The Osage Nation Executive Branch is exploring options for funeral home operations and facility run by the Nation, according to updates provided to the Congressional Appropriations Committee.
On Aug. 16, officials met with the Appropriations Committee on projects funded with American Rescue Plan Act funding distributed to the Nation last year. During the 2022 Hun-Kah Session, the Seventh ON Congress unanimously passed bill ONCA 22-35 (sponsored by former Congressional Speaker Angela Pratt) on April 13 to appropriate $3 million in ARPA funds for initial costs toward design, engineering and construction, as well as a land purchase for a funeral services facility within the Osage Reservation.
Andrea Kemble, Financial Assistance Department director, said the Nation is visiting with a funeral home consultant to review facility options and operations that the Nation could offer.
“We have been conversing with a funeral home consultant, he’s a third-generation funeral home director, who also has 15 years with the Oklahoma state board of funeral home directors in licensing … We are negotiating a contract for his services at this time. At the same time, we are looking for locations throughout our reservation. There’s been two proposed for Pawhuska, two for Hominy, two for Grayhorse.”
“We haven’t secured a location just yet until we have those professionals under contract with us that could help with those studies and look at infrastructure,” Kemble said. “I think everybody feels at this point that we wouldn’t have to purchase (land), we feel that we have the land already for a location … That’s where we’re at on that project, there are no (ARPA) funds that have been expended just yet.”
Congresswoman Paula Stabler, Appropriations Committee chair, asked what type of provided services will go into the design.
“At this point the conversation is to include embalming on-site, a chapel, a full kitchen, family rooms, office rooms, storage on-site and cremation is a totally separate world, so everybody wanted to stay away from that. And (also) that services are 24-7 available to us,” Kemble said. “And also, to include operational costs, initial purchases for all equipment … fleet of cars.”
Kemble said a funeral services facility could be 12,000 to 15,000 square feet after preliminary conversations with the funeral home consultant.
Stabler also asked why a chapel would be built if there’s chapels already in the three districts. Kemble noted “I think there’s been several times we’ve had more than one deceased Osage at the same time, and we feel we see a lot of families that come through Burial Assistance as a program that don’t utilize our traditional chapels. For whatever reason, they feel more comfortable in a funeral home or there’s different types of services, so I think this funeral home will have the options to service everyone.”
James Weigant, Executive Branch Secretary of Administration, told the committee plans call for placing the funeral services facility as a program under the Financial Assistance Department. Congresswoman Jodie Revard thanked the officials for the update on the funeral services facility, which comes after years of concerns and complaints from Osage families who experienced difficult dealings while planning their loved one’s funeral services with non-Osage funeral businesses. “Thank you, I’m glad we’re finally addressing a need that our people have wanted for some time,” she said.
