DCI News

Jefferson City, Mo.  - The Missouri Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors has reached a settlement with the owners of Warren Funeral Chapel to revoke the license of the company and two of its owners. Under the settlement, approved on July 29 by the state Administrative Hearing Commission, the board has revoked the funeral director's and embalmer's licenses of owners Harold Warren Sr. and Harold Warren Jr. The settlement also revokes the state license for the company's two funeral homes in Columbia and Fulton.

The board first brought charges against the Warrens and Warren Funeral Chapel in July of 2008, after state inspectors found hundreds of potential violations of state law regarding the handling of bodies at the Columbia business, located at 12 W. Ash St. The Warrens and Warren Funeral Chapel have essentially been out of business since July 30, 2008. On that date, then-Attorney General Jay Nixon obtained a temporary restraining order prohibiting them from engaging in funeral directing.

Despite that fact that the Warrens have not been in the business of providing funeral services for almost a year, this action was still necessary, said Martin Vernon, Chairman of the Missouri Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors. This revocation serves to assure mid-Missouri families that these individuals no longer have the legal authority to provide services that require a licensed funeral director or embalmer.

Under a separate agreement, the board agreed to dismiss charges against Helen Warren, wife of Harold Warren Sr., after she voluntarily surrendered her funeral director's license and agreed not to apply for it in the future.