thurman Funeral Home.

     Bart Willim is a second-generation funeral director. After attending Iowa Central Community College and Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science—the same school his father attended—Bart worked with his dad for 16 years before their four funeral homes in Iowa were sold to a large corporation. Bart did not feel comfortable in the corporate environment and felt he could serve grieving families better in a small-town, family-owned business. The Willim family moved to the Pine River/Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, area before settling in the Richmond, Missouri, area, where they have made their home and served area families for the last 17 years.

     Although funeral practices and customs have changed, the guiding principle of Thurman Funeral Home has remained constant and unchanged through all the years—“to serve as we would be served”—by strict adherence to the tenants of thoughtfulness and consideration, dignity and reverence, thorough professional training and the sincere dedication to give personal, comforting service to those families we are privileged to help in one of life’s most trying times.

     Family-owned and operated since its establishment, Thurman Funeral Home has been proud to service Richmond and surrounding areas for over 100 years. The dignity between our life’s work and your loved one, from one generation to the next, is the service you expect from Thurman Funeral Home. Our family serving your family since 1922.