Patmore’s Funeral Home: A vision turned reality
PATMORE’S FUNERAL Home, located in Lowe River, Trelawny, and with offices at Hans Plaza, Spaldings, Clarendon, is proof of the dynamism of entrepreneurial vision. Emerging from modest beginnings, spurred by a keen observation, the funeral home has evolved into a community landmark, offering support to families in their most vulnerable moments.
Managing Director Paul Patmore recounted the early days spent at his father’s business-place, Patmore’s Hardware and Lumber in Christiana, where he worked in sales and as a driver right after graduating f rom Holmwood Technical High School. During that time, he witnessed first-hand the unmet need for centralised funeral services.
“My father used to sell caskets at the hardware. Persons would come and buy the casket and put it in a truck or van to take to the hospital morgue to pick up the body and take it to a church. In those days, hospitals used to store bodies for family members,” he pointed out.
Armed with a vision and a drive to make a difference, Patmore took a leap of faith that would transform funeral care in the community and its environs. It all started when he secured his first business loan – a modest sum from JN Small Business Loans, now JN Bank Small Business Loans, that would pave the way for the transition of his vision into reality.
“My first loan was used to rent a store in a plaza in Christiana and stock it up with around six or seven caskets and make the showroom look presentable. They did not just lend me the money, they gave a little lesson on money management, and that’s one of the things that helped me. I started out with a pickup with a camper on it and decorated it and started that funeral service in a more dignified way,” he recalled, adding that he initially used the morgue at another funeral home until he got his own.
Fast-forward 26 years and Patmore’s Funeral Home has evolved into a complete service provider. In addition to the typical services of a funeral home, they also offer transportation to funeral services and to the airport, counselling with a chaplain, livestreaming of funeral services, headstones, a chapel and mausoleum cemetery – White Dove Memorial Gardens that solely does above-ground burials.
“We do above-ground burials to protect the underground water so that nothing seeps into the soil,” he explained.
The funeral home is also government-contracted for the parish of Trelawny and currently employs 18 persons, six of whom are part-time workers. With his wife and two of his eight children working alongside him, Patmore envisions a future where the business will continue for generations to come.
“We started from nothing,” Patmore said reflectively, adding that part of the reason his business flourished was the affordable packages he provides. “No matter what package you choose, if the body is there for a year, there is no additional cost.”
He disclosed that over the years, he has managed to expand the business using loans to acquire equipment, hearses and caskets, among other things. When the funeral home outgrew its second location in Mendez Town, Trelawny, after seven years, they relocated to their current location in Lowe River. Subsequently, a third property was acquired to construct the chapel and cemetery.
“Sometimes you have your own money, but you don’t want to use it because it may not go back where you took it from. One of our practices is to use loans. That’s what we have been doing, and that’s what we plan to do for the rest of 2024,” Patmore said, adding that he is planning to seek further loans to upgrade his fleet of hearses by acquiring two new ones this year.
Gillian Hyde, deputy managing director, JN Bank Small Business Loans, emphasised that access to loans often propels the economic progress of many businesses like Patmore’s Funeral Home.
“The primary advantage loans offer entrepreneurs is their ability to facilitate expansion, whether it’s investing in additional inventory, expanding a physical space, or establishing another branch. Additionally, with access to funding, entrepreneurs can invest in purchasing equipment; hiring employees and taking advantage of opportunities swiftly, such as launching innovative products or services; or modernising existing infrastructure, thus enhancing their competitiveness,” she said.
“The access to capital helps businesses achieve their goals more quickly, and empowers entrepreneurs to push the boundaries of their businesses beyond the constraints of limited resources,” Hyde maintains.