The current Ferguson-Lee Funeral Home was started in 1937 by Raymond Sherwood and Claude Ferguson, known as Sherwood-Ferguson Funeral Home, located at the current corner of 18th and “I” Streets in Bedford, Indiana.
In the mid 1940’s, a third partner was taken in by the name of Roy Speer. Upon the death of Raymond Sherwood, the name changed to Ferguson-Speer Funeral Home. Roy Speer took control of Mr. Ferguson’s share in the business and became the sole owner. The business operated with Mr. Ferguson as an employee only until 1959.
On June 1, 1959, Paul Branson and Robert Lee purchased the assets and business of Ferguson-Speer Funeral Home, and the name was changed to Ferguson-Branson Funeral Home. In 1962, Paul Branson had a series of coronaries, and Robert Lee assumed the debt of the funeral home and became the sole owner. Claude Ferguson stayed on as a senior employee and advisor, and the name became Ferguson-Lee Funeral Home, at the same location. In 1973, Mr. Ferguson died.
In 1971, Lee constructed a new funeral home on the same location’s parking lot and proceeded to tear down the house on “I” Street in order to make a complete parking lot. In 2004, a substantial addition was made to the parking lot by eliminating another residence.
In the late 1980’s, Robert E. Lee II, son of Robert Lee, joined Ferguson-Lee Funeral Home as a Funeral Director and later Manager, until his death on January 14, 2001.
On December 1, 2016, Mr. Robert Lee and his wife, Marjorie, sold the funeral home to Bedford residents, Phil and Amy (Hanson) Thorne. The facility was then completely remodeled, and the Thornes continue an ongoing program of maintenance and updates to keep the facility the nicest in the area. In November of 2017, the Thornes purchased Burkholder Chapel in Seymour, located in the historic Blish Mansion.
