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Cole Funeral Chapel
Cole Funeral Chapel is a family-owned funeral home committed to caring for your family. An independent funeral home in Chelsea, Michigan, our mission is to meet your needs whatever they may be. We provide a wide range of services, from sitting down with you to discuss future needs to grief counseling after the death of a loved one.Our funeral home was founded in 1898, and was purchased by Donald Cole in 1977. His son, Allen, bought the funeral home from his father in 1999, continuing the tradition of service to the Chelsea area.
We know that making funeral arrangements can be difficult, so let us help you every step of the way. We have a professional staff equipped with many resources that can provide assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please feel free to call anytime, or e-mail us at staff @ ColeFuneralChapel.com
Cremation Services
We offer choices in cremation service, including:
- direct cremation with no services
- cremation followed by a memorial service or visitation time
- a complete viewing and funeral followed by cremation
We want to help your family choose services that fit your needs. We will walk you through your options without pressuring you, and we will help you to compare the costs of different options. Regardless of your choice, we will treat your loved one with respect, we will help you write and place obituaries, we will obtain death certificates promptly, and help you chose the final resting place for your loved one's ashes. We will not try to sell you services or merchandise you do not need.
Cremation with Public Viewing & Funeral
Cremation Packages - Price list
Read more: Cremation Services
Steps for Planning Ahead
We understand how difficult it is to plan funeral services, so our staff is available to help you in any way that we can. Please call us and we will walk you through every step of planning, and we will offer choices to make the services just right for your family. To help you understand the process, here are some of the steps you can choose to do ahead of time:
Funeral Planning
☐ Fill out basic pre-arrangement information sheet. 15-20 minutes, no charge. This provides the basic information we need to write obituaries and fill out the death certificates. It gives us some information about the type of services you want. Click here to download the Pre-Arrangement form
☐ Fill out funeral service information sheet. 10-15 minutes, no charge. This provides information about the funeral / memorial service you would like: who should lead it, type of music, readings, etc. Click here to download the Funeral Service Information Sheet
☐ Itemize funeral goods and services. 30-60 minutes with funeral home staff, usually at the funeral home, no charge. You choose the goods and services you want, and we will create an itemized funeral bill so you can know the anticipated costs. This is an estimate only, but lets you make many of the decisions in advance, and guides us and your family as to your wishes.
☐ Pre-pay your funeral invoice. 15-30 minutes with funeral home staff. After itemizing the services you want (see previous choice), you may pay for the funeral in one lump sum, or in payments, and lock in the prices for your funeral bill. This saves your family from worrying about paying for your funeral.
Memorial Planning
☐ Choose your cemetery marker. 30-60 minutes, cost vary greatly. You may choose the type of stone or gravemarker you want, and lay out the exact design for your stone. You may wish to save the information until after the death, or have the stone cut and delivered.
☐ Plan a memory slideshow. 30-60 minutes, $95. Choose 30-70 photos to be put into a slideshow that can be played at the visitation and/or funeral. You may put sticky notes on back to indicate an order to the photos if you wish, or to label slides. You may choose to narrate the photos in your voice.
☐ Write a letter to your loved ones. No cost, time will vary greatly. You may write a letter to your spouse or children to be read and re-read after your death. It could be read publicly, or just given to those you choose after your death. We will be happy to file it with your pre-arrangement. Please put in sealed envelope with the name of the recipient on the outside.
Recent Obituaries
Arthur "Art" Allen
of Stockbridge, Michigan, age 97, passed away Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at his home. He was born in Royalton, Kentucky, the son of Taylor and Myrtle (Prater) Allen.
Art was an active member at the Stockbridge Church of Christ, helping out wherever needed. He enjoyed working and worked hard all of his life. Art retired from Kelsey Hayes, built houses, owned stores and gas stations; and bought rentals and fixed them up. Art believed in the Lord, family, and hard work.
