In the mid 1800's Joseph Monreal, Jack Sr.'s grandfather, came to America as a woodworker. He had opened up a furniture store under the name J. Monreal Co. in Cleveland. It was requested that Joseph start to make wooden caskets in order for people to bury their deceased. He agreed, and had learned the process of embalming, and in 1892 the J. Monreal Co. had expanded so that one side of the building was the furniture store and the other side was undertaking.
      Joseph and his sons opened up a funeral home on St. Clair Ave., 25 years after the            J. Monreal Co. store, under the name of The Monreal Co. Funeral Home. In 1921, Joseph had passed away leaving the business to his sons. William Monreal, Jack Sr.'s father, and his brothers opened a second funeral home on Euclid Ave. in 1936. Jack started learning the funeral business from his father, and in 1946 was licensed as a funeral director with his wife Marilyn being licensed 2 years later. After the passing of Jack Sr.'s father in 1953, Jack became          co-owner of The Monreal Co. Funeral Home along with his brother and uncle. In the mid 1950's Jack Sr. and Marilyn both set out looking for property to bring the funeral home out to the east side. Jack and Marilyn found the location they were looking for in Willowick right on Vine Street. They both utilized their own personal funds to buy the land and to construct the building, often doing as much of the work they possibly could themselves, and in 1957 the Willowick funeral home was opened. During this time Jack and Marilyn rented their facilities to The Monreal Co. for funerals. After 15 years and circumstances beyond control, the rent was not covering expenses, and The Monreal Co. had parted ways. So in 1972, Jack Sr. and Marilyn kept the business going under the name Jack Monreal Funeral Home. The Monreal Co., who eventually moved to Eastlake, and Jack Monreal Funeral Home have not been affiliated or associated in any way since 1972.

                       

     Since then, Jack Sr. has taught his family the business and also his unique compassion for helping those during a painful time in their lives. When Jack Sr. passed away in 2001, and Marilyn being semi-retired, Jack Jr. took over the business with his sister Mardell. With the untimely passing of Jack Jr. in 2003, Mardell has taken over with Marilyn's guidence with Mardell's son Timothy taking care of office duties and maintenance. Sadly in 2008, Mariyln passed away after 60 years of being a licensed Funeral Director. Mardell and Timothy are proudly keeping Jack Sr.'s tradition alive by continuing his loyalty to you, our families.
     With the next few years we will be doing some remodeling to the outside of the building, and refurbishing the inside as well to give our home a more modern look, but with the same confortable atomosphere you've come to know.