Personalized memorials and celebrations of life

At Wappner Funeral Directors & Crematory, 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.

Perhaps it’s a barbecue in honor of the pit master, complete with live music and bottles of homemade sauce for guests to take home. Maybe it's a garden-themed party for a beloved green thumb. Or perhaps it's a quiet outdoor scattering ceremony with the closest family and friends. No matter your wish, no matter the detail, we handle it all.

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

See how we celebrate life.

Cremation options

Not everyone knows that there are many cremation options. If you're interested in cremation, we can explain the process and your various choices. From a simple cremation without a memorial service or witness cremation to a full funeral service and catered reception, we help you understand this increasingly common choice and handle all of the cremation arrangements.

Our location includes an onsite crematory, ensuring your loved one never leaves our care.

Learn more about our cremation options here.

Planning in advance

In addition to assisting with an immediate need, Wappner Funeral Directors & Crematory 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.

Find out everything you need to know about prepaid funeral plans.

Veterans and public servants programs

We deeply appreciate those who have sacrificed for our freedoms and specialize in serving the veteran community. It's our privilege to honor veterans and their families in need of funeral services.

Watch a video to learn all about our services and get a free veterans planning guide.

Grief support

Our care for you and your family doesn't end after your loved one's service is over. Wappner Funeral Directors & Crematory offers online grief resources accessible from anywhere. Families who choose us for their loved one's service also have access to our 24-hour Compassion Helpline^®.

For up to 13 months after planning a Dignity Memorial^® service, a family gets unlimited complimentary phone access to professionals trained in grief counseling any time day or night, for any reason. Any guest who attends a visitation, funeral service or burial gets the same access for up to three months.

Lean on us

We are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please reach out to us, day or night, if we may assist with funeral or cremation arrangements in Ashland or if you would simply like a tour of the funeral home.

Contact us.

History

Wappner Funeral Directors & Crematory has provided funeral and cremation services to the Ashland, Ohio, community for generations.

In 1872, Peter J. Faust and Philip Wappner Sr. formed a partnership in the furniture and undertaking business. Wappner then became one of the charter members of the Ohio Funeral Directors Association in 1879, relocating to South Park Street in 1883.

In 1890, Henry Wappner joined Philip in the business, which then became known as Wappner Brothers.

Philip’s son, Charles, took over Wappner Brothers in 1919, moving the location to the southeast corner of 2nd and Diamond streets. Charles’ wife, Irilla, continued the business after he died in 1925, becoming the first female funeral director in the county.

Wappner Brothers then moved to 98 South Diamond St., land that was once owned by John Chapman, better known as American pioneer Johnny Appleseed. Our Mansfield funeral home stands in this same location to this day.

Over the years, Wappner Funeral Directors & Crematory expanded to include locations in Ashland and Ontario. In 2021, we became part of the Dignity Memorial family.

Many people ask about the large grandfather clocks found in each of our locations. Back in the day, when Wappner was a furniture store, the family rented out hospital beds. Some beds were traded for grandfather clocks. The clocks are now a Wappner tradition.