Long-standing commitment to service
By Jack Criss, The Bolivar Bullet
Founded in Cleveland in 1939 — and having been recognized and honored as one of the oldest African-American owned businesses in Mississippi — Brinson Funeral Home has stayed tried and true to its founding prinicipals and honored its incredible legacy by continuing to provide excellent service in times of need.
Family-owned and operated, Brinson founded by the late Booker T. and Ruby Brinson and its reputation for providing funeral kind, compassionate, and affordable funeral care remains firmly in place in its eighth decade of service through several generations of family.
The longstanding business was recently recognized by Delta State University’s “Winning The Race” organization in partnership with the Bolivar County Board of Supervisors and the Amzie Moore House as one of the first, established Black-owned businesses in the state.
Crystal Brinson, a third generation member of the business, said that her family’s business appreciates and honors such accolades but that their business mission is always the top priority.
“Our compassionate, dedicated, and professional associates that we have on treat each family we work with as their own and are available to assist every step of the way during the funeral and memorial planning process; which is why the business mottos are ‘Our Family Serving Your Family’ and ‘The Home That Service Built,” said Brinson. “We have staff members who are like family to our own and that have been with us for over 20 years.”
And my mother, Ann Brinson, who is our current owner and operator and a licensed funeral director, oversees the business while my sister, Michelle Bennett, and I do whatever needs to be done on a day-to-day basis to serve our clients,” said Crystal.
“We really don’t believe in official titles around here. As a family business, we just know our main roles are in helping people during their most difficult, vulnerable and trying times. We view this business as a ministry as well as a family. Yes, it’s a business, but we can take care of people in a fair and sympathetic manner,” she said.
Brinson Funeral Home is a full-service funeral home, offering cremation, funeral planning and arranging, funeral services, insurance needs, whatever needs to be done,” said Crystal. “And we service all of Bolivar County and beyond to families and do so within their budgets,” she said, “as well work for families from out of state.”
“My late husband, John T. Brinson, would actually bury some of the residents at the nursing home on Martin Luther King Drive in Cleveland at no charge,” said Ann Brinson. “Many of them had no family and he would just take care of it. That’s how he was and how we still run our business — with caring and compassion,” she said.
Brinson Funeral Home continues its dedication and commitment to its community by donating a portion of proceeds earned from all funeral services to a charitable organization whose goals are to uplift and improve the community, according to the company website.
“We love what we do in trying to make things easier for the families we serve,” said Crystal. “And we plan on continuing to do so for many more years to come.”