Fund created to assist families affected by Warren Funeral Chapel’s handling of bodies

COLUMBIA — The owner of Parker Funeral Service has joined together with a Columbia resident to create a fund for families who have had problems with Warren Funeral Chapel.

Paul Brugmann, an advertising sales representative with Missouri Farmer Today, said after he heard about complaints of mishandling of bodies at Warren Funeral Chapel he wanted to help those families, especially after his father died earlier this year.

"I don't think I'll ever forget these six words. They said, ‘Your father is in our care,'" when he first called the funeral service, he said.

He brought in Bruce Rice, the owner of Parker Funeral Service, to give him some funeral business expertise.

Rice said if families want a body cremated, his funeral home will do that free of charge. And he said he hopes the fund will take care of more elaborate plans, like a woman who wants her family member's body shipped elsewhere.

"This fund will kick in to help with that," he said.

Rice said he has heard from several people who have had problems with Warren Funeral Chapel.

Brugmann said the fund would address specific needs the families face because of "the way things were mishandled by Warren Funeral Home."

Rice and Brugmann said they have both heard from people who were interested in donating to the fund.