Our Family’s Experience With RYAN Funeral Services in Calumet, Michigan
- Rachel Averitt
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
Our Family’s Experience With Ryan Funeral Services in Calumet, Michigan (and what other families deserve to know when choosing a funeral home)
Why this page exists
After losing our mother, we trusted a local funeral home in Calumet, Michigan to care for Mom with dignity and guide us through the process of losing a loved one. What followed caused our family significant distress during an already painful time.
We initially attempted to share our experience through public review platforms such as Google so that other families could make informed decisions. However, our review and accounts from others who reached out to us have been removed or did not remain visible. Because of that, we are documenting our experience here so it cannot be lost or overlooked.
We are sharing this account so families navigating funeral services in Calumet, MI can make informed decisions, ask thoughtful questions and understand what compassionate, professional care should look like during one of life’s most vulnerable moments.
This page reflects our family’s firsthand experience, along with additional accounts shared with us by others in the community.
Our Family's Experience with Calumet, Michigan Funerals
When our mother passed away, Ryan Funeral Home in Calumet was contacted because the owner was known locally and relatives believed she would be in trusted hands. Family members were traveling from out of state, so we scheduled a group phone call with Tim Ryan to understand the process and next steps.
Because our mother wished to be cremated and we had never handled cremation arrangements before, we expected guidance similar to what we received when our father passed... clear explanations, compassion and support.
Instead, the call began abruptly.
Tim did not offer condolences or explain the process or pricing. Tim Ryan opened by stating:
“I knew your mom and I know she didn’t have any money — are you planning to pay me for my services?”
When asked to repeat the statement for clarity (we were shocked), he followed with:
“I’m asking if someone is bringing a checkbook?”
This immediately created distress and concern for our family. As a Filipino/brown family navigating loss in a predominantly white community, the comment carried additional weight and felt rooted in assumptions no grieving family should have to face.
We ended the call shaken and uncomfortable that our mother remained in his care.
Transfer to another funeral home in Calumet, Michigan
We contacted Erickson Crowley Funeral Home for guidance and arranged to transfer our mother into their care.
During this process, we learned disturbing information:
No embalming had been offered or performed
Ryan Funeral Home does not have on-site refrigeration
Several days had passed since her death
Ethan, the new funeral director, gently informed us that decomposition had already begun.
Because of this, if we wanted to say goodbye in person, we would need to do so immediately. One of our brothers had to urgently pull his children from school and drive from Wisconsin right away. No family should have to face that kind of rushed, painful situation when saying goodbye to someone they love.
Communication and paperwork concerns
During the transfer, the primary focus from Tim Ryan appeared to be whether he would be paid for services rendered.
Afterward, we learned that:
Required information for the death certificate process had not even begun
Only minimal handwritten notes were provided
The receiving funeral director had to reconstruct details from incomplete information and the medical examiner had been trying to get in touch
This added further stress and delays during a time when families rely on funeral professionals for clarity and organization.
Inaccurate obituary posting
Following the transfer, an obituary associated with Ryan Funeral Home was posted, containing inaccurate information about our mother.
Obituaries are deeply meaningful records of a person’s life and legacy. At a time when accuracy and care matter most, this caused additional hurt and frustration for our family.
A different experience elsewhere
Once our mother was in Erickson Crowley Funeral Home’s care, the difference was immediate.
They:
treated our mother with dignity
offered sincere condolences
clearly explained each step of the cremation process
handled paperwork thoroughly
guided our family with compassion and professionalism
We paid their services in full, as always intended. This situation was never about finances. It was about ensuring our mother received respectful care and that our family received responsible guidance during an incredibly vulnerable time.
Other community experiences
Since sharing our story, other families have contacted us privately to share their own experiences with Ryan Funeral Services in Calumet.
We are documenting these accounts anonymously, so the community has access to a fuller picture when making decisions during times of loss.
Community Experience 1:
A family member shared the following account after traveling to Calumet to make arrangements following a loved one’s death.
They report arriving the afternoon of the death and meeting with the Ryan Funeral Home (Calumet, Michigan) owner to discuss next steps. During the meeting, they describe the interaction as rude and hostile, stating that the owner repeatedly emphasized he had “ten days with the body” and became very agitated when asked about potential financial assistance for funeral expenses. The family member says they were told additional paperwork would cost $900 more and that a relative would need to appear in person, despite that individual being in poor health.
When the family decided to transfer their loved one to another funeral home, they report being told the body would not be released without a $750 payment and that only cash would be accepted. When a credit card was offered, the individual states it was thrown back toward them.
After leaving to withdraw cash, they returned to find the funeral home locked and were unable to reach anyone inside. The receiving funeral director also reportedly could not make contact. After several hours of unsuccessful attempts, the family contacted police, who eventually helped coordinate access so the transfer could proceed.
The person sharing this account described the situation as emotionally distressing, explaining that instead of focusing on grieving, their family spent hours trying to secure their loved one’s release and resolve the situation.
Community Experience 2:
A former employee of a local elder-care facility shared the following experience regarding a late-night death at their workplace.
According to their account, when staff contacted the Ryan Funeral Home in Calumet, Michigan to transport the resident’s body, it was difficult to reach them. Calls connected to what sounded like a bar environment, with loud background noise, music, and multiple dropped calls before a conversation could be completed. Staff report being told the funeral home representative wanted to finish their “game” before coming.
When the transport team eventually arrived, the staff member states both individuals appeared intoxicated, and the smell of alcohol was noticeable. One of the two reportedly seemed unfamiliar with the transport process.
During the transfer of the resident to the stretcher, staff recall that the body was nearly dropped. They describe the handling as lacking professionalism and say the vehicle used for transport appeared to be an unmarked van or truck rather than a traditional hearse.
The individuals were described as wearing casual, visibly soiled clothing: white T-shirts, paint-stained jeans, and work boots and staff initially did not recognize them as funeral home representatives. The staff member recalls feeling distressed as they watched the body being taken down the hallway, concerned it might fall.
The individual sharing this account said the experience caused them to lose confidence in the funeral home’s professionalism and left them questioning how such practices were permitted.
Community Experience 3:
A longtime community member who had known our mother for more than 30 years reached out after hearing about our experience.
They expressed sympathy for our family and said they were troubled by how our mother had reportedly been described and treated. Based on their personal knowledge, they said our mother was known locally as someone who paid her own way and handled her responsibilities independently and they felt the statements made about her did not reflect that reality.
The individual also shared that, within their local social and business circles, they had heard multiple concerns about this funeral home over time and said that, they personally would not choose to use its services in the future.
Their message reflected a broader sense of concern within parts of the community about professionalism and trust when families are making funeral arrangements during vulnerable moments. Some of the things this person shared were vile and deeply concerning.
Community Experience 4:
A community member reached out after reading about our family’s experience to share that they had encountered a similar interaction years earlier.
They recalled that when their stepfather died in 2001, Tim reportedly asked their mother how she intended to pay and commented that he knew she did not have much money. The individual noted that their stepfather and the owner had been personally acquainted, which made the remark feel especially upsetting at the time.
They shared this memory to express support and to say that our family’s experience did not feel isolated to them.
Have a related experience to share?
If you or your family have had an experience with funeral services in the Calumet area and would like it documented, you’re welcome to reach out. I include firsthand accounts so other families can make informed decisions.
My intention in sharing this
We are sharing it because families deserve:
dignity for their loved ones
clear communication
professional standards
compassionate guidance
If this page helps even one family feel more prepared when choosing funeral services in Calumet, Michigan, then sharing our experience will have been worth it.
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