COTTAGE GROVE — Smith Lund Mills Funeral Chapel & Crematorium has been awarded the 2025 Funeral Home of the Year Award by the Oregon Funeral Directors Association (OFDA). The honor was presented during the OFDA’s annual conference held this May in Hood River, Oregon.
Marc Lund, owner and manager of Smith Lund Mills Funeral Chapel, accepted the award on behalf of its dedicated team. The recognition celebrates a commitment to compassionate service and professional excellence in funeral care that has been ongoing for over a century.
“This award is a reflection of the incredible dedication and service our staff brings to every family we serve,” he said. “We are deeply honored to be recognized by our peers in the funeral service profession.”
Marc’s father, Doug Lund, began working with the funeral chapel – one of Cottage Grove’s oldest continuously operating businesses – back in 1964. Marc recalls that 30 years ago this month, a desire to work with his father led him back to the family business, where he continued its legacy and tradition of service.
Since then, the business has expanded to include the operation of Fir Grove Cemetery and a mobile gravedigging service for other pioneer cemeteries in the area. Marc and his wife, Christina Lund, also purchased Sunset Hills Funeral Home, Crematorium and Cemetery in Eugene in 2015, extending their legacy of care and community service across Lane County.
“We’ve tried to carry on the principles and traditions we started with – taking care of our customers, and working with a kind, caring, compassionate and professional staff,” Marc said. “You have to have the right people, who have the best interests of the community at heart and who strive for excellence and professionalism.”
