Personalized memorials and life celebrations

Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center - Chatham opened in 1999 as Staab Polk Memorial Home in Chatham at the corner of South Church Street and South Grand Avenue. Though many things have changed in the decades since—including the name of the business—our dedication to the families of Chatham has never wavered. We’ve worked hard to offer families every option.

Just minutes from area hospitals, churches and cemeteries, the funeral home is perfect for candle-lighting ceremonies, intimate visitations, large receptions and other gatherings. With a warm, welcoming atmosphere and associates who treat every family like their own, we are committed to compassion and the highest level of excellence in everything we do.

At Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center - Chatham, we believe that every service should be as unique as the life lived. We capture the essence of your loved one to create an event that honors your special person and gives friends and family a chance to come together and remember. The team includes several certified celebrants specially trained to design unique tributes that deeply reflect loved ones’ lives.

Whether you want to arrange a traditional funeral or modern celebration of life, a cremation or a green burial, we will work with you one-on-one to ensure your needs and budget are met. From casket or urn selection, to floral arrangements, music selections, decor, mementos and more, we guide you through your choices with care.

Cremation in Chatham

Families have the opportunity to be involved in a cremation farewell at Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center - Chatham. Our state-of-the-art crematory was designed for families to gather together before or after a cremation. It also allows families to be present for the start of a loved one’s cremation, if they wish.

More and more people are choosing cremation over traditional burial, but most aren’t familiar with all the choices:

• a cremation without a funeral or memorial service of any kind.
• a funeral with your loved one present, followed by cremation.
• a cremation followed by a scattering, cemetery memorialization or celebration of life—or all three.

There are many cremation providers from which to choose. Here’s what you can expect when you choose Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center - Chatham for your loved one’s cremation:

• Custody of care guaranteed. Our identification pendant and custody-of-care program help safeguard the identification of your loved one.
• Exclusive custody of your loved one. Once your loved one is in the care of a Dignity Memorial^® provider or trusted partner, they’re in our care until they’re returned to your family.
• Licensed, certified, conscientious staff. All Dignity Memorial crematory operators in Illinois are licensed and certified by the Cremation Association of North America, or CANA. Unless there are special circumstances and your family has requested otherwise, only one person at a time is cremated. Additionally, the cremation chamber is thoroughly cleaned before the next person is cremated. 

Celebrations at Prairie View Reception Center

Part of the Butler Funeral Homes and Cremation Tribute Center group, Prairie View Reception Center has been helping the Central Illinois community celebrate life’s moments since 2003. It’s located just across South Grand Avenue from Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center - Chatham.

We plan, coordinate and execute events from wedding receptions and anniversary parties to business luncheons, baby showers, proms, memorials and more. No matter what you’re planning, our comprehensive event options ensure you’ll have everything you need:

• Elegant interior
• Spacious reception room
• Design services
• Catering services, including staff
• Tables and chairs
• Linens and decor
• Permanent wooden dance floor
• Special lighting capabilities
• Plenty of parking
• Complimentary Wi-Fi

Come to us with an idea—or just an event—and we’ll bring it to life in a very special way.

Veterans funerals and burials

We deeply appreciate those who have sacrificed for our freedoms and feel privileged to honor veterans and their families in need of funeral and cremation services. We can arrange for an honor guard and the playing of Taps. A horse-drawn hearse is also a popular choice for veterans funerals. Our experienced funeral directors are dedicated to ensuring that every veteran is honored in a manner befitting their service and giving their families the support they need.

We believe that every military hero deserves to be buried with military honors. That’s why we take part in the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program. We also have a special relationship with our local honor guard, the Interveterans Burial Detail of Sangamon County. Many honor guards lack the funds and resources necessary for a proper military farewell, and we’re proud to help support this cause.

Farewell ride

A motorcycle hearse is an offering that speaks to those who love the feeling of the open road and the rumble of a well-tuned engine. Our motorcycle hearse can be deployed for a loved one’s journey from the funeral home or place of worship to the cemetery—but it can also be part of a final ride with friends and family. We can give everyone a last chance to saddle up and cruise through the countryside, drive along a favorite route and maybe stop at a favorite location for a round of farewell drinks.

Roselawn Memorial Park

Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center - Chatham works with all Central Illinois cemeteries. However, we are closely affiliated with Roselawn Memorial Park. Located on South Camp Butler Road in Springfield, just southwest of Camp Butler National Cemetery, Roselawn Memorial Park offers a wide range of options for traditional burial and cremation, including green burials. In fact, the Butler Funeral Homes & Cremation Tribute Center group and Roselawn Memorial Park are the only funeral homes and cemetery in Central Illinois certified by the nonprofit Green Burial Council.

Grief support and aftercare

The loss of a loved one can be devastating, and many people don’t know where to turn or how to cope. We’re here to help you during difficult times—you aren’t alone. Though the experience of grief can be very isolating, the articles in our grief library can make a difference in your day-to-day life, and families who plan services with us get access to our 24-hour Compassion Helpline® (services provided by Charles Nechtem Associates) for up to 13 months after a service.

Funeral planning in advance

In addition to assisting with an immediate need, Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center - Chatham specializes in working with families to make final arrangements in advance. When you plan ahead, you relieve your family from financial and emotional burdens while ensuring your wishes are fulfilled. We offer in-person and virtual consultations, as well as a free Personal Planning Guide.

Butler Pet Services

We know pets can be important members of the family. Wishing to give families with beloved companion animals an option for saying goodbye with the utmost dignity and respect, Butler opened a separate division dedicated exclusively to pets in 2000. It offers cremation services, burial at Roselawn Pet Cemetery, as well as pet caskets, urns, keepsakes and grave memorials.

Lean on us

The caring and dedicated team at Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center - Chatham provides exceptional, compassionate service at one of life’s most difficult times. We honor the opportunity to serve you and your family. We consider it a great responsibility when families entrust to us the care of their loved ones.

We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please reach out, day or night, if we may assist with funeral or cremation arrangements in Chatham, or if you would simply like a tour of Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center - Chatham or Roselawn Memorial Park. Contact us.