History & Staff

We have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity.

Our History

Our History

In the early 1930's, Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home, Alleghany County's first funeral home, was opened in the home of Mr. Dewey Sturdivant on Main Street in Sparta, North Carolina. At one time, Reins-Sturdivant had funeral homes in West Jefferson, Sparta, Newland, and North Wilkesboro in North Carolina, and in Independence, Virginia. Sometime later, Mr. Sturdivant built a new funeral home across Main Street from the original building. The name was changed to Sturdivant Funeral Home in the early 1960's.

Alleghany County native Harold Church joined Sturdivant on a part-time basis in 1963. He began full-time employment with the firm in 1965, and graduated with honors from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in March of 1968. He remained with Sturdivant until 1970, when he joined Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

In 1973, a group of local investors built a building on a large piece of property on Grandview Drive, hired Mr. Frank Jones, a Mount Airy, North Carolina funeral director, and opened Jones Funeral Home. Because the expectations of the investors were not met, Harold Church was contacted by the group and was persuaded to return to Sparta in 1974. The name of the firm was changed to Church Funeral Service. 

By 1980, Sturdivant Funeral Home merged with Church Funeral Service, and the name became Grandview Memorial Funeral Home. Harold Church and Cecil Murray purchased the stock of the other investors, and in 1986, Harold Church bought Murray's stock and became the sole owner of Grandview. In 1991, Grandview merged with an independent family owned business located in Elizabethton, TN called Heritage Family Funeral Service.  Harold Church remained with Heritage Family Funeral Service until his retirement in June of 2010.

Grandview continues to proudly serve the personal needs of Alleghany county and surrounding areas.

Our Valued Staff

  • Donnie  Brim

    Donnie Brim

  • Michael Hendricks

    Michael Hendricks

  • Debra C Smith

    Debra C Smith

  • Charlie Smith

    Charlie Smith

  • Meredith  Walker

    Meredith Walker

  • Elizabeth  Wheeler

    Elizabeth Wheeler

  • Walter F Johnson Jr

    Walter F Johnson Jr

  • Patsy  Gillespie

    Patsy Gillespie

  • Jimmy  Gillespie

    Jimmy Gillespie In Loving Memory

    In Loving Memory1939-2020Jimmie was a lifelong native of Alleghany County, and worked most of his adult life in Sparta. He graduated from Sparta High School in 1957. He was married to the former Patsy McKnight and they had two daughters, Jill and Jennifer, and three grandchildren. Jimmie and Patsy owned and operated Sparta Florist for nearly thirty years. He was very active in community and Church affairs. He currently served on the Board of Directors of the Glade Creek Fire Department. Jimmie attended Old Saddle Mountain Union Baptist Church. He joined the staff at Grandview Memorial in January of 2002 as a part-time funeral assistant.