Our History

The Schubert Funeral Home was founded in Eudora in 1904 and the Funk Mortuary was founded in Lawrence in 1909. The firms were merged in 1953 by Fred Cooper and Bill Warren and operated as Cooper & Warren until 1968 when Bill Warren purchased Cooper’s interest. Larry McElwain started working as a night attendant while a student at the University of Kansas.

In 1971 the firm moved to its new building at 120 W. 13th Street and Bill Warren died suddenly in June 1973. In July 1974 the firm was purchased by Larry McElwain and his father Keith. Larry and Keith worked together serving one family at a time until Keith’s untimely death in December 1984. In January of 1985, Phil Padden moved to Lawrence and became a partner until April of 2011. Larry McElwain continued as sole owner until October 2013 when he sold the firm to Jim Larkin, who established his home in Lawrence.