Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel Inc. in Beatrice
The Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel Inc. in Beatrice was established on September 23, 1944, when Heath and Blanche Griffiths purchased the Bergmeyer Funeral Home at 16th and Court Street in Beatrice. In 1956, we built the first new facility in Beatrice designated specifically as a funeral home at it’s current location in Beatrice at 708 North 6th Street (on the corner of U.S. Hwy. 77 and Washington Streets).
Dick Hovendick (and late wife Jackie Griffiths) joined Heath and Blanche Griffiths at the firm in 1960, and Dick’s son, Rich Hovendick, became the third generation at the firm when he joined the funeral home in 1978. Both Dick and Rich are licensed funeral directors and embalmers and licensed pre-need salesmen. Samantha Thompson, the fourth generation of the family, joined the funeral home in 2016.
Dick Hovendick and Rich Hovendick and his wife, Linda, are the owners of the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel Inc. They have chapels in Adams, Nebraska, the complete facility in Beatrice, and the Venrick-Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel in DeWitt, Nebraska.
They also own the Laughlin-Hoevet Funeral Home in Wymore, Nebraska. This is a complete funeral home facility with a chapel with seating for over 100 people that were added in 2013. Jeff Nelson served as the manager of the Laughlin-Hoevet Funeral Home for over 30 years. Samantha Thompson has managed the Laughlin-Hoevet Funeral home since joining us in 2016.
The funeral home in Beatrice was fully updated and remodeled in 2015. An integrated video system was added to the facility as well as a semi-private family room.
