Losing someone is heavy. It's that simple. When you're standing in the middle of a grief-induced fog in Bolivar, Missouri, the last thing you want is a corporate handbook masquerading as a neighbor. That’s where Pitts Chapel of Greenlawn Funeral enters the conversation.
People around Polk County know the name. They’ve seen the building on East Broadway Street for years. But there is a specific kind of nuance to how this place operates—one that mixes old-school Missouri values with the massive resources of the Greenlawn network.
What is Pitts Chapel of Greenlawn Funeral, anyway?
Basically, it's a bridge.
Pitts Chapel is a cornerstone of Bolivar, but it’s part of the larger Greenlawn Funeral Home family, which has been rooted in the Springfield area since 1905. The Diemer family has steered this ship for six generations. That’s not a typo. Six.
In 1996, Jake Diemer purchased Pitts Chapel. Since then, it’s been the local Bolivar arm of a regional powerhouse. You get the small-town feel of a chapel where the directors probably know your uncle, backed by the "big city" infrastructure of a company that owns its own crematory, monument shop, and the largest cemetery in the region.
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The real reason families choose Pitts Chapel
Honestly, most people don't pick a funeral home because of a flashy website. They pick it because of how they’re treated when they’re at their lowest.
At the Bolivar location (316 East Broadway St.), the vibe is intentionally home-like. It isn't a cold, clinical warehouse. It was designed to feel like a living room. That matters when you're sitting there trying to decide between a mahogany casket and a simple cremation urn.
Here is what actually goes on behind the doors:
- Traditional services: They do the classic visitation and funeral, often followed by a procession to local spots like Greenwood Cemetery.
- Cremation options: Because Greenlawn has its own state-of-the-art crematory in Springfield (the first of its kind in the area), the "chain of custody" is tight. Your loved one doesn't get shipped off to a third-party facility three towns over.
- Personalization: This is a big one. The staff—people like Jake and Jason Diemer—are known for "celebrant" services. If the person who passed loved stock car racing (big in Bolivar!), they’ll find a way to weave that into the service.
Why the "Greenlawn" connection is a big deal
Let’s talk about the Greenlawn name. It started with Judge Benjamin Jacob Diemer. He was a pioneer. In 1905, he looked at a patch of the Diemer family dairy farm and decided Springfield needed a proper cemetery. He planted hundreds of maple trees.
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Fast forward over a century, and that single cemetery grew into a network of five funeral homes.
When you use Pitts Chapel, you aren't just getting the Bolivar staff. You’re getting access to over 850 years of combined experience across the entire Greenlawn team. That’s a massive amount of institutional knowledge. If you have a weird legal question about a burial vault or need a custom monument designed from scratch, they don't have to "call a guy." They are the guy.
Common misconceptions about funeral costs here
Money is the elephant in the room. Funerals are expensive.
Interestingly, Greenlawn (and by extension Pitts Chapel) was one of the first in the region to embrace "price-advertising." Back in the 60s, a manager named John Cox suggested they just... tell people what things cost. At the time, it was a radical move. Today, it’s why their pricing is relatively transparent compared to some "boutique" homes that hide the price list until you're already in the chair.
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They handle:
- Pre-planning: You can lock in today's prices so your kids don't have to scramble later.
- Immediate need: For when the unthinkable happens at 3 AM on a Tuesday.
- Monuments: They have their own shop, which cuts out the middleman markup on headstones.
The Bolivar community link
Bolivar is a tight-knit place. People here remember who showed up for them. Pitts Chapel frequently handles services for lifelong Polk County residents—folks who went to Bolivar High and spent their Sundays at Calvary Missionary Baptist.
The staff doesn't just work there; they live there. They support the local YMCA and the Alzheimer’s Association. It’s that "active participation" that keeps them from becoming just another business on the block.
What to actually do next
If you are currently looking for a provider or just thinking ahead, don't just take a Google review's word for it.
- Visit the location: Go to 316 East Broadway. See if the "vibe" feels right.
- Ask about the crematory: If you’re leaning toward cremation, ask specifically where it happens. Knowing it's handled in-house by Greenlawn staff offers a lot of peace of mind.
- Request a General Price List (GPL): Federal law says they have to give it to you. Use it to compare, but remember that the "cheapest" isn't always the best when it comes to the person who’ll be handling your family's legacy.
Start by gathering your basic documents—discharge papers for veterans or any existing life insurance policies. Having these in a folder makes the initial meeting at Pitts Chapel significantly less stressful.