About Claybar Funeral Home

Committed to caring for families during the most difficult of times since 1946.

A Legacy of Service

The Claybar story began in 1946 when Ambrose Claybar converted a residence in Orange into a funeral home. When World War II ended, Lannie Claybar returned from service to join with his brother in the business and committed himself to service.

Lannie Claybar and his wife, Marjorie Brown, built the business into Orange's leading funeral service provider. Lannie was a gifted individual with incredible people skills and genuine compassion, as well as an accomplished pianist.

History

The Second Generation

1969 – 1973

Lannie died in 1969 and the torch was passed to Marjorie and David Claybar; Brown Claybar joined the family business in 1973. With the second generation, a new facility was built in Orange at 504 5th Street, adjacent to the original building site. David Claybar served as President of the company from 1969 to 1980.

History

Setting Course for the Future

1980s

In 1980 Brown Claybar assumed the leadership of the corporation. The 1980s started a period of growth. While continuing to be the leading funeral home in the Orange area, expansion became a business strategy. Shared cost and regional personnel efficiency benefited our funeral staff and clients.

During this period, several companies were purchased by Claybar Funeral Home, including Clayton-Thompson Bridge City Funeral Home, Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Orange Forest Lawn, Haven of Rest Cemetery and Crematory, Melancon Levingston Funeral Home, BLOOMS by Trendz Floral, and LaBrie Claybar Funeral Home.

History

The Third Generation

2007

In May of 2007, Warren Claybar was elected President of the corporation and Brown was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors. Warren represents the third generation of the Claybar family leading the company. He and his capable management team and dedicated staff perform the day-to-day activities of the company, keeping the founders' ideals in focus.

History

Innovation... The Path to Greater Service

2010 – Present

During the past 20 years, Claybar Funeral Home embraced change and continually looked for ways new technology could enhance funeral service. In 2010, construction of a new crematory was completed at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. We launched innovative websites like CREMATIONSasimpleway.com (now SimpleTributes.com) and BeginArrangements.com to allow families to explore options and provide information online.

By 2022, a new state-of-the-art crematory and office complex was completed, providing the most secure cremation services available in Southeast Texas. In 2020, we entered a second era of expansion, welcoming firms like Faith and FAMILY Funeral Home, Melancon Funeral Home, Levingston Funeral Homes, and others into The Claybar Network.

Today, the Claybar Network includes 7 funeral homes, 5 perpetual care cemeteries, a memorial division, a crematory, and a full-service flower shop.

Looking Forward

What's Next?

You can be certain it will innovate service to a new level.

It will make a difference!

It will be a source of pride for our company, the families we serve and our communities. We'll keep you posted.

— Warren Claybar