J L Watson Funeral Chapel

I can’t say enough positive comments on how supportive and helpful Watson Funeral Home has been for our family. Even after a year and a half, Chris helped us getting my mother’s Urn from a cemetery in Saginaw and facilitated the transfer to be with my Dad at Arlington National Cemetery. He also helped us get all the requirements met so they could both be together. They are organized, compassionate and made a potentially difficult situation run very smoothly. Our family holds this funeral home in the highest regard.

We have dealt with Chris for both my mother and father's cremations. We were treated very kindly and respectfully. Chris was efficient and patient in meeting all our needs. My family would highly recommend this funeral home.

Today as we arranged for the cremation and memorial service of my aunt. We had to go to Watson Funeral Home and Chapel in Jackson on Spring Arbor rd. Only because the jackson county sheriffs department had them transport my aunt there. We would never go through them because of previous problems and issues with their staff and services involving other family members. So my Aunt Tina Pepera and i went to the funeral home to have my Aunts body released to the Crematorium to be cremated. We sit down, they say their condolences to us, and leave the room. Another man comes in with a receipt of services, telling us we have a bill and it needs to be paid. My aunt then proceeds to tell him that we do not have the money at this time due to paying the Crematorium upfront. He then raises his voice at my aunt, telling her she has to pay the bill before he will release my aunts body. Mind you, it is illegal for a funeral home to hold a loved ones body, regardless of the bill. So my aunt who is shaking and very upset at this time, tells him that it is illegal to hold my aunts body. He is yelling at this point, because his coworkers are shutting every door to the room we are in. He yells, im not holding her body for a bill, im holding it for a sigature. Im thinking, are you kidding me. My aunt passed away not even 24 hours ago and you are yelling at a greiving family? WTH is wrong with you? He proceeds to yell, well i know that the Crematorium was paid in full and im not gonna get stuck with this bill. My aunt tried to tell this man that our family is pulling together more money to pay the bills. He is so persistent on us paying this bill up front. We keep telling him we dont have the money at this time. So he leaves the room. My aunt and i are still in shock. We cant believe this company would treat grieving family members with so little compassion and respect. He comes back in the room with two pieces of paper, the release form and a copy of the bill. My aunt signed the release and he was nothing but apologizing to us all the way out the door. I dont know what happened from the time he left the room until he came back but it was a complete 360. Long story short, we left feeling more upset then we did when we got there and i would never ever recommend Watson Funeral Home and Chapel to anyone. Im still in shock as im typing this.