About Us

The Luginbuel family has been in the funeral services business for more than 100 years. It began in the 1890's with Charles Noble Luginbuel, Reid Luginbuel's father, who worked in a mercantile store in Dutch Mills, Arkansas. Among items sold in the store were caskets, which his son's Reid and Lloyd delivered.

Luginbuel Funeral Home began in 1927 in Vinita, a town in Northeastern Oklahoma. The founder, Reid Luginbuel, was a charismatic individual. He started his career as a funeral director in 1917 at Muskogee and came to Vinita from Lincoln, Arkansas, where he and his wife Lola had previously owned and operated a funeral home. Jeff Luginbuel became associated with his brother in the operation of the business in 1929. He had previous experience with the Petering Funeral Home in Muskogee and the Buffington Funeral Home in Sapulpa. In June, 1934, the funeral home moved to a sixteen-room dwelling in the quiet of a residential district. The home was formerly owned by the Beattie family and is located at 332 N. Scraper.

In September, 1943, Jeff Luginbuel served as a Ship's Officer with the Army Transport Service for sixteen months in combat areas of the South Pacific and Atlantic. During this time, sixteen former employees of the Luginbuel Funeral Home also served in the armed forces. In June, 1945, Reid and Jeff announced a new partnership known as the Luginbuel Brothers Funeral Home. At that time, the funeral home operated with three funeral directors and embalmers, Reid, Jeff and Lola Luginbuel. Mrs. Jeff Luginbuel served as lady assistant and was in charge of music.

In January 1964, Jack Luginbuel, son of Reid and Lola, and his wife Lois "Tawney" Luginbuel joined the firm. Jack is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and of the mortuary school in Dallas, Texas. At this time, the firm adopted the original name — Luginbuel Funeral Home. Because of Reid, Jeff and Jack's devotion to their profession and to the public, the Luginbuel Funeral Home was elected to membership in the International Order of the Golden Rule in 1969.

Reid, Jeff, and Lola Luginbuel remained active in the business until their deaths. Reid passed away at the age of 70 in 1969; Lola in June, 1976. In July, 1975, because of illness, Jeff sold his interest in the funeral home to Jack and Lois Luginbuel. Jeff passed away in September, 1975. Reid and Jeff were long-time civic leaders in Vinita and through the years the people of Craig County remember them as having spent many nights at the rural schools auctioning pies and boxes of fundraising drives for Christmas treats, Red Cross quotas and War Bond sales. Reid Luginbuel served as marshal of the Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo Parade for 33 years. Since Reid's death, Jack has continued in that capacity.

Jack served as president of the Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association in 1982, and in 1983 was named Oklahoma Funeral Director of the year.

During the 1980's and 1990's Jack and Lois expanded the business by merging with three other long time family friends. Bryson and Peg McClymonds of Benjamin Funeral Home in Nowata, Harry and Annie Worley of Worley Funeral Home in Grove and Alan and Betty Graham of Neekamp Funeral Home in Bartlesville.

In 1994, Jack and Lois were recognized by Selected Independent Funeral Homes and invited into membership as a preferred family owned and operated funeral service provider in their area.

In 2003, David Luginbuel, son of Jack and Lois, and his wife Kathleen "Haynes" Luginbuel joined the company. David graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in funeral service and went on to graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a Masters of Business Administration. David completed his funeral service apprenticeship in Oklahoma City at Smith and Kernke Funeral Home.

David was recognized in 2008 by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice as one of only 12 funeral directors in the State of Oklahoma to achieve the status of a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner.