If I could give zero stars, I would. DO NOT bring your loved ones here, they couldn't be more uncaring. In fact, they do everything in their power to make your grieving process exponentially harder. My mother died in 2023 and I, being the only local child, had to handle the arrangements. Having never done this before, my uncle prepared a list of mortuaries for me to call. Lacking the faculties to spend the time to really vet a place - as my mom had JUST DIED - I called the first one on the list - Crippen Mortuary. Worst mistake I could've made. I don't see Clare on their list of staff anymore, which is good, because she was an absolute nightmare. First, my uncle's house doesn't have the best reception, so my call wasn't coming through very well. Clare said, "I can't hear you, you'll have to call back" and hung up. Should've left it there, but I wasn't thinking clearly so I went outside and called again. This time, she was friendly enough, but it wouldn't last. The coroner decided to do an investigation, since the cause of death was unclear, and seeing as LA county only has 1 coroner, they can get kinda backed up. Long story short, we waited about a month until they could do an autopsy, and my mother's body was transported back and forth a couple of times due to miscommunications between Crippen and the coroner. Ultimately, they began to pressure us to cremate, WHILE THE INVESTIGATION WAS STILL ONGOING. Ultimately, we decided to take our mother's death care elsewhere, as they were not sympathetic to our situation in the slightest. Clare even THREATENED TO HOLD MY MOM'S BODY HOSTAGE until we paid them - which is SUPER illegal. Long story short, it seems Clare is no longer there, but honestly, I got a similar vibe from the owner Robert when we spoke with him. Leave your loved one's death care to someone else, these guys have no sympathy for grieving families, which is a bit surprising considering their area of business. read more

The staff were heartless and clueless with me and my family. My ex husband and I lost our son and they were recommended because they are the only funeral home that I know of in the town I grew up in. We lost our son in a horrific accident and were in shock, but it didn't phase Crippen staff. They were insensitive, they didn't explain the ID process prior to cremation. Because of their lack of communication I was led to believe that he would be ID'd by just the tag he had entered their facility with. After hearing horror stories of mixing of remains and what not from other facilities I panicked. They ended up causing a delay in the cremation from the originally scheduled day. They took it upon themselves to cancel the cremation and they kept insisting that I was asking to watch the cremation being performed where I would need to pay $1000 to be present. I wrote a clear email that this was not what I was asking, that I did not authorize a delay in the process and that I simply wanted to make sure that I pick my babies remains up and not some mix up. This delay was so stressful because I had already mourned the initial date of cremation and having to relive that was heartbreaking. We had family with us the whole time so that we didn't miss anything knowing that our minds were going to be all over the place, but even with having reinforcements Crippen still managed to give us a horrible experience. The cost of cancellation ended up costing $1000. It seems like they just wanted to extra $1000. Also, we had initially asked for a viewing which now I guess only covered up to 3 people, we requested that service so that someone from the family could physically confirm it was him since he had been identified by the morgue by a photo I sent of what he was wearing last. The day of the "viewing" which we hadn't intended for the entire family to show up, but there were more people than we planned. I understood that we overlooked this detail, but the rude owner decided to bring it to my sons dads attention in a very confrontational way when he could have told someone else in the family when it was clear that the family member was handling the finances since we were too distraught. They also insisted that the delay in receiving the death certificate was because a cause of death hadn't been determined when I had a physical link from the health department stating his cause of death that was easily verifiable. At some point the lady scolded my son's dad claiming he had come in the night (which was just at their closing time around 5 or 6), but my son's dad was too exhausted to argue with her. On top of this being the worse single thing that can happen to any parent, Crippen found a way to make it worse. I'm sure I'm missing some details of how awful they were, but this is the gist. read more

