David-Donehower Funeral & Cremation Service

Veteran services at David-Donehower Funeral & Cremation Service

Veteran families in Detroit Lakes, MN can turn to David-Donehower Funeral & Cremation Service for honors and benefit coordination. In their own words: "David-Donehower Funeral & Cremation Service offers specialized services for honoring veterans, including a dedicated section on their website that features obituaries of those who served. Jim Biewer, a Crematory Technician, is a member of the American Legion in Lake Park, further connecting the home to veteran support." On-site amenities include on-site chapel, suited to flag presentation and honors ceremonies. Published pricing lists a quoted rate for basic burial and $3,395 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.

Veteran-related services offered include cremation and traditional burial. 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 David-Donehower Funeral & Cremation Service: direct cremation from $3,395. That places direct cremation roughly 18% above the Minnesota median ($2,877). 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 Fargo National Cemetery in ND, approximately 53 miles from David-Donehower Funeral & Cremation Service. David-Donehower Funeral & Cremation Service can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.

Minnesota has approximately 567 licensed funeral homes serving its population, of which a subset specifically lists military funeral honors and VA benefits assistance among their services. David-Donehower Funeral & Cremation Service is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What sets David-Donehower Funeral & Cremation Service apart

• Extensive and varied grief support programs, including 'The Caring Cup' monthly gatherings, 'Loss of a Spouse Seminar,' 'Surviving the Holidays Seminars,' and a 13-week 'GriefShare Support Group Series.'
• Proprietary 'Everything After and Brighter Mornings' program, offering both practical guidance for post-loss tasks and therapist-created courses for emotional healing.
• 'Away From Home Assurance' program for families with loved ones who pass away outside the local area.
• Dedicated resources and guidance for 'Children and Grief,' providing age-appropriate support.
• Long-standing history in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, dating back over a century, with continuous service under the David-Donehower name since 1984.
• Staff expertise, including General Manager Guy Casablanca's experience across multiple states and his publications on leadership and grief, and David Karsnia's past presidency of the Minnesota Funeral Directors Association.

Burial & cremation services

On-site facilities

Affiliations & specializations

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: Catholic, Lutheran (ELCA), Vineyard Church (Non-denominational Christian), Christian (GriefShare program).

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.