Vandenberg Funeral Home

“My mother recently passed away, and this funeral home was recommended by the hospice organization. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the most unpleasant and stressful experiences our family could have imagined—particularly during a time of deep grief. When the counselor arrived at our home to retrieve my mother’s body, her reaction upon seeing our family was deeply unsettling. It was immediately apparent that she did not expect an African American family to answer the door. Throughout the interaction, she appeared visibly uncomfortable—stuttering, keeping her distance, and failing to engage with us in a professional or compassionate manner. After my mother was taken into their care, communication completely broke down. We received no updates for over a day. When contact was finally made, we were told that another funeral home in a different state would handle matters going forward and that they would provide the death certificate. This later proved to be false. We were left scrambling—having to personally chase down the death certificate due to repeated unreturned phone calls. After multiple failed attempts to reach them by phone, I drove over 15 miles to their location. Even then, I was told they did not have the death certificate—despite the out-of-state funeral home confirming they had been informed that it was already in this funeral home’s possession. Only after pressing the issue did staff reluctantly search again, and “suddenly” the documents were found. This unnecessary delay added significant stress during an already painful time. To make matters worse, we later discovered we were charged $400 simply to file the death certificate—an excessive and unjustified fee compared to other funeral homes, many of which charge far less or nothing at all. This did not include the fee for each certicate that was ordered. The overall experience left us with the clear impression that this organization is not comfortable serving all families equally. I would not recommend this funeral home to people of color or to anyone seeking compassion, transparency, and professionalism during bereavement. Families should not have to endure additional emotional strain from the very organization entrusted to provide care and comfort. FINAL STATEMENT - Unfortunately, your response does not align with the substance of the conversation we had, which—regrettably—comes as no surprise. I will not engage in a back-and-forth to address the inaccuracies contained in your reply. During our discussion, you acknowledged that members of your staff failed to properly handle several aspects of this process. That acknowledgment, however, is notably absent from your public response. Instead, you have chosen to present a selective summary that omits key points we discussed. I also find it concerning that your reply is written largely in the first person, despite the fact that you were neither present nor an active participant in the four separate incidents we reviewed—incidents that I personally experienced. Speaking with such certainty about events you did not witness or manage directly is not a sound business practice. Race was not a topic raised by me during our conversation; however, you elected to introduce it in your response. That decision speaks for itself. Additionally, a review of the imagery and representation on your website reflects the audience your business primarily serves—which is your right—but it further supports the conclusions I reached based on my experience. t state that you serve all communities for 50 plus years...is not aligned with your non-inclusive website imagery or staffing demographics sir. It's 2026 for Godsake. You stated that you have never received similar feedback and that your organization serves all communities equally. My experience, along with your public-facing materials, suggests otherwise. Your extensive defense, rather than addressing the concerns raised, ultimately reinforces the very issues outlined in my original review. I wish you well.”

— Akoni UH

“Vandenberg made a very sad time in our lives (loss of our father) much easier to handle. They are the nicest people to work with! Stacey, Katelynn and Kathy, your friendliness, attention to detail, and compassion meant the world to my family. All of our wishes for our father’s final goodbye were fulfilled. My father looked amazing, your facility is beautiful, you truly are angels on earth! Thank you for everything!”

— Ember Gallagher

“Words cannot express how much I appreciate Stacy and everyone at Vanderberg. The unexpected loss of my father was almost unbearable to handle. Stacy and everyone at Vanderberg made everything so easy to navigate and his service turned out so well! My family has used Vanderberg before and this just solidified why we use them. They are compassionate, friendly and help you every step of the way. Stacy made sure to check in on me, she's like a big sister, making sure my family and I were ok. I will be forever grateful to Vanderberg!”

— Heather Crosby