New ‘Reflections Reception Center’ Reflects Continued Care, Service to Community

Visit the Clark-Stocking Funeral Chapel online at www. www.clarkstocking.com or call them at 989-539-7810. Visit the Clark Family Funeral Chapel online www.clarkfuneral chapel.com or call them at 989- 775-9943.

165 W Oak Street
Harrison, MI 48625

A few months ago, the Stocking Funeral Home, under the longtime ownership of Stacy Stocking, became the Clark-Stocking Funeral home when Ben Clark bought the funeral home on Oak Street in Harrison.

Clark and his family are the owners of the Clark Family Funeral Chapel in Mount Pleasant. Clark’s father and mother, Dane and Jane Clark, began the chapel in 1998 when he was in middle school.

Clark began cleaning cars and doing odd jobs for his father and, after the first few times he held open doors for services, realized  that the profession called him.

“I’d walk home from school and go right to work at the funeral home. I remember that I mowed the lawn and washed the cars, but the first day I worked a visitation I thought ‘I think I want to do this,’ Clark said. “Holding a door for someone made a difference, how cool is that? Even in the seventh grade wearing that suit I knew I didn’t want to be a veterinarian anymore.”

Clark received his bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University and did his mortuary school online through a school in New York.

“It was kind of the beginning of online education, and it was nice because it gave me the ability to stay home, help my family, learn with my father,” he said. “The book work was online at your own pace.”

After the bookwork there were onsite classes in New York to prepare for national and state tests.

Clark and his wife, Kristi, have two small children and frequently stay at the residence in the funeral chapel when Clark is on call. They said they’ve enjoyed the splash pad over the summer and have been impressed with the community events in Harrison.

 “I look forward to learning from Stacy and getting to know the community.” said Clark.

Clark has ordered new furniture and has plans to revamp storage areas in the future, but otherwise plans few changes for the funeral chapel beyond the new reception center. (Yes, the beautiful little birds stay too!)

The newly remodeled reception center can seat 75 people with a kitchen for cleanup and storage. The room also serves as a place for families to rest and relax.

“It’s often a long day for visitations and to have the ability to step out and have a bite to eat here is a break for families,” said Clark.

Many families no longer have a home church and. with the COVID-19 pandemic, finding places to hold luncheons has been problematic. Food can be catered or brought in by families, and an attendant is on staff who can help with cleanup, making the room easy for families to use.

Stacy Stocking is now the manager at Clark-Stocking Funeral Home. In 1965, his father, Gary Stocking, became the manager of Coker’s Harrison Chapel, formerly the Fanning Funeral Home. Gary and Sharon Stocking took ownership in the early 1980s and renamed the business the Stocking Funeral Home.

Stacy Stocking became a licensed funeral director in 1990.

“My plan is to remain here as long as Ben will keep me,” he said. “My intention is to remain with the company and have 8-10 more years in my practice. I don’t know that I’ll ever retire. I’ll probably be Ben’s road guy after that time.”

“The hardest thing is we take ourselves away from our families and that can weigh on us in a lot of directions,” Clark said. “We try to find that balance. There is no time clock, we are here when we are needed.”

Balance can be hard to find in a career that serves families who become friends. Despite Stocking scheduling weekends off, he often finds himself attending services of families he’s cared for and wants to continue to do so. 

“Even after my parents retired or quasi-retired, we still like to be involved on funerals and be around families we are acquainted with, and be with them and be present with them,” said Stocking.

Listening to Clark and Stocking talk about their families’ businesses it’s clear funeral directors and owners rarely retire.

“The first couple jobs we park cars and swing the doors. Then you get the responsibility and then think ‘Let me go back to parking the cars and swinging the doors and I’ll know I’ve made it,’” said Clark.

Both look forward to the full cycle of their careers. Stocking is also excited about the additional support Clark brings.

“I’ve never had the resources Ben brings to the table,” he said. “We have a celebrant on staff full time at the funeral home. For the families that don’t have a church Ben Evers is on staff and it’s nice to be able to bring him in. He’s very uplifting and very positive. Things I never had time to do, can be done.”

Stocking cites other staff members including five funeral directors available to serve between the Harrison and Mount Pleasant chapels.

The Clark family also owns the Daisy Hill Crematory in Mount Pleasant. This assures one of their licensed funeral directors oversees 100% of those services.  

One thing hasn’t changed at the Clark-Stocking Funeral Chapel and that’s whoever is “swinging the door” cares.