GVL Funeral Chapel Now Langkamp Funeral Chapel & Crematory
It’s often said that change is the only constant in life. After much consideration, David, Shawn and Andrew Langkamp have decided to change their company name. Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel is now the Langkamp Funeral Chapel & Crematory. Since its inception in 1866, as the J.B. McCurdy & Co. Furniture and Undertaking, the funeral chapel has had numerous name changes. With several significant business changes in the last few years, the Langkamps believe it is now time to change the name to more accurately reflect the services and the current staff of the company.
In 2009, Andrew Langkamp joined his parents after graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in business and Des Moines Area Community College with a degree in Mortuary Science. He and his wife, Melissa reside in Oskaloosa with their two daughters, Claire and Natalie.
In 2011, anticipating the rise in the cremation rate, the Langkamps invested in the addition of a crematory on the grounds of the funeral chapel. Knowing that their loved ones are never transferred to another facility has been a great relief to many of the families served by the funeral chapel.
Another facet of care the Langkamps now provide is granite and bronze monument sales. With the advancement in technology, grave markers have become another way to remember, reflect and create a legacy. The Langkamps have found that counseling families on memorial selection is a natural extension of the relationship begun in the final arrangement process.
With this name change, the Langkamps are also launching a new website: www.langkampfuneralchapel.com. The site features our history, staff profiles, testimonials, an overview of our facility, and obituaries, and it still allows for condolences and messages to be sent to families and memorial videos to be shown.
The Plan Ahead section of the website assists in understanding the importance of pre-planning your final arrangements and includes an online planning form and a pre-planning checklist which will ensure that essential life details have been decided.
The Langkamps hope that the community feels welcome to utilize the site to its full potential. There are so many valuable resources that are easily accessible to families at the many stages of their lives.
David, Shawn and Andrew Langkamp want to reassure the community that though our name has changed, our mission and goals have not. We strive to serve every family with dignity, compassion, and integrity, giving them the ability to honor and celebrate their loved one in a way that creates an experience that starts them on a path of healing.
