Burthey Funeral Service

It’s thrown in front of our faces when it’s in the news or when a loved one dies. The rest of the time, it’s tucked away neatly in the deepest corner of our mind.Grover C. Burthey Jr. doesn’t have that luxury. He’s a mortician, and death is a business to him—a family business.Businesses like his- small, black-owned, family businesses- have traditionally played an important role in their communities over the course of history. But today, they face a challenge.His father, (you guessed it) Grover C. Burthey Sr., founded Burthey Funeral Services on Fayetteville Road 70 years ago, when he finished embalming school.As an African American owned business, the funeral home has had a special relationship with the community, Burthey Jr. explained. Obviously, it took care of those who had passed away. But you might be surprised how much of an impact a funeral home can have on the living.According to Burthey Jr., it’s not uncommon for funeral homes to be third and fourth generation family businesses. That’s because unlike other businesses, funeral homes are a necessity, so they always have a presence in the community, he explained.This strong community bond, coupled with the fact that both Burthey and his father hold law degrees, helped the funeral home become a place where community activism could take place.“Often times, the funeral homes were places where meetings were held, where racial information was discussed openly and freely,” Burthey Jr. said. “Many times, black undertakers all over the country were involved in politics due to their status in the community.”An only child, Burthey Jr. said he thought it was “only natural” that he join his father in the family business when he came of age. He graduated embalming school in 1974, and went on to complete a law degree at UNC Chapel Hill.In 1996, Burthey Jr. would have the opportunity to assume the manager role, but it was bittersweet.Embalming, sometimes referred t...