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Highlights

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About

The history of Brown-Wynne Funeral Home and Crematory reaches back to 1836, when Henry Brown founded H.J. Brown Coffin House in Raleigh. Since then, five generations have done everything they can to make Brown-Wynne Funeral Home and Crematory one of the more complete mortuary establishments in North Carolina. Ours is the oldest business in the city and the oldest funeral home in the state. Tradition is very important to us, and yet we are always looking forward, adapting and caring for Raleigh’s families in unique ways.

Our building and personalized funerals

Sitting area at Brown-Wynne Funeral HomeWe are a growing and progressive company in one of the most vibrant communities in the United States. We provide the personalized funeral services and celebration of life ceremonies you want.

Brown-Wynne Funeral Home and Crematory offers catering options and personalized funerals, including traditional chapel services, large visitations and contemporary celebrations. Our location was remodeled in 2006 and now offers the Wynne Center, the largest celebration of life facility in the Raleigh area. The Wynne Center is equipped for all kinds of gatherings, whether you desire a full-size banquet meal or finger foods and beverages.

Please let us know how we can make your loved one's service a special and meaningful ceremony. We help create personalized funerals with custom touches—a dove release, musicians, themed decor and much more.

Cremations for Raleigh

Not everyone knows that there are many cremation options. If you are interested in cremation, the funeral home team can explain the process and different options. From a direct cremation without a memorial service or a witness cremation to a full funeral service before or after the cremation and more, we help you understand this increasingly common choice—and handle all of the cremation arrangements.

Brown-Wynne Funeral Home and Crematory has two on-site crematories, offering a significant convenience for you. Instead of your having to coordinate with two facilities, we handle all of the details for cremations right here. During the cremation process, you and your family are welcome to stay close to your loved one in our private committal chapel.

We’re always here

Please contact us if you need immediate assistance or more information about our services. We are here for every question, and we would love to schedule your tour of the Wynne Center.

History

Henry Brown founded the H.J. Brown Coffin House in Raleigh in 1836. He'd operated the funeral services business for more than 30 years when, in 1868, he helped transfer 267 Confederate soldiers from Rock Quarry Cemetery to Oakwood Cemetery.

When Henry died in 1879, he left his well-respected funeral home to his son, John W. Brown, who became the first president of the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association. In 1915, Henry’s grandson, Fab Brown, brought motor-driven hearses to the business. This pattern of innovation is a hallmark of Brown-Wynne Funeral Home and Crematory to this day.

Relocations over the years

Brown-Wynne has grown along with Raleigh and the surrounding cities. The original building site was at the corner of Dawson and Morgan. The home moved to the corner of Hargett and Salisbury in 1889 and again in 1928 to Hillsborough Street.

In 1954, Robert W. Wynne Jr. built a new home on the corner of St. Mary’s and North streets. He also had the foresight to expand to Cary in 1969 and the Millbrook community in 1973.

175 years and counting

In 1991, Brown-Wynne became part of the Dignity Memorial® network, North America’s largest network of funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers.

In 2011, Brown-Wynne Funeral Home and Crematory celebrated its 175th anniversary. We’re pleased to say that in the same year Henry J. Brown was inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame for his business leadership and contribution to our great city.

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Amenities

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100% SERVICE GUARANTEE

At Dignity Memorial, we take our promises seriously. That’s why we offer a 100% service guarantee. We strive to get every detail right the first time, every time. If for some reason we don’t and you’re dissatisfied with any aspect of your service, we will remedy it quickly and fully.

Learn about our Dignity Difference benefits.

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Ratings & Reviews

Verified Customer Reviews

Since 2005, many of our customers have taken the time to tell us how we did each year via our Voice of the Customer program. Our star ratings and comments from families come directly from these surveys.

"Excellent, caring staff. A wonderful Raleigh institution that has served generations of Raleigh families. I appreciate the genuine concern shown to me and my family ... from beginning to end, everyone was wonderful."

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Burial & Memorial Service Customer

January 2021

"It's very comforting to be able to lean of friends when an unexpected death occurs. Most of us are not aware of what needs to be done and Brown Wynn is there for you with excellent service, resources and experience. Thank you for guiding me through this difficult time."

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Burial & Memorial Service Customer

January 2021

"Hall, Mark, Lynn, Peggy...they all showed so much professionalism and truly cared about our loss. I couldn't imagine a better experience."

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Burial & Memorial Service Customer

December 2020

"From preplanning to final memorial, I felt that the funeral director and staff at Brown-Wynne were truly present for our family."

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Burial & Memorial Service Customer

December 2020

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