Starks Funeral Parlor emphasizes comfort, tradition

Intermountain Catholic

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Jason Starks' vintage 1963 Cadillac hearse has become a symbol of traditional elegance.IC photos by Christopher Gray

SALT LAKE CITY — Starks Funeral Parlor is family tested and priest approved, and their scones and coffee, like many things at this new family owned mortuary, are surprisingly comfortable.

"Funeral homes are notoriously uncomfortable," said Shayneh Starks in an interview with the Intermountain Catholic. "We thought, ‘why should people leave?’ Many of our nights are spent serving food and drink in our

living room."

Married in 2001 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, Jason and Shayneh Starks launched the Starks Funeral Parlor in 2005. Seeing a niche market in Salt Lake City available for them to tap into with their love of tradition, they created a cozy environment for mourners to express their sorrow and be at ease during difficult times.

Jason Starks, a longtime Utah resident and 1993 graduate of Judge Memorial Catholic High School in Salt Lake City, used his local connections to hone the business years before it opened. "While we were working for other funeral parlors, like Neil O’Donnell & Sons Mortuary, we were doing our homework. We went to people we knew, and listened to their feedback. We asked what priests wanted, what they expected, what had disappointed them in the past," he said.

"It was valuable to go back to priests I knew in school or served with as an altar boy," he continued. "Many have recommended us to their friends and parishioners."

Facing the challenges of starting up a new business and entering a market where no new full service, family owned mortuaries had succeeded in 25 years, the Starks forged ahead after their wedding, working at other local mortuaries while they slowly built and refurbished their buildings. After four years of preparation, the Starks welcomed their first family in August 2005.

"We weren’t quite ready yet," said Shayneh Starks, remembering the loose ends still dangling from the task of readying their business. "We didn’t have doorknobs or even sinks in the bathrooms."

"Now, just a few months later, we’re the bed and breakfast of funeral homes," she continued. "Most people stay at hotels when they travel, but there will always be a few who prefer to stay at bed and breakfasts."

Serving the Wasatch Front from Ogden to Provo, the Starks pride themselves on their willingness to do whatever is necessary to make the time people spend with them special. "Everything that seems too difficult, like too much effort or too much work, we’ll bring to the family," said Jason Starks.

Jason and Shayneh Starks live with their young daughter Sophia Frances in an apartment above the kitchen and living room where families can honor their loved ones with a wake. Especially in the Irish culture, the wake serves an important role in the farewell by keeping the family close and comfortable while they mourn together for a long time. At one wake, Shayneh Starks recalls a tease left on the bar stating "The difference between an Irish wedding and an Irish funeral is one less drinker."

Of all the details in their funeral direction, perhaps one of the most requested and enjoyed is the use of their classic 1963 green Cadillac hearse with its

extravagant tailfins.

Everything they do, though, is out of a spirit of service. "We feel fortunate because our work is our service to the community. While many people have to go out of their ways to find something they can do to give back to the community, we feel glad to wake up every day to serve people."