Veteran services at Starks & Menchinger Chapel
Starks & Menchinger Chapel is a funeral home in Saint Joseph, MI that accepts veteran families and provides military funeral honors coordination through the Department of Defense honors program.
Published pricing at Starks & Menchinger Chapel: direct cremation from $3,295. 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 61 miles from Starks & Menchinger Chapel. Starks & Menchinger Chapel can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.
Starks & Menchinger Chapel holds a 4.8-star rating from 53 Google reviews, indicating consistent service quality reported by families who have used the home for veteran and non-veteran services alike.
What families have said
Recent reviews from families who used Starks & Menchinger Chapel. Reviews are sourced from Google Places and shown verbatim — we do not edit or filter for sentiment.
“There are no words to describe how grateful I am to have worked with Tom and his team, for both of my parents. My mother passed last May 2025, and we all thought that dad would go shortly afterwards. However, he decided to wait until the day after what would have been their 55th wedding anniversary, which was January 1, 2026. Mother had the foresight to pre-plan their arraignments years prior, so Tom was able to step in and take care of what needed to be done, regarding dad's military rites for their memorial and internment. Starks has taken care of at least five of my family members, with dignity, grace and when needed light humor. Thank you again to everyone for your dedication to the families that you serve.”
“Starks Family Funeral Home & Cremation were wonderful to my family in a very difficult time. The time and care they put in to help us honor my mom was incredible. They were kind and thoughtful and helped us remember the details, when our grief overtook us. I am so thankful they are there for the people in this community. They made the unbearable something that I was so proud of in the way we honored my mom’s legacy. I am so appreciative of their staff, especially Laura, who held our hand through the whole process.”
“If you are looking for a place to handle final arrangements after the loss of a loved one, then this is your place. Jason Storm, and the crew at Starks, are second to none. They made the process of planning our son's celebration of life service so easy, while offering such comfort. These people truly care about you and your loved ones. Thank you Starks and Menchinger for all that you do. You truly are making a difference.”
“Planning a funeral is never a good time. However, the Stark family made it so comfortable and heart warming. They made a very difficult thing for my family and myself an experience that we could navigate.”
“I was in awe of what this group of people at Stark’s Funeral Home does for families when a one loved dies. Everyone I encountered by phone or in person were genuinely caring and concerned. No one rushed us in any way. I’m sorry I don’t know the receptionist’s name but she was fantastic. I asked for Jason to help me prior to my mom’s passing. Jason was a my student many years ago and I knew he was an exceptional human. Anyway, Jason met me at the hospital which was very nice. He walked me through the processes to come. He got the ball rolling. He then had to be gone for a few days with his son so he turned me over to Hannah. Hannah was just as kind, caring and thoughtful. She walked us through and had great compassion. The whole experience was made the best it could be because of these people. Thank you for all you do every day for families.”
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.