Death is a subject most of us dance around until we absolutely can't. Then, suddenly, you're sitting in a quiet office on Andrew Jackson Highway, trying to remember if your dad preferred "Amazing Grace" or something by Waylon Jennings. It's heavy. Honestly, when people look for Richard Boles Funeral Service in Laurinburg, they aren't just looking for a building. They’re looking for someone to hold the map while they walk through the fog.
Laurinburg is a tight-knit place. News travels fast at the grocery store or after church, and reputation is everything. Richard Boles and his wife Sharon have spent decades building a business that feels less like a corporate entity and more like an extension of the local community. It’s not just about the caskets or the obituary
page.
The Local Reality of Richard Boles Funeral Service
If you've lived in Scotland County for more than five minutes, you probably know where the funeral home is. It’s located at 13640 Andrew Jackson Highway (Business 74). It isn't a flashy place, but it’s sturdy.
People often get confused between the various Boles locations. Jamie Boles operates several homes in Moore County, like Southern Pines and Pinehurst. But in Laurinburg, the face of the brand is Richard Boles. There's a subtle but real difference in how these independent branches operate, even if they share a name and a legacy of service.
Richard and Sharon are the owners and licensed directors here. They live here. They see their clients at the pharmacy. That creates a level of accountability you just don't get with those massive funeral conglomerates owned by out-of-state shareholders. When you call, you aren't reaching a call center in Texas. You’re getting a neighbor.
Why Personalization Actually Matters
Most people think a funeral is a cookie-cutter event. You show up, someone says some nice things, you go to the cemetery.
But things have changed.
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The staff at Richard Boles Funeral Service talks a lot about "celebrating a life lived" rather than just mourning a death. This isn't just marketing fluff. I’ve seen them do some pretty specific things to make a service feel real.
- For an avid fisherman, they’ve set up memorial displays with actual lures and rods.
- If someone loved quilting, they might drape the casket in a handmade quilt instead of a standard cloth.
- They’ve even swapped traditional organ music for bluegrass or hammered dulcimers when that’s what the person actually listened to.
It’s about those tiny, "un-funeral" details. One family mentioned how Richard called them six months after the burial just to see how the widow was doing. That’s not in the contract. You can't invoice for that. It’s just how they do things in Laurinburg.
The Financial Elephant in the Room
Let's be blunt: funerals are expensive.
North Carolina has some specific rules about how this works. By law, any funeral home—including Boles—has to give you a General Price List (GPL) if you ask for it. You shouldn't feel awkward asking.
A common misconception is that cremation is just a "cheap" alternative to burial. While it can be more affordable, especially "Direct Cremation" where there’s no viewing or service, it’s really about flexibility. At Richard Boles Funeral Service, they offer a middle ground. You can have a full traditional funeral with a viewing and a service, but then choose cremation afterward instead of a plot burial.
They also have a "Funeral Fund" option on their website. It’s basically a way for friends and family to donate directly toward the funeral costs. It cuts out the middleman fees of crowdfunding sites and goes straight to the bill. In a town where folks want to help but don't always know how, this is a massive practical tool.
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Handling the "Death Away From Home" Nightmare
This is a scenario people rarely plan for. What happens if someone passes away while visiting family in another state or on vacation?
Most people’s first instinct is to call a funeral home in the city where the death happened. Don't do that.
Richard Boles actually advises families to call the Laurinburg office first. Why? Because the hometown director can coordinate the transport and paperwork much more cheaply than an out-of-town firm that knows they’ll never see you again. They handle the "mortuary shipping" logistics, which is a specialized, bureaucratic headache you don't want to deal with while you're grieving.
The Truth About Pre-Planning
We’ve all seen the commercials for final expense insurance. They're everywhere. But formal pre-planning with a local home is different.
In North Carolina, when you pre-pay for a funeral, that money doesn't actually belong to the funeral home yet. It goes into a trust or an insurance policy. The funeral home is just the beneficiary. This is a huge protection for you. If Boles were to close tomorrow (unlikely, but still), your money is still there, and it’s portable. You can take that plan to another home if you move.
Richard Boles offers both revocable and irrevocable contracts.
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- Revocable: You can cancel it and get your money back.
- Irrevocable: The money is locked in for the funeral. This is usually what people choose if they are trying to qualify for Medicaid, as the state doesn't count irrevocable funeral trusts as an asset.
What to Do Right Now
If you're currently dealing with a loss or just trying to get your ducks in a row, start with the basics. Don't worry about the casket color yet.
First, get the paperwork together. You’ll need the person’s social security number, parents’ names (including mother’s maiden name), and veteran discharge papers (DD-214) if they served. Richard Boles Funeral Service is particularly good with military honors. They handle the coordination with the VA and the national cemeteries, like the one in Salisbury or even Arlington if that's the goal.
Second, check their website for current obituaries. It’s the most up-to-date place to find service times and where to send memorials. They use a system that lets you order flowers directly through the obituary page, which ensures the flowers actually get to the right church at the right time.
Third, if you’re just curious, go talk to them. There is no obligation to buy a "package" just because you walked in the door. Ask for the General Price List. Walk through the chapel. See if the "vibe" fits what you want.
At the end of the day, a funeral home is a service business. In a place like Laurinburg, you aren't just a customer; you're a neighbor whose family history is often intertwined with the people handling the arrangements. That familiarity is the real value of a local spot like Richard Boles.
Practical Next Steps
- Gather Vital Statistics: Write down the full legal name, birthplace, and parents' names for your records.
- Request a GPL: Call (910) 291-0066 and ask for their current price list to be emailed or mailed to you.
- Review Veteran Status: Locate the DD-214 form if military honors are expected.
- Set a Budget: Determine a hard limit for expenses before entering the arrangement room to avoid emotional overspending.