“Providing Caring & Compassionate Service Since 1936”
Time and service have honored the Bland Reid Funeral Home, and Reid’s Funeral Home. For many years, our reputable funeral home has served the people of this area reliably, with comfort, and, most importantly, compassion. We offer dignified, affordable service to families of all faiths, and our funeral directors can offer you a full-service or simple funeral within the means of every family.
Bland Reid Funeral Home relieves you of all worry and responsibility in a friendly and understanding manner during your time of mourning. You may feel secure knowing that the final tribute to your loved one will be conducted to the personal wishes of each individual family. We will carry out services, burials, shippings, cremations, memorials and other arrangements with dignity and genuine concern. In addition, our directors will gladly answer any questions regarding pre-need or specific funeral services frankly, honestly and confidentially.
It is our desire to plan the service with the family to meet your personal requirements, and we have earned an excellent reputation for serving the people of this area with professionalism and understanding.
In 1934, J. Wesley Bland started Bland Funeral Home on the corner of Main and Madison Streets, in Farmville Virginia. In 1936, the business relocated to its current location, 413 Ely Street (now Griffin Blvd).
In 1950, Warren A. Reid, a native of Cumberland County, joined the business as an assistant to Mr. Bland. As his health began to fail, Mr. Bland depended heavily on young Warren whom he affectionately referred to as his “son”. At that time, Mr. Reid was a licensed embalmer but was too young to have his license as a funeral director.
On March 1, 1953, Mr. Bland passed away. Before his death, he and his family members asked Warren Reid if he would continue running the business, since Mr. Bland had no children of his own. Again, because of his age, young Warren had to acquire special permission to run the business, until he was of age to acquire his funeral directors license.
In 1956, the funeral home was destroyed by fire and the business had to be temporarily relocated to a small structure across the street. With determination, limited resources and the help of many friends, Mr. Reid designed and rebuilt the funeral in its current location. It was at this time that the name was changed to Bland-Reid Funeral home, later incorporated in 1994 to include Reid’s Funeral Home, which Mr. Reid has owned and operated since 1964. The incorporation, at one time, also included the West Funeral Home in Appomattox, VA.
In October 1996, the need for additional space prompted a major interior and exterior renovation to the Farmville location. The addition of a 100 seat chapel, two additional viewing rooms, a conference room, main office, owner’s suite, and enlarged prep and caskets rooms was completed in mid-1997. Though the standard of Mr. Reid’s philosophy has always been to provide quality service with compassion and professionalism, the change in space also meant the change in importance of “The Houses of Service”
In 2005, at the age of 77, Mr. Reid saw fit to undertake another major renovation project, now on the Dillwyn location, adding a new 125 seat chapel, new casket room, office and viewing rooms.
After his death in 2006, the business ownership went to his wife of 53 years, Mrs. Gearl Dean Reid. A licensed funeral director as well, she takes ownership of the business very seriously. The daily management of the business now falls to Daughter, Jacquelyn, who’s been with the company since 1994, and grandson, Warren II since 2012. The legacy is now in its 3rd generation with 11 faithful employees.
In 2016, under the direction of Warren II, Bland-Reid and Reid’s went through a modernizing renovation, adding new signage, covered entry ways, flat screen televisions in all viewing rooms and chapels, a new heritage mural and memorial fountain in Farmville. The W.A Reid Memorial Chapel and James Wesley Bland Chapel were dedicated June of 2017. We pride ourselves with being the oldest black owned business in Farmville and only black owned funeral home in Buckingham County.
As of 2019, Bland-Reid Funeral Home Inc. now has a presence on all social media outlets and an interactive website. We now offer personal after care program and grief counseling.
As the community around us evolves, so will we! Our legacy is important to us!
-The Houses of Service