History
The new location in Casey was just north of the railroad tracks on the west side of N. Central Ave. in the south portion of the building that now is occupied by Staley Insurance Agency. In 1932 they moved the business a little further north on Central Avenue just a few buildings north of what is known as the first "National Road" that continued west of Casey towards Vandalia, Illinois.
In these early years the business housed only an office and embalming room. During that era most visitations and many embalmings were taking place in the home. The funeral services were mainly conducted in the home or the families' church of preference.
In 1937 the business was moved into a home, which is its present location of 200 N. Central Ave. The house was formerly the residence of Dr. Haughn, a local pharmacist. The actual home is still in place sitting on the original foundation of 1896. A new muti-chapel addition was added in 1966 along with many other changes that have been added in recent years to accommodate the continual needs required from the funeral profession.
Cleone’s two sons, Cleone L. and Lee C. Markwell, continued the business. Like their father they both were Worsham College of Mortuary Science graduates. Cleone Jr. came into the business in 1948 and Lee in 1950. In addition to the funeral business there was an ambulance service offered by the family from 1927 until 1976. Both sons remember many years of driving an ambulance to school to help their father if a call should come in during the day. When it came to making ambulance runs, even Rogene Markwell, the wife and mother, was behind the wheel on more than several occasions. One convenience to having an ambulance service during the depression and WW II was the availability of gasoline and tires when rationing was going on. At times the ambulance service became a glorified "Taxi Service" to help transport people in need whether they were sick or not. Those many gestures of kindness is what built the foundation of good will that continues today in the 21st Century. In 1955 the sons purchased the Swinford Funeral Home in Westfield, Illinois, and is now known as the Markwell Westfield Chapel.
There were countless helpers to the family business in the early years. "Marky" always found a helper in some of the hometown boys from Jack Ring, John Delp, Don Ellliott, and Bill Emrich. In 1975 Weldon Calvert became the next licensed employee of the firm until his retirement. Woody Spurlock, a tireless worker from the old “shoe factory” days, came on as a part time helper in 1985 and worked right up till his passing in 1999.
Jay M. Markwell, the son of Lee C. and Dola J. Markwell, now owns the business. Jay like the rest of the men is a third generation graduate of the Worsham College of Mortuary Science and started full time in April of 1986. The business continues through three generations in many ways similar to how C. H. Markwell started it. Of course there are many exceptions to modernization. "Marky" never knew what we take for granted like fax and copying machines, calculators, computers, scanners, pagers, answering services, and the internet that help this old 
fashioned business. The most constant thing is...the Caring is still the same. This is a very sacred profession which requires trust and faith in those that you trust your loved ones with in the most trying times. That will never change.
We have added many new employees and invite you to meet our current staff of professionals on the Staff page of this Web Site. You may click on Staff to go there now.