Our story
Smith Funeral Chapel was founded on June 23, 1956, by William Dale Smith and his wife, Agnes Elizabeth (Borton) Smith. Seventy years later it is still family owned — third generation, same corner of London Road.
Three generations in, the pattern has never changed: a Smith answers for this place. The family has always run its chapel from inside it — in Eau Claire, in the building, with the families in front of them. That has been the whole idea since 1956.
Seventy years, year by year
On June 23, 1956, William Dale and Agnes Elizabeth (Borton) Smith start Smith Funeral Chapel. Family owned from the very first day — and it has never been anything else.
The new Smith Funeral Chapel at South Hastings Way and London Road opens, and the family invites the whole community in: an open house on Sunday, October 4, 1959, so neighbors can walk the rooms — the foyer, arrangements room, large chapel, family room, and visiting room. The newspaper announcement pictured William alongside Richard Lee, the chapel's licensed funeral director and embalmer.
Smith becomes the first funeral home in Eau Claire County with an on-site crematory. The people who serve your family are the people who care for your loved one, start to finish, under this roof — a decision that still defines how we work.
William dies on September 10, 2002, having served Eau Claire families from the founding until his death. The chapel carries on into the second generation — his son, Steven Smith.
Erin Smith, Steven's daughter, graduates from Worsham Mortuary College — the third generation, formally trained. She had joined the family business at 19.
After a major renovation, the chapel celebrates its grand reopening with a ribbon cutting on June 19, 2025. The Veteran Memorial in front of the building is dedicated the same month.
Seventy years on, the chapel is in its third generation of continuous family care — William and Agnes's family, still serving Eau Claire families from the same London Road corner.
Then and now
The building has changed more than the family has. The chapel families knew for decades — pews, red carpet, stained glass — gave way to the renovated chapel of 2025, rebuilt for the next seventy years.
Three generations
William and Agnes founded it. Their son Steven carried it into the second generation. Today the third generation is at work: Steven's daughter Erin, who joined the family business at 19 and finished mortuary college in 2013.
And the family still pitches in beyond the name on the door. Agnes's nephew Robert Borton ran his own funeral home in Cornell for more than thirty years before retiring in 2011 — and he still helps out here when he is needed.
What this place means to our family
A note from our family will live here.
Come see it before you need it
Tours are welcome anytime. Knowing the place in advance makes a hard day a little easier.
Call (715) 832-1141 Contact Us