Dyer-Lake Funeral Home and Cremation Services

Buyer beware — knowledge is power
I have to say the services provided were great but the sales process is a traumatic fraud. You are shown to a conference room to wait for Michael (and don’t sit in his chair). The first time I was there I did not notice the camera (behind his chair so Michael wouldn’t be on it). In comes a smooth estate atty apologizing for Mikes tardiness and offering his services and asking questions on your financial situation. Then Mike swoops in to go over the details and come to a final agreement on price and services. There were four of us who met with him and we were very definitive on the terms — we said ‘so the $ 6000 covers everything including taxes and fees’ He said ‘Yes, the only other cost is the casket and plot’ (which we did not decide on yet). Then he tells us that we have been through enough today and should not have to think about contracts so we can go home and he will email it to me ‘just sign here so I can take custody of the remains’.
We leave and the next day we get an email invoice that was $ 1000 higher. 2 of the 4 of us go back to discuss it and pay and Mr. Nice guy is gone. He begins screaming at us and becomes very intimidating. He pulls out some book (with price sheets he created) trying to show us how he gave us discounts (like a timeshare playing number games). When we try to bring up the conversations from the day before he gets angrier and more intimidating (he wants to remain in control of the conversation). Then he tells me that the casket I ordered online isn’t there so what happens if it doesn’t come (scare tactic). I tell him I already talked to the company and confirmed it will arrive between 1 – 4. Then he leaves and comes back to tell me it already arrived and I need to inspect it because he refuses to take responsibility for it (ok — no problem). He takes us into the garage out back and then shuts the door behind us (which was weird– and hot). The casket is on a cart behind two cars in the garage — I find it hard to believe they had to move cars to get it there but just a few minutes before claimed it hasn’t arrived.
He honored the original price of $ 6000, we paid and left. I was terrified that he would retaliate in some way and we would have poor services but they did do beautiful services. They retaliated by not giving us the death certificates for 3 weeks (originally he said we should have them in a few days). The following week I just went and picked up a couple copies on my own so I was able to handle estate matters but they gave one excuse after another on why I didn’t have the copies I paid them for.
Because I never want my children to go through this kind of trauma I purchased additional plots and the stones. I planned on pre-​paying my services as well, but it will not be with Dyer Lake because I don’t trust them anymore.
Use this information to protect yourself — do not give him custody of the remains until you have signed the contract at the agreed price. Don’t accept his sympathetic line ‘you, ve been through enough so you shouldn’t have to sign contracts and be thinking of money at a time like this’.
WAIT for the contract, pay, and then sign over custody!
Thank you
Michele

Unfortunately, we had a need to use this Funeral Home’s services this past week. Luckily for everyone involved, it was a mostly hassle free event.
They did a lovely job with the wake I attended, including the nice flat screen TV for a photo montage. The only thing I didn’t like about them was that it was incredibly cold inside (probably for obvious reasons, but seriously cold).
The graveside service was also very nice and even though the woman conducting it had never met the deceased, she did a great job asking questions the night before and putting it together in a cohesive speech and did a good job delivering it.