History
Ransdell Funeral Home has been serving Bedford and Campbellsburg area families for years. We are honored to be a part of the rich history of this community and plan to be a part of it for many years to come.
William F. Ransdell and Betty Ransdell (pictured) became funeral home owners early in their married life. Bill and Betty as they were known to many began their journey in the funeral business in Campbellsburg. Bill served his apprenticeship under Mr. McCarty. He was called to service serving in Graves Registration during the Korean War. His unit prepared over 18,000 bodies so that they were able to be returned to their loved ones. Using his vast experience upon his homecoming he went to Cincinnati School of Mortuary Science at Xavier University. Upon obtaining his license Mr. Spillman’s widow asked if Bill would move and take up the reins as owner of the funeral home in Bedford Kentucky. This was Betty and his first funeral home purchase. Later the McCarty Funeral Home was available after being purchased by the Barnett Family. The Barnett and Ransdell Family entered into a partnership. Later the Barnett sold their partnership to the Ransdell Family. Leaving Bill and Betty sole ownership of now Ransdell Funeral Home in Campbellsburg, Kentucky.
Bill and Betty purchased an interest in the Willhite Ballard Ricketts Funeral Home in the 1980’s after Mr. Ralph Willhite passed away. The remaining interest of the funeral home was owned by Mark Ballard. Mr. Ballard and Bill Ransdell was in the same livery service together. A livery service is a group of funeral directors that form a company for the sole purpose of purchasing hearses and limousines instead of incurring the sole cost. Some years later feeling the need to have more room. Bill Ransdell and Mark Ballard starting looking for another property. They purchased the Shroyer home in Eminence and moved the funeral home after building on. In every location of Ransdell Funeral Home boasts a large chapel where the family is not cut off from the friends that are attending the funeral.
In July of 2004, Ransdell Funeral Home was purchased from Bill and Betty Ransdell by Lee and Frederica R. Congleton. Lee and Frederica are the Daughter and Son in Law of Bill and Betty and after working many years in the funeral and engineering industries. They felt the need with a start of their family to be close to the communities and raise their family. Hannah K. Congleton was born in 2001 and Keegan was born in 2004. Lee Congleton felt the absolute right fit upon returning to the area. His family is from Sulphur where they still own a farm. Lee and Frederica, along with their team serve their families and communities with compassion and sense of being called to this profession.
In the fall of 2008, Bill Ransdell lost his fight with cancer. The strong testament to Lee and Frederica Congleton were that many people were completely unaware that they had purchased the funeral home four years previously. Lee and Frederica carry many of the same values of the “old time funeral director” today. They feel a strong sense of community and a great care for the families that we serve.
“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.