About Us

Today, the Coal City funeral home is overseen by Matt Baskerville, who is privileged to carry on the fourth generation of long time honored tradition, trust and service excellence that the Reeves family has established. 

Annually since 2007, Matt Baskerville and Reeves Funeral Homes, Ltd has been a recipient of the National Funeral Directors Association Pursuit of Excellence Eagle Award. This award is the highest commendation in funeral service, and has placed us one of only five funeral homes in the state of Illinois, and among the top two percent of funeral homes nationwide.

Matt is assisted by a family of staff who are all loyal and dedicated to the many we are privileged to serve. Funeral Directors and embalmers: Alex Nolan, CPC, CCO and Robert Enright, along with our Family Care Coordinators: Scott Kuriger and Jill Niewinski work with Matt in serving families one on one. Our executive and personal assistant Sheila Allen, serves as a a tremendous support to families calling our funeral homes, as does Violette Baskerville who in addition to being the handler of our Grief Companion Therapy Dog Katie, is also designated as a Certified Prearrangement Consultant and Certified Funeral Celebrant. Our funeral assistants and visitation attendants: Robin Cirrencione, John Hollmeyer, Sandi Dransfeldt, Jan Hibler, Kay Attaway, Mary Rossio, Mary Lou Robertson, Karen Guest, Barbara Osborn, Christine Warriner, Annette Tyler, Matt Niewinski, Jan Issert, Valerie Carter and Dr. Craig Eckert are the individuals whom make certain that you are not only welcomed at the front doors of our funeral homes, but remain available to attend to all the needs of the family and guests during visitations and services. Scott Kuriger, Raymond Baskerville and Joe Fonck also assist to ensure that our grounds, facilities and vehicles are meticulously maintained. We are truly blessed to have a group of such genuinely caring and supportive individuals. Our work together is what compiles the nationally recognized level of service that our communities have become accustomed. 

Wilfred and Anna's son James opened a Morris Branch in 1957. This location continues to operate at 408 East Washington Street in Morris. James and his wife Sylvia had three children: Lorna, Elaine and Leo. After the death of James in 1989 and Sylvia in 2000, Leo and his wife Karen continued on with the operations of both the Coal City and Morris funeral homes. Matt has been honored to carry on the legacy, which the Reeves family built over eight decades, serving Morris and the surrounding area.

In January 2025 Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes are proud and excited to bring two landmark and historic funeral home names (Fruland and Reeves) together and keep the time honored services locally owned and operated. Richard Hexdall, lifelong Morris resident and owner of Fruland Funeral Home since 2000 will remain active and present for services and available for the families that have called on him during throughout his career spanning the past five decades. Matt Baskerville will oversee the funeral home and looks forward to serving the countless families that have called on Frulands throughout more than 100 years.

In February of 2007 Reeves Funeral Homes, Ltd. of Coal City and Morris acquired the former Gardner Funeral Home.

The late 1800's structure located in downtown Gardner underwent a complete renovation and remodeling. In December of 2007, the funeral home reopened, and has since been providing unparalleled service to families of Gardner and the surrounding areas.

In 2023 this facility also became the home of Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes new onsite Transitions Crematory, which will service all of our locations. This addition to our service offerings gives the families we are privileged to serve an extra level of comfort knowing that the cremation will be performed in one of our own funeral homes establishments. 

We are honored to be a part of Gardner tradition for generations to come. 

For more information regarding Reeves Funeral Homes, Ltd. in Gardner or Transitions Crematory, please feel free to contact us at 815-237-2526.

In December of 2010, we were pleased to announce part of a new page in history with funeral service in the community. Freitag Funeral Home was acquired by Matthew Baskerville and Reeves Funeral Homes, Ltd. to honor the past, present and new future in funeral service throughout Wilmington and the surrounding communities. Matt is honored to provide an unparalleled level of service and create a new tradition for families whom he and the entire funeral home family are privileged to serve. Matt is the funeral service professional that the community knows, trusts, has counted on in the past, and can rely upon in the future.



For additional information regarding Baskerville Funeral Home and the services we offer, please feel free to stop by the funeral home or contact us at 815-476-2181.

The History: In 1859, less than 2 decades after the county of Grundy was created and just blocks from the courthouse; lot #5 and #6 currently known as 121 West Jefferson Street at Wauponsee Street was sold to Ebenezer Hyde for $1000. Hyde held the undeveloped property for 14 years until selling the lots at a loss to Aaron Sears in 1873 for $600.

26 years later, Benjamin Sears, heir of Aaron Sears, proceeded to sell the property to Dr. Gerhard T. Nelson in June of 1899 for the sum of $1500. It was at this time that Dr. Nelson built and moved into the current 2 1/2 story frame residence in November of 1899. The new construction served dual purpose as both his home and his office.

In 1909 due to health reasons, Dr. Nelson sold the house and moved out west. The new owner, S. S. Marvick acquired home for $6800 and Edith Marvick who married local jeweler, William F. Page in 1911 made this property their home. It was then roughly a decade later that the residence was sold by W. F. Page and acquired by local undertaker, Tyler Hoganson, and its history of funeral service began. 

The lineage of Fruland Funeral Homes service

Bergeson & Phelan Undertakers was established locally in Morris, Illinois in 1912. Bergeson was soon replaced by Tyler A. Hoganson in 1913 and they operated at 113 W. Washington Street with a furniture store and undertaking establishment. In 1916, Phelan & Hoganson were equal partners at the 113 W. Washington Street address (then known as the McCann building), and in 1919, Hoganson bought out Phelan out of the business. He initially moved to a storefront in the Grundy County National Bank Building, however was soon forced to move as the bank expanded. It was at this time that Hoganson purchased the residence at 121 West Jefferson Street from W. F. Page and converted it to a funeral home and residence on the second floor. As his business expanded, Hoganson later added on a 2 story garage for the funeral home vehicles and living quarters above the garage. 

In 1948, Tyler Hoganson died in a tragic automobile accident. Earle Fruland, Hoganson’s nephew, who had been associated with the business since about 1935 proceeded to take over the funeral home upon his death, and his son H. Paul Fruland followed his father and joined the business in 1955. Paul took over upon his father's death in 1973 and was joined by lifelong Morris resident Richard H. Hexdall. Together Paul and Richard served the community until Paul sold the business to Richard in 2000. For more than two decades, Richard continued to cultivate the firms relationships in Morris and the surrounding areas. 

In 2025 Richard remaining active in the business  joined with Matt Baskerville and Reeves and Baskerville Funeral Homes to keep the business locally owned and operated. Reeves Funeral Homes in their 101st year serving Grundy County with locations in Morris, Coal City and Gardner as well as Wilmington were honored to join this long established funeral establishment joining two historic names with one extraordinary level of service.