The Jessen Funeral Home & Simple Cremation Franklin chapel on the corner of Home Avenue and Jefferson Street. The building has been a funeral home for decades but is being remodeled into a mixed-use space to include retail and offices.
Photo provided
After years as a funeral parlor, change is coming to a stately building in downtown Franklin.
After careful consideration and review, Jessen Funeral Home & Simple Cremation’s Franklin location at 197 W. Jefferson St., Franklin has shut its doors and consolidated its efforts to its original Whiteland chapel.
Blu Dot Property Group, LLC, which is owned by two Franklin residents, purchased the property in June, according to online property records.
“As we all know, time slows down for no one. Progress and change are inevitable,” said Evan Thayer, Jessen’s current owner. “We thank you for placing your trust in us and we are grateful for the fact that our communities’ trust in us has continued to grow tremendously in recent years.”
Operations at the Franklin chapel will merge with the Whiteland chapel, allowing Jessen Funeral Home to better serve families with more space and a modern facility, Thayer said. Adding another location is also being explored, but no decisions have been made at this time, he said.
Pre-arranged funeral arrangements acquired through the Franklin chapel will be fully honored, he said.
There is an active commercial building permit and floor plans provided to the city show the building will be remodeled into a mixed-use space.
Plans show there will be multiple retail spaces available in the front half of the first floor, while the back half of the first floor and upstairs will be remodeled into an office space. The office area will offer private offices, open office space, a break room, a reception area, a conference room and other amenities.
Additional details about the future of the property weren’t available at press time.
The building has a long history in Franklin, surpassing its 175th birthday last year, according to the funeral home. It was originally the site of the Vandivier-Parsley Funeral Home. After it was purchased by John and Suellen Jessen in 2005, it was renamed the Jessen Funeral Home, Franklin Chapel. It joined the Jessen’s original Whiteland chapel, according to the funeral home.
“We went in there and it was just beautiful, there was a lot of cleaning and renovations that needed to be done, but it was a beautiful, stately, historical gem,” said Don Sanders, chaplain and longtime Jessen employee. “I would take my little boys in with me and put them in the kid’s room, then I would help clean the chandeliers, one chandelier prism at a time. There were numerous chandeliers, so it took a while.”
The Jessens updated the funeral home and restored many of its original inside features, owning it until their retirement in 2021 when G. David Keller purchased the chapel. He renamed it Jessen & Keller Funeral Home and started a restoration process that lasted about a year.
He sold the company to Thayer in 2023 and the name changed to Jessen Funeral Home & Simple Cremation.
“We want to thank the City of Franklin and all our faithful families for partnering with us and allowing us to serve each one of you,” Thayer said. “Our dedication to personal family service and being one of the most compassionately-priced funeral homes in Johnson County will not waver – change is inevitable, but our dedication and standard of service will not change. We thank you for your trust and understanding.”
