History & Staff

Our History

OUR FOUNDERS

In the 1800's, casket companies did not exist. Skilled woodworkers who were cabinet makers and furniture makers by trade, were relied on to make coffins. Many of these individuals not only ran their furniture businesses, but also became undertakers as well. It was not uncommon to divide their building with the furniture store in front and the undertaking business in the back.

Weigel Funeral Home had a similiar start in 1880, when cabinet maker William Tekulve of the neighboring town of Morris, opened "William Tekulve Undertaker." Two of six children, Mary and Charles Tekulve, eventually joined their father in the funeral business.

OUR BEGINNINGS

In 1906, Mary wed William Weigel and moved to Batesville to start a family. Several years after the wedding, her father died and her brother Charles continued to run the business until his sudden death in 1913. At that time, Mary's husband William, who worked for the American Furniture Factory in Batesville, left his job with the furniture company and with his brother-in-law Joseph Burst, moved the undertaking business to Batesville and changed the name to "Weigel & Burst Undertakers". William Weigel died suddenly on 1930 and Mary, mother of 12 children, found herself back in the funeral business, taking over for her husband.

In the coming years, the Weigel & Burst partnership was disolved and Mary's eldest son Sylvan, joined his mother as a partner in the M.C. Weigel & Son Funeral Home.

Prior to 1933, the state of Indiana did not require funeral director and embalmer licenses. With the new law, individuals already engaged in business were exempted from needing to obtain them. Regardless of the exemption, Mary completed the required schooling and became one of the first women in the state to obtain her funeral director and embalmers licenses'. Sylvan obtained his the following year.

TODAY

After many years of commitment to families of the Batesville area, Ron sold the business in the fall of 1995. Although the funeral home is no longer owned by the Weigel's, families still see the familiar faces of Chuck and Ron present at the funeral home and in the community. Although semi-retired, Ron is a valued member of the funeral home and continues to uphold profound services for the families of Batesville. Ron's mother, Rose, joined the firm in 1978 when Ron purchased it from his uncle, Sylvan, and assisted in various capacities for over 30 years. Rose passed in May of 2023 but remains an enduring part of the funeral home's legacy. Ron's brother Chuck, who joined the firm in 1986, is a director's assistant and keeps a full schedule with his many responsibilities at the funeral home and his wife, two teenage sons and daughter at home. Chuck is a vital member of the funeral home who goes above and beyond for the families we serve. 

With nearly 30 years of serving the families of Batesville, the "new guy", Jay Reichmuth, who joined the firm in 1996 also passed in 2023. Jay had established himself deeply in the Batesville community during that time through his efforts with the Batesville Kiwanis Club, Chamber of Commerce, Applefest, and as Managing Director of Weigel Funeral Home. Jay held Weigel Funeral Home to the highest of standards and we will uphold his legacy by continuing to do so now and in the future. 

Currently the funeral home is managed by Michael Roemmich, originally of New Albany, IN, who resides in Batesville with his fiance and two Dalmatians. Michael is a first generation funeral director who began practicing funeral service in 2009. Michael and his family have been outside the state of Indiana since 2013, serving families in Kentucky, Florida, and Maine, but are happy to be back serving Hoosier families in Batesville, Oldenburg, and surrounding areas.

In June of 2005, we closed our location on Walnut Street, which served the Batesville area as a funeral home for over 100 years and moved to our new facility at 151 West George Street, Batesville, IN 47006.