Death is one of those things we don’t talk about until we absolutely have to. Then, suddenly, you’re standing in a quiet hallway in Selma, Alabama, trying to figure out the difference between a vault and a grave liner while your head is spinning. It’s a lot. If you’ve been looking for Selma Funeral Home Alabama, you probably noticed something pretty quick: the name can be a bit confusing.
Most people searching for it are actually looking for the specific facility located out on Alabama Highway 22 in Valley Grande. It’s officially known as Selma Funeral Home and Pineview Memory Gardens. It’s not just a building where services happen; it’s a massive, 50-acre perpetual care cemetery and funeral home combo. Honestly, having everything in one spot is why so many families in Dallas County end up there. You don’t have to deal with a police escort weaving through downtown Selma traffic to get from the chapel to the gravesite. You just walk outside.
Why the Location Matters (It’s Not Technically in Selma)
Here’s the thing. If you put "Selma Funeral Home" into your GPS and you’re looking for the one with the big cemetery, you’re actually heading north of the city limits to Valley Grande. Specifically, 5171 Alabama Highway 22 East.
It’s easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention. The facility sits right there next to Pineview Memory Gardens. This setup is actually kind of a big deal for the local business landscape. In the funeral industry, this is called a "combination" property. It’s convenient, sure, but it also means the staff there handles everything from the initial pickup of your loved one to the final maintenance of the grass over the headstone twenty years from now.
Because they operate Pineview, they offer things other local homes might not have right on-site. We’re talking:
- Ground burials for caskets and urns.
- Private mausoleum entombment (if you prefer being above ground).
- A dedicated Veteran Memorial Garden.
That last one is important. Selma has a deep military history, and seeing those bronze markers lined up in the veteran section is a sobering, powerful sight.
The Reality of Funeral Costs in Dallas County
Let's talk money. Nobody likes to, but when you're grieving, the last thing you need is "sticker shock." In Selma, the cost of saying goodbye varies wildly depending on which home you choose.
Generally, a traditional funeral in the area—which includes the professional services of the director, embalming, a viewing, a hearse, and a service—usually lands somewhere between $4,500 and $7,500. If you go with Selma Funeral Home Alabama (the one in Valley Grande), you’re looking at moderate pricing compared to some of the historic downtown firms.
If you’re looking for the absolute cheapest option, direct cremation is the way to go. You can usually find that for under $2,000 in the Selma area. But if you want the full "Southern funeral" experience—the flowers, the viewing, the long processional—you have to account for the casket and the cemetery plot. Those are the "hidden" costs that sneak up on people. A casket alone can run you $2,000, and a burial vault (which most cemeteries require to keep the ground from sinking) is another $1,000 or more.
A Legacy of Competition: Selma's Other Options
Selma is a small town, but it has a surprisingly high density of funeral homes. This isn't just about business; it's about history. For over a century, funeral homes here were often divided by the community's social and racial lines.
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Take Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home on Citizens Parkway. They’ve been around since 1866. They started as "Breslin Furniture & Undertakers"—because back then, the guy who made your table was usually the guy who made your coffin. They are the "old guard" in town.
Then you have Randall Miller Funeral Service on St. Phillips Street. They’ve been a staple for over 75 years. Randall Miller is a huge name in the community, and they even opened their own 10-acre cemetery recently called Miller's Memorial Garden.
And you can't talk about Selma without mentioning Aubrey Larkin’s Lewis Brothers Funeral Home. Lewis Brothers has been a powerhouse Black-owned business since 1942. Aubrey Larkin, a former educator and human resources director for Selma City Schools, took the reins a few years back. He’s a guy who literally sees this work as a ministry. When you walk into a place like that, you aren't just a client; you're part of a long-standing community legacy.
What to Do if You Have an Immediate Need
If you just lost someone, stop reading for a second and breathe. It’s overwhelming. Your first step isn't actually calling the funeral home—it's calling the doctor or the hospice nurse if they passed at home. They have to "pronounce" the death legally.
Once that’s done, you call the funeral home. If you choose Selma Funeral Home Alabama, they will dispatch a team to pick up your loved one.
Pro Tip: You do NOT have to have all the answers in the first phone call. All they need to know is where the person is and your contact info. You can figure out the casket, the music, and whether or not you want an open bar (okay, maybe not in Selma, but you get the point) later at the "arrangement conference."
Navigating the "Perpetual Care" Question
If you’re looking at Pineview Memory Gardens (attached to the Selma Funeral Home), you’ll hear the term "Perpetual Care."
Basically, this means a portion of the money you pay for a plot goes into a trust fund. The state of Alabama has pretty strict rules about this. That money is used for the "forever" stuff: mowing the grass, fixing the roads inside the cemetery, and keeping the hedges trimmed. It’s a bit of insurance so that fifty years from now, the place doesn't look like a scene from a horror movie.
Actionable Insights for Families
If you are currently planning or pre-planning with a funeral home in Selma, keep these three things in mind:
- Ask for the General Price List (GPL): By law (the FTC Funeral Rule), every funeral home in Selma MUST give you a printed price list the moment you start talking about services. You don't have to guess.
- Check the "Obituary" vs. "Death Notice" price: Many homes will post a basic notice on their website for free, but local newspapers like the Selma Times-Journal charge for longer obituaries. Ask the funeral director to help you draft it to save space and money.
- Pre-planning isn't just for the elderly: Honestly, doing this when you're healthy is a gift to your kids. You can lock in today's prices and save them from making 50 decisions while they’re crying in a conference room.
Whether you choose the modern convenience of the Highway 22 location or the deep-rooted history of the downtown firms, Selma’s funeral directors are generally a tight-knit group. They know the weight of the history they carry. They’re handling the final chapters of the people who built this town. That’s a lot of responsibility, and for the most part, they take it very seriously.
Next Steps:
If you need to reach the staff at the Valley Grande location, the most direct line is (334) 872-0110. If you are looking for a specific obituary, their website usually updates within 24 hours of a passing. Before you sign any contracts, make sure you've clarified whether the "opening and closing" fees of the grave are included—that’s the one fee that usually catches Selma families off guard.