Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home was founded in 1903 and was located in downtown Phoenix. Originally called Easterling and Whitney Undertakers and Embalmers, the business also operated a livery stable as was common with old frontier undertakers. The Murphy family involvement began in 1912 when Mr. Tom Whitney hired a young widow, Mary Frances Murphy, who was the first female licensed funeral director in Arizona.
Her son W. L. "Bill" Murphy began working at the firm in the early 1920's when he too became a licensed funeral director. During the great depression when a quarter of the nation was unemployed, the funeral home was threatened by insolvency.
Her son W. L. "Bill" Murphy began working at the firm in the early 1920's when he too became a licensed funeral director. During the great depression when a quarter of the nation was unemployed, the funeral home was threatened by insolvency.
Services
Funerals serve an important purpose: they allow us to recognize a life that was lived and acknowledge that the life has come to an end. Funerals exist for the living, for survivors who suffer the loss of a loved one. We understand that every family is different. Influences such as religious and cultural traditions, cost concerns and personal preferences make each funeral as unique as the person who is being honored.
At Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, we know that every family we serve is unique, and we strive to make each service a personal tribute to the life that has been lived. We provide a wide variety of choices that will help fulfill a family's wishes, from a traditional funeral to a personalized service that celebrates a loved one's hobbies and interests.
We understand that funeral arrangements are always difficult. Knowing that no one ever looks forward to entering a room full of caskets, we have designed our selection room in a way that will make these moments as easy as possible. Caskets are made in a wide variety of styles and materials. They can be made from inexpensive materials, such as pine or a composite of hardboard and cost very little.
Thinking about the death of a loved one or ourselves is a subject that few people like to consider. We have the opportunity to protect our families from the emotional and financial burdens that a death can have on them. By pre-planning we have the ability to put all of our wishes in writing as well as to pre-pay for them.
There are many resources available to people dealing with the loss of a loved one, ranging from anonymous on-line resources to grief support groups, to one-on-one counseling with a licensed therapist. The following is a list of on-line resources for those in grief. Please let us know if you find these helpful or if you have recommendations to add to our list.
Reviews (9)
Sarah Reed
Dec 15, 2021
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I would not give this company any business. They are very dishonest and run a very dishonest business.
1. They do not follow flag protocol according to the VA. They stated they just give it to anyone and act like it's not a big deal.
2. The owner Al, stated twice over the phone that they do not do grave sight livestream after they told my sister they could. My mother and I are in southern Texas and could not travel because of Covid. We were told my brothers funeral would be live streamed and sent an email in regards to it. The day of I called to verify and was told it could not be done. Therefore
1. They do not follow flag protocol according to the VA. They stated they just give it to anyone and act like it's not a big deal.
2. The owner Al, stated twice over the phone that they do not do grave sight livestream after they told my sister they could. My mother and I are in southern Texas and could not travel because of Covid. We were told my brothers funeral would be live streamed and sent an email in regards to it. The day of I called to verify and was told it could not be done. Therefore
Ale Molina
Dec 13, 2021
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Whitney and Murphy were an absolute joy to work with and really made the process seamless. They were genuinely interested in helping me have a memorial service that i would be happy with. Besides the place being beautiful, they were super helpful from the moment i started the funeral service process to the very end of it. I couldn’t be more satisfied with how everything turned out. They helped me in making the playlist and slideshow for the service and provided the necessary resources to ensure everything ran and looked amazing. Amanda was very pleasant to work with and made my mom look beautiful
Mary Lee DeCoster
Sep 24, 2021
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Hsb and I met this morning wit Donna Pfeiffer to confirm and pay for all cremation arrangements prior to our deaths. Donna helped us meet the objective of understanding the options, making decisions, covering costs and finalizing arrangements in less than two hours. Her knowledge exceeded our expectations; the Whitney & Murphy facility is lovely; their prices are competitive within the Phoenix market. As we are travelers, she provided a solution to cover transport of the deceased from anywhere in the world, should we need this service. We were very pleased, and relieved, to have decisions in place
Flor Aparicio
Sep 17, 2021
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Amanda Murphy works in her family business, she leads by sample, her and her team were caring, compassionate, and hard workers. They got everything organized and handled perfectly. In such as difficult moments it was great to know they were on top of it all, it gave us a peace of mind. Our mom had a beautiful funeral thanks to this company help, and they have good prices, and awesome location.
Amanda your parents and family must be Very Proud of you!
Thank you to all of you from Whitney & Murphy.
Amanda your parents and family must be Very Proud of you!
Thank you to all of you from Whitney & Murphy.
Susan L.
Sep 13, 2021
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Kristofer Kautz
Jul 20, 2021
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The customer service of Whitney Murphy is by far the most excellent and professional that we have ever encountered. My spouse Richard and I went and made Funeral
Pre- Arrangements with Whitney Murphy and we were met and assisted by Donna Pfeiffer, she was very thoughtful ,caring and very attentive during every step of the process. She went through all the many options that Whitney Murphy offered and assured that our wishes would be handled in a professional manner and with the utmost respect when the time came of our death. This experience made us both feel less worrisome, knowing that these arrangements
Pre- Arrangements with Whitney Murphy and we were met and assisted by Donna Pfeiffer, she was very thoughtful ,caring and very attentive during every step of the process. She went through all the many options that Whitney Murphy offered and assured that our wishes would be handled in a professional manner and with the utmost respect when the time came of our death. This experience made us both feel less worrisome, knowing that these arrangements
Kimberly Morton
May 27, 2021
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Whitney & Murphy assisted in bringing my cousin back to Michigan for his funeral services, and I couldn't have found a more professional, caring, and quick funeral home in the area. I had the pleasure of working with Matt, who made everything so easy for us. I would recommend this funeral home to anyone in the Phoenix area!
K. Serrano
Mar 26, 2021
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Losing my grandmother was the worst moment in my life and also the first time I Ever had to handle someones estate. I was immersed in my grief while trying to figure out how to plan her services. W&H has been helping my family for years and was recommended by a family member. Immediately Barb, one of the funeral directors, welcomed me in and patiently walked me through each step. At no point did she ever pressure me or make me feel like I needed to provide answers right away. She respected my budget and gave me multiple options in an effort to meet it and my wishes. Her guidance meant EVERYTHING
Roxanne Hernandez
Jul 01, 2020
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The staff at Whitney and Murphy were excellent in helping the family with with information needed regarding options for burial or cremation, prices, dates, procedures and scheduling. They were very patient and compassionate and not pushy salesmen. The room for the service and viewing was bright and clean, not dismal and depressing, and had plenty of room for our family of 30 or more to socially distance. Face masks were provided. There was space for standing pictures, posters and accommodations made for whatever our needs. Even the music was pleasant for a funeral home. It was a beautiful service
