Hastings Funeral Home - Cremation - Service – Morgantown

In 1952, Dewey S. Hastings and his wife, Mary, purchased the property at 153 Spruce St. and began the operation of their funeral home. Although their beginnings were humble, they have been blessed by the citizens of this county and beyond by making their funeral home the largest provider of funeral and cremation services in the area.

Mr. Hastings welcomed two of his children, Dan and Dewey, into the business. Young Dewey has since retired, leaving his father and brother in charge of the day-to-day operation of the funeral home.

We are now welcoming the third generation of the Hastings family to service. Grant Hastings, son of Dan, has joined our staff to begin his funeral service career and continue our long tradition of excellence.

In all, we have five licensed funeral directors on staff with combined experience exceeding 150 years in the funeral industry, a full office staff with a notary and licensed insurance agent, and many part-time staff members to assist with services.

Over the years, the funeral home has gone through a number of changes - from additions to the building and remodeling projects, to the acquisition of surrounding properties to enlarge the parking lot. Our funeral home offers three well-appointed visitation rooms for our families to receive guests in. We offer valet parking for those who request it and a well lit parking lot with ample off street parking.

		Dewey S. Hastings, Funeral Director, Embalmer and Owner Dewey has spent over 56 years as a funeral service professional in dedicated service to our community. He’s actively involved in the Spruce Street United Methodist Church, Morgantown Rotary Club, Odd Fellow Lodge, and both the West Virginia and National Funeral Directors Associations. He’s been married to Mary Stella Nichols for almost sixty years, and they shared equally in the parenting of their two sons, Edward Daniel Hastings, and Dewey Samuel Hastings. Now, they are able to enjoy time with their three grandsons and two granddaughters.

		Edward Daniel "Dan" Hastings, Funeral Director, Embalmer, and Licensee-in-Charge "Dan" can often be heard commenting, "Funeral service is not a job; it’s a way of life. You must be deeply committed to serving families in what is often their darkest time." He has been a licensed professional since 1974. He is also a devoted father to his two sons, Matthew and Grant. "I’m completely devoted to my work, and my family. And I wouldn’t have it any other way." Dan is a member of many local civic organizations, as well as a participating member of NFDA, the National Funeral Directors Association, the West Virginia Funeral Directors Association, and CANA, the Cremation Association of North America.

		Thomas V. Gocke, Jr., Funeral Director, Embalmer, Pre-Need Counselor and Licensed Crematory Operator Thomas graduated from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, and has served as a funeral service professional for the past 52 years. “I find this a very rewarding field. It’s a wonderful feeling to support people in their time of loss.” He is a veteran, having served in the United States Army Medical Corps during the Korean conflict. He’s an active member of the American Legion, Lodge #200. Having attended and graduated from West Virginia University, Thomas is also a member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. He and his wife, Neva, had three children, and are now the grandparents of three.

		C. Jason Smith, Funeral Director, Embalmer, and Pre-Need Counselor Jason has been in funeral service for 16 years, and acted as a licensed funeral director for 10 of those years. He graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science in 1998. He is licensed in both West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Jason always knew he would be a funeral service professional. “Funeral service is more of a ministry than a simple job; it takes a special person to dedicate their life to helping others in this way.” Jason is an active member of the West Virginia Funeral Directors Association, and is currently the President of District V of the West Virginian association. Jason loves spending time with his son, Austin, as well as his dog and two cats. He is an avid West Virginia University sports fan. When Jason has any extra time, you can find him playing drums, and other percussion instruments.

		Grant Hastings, Apprentice Funeral Director and Embalmer The newest member of our firm, Grant graduated from the Pittsburg Institute of Mortuary Science in September, 2008. He’s been in the field for over 10 years now, and we are pleased to have him here. We know our client families will enjoy his fresh approach, and kind nature. He is the son of Kathy and Dan Hastings, and younger brother to Matthew. Grant has a number of hobbies – many of which he enjoys with his dog, Bobby. As many in our area, Grant likes hunting, camping, skiing, and is fond of music in his quieter, less-active moments.