A compassionate East Baton Rouge funeral home

Our traditionally styled funeral home on Florida Street has a large chapel with beautiful stained-glass windows and seating for 450 guests. Three large parlors offer flexible spaces for smaller memorials, visitations and receptions. Throughout the funeral home, up-to-date audiovisual systems allow for personalized slideshows and videos—which we are happy to create for you.

If your family would like a police escort from the funeral home to a nearby cemetery, we can arrange that.

Personalized funeral services

At Rabenhorst Funeral Home & Crematory, we understand that losing a loved one is an emotional and difficult experience. We're committed to providing personal, compassionate and professional service when it's needed most.

When you first meet with a funeral director, we'll ask questions about your loved one: what he liked to do, what she cherished, how he thought about the world, how she liked to spend time. From there, we'll help you create a service that speaks to the unique life of your loved one, whether that's a traditional religious funeral or a contemporary and upbeat celebration of life.

You can provide inspiration with a memory of your loved one. From scrapbooking to sports, blue dogs to blueberry pies, we take the things that mattered to that special person and weave them together to create a singular, heartfelt memorial. We're here to help tell the special story of your loved one's life—or your own, if you are planning in advance.

Our team is experienced in arranging catered events and our onsite reception spaces accommodate groups large and small. Whether it's a breakfast buffet after a morning service, cake and coffee in the afternoon, or a full dinner reception, just let us know what you have in mind. We'll hire a caterer to handle food and drinks, and we help with decor and more. If it's an outdoor celebration you're seeking, we'll come up with something just right. Consider a late afternoon crawfish boil with a Zydeco band that plays into the evening or a Mardi Gras-themed funeral procession complete with a colorful float and guests tossing beads. Let us handle every detail so you can spend more time with the people you love.

Multicultural and veterans services

The experienced team at Rabenhorst Funeral Home & Crematory is well-versed in the rites and rituals of many cultures, as well as veterans services.

Baton Rouge has three national cemeteries, and we can guide the families of honorably discharged veterans through the process of securing veterans benefits.

For families whose cultures and religions call for ritual washing, a shomer, an overnight visitation, incense burning or other traditions, we're here to honor and serve you. Just let us know what you need.

An onsite crematory & cremation options

Since 2014, Rabenhorst has operated a private crematory adjacent to its its downtown location. This allows us to have complete control of a cremation, from start to finish, which means your loved one never leaves our care. Our licensed funeral directors and certified cremation technicians handle every step of the cremation process with diligence and compassion.

Unlike other crematories in the area, ours includes a viewing suite, so your family may witness the cremation if that's your wish. You may also opt to have some private time with your loved one prior to the cremation.

Not everyone knows that there are many cremation options. If you are interested in cremation, we can explain the process and the different memorial and burial choices. From a direct cremation without a service or witness, to a full funeral service before or after the cremation, we'll help you understand this increasingly common decision.

A loved one's urn or ashes may be picked up at the funeral home, or we can deliver them to your home in person or by U.S. mail. We also offer cremation jewelry, which is a special way to keep the memory of a loved one close.

Planning ahead

In addition to assisting during your time of need, our team specializes in helping families and individuals plan final arrangements in advance. We recognize that funeral arrangements and associated expenses can be overwhelming. By preparing these details ahead of time, you provide a sense of relief and comfort to your loved ones while ensuring your personal wishes are known. We can provide information or answer questions about pre-planning your funeral, cremation and cemetery arrangements.

Here for you

Thank you for considering Rabenhorst Funeral Home & Crematory for your funeral and cremation needs. We are honored by the trust placed in us by the people of Baton Rouge, and we strive to uphold our legacy. Please contact us if you need immediate assistance, wish to tour our funeral home or would simply like more information about our services. Arrangements can be made in person, by phone or by email. We're here to help.

History

With more than 150 years of service, Rabenhorst Funeral Home and the Rabenhorst family are part of Louisiana’s rich history.

In the 1850s, Caroline Focken Rabenhorst met an adventurous young Prussian immigrant named Charles Ferdinand Rabenhorst. Like Charles, Caroline left her native land for the promise of a better life in a new country. Little did they know, America would soon be torn apart by civil war.

When the war began in 1861, Charles formed his own military company, which was attached to the 21st Louisiana Regiment. He served with distinction as a captain in the Confederate Army. At the war’s end, Charles, a cabinetmaker by trade, found himself making more caskets than furniture. In 1866, he officially entered the funeral business and set a family precedent of responding to the public need.

Baton Rouge’s first dedicated funeral home

He opened his business at the corner of Church (now Fourth) and Main streets, across from what was then St. Joseph Catholic Church. There were several other locations before the present downtown location was selected.

Charles and Caroline had two sons, Oscar F. and Alvin E., who brought the business into the 20th century. In 1932, the brothers founded Rabenhorst Life Insurance Company, originally called the Mortuary Benefit Association. That same year, the original building on what is now Government Street was completed, making it the first in Baton Rouge to be constructed as a funeral home exclusively. This represented an important cultural shift in one of the major social areas of Southern life. Funeral ceremonies were relocated from a family’s residence to a dedicated site.

A third generation takes over

In the 1940s, the third generation of Rabenhorsts assumed operations of the funeral home. Oscar’s youngest son, Alvin E. Rabenhorst II, became president. Another third-generation member, Alvin P. Rabenhorst Sr., son of Alvin E. (Allie) Rabenhorst, joined the family business in 1940. Responsible for financial decisions, he implemented a modern accounting system and eventually became president of both the funeral home and the life insurance company.

Responding to the growing needs of the community, Rabenhorst Funeral Home East opened at 11000 Florida Blvd. in 1978.

The 21st century arrives

In 2014, Rabenhorst opened a state-of-the-art crematory next door to its downtown Government Street funeral home.

In 2019, both locations of the funeral home became part of the Dignity Memorial® network. Alvin P. Rabenhorst Jr., Karen Rabenhorst Kerr, David L. Rabenhorst and G. Scott Rabenhorst proudly carry on the tradition of consistently providing the highest level of service to the community of Baton Rouge and surrounding areas.

Coach Raby

Oscar’s oldest son, Harry A. Rabenhorst, was one of the better-known family members to serve as president of the funeral home. Known as “Coach Raby,” he spent 43 years at LSU as assistant football coach, head basketball coach, head baseball coach, assistant athletic director and athletic director.

Perhaps his most notable achievement was in 1935, when the LSU basketball team defeated the Pittsburgh Panthers to win their only national championship. Although “unofficial” because the NCAA Tournament did not yet exist, there was still the very competitive American Legion Bowl, from which the victor was regarded as the champion.

Coach Raby had three other victorious seasons before joining the Navy to fight in World War II. During his 32 years as coach, LSU won three SEC titles and a Sugar Bowl Tournament Championship. The Rabenhorst family carries on his legacy by passionately supporting Louisiana State University athletics, the same as the family carries on a legacy of fine funeral service in Baton Rouge.