DOWNEY – Risher Mortuary and Cremation Services was awarded the Small Business of the Year Award by the Downey Chamber of Commerce last week.

Risher Mortuary began in 1959 under Raymond and Marjorie Risher in the City of Montebello, with another arrangement office located in Downey on Downey Avenue and 3rd Street.

Currently, the mortuary is owned and operated by Barbara and Gregory Welch, the daughter and son-in-law of the Rishers.

The Welch’s split up duties within the business, with Barbara handing more internal responsibilities and Greg taking on more of the service and public relations aspects.
As believers in the Christian faith, Greg says that their work is “a ministry.”

“We decided this is a business that is really like a ministry; we’re ministering to the bereaved,” said Welch. “We champion the fact that we’re believers…so we run our business from a very highly ethical standpoint.”

This is in contrast, Welch says, to a more capitalist approach that other mortuaries take.
“There is such upselling…that’s expected,” said Welch. “But what many mortuaries do is they try to upsell you into a casket that you don’t need or can’t afford. Additional services that would be maybe nice; kind of a nice to have not a need to have.”

This can even include taking advantage of heightened emotions, persuading grieving loved ones to pay extra for unnecessary amenities, such as a casket with a “50-year guarantee.”

“We’ve seen mortuaries actually play the guilt trip; we’ve had mortuaries say ‘well doesn’t your dad deserve the best…, said Welch. “It’s a chance to play on the emotion.”

Risher Mortuary has also made investments back into the community through scholarships given to six schools in the cities of Downey and Montebello.

These scholarships are unique in that they are not awarded on grade point average or career intent, but rather the good deeds of the individual student.

“We offer scholarships to Downey and Warren, Columbus, Downey Calvary and St. Pius Matthias,” said Welch. “We call it the Risher Mortuary and Cremation Service Caring for Others Scholarship. The premise for that scholarship is…it doesn’t matter what you do in your life, but what you should do is care for others.

We don’t care what they study, we just want them to tell us ‘how do you plan on using your education to serve and care for others.’”

It is these attributes that Welch believes has earned the mortuary several awards for good service, including the recent nod from the Chamber.

Welch says that he and Barbara plan on continuing their service to their communities “well into our 80’s,” once again citing what he feels is the ministry nature of their work. However, when it comes time to pass the torch, he says any one of their four kids can take the reigns.

“We’ve had that conversation,” said Welch. “We’re not worried about it. We think the kids will probably want to; one of the four or maybe more. But that’s our legacy to Barb’s parents and continuing down the line.”