Veteran services at Summers-Kistler Funeral Home
Veteran families in Olney, IL can turn to Summers-Kistler Funeral Home for honors and benefit coordination. In their own words: "Kistler-Patterson Funeral Homes explicitly lists "Honoring Veterans" as one of its services. The staff includes United States Air Force Veteran Stephen Patterson and U.S. Army Veteran Jeff Gray, who bring personal understanding and experience to serving military families." On-site amenities include olney chapel and clay city chapel, suited to flag presentation and honors ceremonies.
On-site facilities of note include olney chapel and clay city 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.
The nearest VA national cemetery is Danville National Cemetery in IL, approximately 100 miles from Summers-Kistler Funeral Home. Summers-Kistler Funeral Home 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. Summers-Kistler Funeral Home is among them.
Frequently asked questions
Does Summers-Kistler Funeral Home publish funeral prices?
Summers-Kistler Funeral Home has not posted a full price list online. Under the FTC Funeral Rule it must provide itemized pricing on request — call (618) 395-4343, and ask how VA burial benefits apply.
Where is Summers-Kistler Funeral Home located, and can it coordinate a veterans cemetery burial?
Summers-Kistler Funeral Home is located at 205 East Elm St. in Olney, IL. You can reach the home at (618) 395-4343. Staff can coordinate burial with nearby VA national and state veterans cemeteries.
What services does Summers-Kistler Funeral Home offer veteran families?
Summers-Kistler Funeral Home provides service options, personalization, honoring veterans, preplanning, and can arrange military funeral honors for eligible veterans.
Does Summers-Kistler Funeral Home help veterans with VA burial benefits?
Kistler-Patterson Funeral Homes explicitly lists "Honoring Veterans" as one of its services. The staff includes United States Air Force Veteran Stephen Patterson and U.S. Army Veteran Jeff Gray, who bring personal understanding and experience to serving military families.
Which faith traditions does Summers-Kistler Funeral Home accommodate?
Staff coordinate services for Catholic families, among others.
What sets Summers-Kistler Funeral Home apart
- Long-standing family ownership and operation, with a history dating back to 1947.
- Both Olney and Clay City facilities are handicapped-accessible, built or renovated specifically for this purpose in 1990 and 2009 respectively.
- Staff includes US military veterans (Stephen Patterson, Jeff Gray) and individuals holding public office, such as the Richland County Coroner (Stephen Patterson) and Deputy Coroner (Jeff Gray), indicating deep community ties and specialized experience in veteran services.
- Offers a dedicated service for Honoring Veterans, supported by veteran staff members.
Military & veteran services offered
On-site facilities
Affiliations & specializations
Specializations
- · Honoring Veterans
Religious traditions & languages
Religious traditions accommodated: Catholic.
Branches of service supported
Based on the home's stated services and specializations, Summers-Kistler Funeral Home has documented experience supporting the following branches:
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.