Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory, LLC

Veteran services at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory, LLC

Veteran families in Pekin, IL can turn to Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory, LLC for honors and benefit coordination. In their own words: "Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory provides dedicated services to honor veterans, recognizing their service with respect and devotion. They offer assistance with veterans' burial benefits and provide a free planning guide for veterans' arrangements." On-site amenities include private viewing chapel, main chapel, and second chapel, suited to flag presentation and honors ceremonies. Published pricing lists $4,495 for basic burial and $1,985 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.

Veteran-related services offered include cremation planning, traditional burial, cremation, memorial services, veterans burials, and pet cremation. 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 private viewing chapel, urn and memorial display, main chapel, second chapel, and gardens. 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 Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory, LLC: direct cremation from $1,985. That places direct cremation roughly 20% 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 Camp Butler National Cemetery in IL, approximately 51 miles from Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory, LLC. Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory, LLC 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. Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory, LLC is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What sets Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory, LLC apart

• Located in a historic 1868 mansion, once the residence of Pekin's founding father, Teis Smith, with ADA compliance and an elevator.
• Operates an on-site, state-of-the-art human crematory with a private viewing chapel and urn/memorial display.
• Features a dedicated pet crematory offering individual private cremation, 48-hour return, and complimentary services for service, police, and military dogs.
• Hosts an Annual Gathering of Remembrance in December for families served, including personalized candles and refreshments.
• As a Dignity Memorial provider, offers unique benefits like Relocation Protection, Lifetime Flexibility for pre-planned services, and a Purchase Protection Plan for cemetery property.
• Provides catering services for receptions held at their facilities.

Military & veteran services offered

Burial & cremation services

On-site facilities

Affiliations & specializations

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: Christian denominations, Jewish. 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.