Dent County court stays revocation of James & Gahr Mortuary licenses

The Circuit Court of Dent County stayed on October 20 the September 22 order of the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors revoking entity licenses for James & Gahr Mortuary and Dent County Memorial Chapel, according to an October 29 notice from the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance. The revoked licenses included preneed licenses, and the stay also covers the individual licenses of Donn and Connie James. The board cited preneed contract and fund violations, a missing Salem business registration and a probation breach. The notice does not specify the preneed violations, and neither source gives amounts or contract counts.

The stay is procedural and leaves the board’s findings unresolved. The homes may operate until the court rules on the appeal, but a new funeral director in charge must run all three locations. Three Rivers Publishing reports the court order requires a licensee approved by the board. The transfer of existing preneed contracts to another Missouri-licensed seller is on hold.

Three Rivers says the owners’ petition argues the probation finding lacks substantial evidence and revocation was an abuse of discretion. Chris Hendrix of competitor Wilson Mortuary in Salem told the paper a “healthy number” of preneed clients had moved contracts to his firm, a claim without a count.