Filbrandt Family Funeral Home

Veteran services at Filbrandt Family Funeral Home

Veteran families in South Haven, MI can turn to Filbrandt Family Funeral Home for honors and benefit coordination. In their own words: "Filbrandt Chapel provides comprehensive Veteran Funeral Services, including assistance with determining eligibility for military death benefits and ensuring the provision of military funeral honors. These honors typically involve an honor guard detail, the folding and presentation of the American flag to the next of kin, and the playing of 'Taps'. The chapel also displays a flag representing the veteran's branch of service during visitations and services, and offers a keepsake display box for the presented flag. For funeral processions, a special military magnet is placed on the hearse to signify the honoring of a veteran." On-site amenities include chapels and reception hall, suited to flag presentation and honors ceremonies. Published pricing lists $4,200 for basic burial and $1,600 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.

Veteran-related services offered include cremation, burial services, graveside funeral service, direct burial, memorial services, and veteran funeral services. 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 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 Filbrandt Family Funeral Home: direct cremation from $2,150. That places direct cremation roughly 2% 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 Fort Custer National Cemetery in MI, approximately 47 miles from Filbrandt Family Funeral Home. Filbrandt Family 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. Filbrandt Family Funeral Home is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What sets Filbrandt Family Funeral Home apart

• Long-standing presence in the South Haven community with staff continuity since the chapel's opening.
• Commitment to providing services at reasonable prices, a founding principle of Jeff Filbrandt.
• Offers unique personalization for burial services, including the option to use personal vehicles like John Deere tractors or favorite trucks for transport.
• Provides eco-friendly burial options, such as seagrass and wicker caskets and biodegradable urns.
• Direct support and guidance to Lory's Place, a grief healing and education center with services available in South Haven, offering peer support for grieving children and families, and anticipatory grief programs.
• Ability to livestream and record services for those unable to attend, providing a digital keepsake.

Military & veteran services offered

Burial & cremation services

On-site facilities

Affiliations & specializations

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: Christian, Islamic, Jewish.

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.