Funerals that celebrate life

Whether you choose a contemporary celebration of life, a traditional religious ceremony or a funeral with military honors for a veteran, The Runge Mortuary and Crematory's licensed funeral directors excel in taking care of the details, so you can spend more time with those who matter most. 

Tell us an inspiring tale from your loved one's life, and we will help you create a memorial to match. Host a one-night-only exhibition of an avid photographer’s best work in our spacious reception area, which adapts to meet the size and style of your guest list. Welcome guests to a dinner in honor of the town’s most beloved hostess, complete with her own recipes prepared and served by a professional catering team. Our interfaith chapel holds 100 people, and we can arrange everything from themed decor to music that evokes just the right mood. 

Cremation services

We specialize in cremation services that honor loved ones in personalized ways, and families love our transparent pricing. With expertise in scattering ashes and a friendly team who pays attention to every detail, we provide service that is second to none.

More and more people are choosing cremation over traditional burial, but most aren’t familiar with the many options:

• a cremation without a funeral or memorial service of any kind.
• a funeral with your loved one present, followed by cremation.
• a cremation followed by a scattering, cemetery memorialization or celebration of life—or all three.

For those who wish for a more momentous memorial, Neptune Memorial Reef is an underwater cremation garden off the coast of Florida. A Celestis Memorial Spaceflight takes ashes into space for a little while or forever.

There are many options for cremation—and they're not all equal. Here's what you can expect when you choose us for your loved one's cremation:

• Custody of care guaranteed. Our custody-of-care program helps safeguard the identification of your loved one from the time we bring them into our care until the time we return them to your family. We check, cross-check and check again, every step of the way.
• Exclusive custody of your loved one. We operate a private, on-site crematory and work with trusted partners. Once your loved one is in our custody or that of a trusted partner, they’re in our care until they’re returned to your family.
• Licensed, certified, conscientious staff. All Dignity Memorial crematory operators are licensed and certified by Cremation Association of North America, or CANA. Only one person at a time is cremated, and the cremation chamber is thoroughly cleaned before the next person is cremated.

Read more about our cremation services.

We honor veterans

At The Runge Mortuary & Crematory, we understand the unique needs of America’s veterans and their families. As a Level Four Founding Community Partner with We Honor Veterans, we are honored to serve our nation’s heroes and take this responsibility seriously. We have taken steps to ensure our staff is knowledgeable of all the benefits available to military veterans and their families.

In addition, we host community events annually in honor of our veterans and work closely with local veterans organizations. With respect, integrity and dignity, we will walk you through the steps of creating a veteran’s memorial service that truly honors the life and sacrifice of your loved one.

A friend and neighbor

Davenport is our home. Reaching out to our neighbors through service is part of our tradition, whether we’re delivering holiday gifts to nursing home residents, planning holiday remembrance services or hosting a fundraiser for an area charity. Our team speaks multiple languages, and the funeral home will work with any cemetery you choose.

We consider it an honor to assist our neighbors during a time of need. Please contact us, day or night, if you need immediate assistance with funeral arrangements in Davenport or if you would simply like a tour of our facilities.

History

Henry Runge founded  The Runge Mortuary and Crematory in 1895 at a location on 3rd Street. The funeral home was moved down the street in 1902, where it stayed until it was relocated to our red brick Colonial-style building on East Kimberly Road in 1969.

Henry’s son, Martin, took over operations after Henry’s passing in 1916. Martin’s 3 sons (Albert F., Henry C. and William M.) eventually joined in as well. Henry Sr.’s son, Peter Runge, joined in 1972, and his grandson, Henry C. Runge III, joined in 1991, becoming the 5th generation devoted to caring for the needs of the Quad Cities community over the last 122 years.

Cutting-edge funeral services

We had the first licensed funeral director (Henry Runge, 1895), and the funeral home continues a tradition of cutting-edge service to our community. In 1902, we built the town’s 1st dedicated mortuary building. We began to operate Davenport’s 1st motorized hearse in 1914, which was christened during the funeral of Louise Runge. We opened a formal chapel in 1919, air conditioned it in 1926 and provided off-street parking by 1935. We established the Quad Cities first on-site crematory in 1984. Today, as personalized memorial services and contemporary celebrations of life grow in popularity, we bring custom-tailored tributes to the Quad Cities. 

Upholding tradition

Today, The Runge Mortuary and Crematory is a member of the Dignity Memorial® network, the largest group of funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers in North America. It is our honor to serve our neighbors with well over a century of experience.