Veteran services at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home, located in Smithville, TN, assists those who served and their families. In their own words: "The funeral home expresses general support for soldiers and veterans, stating 'Our prayers are with our soldiers and veterans.' Specific veteran benefit assistance is not detailed on their website." Published pricing lists $5,450 for basic burial and $2,150 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.
Published pricing at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home: direct cremation from $2,150. That places direct cremation roughly 15% above the Tennessee median ($1,865). 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 Nashville National Cemetery in TN, approximately 54 miles from Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.
Tennessee has approximately 641 licensed funeral homes serving its population, of which a subset specifically lists military funeral honors and VA benefits assistance among their services. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is among them.
Frequently asked questions
What does a funeral at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home cost for veteran families?
From its published general price list, direct cremation starts at $2,150. 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 Love-Cantrell Funeral Home located, and can it coordinate a veterans cemetery burial?
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is located at 100 East Church Street in Smithville, TN. You can reach the home at (615) 597-5275. Staff can coordinate burial with nearby VA national and state veterans cemeteries.
What services does Love-Cantrell Funeral Home offer veteran families?
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home provides pre-arranged funerals, at need funerals, cremations, funeral service, monument sales, and can arrange military funeral honors for eligible veterans.
Does Love-Cantrell Funeral Home help veterans with VA burial benefits?
The funeral home expresses general support for soldiers and veterans, stating 'Our prayers are with our soldiers and veterans.' Specific veteran benefit assistance is not detailed on their website.
Which faith traditions does Love-Cantrell Funeral Home accommodate?
Staff coordinate services for Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Church of Christ, Tabernacle families, among others.
What sets Love-Cantrell Funeral Home apart
- Third-generation Hooper family ownership and operation (Kirby family) with deep roots in the Smithville community.
- A long-standing history of service in Smithville, established in 1907 as Conger Funeral Home.
- Specialization in pre-need funeral sales and final expense (burial) insurance, with Chad Kirby serving as a licensed agent for Investor's Heritage Insurance Company.
- Licensed beautician services provided by owner Diane Kirby, offered to families without a specific preference for their loved ones.
- Extensive grief resources available through an affiliation with the Center for Loss and Life Transition, featuring Dr. Alan Wolfelt's Griefwords Online Library.
- Staff members with significant tenure and personal connections to the community, such as Deloy Kirby having assisted on approximately 4,000 funerals.
Burial & cremation services
Cremation
- · Cremations
On-site facilities
Affiliations & specializations
Industry affiliations
- · DeKalb Community Bank (now Wilson Bank and Trust)
- · Investor's Heritage Insurance Company
Specializations
- · Pre-Need Funeral Sales
- · Final Expense (Burial) Insurance
Religious traditions & languages
Religious traditions accommodated: Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Church of Christ, Tabernacle. Languages spoken at the home: English.
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.