Blackburn Chapel - Martin Funeral Home

Veteran services at Blackburn Chapel - Martin Funeral Home

Blackburn Chapel - Martin Funeral Home serves veteran families in North Branch, MI with military funeral planning. In their own words: "Blackburn Chapel-Martin Funeral Home provides comprehensive services for veterans, including assistance with Veterans Overview, securing Veterans Headstones, and obtaining Veterans Burial Flags. They also offer guidance on Social Security Benefits. The funeral home lists Great Lakes National Cemetery and the Department of Veteran Affairs Lapeer County as resources for veteran families." On-site amenities include large chapel and chapels, suited to flag presentation and honors ceremonies. Published pricing lists $4,595 for basic burial and $1,760 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.

Veteran-related services offered include burial services, cremation services, burial vaults, veterans overview, veterans headstones, and veterans burial flags. Each service is coordinated with the family and, where applicable, with the deceased's last unit or branch honor detail.

On-site facilities of note include large chapel and chapels. These spaces accommodate full military honors details, family gatherings before and after the service, and the placement of the United States flag during the visitation period.

Published pricing at Blackburn Chapel - Martin Funeral Home: direct cremation from $1,760. That places direct cremation roughly 20% below the Michigan median ($2,200). Veterans who served on active duty for at least 24 months may qualify for VA burial allowance to offset funeral costs — this home accepts assignment of those benefits where eligible.

The nearest VA national cemetery is Great Lakes National Cemetery in MI, approximately 34 miles from Blackburn Chapel - Martin Funeral Home. Blackburn Chapel - Martin Funeral Home can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.

Michigan has approximately 836 licensed funeral homes serving its population, of which a subset specifically lists military funeral honors and VA benefits assistance among their services. Blackburn Chapel - Martin Funeral Home is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What sets Blackburn Chapel - Martin Funeral Home apart

• Established in 1882, making it one of the oldest funeral homes in the region.
• Operated by a third-generation family of funeral directors (Martin family).
• Specialization in Massive Trauma Reconstruction Surgical Techniques, a skill acquired through advanced training.
• Extensive network of professional and community affiliations, demonstrating deep local integration.
• Offers worldwide shipping and receiving of remains.
• Provides a year of daily grief support messages via email.

Military & veteran services offered

Burial & cremation services

On-site facilities

Affiliations & specializations

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: Catholic, Lutheran, Wesleyan, Methodist, Baptist, Christian (Country Christian Church, Faith Community Church), Community of Christ. Languages spoken at the home: English.

How honors are coordinated

Military funeral honors are guaranteed at no cost for any veteran discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. The funeral home arranges the honors detail by contacting the deceased's last unit or the nearest active-duty installation of the appropriate branch and submitting the DD-214 to verify eligibility.

For requests less than 72 hours from service time, families can call the Department of Defense's expedited honors line at 1-877-MIL-HONR (1-877-645-4667). See the full honors protocol.