FUNERAL HOME EXPANDS TO CAPE

McCombs Funeral Home Inc., a Jackson institution for almost 90 years, broke ground Tuesday for a second funeral home at 1425 Kurre Lane in Cape Girardeau.

The company announced plans for a 14,000-square-foot facility, which will include a chapel and two visitation rooms that may be combined to seat more than 300 people.

"There's a lot of heritage between the communities of Cape Girardeau and Jackson," said Bruce Dockins, one of the owners of the funeral home. "We've had a lot of encouragement from people in the Cape Girardeau area."

Planning for the new funeral home wasn't an overnight thing.

"We needed a good location, and our preference was for the north part of town," Dockins said.

Owners of McCombs Funeral Home are Bruce and Donna Dockins and Ivan and Susan Statler, all of Jackson.

The architect for the new building is TWC Funeral Home, Architectural Design and Construction, at Minneapolis.

The main outside entrance will be covered with a canopy, which will accommodate six automobiles under the roof.

The new facility is expected to be completed within six to seven months for an August or September opening.

"Our staff is looking forward to working with people in the Cape Girardeau area," said Dockins, who has been in the business since 1956, and a partner since 1959. "We'll be providing the same service here that we provide in Jackson."

The McCombs staff includes Bruce Dockins, Jamey Dockins and Ivan Statler, all with Missouri embalmers licenses, Missouri Funeral Directors licenses and Missouri insurance licenses; Rick Guilliams and Lonnie Stroder, each with Missouri funeral directors and insurance licenses.

McCombs Funeral Home is the oldest funeral home in Cape Girardeau County, incorporated in 1906 by John William McCombs Jr. and Emma C. McCombs.

The McCombs, in March 1906, purchased the Bartels and Schmuke Furniture and Undertaking Co., renaming the company McCombs Furniture and Undertaking Co., with Mr. McCombs as president.

A new McCombs Funeral Home was built in Jackson in 1971, and the company's furniture store was sold in 1976.