Loading...

Our Story

Our Story

Boardman-Smith Funeral Home has been serving Springfield 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.

Learn More

The oldest funeral home in Springfield, Boardman-Smith was originally founded in 1848 as part of the Hutchinson Undertaking Company.Just after the end of the Civil War, Thomas C. Smith, an employee of Hutchinson, purchased the business and changed the name to Thomas C. Smith & Sons.It boasts an incredibly rich history that includes significant connections to many members of the Lincoln Family, including President Abraham Lincoln, his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, and their children

After passing through two generations of the Smith Family (Thomas C. Smith and his son, William Smith), the funeral home was purchased by William Smith’s step-sons, Julian and Robert Boardman, who changed the name to Boardman-Smith Funeral Chapel.

After the death of Julian Boardman in 1970, Robert Boardman remained the sole owner until 1976 when Robert’s son-in-law, William “Bill” Parr, purchased the funeral home.

Mr. Parr operated the facility until 2006 when Greg J. Schou, an employee since 1980, purchased the business. He managed the funeral home through the end of 2014.

In January 2015, Boardman-Smith Funeral Home officially became part of the Butler Family of Organizations which also includes: Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center-Springfield, Butler Funeral Home -New Berlin, Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Tribute Center-Chatham, Lincoln Land Cremation Society, Roselawn Memorial Park, Roselawn Pet Cemetery, Butler Pet Cremation Services,and Prairie View Reception Center.

Extensive renovations were conducted and include several exterior building improvements, a dedicated Planning Suite, accessible restrooms, technology and audio/visual upgrades, updated interior décor, and enhanced landscaping.

 

 

The Lincoln Family Funeral Home

Boardman-Smith Funeral Home boasts an incredibly rich history that includes significant connections to many members of the Lincoln Family, including President Abraham Lincoln. Known services provided to the Lincoln Family include the following:

  • May 1865: Thomas C. Smith was called upon to assist in the preparation, movement, and burial of President Lincoln.
  • December 21, 1865: Smith was called upon again to assist in moving President Lincoln and son, Willie, to temporary vault, while construction of Lincoln’s Tomb continued at Oak Ridge Cemetery.
  • September 19, 1871: Smith was responsible for helping to move President Lincoln and son, Willie, to the permanent Tomb and placing Lincoln’s coffin in the marble sarcophagus.
  • July 1882: Seventeen years after President Lincoln’s death, Boardman-Smith was called upon again to provide funeral and burial services for Mary Todd Lincoln.
  • May 1913: The funeral home, now under the director of Thomas C. Smith’s sons, Thomas Jr. and William, was responsible for disinterring President Lincoln’s grandson, Abraham Lincoln II, from the tomb and preparing his bronze casket for transport to Arlington National Cemetery where his father, Robert T. Lincoln, would be buried upon his death.
  • May 1930: Responsible for the disinterment of Mary Todd Lincoln and three of her sons (Eddie, Willie, and Tad), so that the tomb could undergo reconstruction due to water damage and rust
The Lincoln Room

 

 

Adlai E. Stevenson II

In 1965, Boardman-Smith was called upon to conduct local services for Adlai E. Stevenson II.

Mr. Stevenson was an American politician and diplomat. He served as Governor of Illinois from 1949-1953. He also received the Democratic Party's nomination for president in 1952, 1956, and 1960, but was defeated twice by Dwight D. Eisenhower and once by Senator John F. Kennedy. After winning the 1960 election, President Kennedy appointed Stevenson as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations and he served from 1961 to 1965. He died on July 14, 1965 in London after suffering a heart attack.



Boardman-Smith Funeral Home | (217) 544-7461
800 S. Grand Avenue West, Springfield, IL 62704

© Boardman-Smith Funeral Home
Crafted with care by Frazer Consultants & TA

Privacy Policy & Terms of Use | Accessibility