BANGOR, Maine — A family owned funeral home business based in Bangor has acquired a location in Hampden.
Brookings-Smith Funeral Home announced Friday that it has purchased Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home from Garry Gilpatrick.
The ownership change took effect Jan. 1, Brookings-Smith announced in a news release.
Gilpatrick has had health problems during the past several years, which have made it difficult from him to continue to operate the Hampden funeral home in a manner the community has been accustomed to, according to the news release.
Gilpatrick owned and operated the Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home for the past 26 years.
“I am thankful and honored to have served many wonderful families over the years and am grateful for their trust,” Gilpatrick said.
Gary W. Smith, his daughter, Holly Smith Fernald, and her husband, Jim Fernald, own and operate Brookings-Smith Funeral Home, which has its main location on Center Street in Bangor.
They said they are honored for the continued opportunity to serve Hampden and surrounding communities.
“Garry has done a great job meeting the needs of the families, and we hope to continue this same caring tradition,” Jim Fernald said.
“We wish Garry better health in the new year and hope that he stays active in the community of Hampden,” he said.
Terms of the sale are not being released, Fernald said. He said no employees are affected by the change of hands.
Fernald also said Brookings-Smith has agreed to honor all the mortuary trust agreements Gilpatrick has drafted over the years as written.
“We’re excited about it,” Fernald said of the purchase. “It fits our business model. It’s got a long history as a family owned business.”
In addition to its funeral home on Center Street, Brookings-Smith operates the Life Tribute Center in Bangor, which is a space specifically designed for family members to meet after a death has occurred.
And with the increasing demand for cremation, Brookings-Smith operates Pine Grove Crematorium, also in Bangor.
“Many people that we serve take comfort knowing that their loved one is always in our care throughout the complete process when people want cremation services,” Fernald said.
Brookings-Smith also operates funeral homes in Brewer and Orono.