The History of House-Rawlings Funeral Home

The House-Rawlings Funeral Home has been a tradition among Laurel County families for many years. Our company began as two individual funeral homes serving London and surrounding areas.

House Funeral Home

An early bill of sale for a funeral (June 10, 1922)

The House Funeral Home has roots in London that date back to 1914. D.B. "Dan" House founded The Farmers Supply Company, which provided general merchandise and burial supplies. Mr. House sold coffins as well as coffin interiors and handles to families who built caskets themselves.

The House Family

Soon the Funeral Supply Company became Mr. House's primary business. The company was moved to a residence on what was then known as Manchester Street, which today is East Fourth Street in London. The business name was D. B. House Undertaking Company. This location provided families of London and Laurel County an alternative to having funerals held in the home. The funeral home provided a chapel, which was a new idea in funeral service in those days.

Irene "Tuff" House Horsefield

Over the years as D.B. House Undertaking Company began to grow, the name of the company was then changed to House Funeral Home. Mr. House was a very well known member of the community, known to many as "Uncle Dan". D.B. and Polly Craft House had four daughters.

W. E. Bryant

One of Mr. House's daughters, Irene "Tuff" House Horsefield began working in the funeral home and became a Licensed Funeral Director.

Having no sons, Mr. House's son-in-law W.E. "Ed" Bryant joined the company to assist Mr. House with the funeral business. After Mr. House's death in 1962, Ed Bryant ran the funeral home until his death.

Rawlings Funeral Home

"Gus" Rawlings in the 30s

Marjorie Rawlings

A.W. "Gus" Rawlings began his career in funeral service at the former Cox Funeral Home in London when he was in his early 20's. In 1932, Mr. Rawlings founded the Rawlings Funeral Home in London on North Main Street. This location was destroyed by fire and the funeral home moved to 711 West 5th Street, in front of Sue Bennett College. Mr. Rawlings' wife, Marjorie Smith Rawlings, who taught school in London, received her Funeral Directors License in 1945, and was one of the first lady Funeral Directors in the State of Kentucky. The Rawlings Funeral Home moved from the West 5th Street Location to a private residence on Main Street in London and remained at this location until the two companies merged on April 1, 1978.

Rawlings Funeral Home

House-Rawlings Funeral Home

The newly merged House-Rawlings Funeral Home

The two individual funeral firms merged to form the present House-Rawlings Funeral Home. After the merger of the two firms, the Rawlings Funeral Home moved from their Main Street location to the East Fourth Street location of the House Funeral Home. The House-Rawlings Funeral Home business continued to grow, and in 1987 construction began on a new Funeral Home next door to the home on East Fourth Street. This Funeral Home was built to better serve area families. Construction of the new facility was complete in the fall of 1988.

A.W. "Gus" Rawlings	Mr. & Mrs. "Gus" Rawlings

Mr. And Mrs. Rawlings' had one son (Wilson) and two daughters. Wilson Rawlings joined his father in the family funeral business at the age of 14, helping at the Funeral Home after school and during summer vacations. Over the years, the Rawlings Funeral Home became a trusted name in funeral service to the citizens of London.

Gus Rawlings, as he was known to the families of London,

Wilson Rawlings

set forth a long standing commitment to caring for families of the area. After retirement, Mr. Rawlings was still associated with the House-Rawlings Funeral Home until his death in 1990.

From the beginning of the two firms, the House name and the Rawlings name signifies Outstanding Quality Funeral Service in London, Laurel County and all surrounding areas.