Read more ...Larry Grant Blair
of East Lansing, MI, formerly of Westland, age 78, passed away Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Burcham Hills Retirement Community in East Lansing. He was born October 3, 1946, in Whitesburg, Kentucky, the son of Ralph and Helen “Louise” (Jones) Blair.
Larry graduated from Whitesburg High School in 1965, and took some classes at Kalamazoo Community College. He had many jobs, but worked for Ford Motor Company in Wayne, on the assembly line, for 33 years. Larry was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Westland. He took great pleasure in washing cars, both his and those of his family, and enjoyed fishing.
Read more ...Nancy Lou Chappel
Age 91, passed away Thursday, June 12, 2025, at Trinity Health Livingston Hospital in Howell. She was born May 3, 1934, in Michigan Center, Michigan, the daughter of James T. and Luella E. (Turner) Tierney.
Nancy grew up in Garden City, graduating from Garden City High School in 1952. She went to nursing school and worked at Deaconess Hospital and Wayne State University. Nancy was active in church wherever they lived, but especially so at the First Presbyterian Church in Howell. She was adventurous and very resourceful. Nancy enjoyed traveling and experiencing other cultures with her husband. She was an avid rock collector and enjoyed birding, camping, and gardening. She could never pass up a good rock or piece of driftwood. Nature truly inspired her creative side.
Read more ...Robert “Bob” Daryl Dick
of Chelsea, Michigan, formerly of Ann Arbor, age 76, passed away Sunday, June 8, 2025, at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor. He was born October 30, 1948, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the son of Wayne Hollenger and Hazel Evelyn (Rosen) Dick.
Bob went to Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, earning his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1970. He did his post grad studies at the University of Miami in Florida. Bob was a Research Technician at the University of Michigan, where he was a Lab Manager in Human Genetics.
Read more ...Shirley Anne Wahlstrom
Shirley Anne Wahlstrom
April 22, 1929 – June 6, 2025
Shirley Anne Wahlstrom (née Bottomley), 96, of Chelsea, MI, passed away peacefully on June 6, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on April 22, 1929, in Jackson, MI, the third of four children to Theo and Mildred Bottomley.
She is survived by her four children: Vickie Kooyers (Kevin), Rick Wahlstrom (Dawn), Randy Wahlstrom (Brenda), and Darryl Wahlstrom (Jack). Her legacy extends to her 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. She is also lovingly remembered by her sister-in-law, Billie Wahlstrom (Mary), and many nieces and nephews from the extended Bottomley family.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents and her three siblings—Max, Don, and Marcia Bottomley. She was formerly married to Dennis Wahlstrom (deceased), with whom she shared four children.
Shirley’s life and legacy were shaped not only by where she grew up, but also by the era in which she came of age. Raised during the Great Depression—and due to her father’s work as a civil engineer that required frequent relocations across states including Tennessee, Illinois, and Michigan—Shirley learned many enduring life lessons, including patience, quiet strength, and grace, that shaped how she approached life.
Read more ...Donna Jeanne Barnard
of Ft. Myers, Florida, formerly of Chelsea, age 81, passed away Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital. She was born November 24, 1943, in Wyandotte, Michigan, the daughter of Homer Harvey Harmon and Beatrice Marion (Henry)Tremble.
Donna grew up in New Boston, graduating from Huron High School, where she was a cheerleader, in 1962. Donna worked as the Athletic Secretary for the University of Michigan. She enjoyed her winters in Florida and her many wonderful friends. Donna loved to dance and was a proud Trump supporter. Donna's laugh was infectious, and her smile was grand. She is with God now.
Read more ...Phillip Murray Zelickman
of Chelsea, Michigan, formerly of Livonia, age 82, passed away Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at his home in the Prairie Cottages of Chelsea Retirement Community. He was born August 31, 1942, in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Herbert Hyman and Jean Jenny (Efros) Zelickman.
Phil was a Master Plumber. He served in the US Air Force from 1962 to 1963. He was a life member of the American Legion and was also an active member of the Chelsea Senior Center.
Read more ...