Dewhirst Funeral Home building sold

Published Date Written by Gail Ober

LACONIA – The Dewhirst Funeral Home has sold its Lakeport building to a local man for $128,500.
According to Funeral Director Glenn Dewhirst, all of his permanent records are now being kept at Mayhew Funeral Home and Crematorium in Meredith and anyone with prepaid arrangements has already been notified.
Dewhirst said he sold the building partly because it needed a lot of work — especially a new roof — and that it was very expensive to heat and maintain.
"The taxes were outrageous," Dewhirst said, adding the city was "no help at all" when it came to his tax liability.
According to Laconia's online assessing data base, the land and building at 1061 Union Avenue is assessed at $490,600 — nearly four times the selling price.
He also said the location was difficult because it is nearly impossible to make a left-hand turn onto Union Avenue out of his parking lot.
When asked if some kind of merger or business arrangement has been made with Mayhew, he said the had gotten that far yet. He said letters to all of the families whose permanent records were in his hands have been sent informing them their records are at Mayhew.
When asked why a sign for the Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Pauquette Funeral Home and Crematory was posted on the outside of the building along with a for sale sign, Dewhirst declined comment.
Wilkinson-Beane President Russell Beane said he is friends with Donald Houle, the man who bought the building, and Houle allowed him to put his sign up to let people in Laconia know there was a local option.
Beane said he has no plans to purchase the building or relocate any part of his operation there.

CAPTION (Dewhurst) For sales signs are posted what was once the Dewhirst Funeral Home on upper Union Avenue. The funeral home was founded in 1880 and moved to its current location in 1927. The Dewhirsts established their business at that location in 1983. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Gail Ober)