Alex Willis Funeral Home

Here at Alex Willis Funeral Home we are a family run business with over 125 years of experience serving the local community and surrounding areas.

 

Funeral Plans

There comes a time in our lives when it is natural to think about when we won’t be here. There are several reasons why someone would want to purchase a funeral plan.

 

Arranging A Funeral

When someone dies it is quite usual for the family to contact the funeral director, we provide a 24 hour service, 365 days a year to support families at this difficult time.

1
1

Funeral Arrangements in Morecambe and Lancaster

When you are called upon to arrange a funeral, it can be a confusing and stressful time. Here at Alex Willis Funeral Home, we are a family run business with over 140 years of experience. As members of the National Association of Funeral Directors you are assured that the service we provide is of the highest standards.

In these days of varying beliefs, whether the service is to be a religious or non-religious funeral service, whether it is to be a burial or cremation, we are here to help you make decisions and furthermore, advise you through all the legal paperwork to ultimately arranging a funeral service which is dignified and suited to your own personal wishes.

For more information about our funeral arrangments in Lancaster and Morecambe, call Alex Willis Funeral Home on 01524 851595.

Arranging a Funeral
View Over Morecambe Bay

Alex Willis
Funeral Home

Alex Willis Funeral Home was founded in 1881 by John Thomas Willis in a cottage on the present site of the Bradford Arms in Queen Street, Morecambe. Six years later he was joined by his brother Joseph and moved to larger premises in Clarence Street where they carried out their business of joinery, boat building and undertaking.

In 1895, the brothers moved once more to Poulton Square where they continued their business until 1969, it was at Poulton Square where Alex Willis joined his father in the family business. In 1932 J.T. Willis died and the firm passed to his son Alex, who was a prominent figure in the community, twice being President of the British Institute of Embalmers and President of the North West Area of the British Undertakers Association. Alex Willis was connected with the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade for most of his life and rose from cadet to Superintendant of the Morecambe and Heysham Corps, at the time of his death in 1963 he was the senior holder in England of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.

In 1955 the business was then passed to Arthur Willis and Albert McVernon, Alex Willis’s son and son in law where they continued the family’s tradition until 1968 when Arthur retired.

It was then that the business moved to its present site at Hunter Lodge on Middleton Road in Heysham under Albert McVernon where a purpose-built funeral home was built incorporating private chapels, a main chapel seating 40 people, a mortuary, offices, and garages for their fleet of Daimler limousines.

In 1971, after service with the Royal Marines, Stewart McVernon joined his father in the family firm, Albert retired in 1981 leaving Stewart to continue over 100 years of family tradition who has now been joined by his two sons Jon and David.

Alex Willis Funeral Home is still expanding and has recently had a full refurbishment to provide the personal service to the community that has been its hallmark for over 140 years.

Alex Willis Funeral Home Ltd is an appointed representative of Golden Charter Limited trading as Golden Charter Funeral Plans which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:965279).

More About Us

They provided a truly compassionate service to us and dealt with the situation with the utmost respect. The service they were providing felt very personal and heartfelt. From the initial dealing with the death with regard to moving the person from the hospital into their home, to the funeral, everything was very organised and they communicated everything very well. Would highly recommend Alex Willis.

Compassionate Service

Jon and the team are amazing, I was so impressed with the whole service given, they literally arranged everything, the only thing I had to do was choose flowers and give numbers for the buffet.
I would recommend Alex Willis to anyone, they are especially kind, and thoughtful at a time when you don't even know what day it is.

King & Thoughtful

A very relaxed visit helpfull after a long drive to see my mum family Orientated thank you John and Sterwart and all the staff.

Very Relaxed & Helpful