Funeral home closes Cahokia Heights site, moves operations to its Monroe County facility
A family owned and operated funeral home closed its Cahokia Heights location after serving the community for 52 years.
Braun Colonial Funeral Home, located at 3701 Falling Springs Road, was consolidated with Braun Family Funeral Home in Columbia.
The last day of operation for Braun’s Cahokia Heights location was Friday, Dec. 8. The property has been purchased by Gerald Johnson of Serenity Memorial Chapel.
Braun funeral director Kevin Robbins said in many cases, children of Cahokia Heights residents who pass away live in Monroe County and use Braun’s Columbia funeral home.
Robbins said they weren’t handling as many funerals at the Cahokia location, so it made sense to consolidate.
All employees, mostly family, will continue to work at the Columbia facility.
Robbins feels it’s important for the Cahokia Heights community to know his family’s business didn’t abandon them.
“We thank the families that we’ve served in the past,” said Robbins, who hopes they will continue to put their trust in his family’s funeral home and use the Columbia location.
Johnson, of Serenity Memorial Chapel, said in a separate interview that he will continue operating the Cahokia Heights site as a funeral home, offering funeral and cremation services.
He said he’s “thankful to the Braun family for being gracious and kind” and trusting him with the building to provide these services to the community.
Plans are to open Serenity Memorial Chapel in Cahokia Heights the second week of January.
The site will be Serenity Memorial Chapel’s third location, joining facilities at 3416 W. Main St. in Belleville, and 1905 Union Blvd. in St. Louis.
Johnson opened the Belleville location in 2004 after working more than a decade in the funeral industry.
He said that he acquired the property next door at 3500 W. Main St. in 2020 for use as a crematory and additional parking.
The St. Louis location opened its doors in 2014.
For more information about Serenity Memorial Chapel, visit serenitymemorialchapel.com or call 618-233-6000.
About Braun Family Funeral Home
Braun Colonial Funeral Home and Ambulance Service was founded in Cahokia in 1971 by Frank Braun, who owned and operated the business.
The Braun Family Funeral Home in Columbia was established in 2010.
Braun died in 2016.
The business continues to operate under the ownership of Braun’s wife Emily Braun, who is listed on the funeral home’s website as a company secretary.
Her son-in-law, Robbins, his wife Mary Robbins, and other family members are employees of the funeral home.
Braun Family Funeral Home is located at 265 Quarry Road in Columbia.
For more information, call 618-281-6793 or visit braunfh.com.
