Our five generations of funeral service began in 1906, when S.C. Howe, a farmer and minister, bought the hardware, furniture and undertaking store in Truro, Iowa.  In 1919, S.C. sold the business to his son-in-law, W.D. Kale and it became known as Howe & Kale Hardware, Furniture and Undertaking.  In 1927, W.D. built a new store on the south side of main street in Truro that included a selection room for caskets.   The building was later remodeled to incorporate both a preparation and selection room and a visitation room for loved ones to lie in state. 

    As the funeral business expanded, the family home became  the Kale Funeral Home in Truro, which is still in existence at the same location today.  The business was operated by W.D. Kale  and his son Loren E. Kale until W.D.’s death in 1947.  Loren operated the Kale Funeral Home in Truro until his death in 1964.

  Following Loren’s death, his son Denis attended mortuary school and returned to operate the family business as the fourth generation.          

  In addition to Truro, Denis began to work for the Webster Funeral Home in Osceola in 1968.  He and his wife Sandra purchased the Webster Funeral Home in 1970 and now operate both locations under the Kale Funeral Home name. 

  The fifth generation of Kale’s in funeral service is with the son of Denis and Sandra. Todd Kale became a Funeral Director in 1989 and joined the Kale Funeral Home in 1992 to carry on the five generations of “Family serving Families.”

 Continuing The Tradition

   Everything in life today is a whirlwind of change except for one thing. Our unwavering commitment to caring, personal service is the same as it was in 1906 with S.C. Howe.  We are very proud of our tradition of five generations in funeral service. We believe that our friends and neighbors deserve nothing less than that proud commitment.   We are also pleased that we can offer three licensed funeral directors, a Pre-Arrangement Counselor as well as  a caring and supportive staff to help those that we serve. 

 Our Professional Approach

    An individual’s funeral service represents a unique opportunity to celebrate the life of a loved one; the memories you have, the values they projected, and the accomplishments they achieved.  The funeral also serves an important part of the grieving process.  
                        There is no typical funeral service.  Each family has its own special needs, customs, and traditions.  We are committed to helping you create a meaningful service which is the most appropriate for you.  Our funeral directors and staff are dedicated to assist you in choosing the music, clothing, flowers, and any other essentials that are right for your needs.  No matter what your situation or desire, we are here to help you - before, during and after the funeral service.