The Story of Bohlender Funeral Chapelin Fort Collins

At Bohlender Funeral Chapelin Fort Collins, we do our best to provide healing experiences through our funeral services. We make every effort to carefully listen to our client’s needs and help guide them through the process. Bohlender Funeral Chapelhas been providing the Fort Collins community with professional and compassionate funeral services for years and in today’s blog, we are going to give you a little insight into our history, where we came from, and where we’re going. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or need help with funeral services, don’t hesitate to reach out to our family funeral home.

1960

Back in 1960, Bohlender Funeral Chapelwas actually known as Warren Funeral Chapel. Warren Funeral Chapel started in Old Town Fort Collins and provided the very same quality memorial and funeral services that our funeral home does today. From 1960 up until the present, the funeral home has been an integral part of the Fort Collins community We are family-owned and focused on providing healing experiences.

Milo and Gwen Bohlender

Milo and Gwen Bohlender relocated from their home town of LaSalle so that Milo could work at the funeral chapel formerly known as Warren Funeral Chapel. Milo had an interest in mortuary science and decided that working with Harold Warren could be a fruitful learning opportunity. Because of this, Milo studied at the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science. Milo continued to work at Warren Funeral Chapel until about 1968 when Milo and Gwen purchased interest in the funeral home, and it thus became Bohlender Funeral Chapel. 

The Present

Now, Milo’s son Gary and his wife Kristin are the Bohlenders who own and operate Bohlender Funeral Chapelwith the invaluable support from Kathy Kellogg and Ed Lakomy. Gary and Kristin have two wonderful daughters that have grown up around the funeral services industry and, like other family-owned businesses, do what they can to help out. This compassionate team is dedicated to upholding the stellar reputation that Bohlender Funeral Chapelhas built over the Fort Collins community over the last 60 years. For any questions, comments, or concerns with our funeral services or funeral home, reach out to us anytime.

The Future

While no one can be certain what the future holds, Bohlender Funeral Chapelis proud of the direction we’re headed and excited to see what the future will bring. We are also proud to share with you that the older of Gary and Kristin’s daughters, Scout, has expressed interest in becoming a mortician. She is working on obtaining a degree in mortuary science and works at the funeral home part-time. We hope that the legacy of our funeral services at Bohlender Funeral Chapelwill live on for many years to come and feel very fortunate to be a part of something so special as a family-owned business. 

Bohlender Funeral Chapelin Fort Collins

We know that we like to learn more about a business before we choose to work with them. We hope that today’s blog has given you some meaningful insight into the past, present, and future of Bohlender Funeral Chapel. To learn more about our funeral services and for help planning a beautiful memorial service, contact us today.

June 12, 2026
When you’re planning memorial services and post-mortem arrangements for a loved one, the options and choices may be overwhelming. At Bohlender Funeral Chapel, our team is here to help guide you through this difficult time with quality, compassionate services, and individualized attention. If you’re considering cremation in your end-of-life plans or for a loved one, here are four reasons our team recommends this option.
June 12, 2026
When it comes to funeral services and memorial services, many people have questions that are difficult to ask. At Bohlender Funeral Chapel, our team is here to assist families and individuals through the death of a loved one with compassionate, informative services. Here are four common questions our team receives about cremation services.
June 12, 2026
Different cultures around the world deal with death in different ways. Many choose to have a cremation or burial ceremony just like in the U.S., however, there are some funeral ceremonies that are drastically different than what people in the U.S. are accustomed to. In today’s blog here at Bohlender Funeral Chapelin Fort Collins, we talk about other beautiful funeral ceremony traditions and where they are popular. Learn more about our funeral home services here at Bohlender Funeral Chapelin Fort Collins and get help planning the perfect celebration of life for your loved one. New Orleans Jazz Funerals You might be thinking, “Well, New Orleans is in the U.S.!” — and you’re right. But, that doesn’t mean that they can’t have unique funeral ceremony traditions. Not everyone in New Orleans has a jazz funeral, but anyone can request one if they’d like. However, most jazz funerals are held for musicians. In a traditional jazz funeral, the funeral ceremony begins at the church or funeral home and is then led to the cemetery by a marching band. The music starts off slow and heavy while everyone is walking to the cemetery. Once the body is buried and people are on the way back from the cemetery, the music becomes upbeat and celebratory to honor and celebrate the departed. Anyone and everyone nearby are encouraged to join as long as they are respectful and courteous. Eternal Reefs Eternal Reefs is a Florida-based company that has taken a completely new approach to funerals. Eternal Reefs takes cremated remains and places them in an environmentally safe concrete urn. The urn is created in such a way that it creates new habitats for marine wildlife. This makes it so that you or your loved one become a part of a coral reef and help to support new life. Eternal Reefs are a great way to commemorate your loved one and help them make the world a better place. Even though there are no oceans or coral reefs here in Fort Collins, that doesn’t stop our family at Bohlender Funeral Chapelfrom offering a funeral ceremony that is beneficial for the family and the earth. We are proud to offer our green burial funeral service, learn more about it here at Bohlender Funeral Chapel. Burial Beads In certain areas of the world, there is very limited space for burials and other traditional funeral ceremony practices. One method that South Korea has been practicing regularly is the burial bead funeral ceremony. With burial beads, cremated remains are pressed into beautiful beads that closely resemble that of jewelry or pearls. A wide variety of colors and urn options are available. This is a way for the people of South Korea to find beauty from a difficult situation while also making use of the limited space. The Philippines All across the Philippines, funeral ceremonies vary wildly. There are more than nine very different funeral traditions across the country. Some of the more poetic and beautiful traditions include tree burials and hanging coffins. Tree Burials Tree burials are most commonly practiced in the Cavite region of the Philippines. Cavite is located about 10 miles from the bustling Manila and they have still managed to maintain their unique funeral ceremony customs. Tree burials are where the person who expects their time is limited will go and select the tree of their choice. Once the tree is selected and the person’s days are numbered, a small shelter is built near the tree for them to live in. When they pass, they are entombed upright into the selected tree. Hanging Coffin In the Sagada region of the Philippines, coffins are often hung off the sides of cliffs or on the walls of high-up caves. The elderly or sick craft their own caskets by hand if they are able and once they have moved on, they are placed in the casket they created and hung high. They are placed next to their ancestors and loved ones as high off the ground as possible. This is because the native people believe that the higher the dead are to heaven, the easier their journey will be. This is a tradition that has been performed for thousands for years and will likely continue for years to come. Fantasy Coffins Ghana is a country in Africa where people have taken to a funeral ceremony called fantasy coffins. Fantasy coffins are unique coffins that help to represent who the person was in their life. For example, someone who was a fisherman their whole life may choose to be buried in a fish coffin. Or someone who had a love for books and novels may choose to be buried in a book-shaped coffin. These are fun and lighthearted ways to memorialize and celebrate the life of the dearly departed. Bohlender Funeral Chapel We hope that you learned something new from today’s blog and got valuable insight into other culture’s funeral ceremony customs. If you would like to learn more about the funeral services we offer here at Bohlender Funeral Chapelin Fort Collins, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are a family-owned funeral home with a passion for helping people in any way we can. We offer invaluable healing experiences for you and your family through our cremation service, burial service, funeral flowers, and much more.
June 12, 2026
Planning a funeral can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to budgeting for the various expenses involved. At Bohlender Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins, we understand the importance of honoring a loved one while managing financial responsibilities. Let us help you navigate the funeral planning process, ensuring you can create a meaningful celebration that respects your loved one’s memory without stretching your finances. Then start the pre-planning process with us today.
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