Veteran services at Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd.
Veteran families in Zion, IL can turn to Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd. for honors and benefit coordination. In their own words: "Assistance with death-related claims, including VA insurance, is provided." On-site amenities include on-site chapel, suited to flag presentation and honors ceremonies. Published pricing lists $5,515 for basic burial and $1,937 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.
Veteran-related services offered include cremation, traditional funeral service followed by cremation, memorial service, graveside service, permanent memorialization, and scattering of the cremated remains. 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 on-site chapel. 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 Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd.: direct cremation from $1,937. That places direct cremation roughly 22% below the Illinois median ($2,495). 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 Fort Sheridan National Cemetery in IL, approximately 16 miles from Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd.. Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd. can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.
Illinois has approximately 1,192 licensed funeral homes serving its population, of which a subset specifically lists military funeral honors and VA benefits assistance among their services. Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd. is among them.
Frequently asked questions
What does a funeral at Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd. cost for veteran families?
From its published general price list, direct cremation starts at $1,937. Eligible veterans can offset these costs with a VA burial allowance, and burial in a VA national cemetery is provided at no charge.
Where is Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd. located, and can it coordinate a veterans cemetery burial?
Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd. is located at 3012 Sheridan Rd. in Zion, IL. You can reach the home at (847) 746-1234. Staff can coordinate burial with nearby VA national and state veterans cemeteries.
What services does Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd. offer veteran families?
Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd. provides cremation, traditional funeral service followed by cremation, memorial service, graveside service, permanent memorialization, and can arrange military funeral honors for eligible veterans.
Does Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd. help veterans with VA burial benefits?
Assistance with death-related claims, including VA insurance, is provided.
Which faith traditions does Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd. accommodate?
Staff coordinate services for Jehovah's Witnesses families, among others.
What sets Congdon & Company Funeral Directors, Ltd. apart
- Family-owned and operated since 1939, with current leadership by Loren Congdon and his daughter Dinora Congdon Metcalf.
- Operates from a historic building in Zion, IL, dating back to the mid-1800s.
- Licensed to provide funeral and cremation services in both Illinois and Wisconsin.
- Offers extensive personalization options for services, including photos, videos, artwork, music, and literature.
- Provides online grief resources and a year of weekly grief support messages.
- Accommodates Spanish-speaking families, as evidenced by bilingual obituaries on their website.
Military & veteran services offered
Burial & cremation services
Burial
- · Graveside Service
Cremation
- · Cremation
- · Traditional Funeral Service followed by Cremation
- · Keeping an Urn at Home
- · Placing the Urn in a Columbarium
- · Burying the Urn
- · Scattering of the Cremated Remains
On-site facilities
Affiliations & specializations
Specializations
- · Licensed in Illinois and Wisconsin
Religious traditions & languages
Religious traditions accommodated: Jehovah's Witnesses. Languages spoken at the home: English, Spanish.
EverSettled · After the Veteran Funeral
The veteran's spouse may qualify for VA Dependency & Indemnity Compensation.
DIC is a tax-free monthly benefit for surviving spouses, dependent children, and (in some cases) parents of veterans whose death is service-connected. EverSettled walks veteran families through DIC eligibility, survivor pension, life-insurance claims, probate, and the federal-account paperwork that follows.
Begin Veteran Estate SettlementHow 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.