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LUTCHER — Mary Rose and Jerry Lynn Brown still fondly recall the day they got a loan to open Rose Lynn Funeral Home. “A railroad man and a housewife,” J.B. Falgoust with First American Bank noted with an amused smile, but he saw the determination in Mary Rose’s eyes, and he said that if her dream was to open a funeral home, he wouldn’t stand in her way.
Rose Lynn Funeral Home has become a fixture in the River Parishes community since opening at 1870 Cabanose Ave. in Lutcher on March 1, 2003. The Browns have made improvements to the facility and equipment along the way, but what hasn’t changed is the love and compassion that go into helping every family.
Every detail matters when caring for grieving families. Jerry said it takes a certain mindset to work in the funeral industry, and you shouldn’t do it if you don’t have a caring attitude and a heart full of genuine love.
“We always treat people how we would want to be treated. We have never deceived anyone or put pressure on families. When a family comes in, we greet them with compassion and concern, and we assure them that we are going to help them through the most difficult time in their life,” Jerry said. “We kind of become part of their family. People write us letters, send us cards and thank us for the time spent and the ease with which decisions are made.”
The Rose Lynn Funeral Home team is very prompt upon receiving a death call. While meeting with families, Jerry said the team is always dressed to the nines to maintain an air of dignity. The staff will go above and beyond to meet a family’s needs, which includes assisting with insurance.
Recently, word got out that a particular family had a financial need. Before the funeral service was held, it had been entirely paid off with donations from the community. As more people offered assistance, Jerry told them to keep their money or present it directly to the family.
After funeral services are held, the Rose Lynn team will dry some flowers from the casket and place them in a clear Christmas ornament inscribed with the loved one’s name. Last December, Rose Lynn Funeral Home started a new tradition by inviting families to return to the site for a day of food and fellowship.
“We don’t want families to think we forgot them. We want them to know we still care after it’s all said and done, so we open our doors and provide food,” Jerry said. “Last year, we had two groups of 50. We were all able to identify with each other because everyone has experienced the loss of a loved one.”
Rose Lynn Funeral Home also goes the extra mile for families before the funeral service. After the mortician has prepared a body for viewing, the immediate family is able to come in the afternoon before the services and spend some time alone with their loved one for closure.
At the heart of the Rose Lynn team is Funeral Director Manuela Guidry. She has worked in the funeral industry for 22 years, and Jerry and Mary Rose said there is no one else like her in the business. They are also blessed to have Secretary Wendy Zeller and her husband Tim Zeller, who go above and beyond to assist families and help each service run smoothly. Interim Funeral Director Lauren Haase has also proved to be a tremendous asset.
Rose Lynn Funeral Home has come a long way since opening in 2003. In the early years, Mary Rose managed the business while Jerry continued working on the railroad.
He retired from that job in 2007 and started helping families with pre-need funeral insurance in 2010, but he wasn’t fully involved until he broke his ankle in 2017 and came to the funeral home to recuperate. In hindsight, he sees the broken ankle as a blessing in disguise.
Rose Lynn Funeral Home had started as a joint venture with the owners of Thibodaux Landry Funeral Home in Lafourche Parish, and funeral directors and morticians came to Rose Lynn on a contract basis.
The Rose Lynn building had already been redesigned to include two parlors, a chapel and space for embalmment and dressing supplies. After 2017, Jerry and Rose Lynn purchased necessary equipment to outfit the funeral home with refrigeration, a new Cadillac hearse, an electric body lift and modern embalming equipment while also bringing a full-time mortician on staff.
The couple purchased their partners’ position in the company in April of this year. Jerry and Mary Rose are now the sole owners, operating independently.
Mary Rose said the accomplishment makes her feel proud, and she is happy to be living out her dream.
“I’m a people person. I love to meet the people. I know a lot of people. I love what I do, and I have never regretted putting the key in the door to come in,” she said.
Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, Rose Lynn Funeral Home can be reached by phone whenever a need arises, no matter the time of day or night.
For more information, please call 225-869-0000.