McNeill Funeral Home, a business that has served the region under various ownerships since 1965, has returned to its family-owned origins. And now that family is both smaller and larger. It is now McNeill-Mackie Funeral Home.

Duncan Mackie recently purchased the funeral home from C. W. Stoots of Hickory, NC, who had owned it for just four months after purchasing it from a national corporation. After Lewis McNeill sold the business, which he began in 1965 after acquiring the then McGoogan-McNeill Funeral Home, it would have four different corporate owners.

"Now it is back to being a local family owned and operated funeral home," Mr. Mackie said.

"We, my wife and I, came here looking at McNeill Funeral Home and found a very friendly community, reassuring us in our decision to move here. What we would like to do is to restore McNeill's Funeral Home to the level of service that the community enjoyed when Mr. and Mrs. McNeill were owners," Mr. Mackie said.

"We are a full-service funeral home, and we will be happy to discuss any arrangements, pre-need or at need. We offer traditional funerals, cremations, memorial services and other funeral arrangements.

"We invite people to stop by and meet us, and tour our facilities. We look forward to becoming involved in the St. Pauls community."

  Mr. Mackie has over 17 years experience in the funeral business. He comes to St. Pauls from his native Ocala, Florida, where he worked as funeral director and manager for Ferro Funeral Homes the past last seven years.

Prior to that employment, Mr. Mackie was lead funeral director and manager for Central Care Operations for Kraeer Funeral Homes of Fort Lauderdale, Fl. That funeral business served over 3200 families each year.

"I saw coming to St. Pauls as an opportunity to own and operate my own funeral home," Mr. Mackie said, "and to serve the community in an ownership capacity. We are convinced that we made the right decision, and we are happy to be able to serve the greater St. Pauls area, something McNeill Funeral Home has done for many years." 

Continuing his employment at McNeill-Mackie Funeral Home will be Bobby Evans, who serves as staff assistant.

You can call McNeill-Mackie Funeral Home, which is located at 309 West Broad Street in downtown St. Pauls, at 865-4105.