The grieving process is difficult when a loved one dies, and unfortunately, Crippen Mortuary made it even harder for my family. The last thing anyone wants to do while grieving is to write a negative review. My mom worked with Crippen Motuary to handle the remains and cremation of my grandmother and they mishandled several steps during the process, causing a three-week delay in getting her ashes. They needed to verify the cause of death for LA County and during that process they faxed sensitive documents to an incorrect number. They failed to confirm whether they had the correct contact information and after we hadn't heard back during the expected time frame, my mom called to get the right fax number and discovered that Crippen faxed the wrong number. We had to wait around for weeks, only to find out that the delay was due to Crippen's incompetence. When my grandmother's ashes finally arrived, the staff at Crippen Mortuary was confused about where they were located and nearly miscommunicated that we would have to pick her up in a city more than an hour away. Based on our experience and the many mistakes of Crippen Mortuary, my family would not recommend this business. They need to be more competent, have better communication and have more compassion. read more

I had the best experience with Nikki at Crippen Mortuary. I couldn't recommend them enough. She really understood what me and my family needed and I felt so supported every step of the process. Grieving can be a very vulnerable time but I appreciated the reverence Nikki has for her work and the professionalism and expertise she provided during an overwhelming time in our life. read more

My family had a horrible experience with Crippen Mortuary. I lost my mother-in-law last week, and she was taken to Crippen. We had a lovely experience with Kathy on Friday. On Monday, my husband and his sister communicated over the phone with Nikki, who was rude and dismissive. My husband went into the office to pay the amount they owed. Nikki and Robyn yelled at him, and Robyn physically assaulted him. We made a police report and have since moved my mother-in-law to another mortuary. My husband and his sister are in shock and grieving the unexpected death of their amazing mother. They have been calm and cool throughout this process - no one deserves to be treated like this ever, especially when they are grieving. On top of this, they added a charge of $195, which was never discussed. *I would give them 0 stars if possible. read more

Rude!!!! Their employees don't have a manner to talk with clients. They need to improve their communication skills and train their staff!! Emotional intelligence is zero! read more

Considering that this is a very sad moment for us and our family, we have only good words to say about Crippen Mortuary. Clare and everyone we spoke to and who assisted us have given unconditional help and understanding from day one. They have exceeded our expectations. They have created a serene and homey place for our family during this difficult time from preparation to arrangements and even help in arbitration during family member disagreements. The prices are itemized and they are very transparent with their services and fees. We will definitely recommend Crippen Mortuary. Thank you for a great professional and personalized service. Much appreciation to Clare. read more

Crippen Mortuary - Memorial Service for the cremated remains of our son Christopher - Mortuary Services Near Me - Glendale, California

I can't say enough wonderful things about this business. the staff, Nicole, Robyn, Abraham, Kathy and anyone else who I may have forgotten went above and beyond our wildest expectations. they were so personable and human. they anticipated our every need. the facilities in Santa. Clarita were beautiful and well thought out. I can't recommend them enough! read more

I felt compelled to write this review despite the heaviness attached so such a personal issue. My father passed unexpectedly and it was a very dark and difficult time for myself and my family. I visited two other mortuaries before Crippen and while nice and professional I couldn't shake the feeling that my personal tragedy was simply treated like "business as usual." This was not the case with Crippen, specifically Nikki the director because from the moment I spoke to her I could feel the sincerity in her voice and her genuine concern. When I met her in person she walked me through the process in a dignified, caring and gentle manner while making sure all my worries were addressed. I felt unable to do much in terms of planning which wasn't an issue because Nikki went above and beyond to do everything possible and allow me to simply grieve. Ultimately, Crippen delivered a beautiful, deeply personal memorial and graveside service that truly captured the love and spirit of my father. I am so thankful to have chosen Crippen and I thank Nikki for being so wonderful to me and my family. read more

My grandfather was at a nearby health center and got transferred to Crippen after his passing. Clare from Crippen was an absolute gem. She helped me with everything start to finish. She was responsive and empathic during the entire process. I'm so happy to have met her. Crippen was also way more affordable compared to other funeral homes I looked into. If you're looking for a funeral home I wouldn't look any further. read more

It has taken me a while to write this review which is long overdue. It definitely deserves my time to thank Nikki at Crippen Mortuary. When my Dad passed away recently in December the pain from grief I encountered was tremendous. Nikki was the first to take our call and her calm demeanor helped the day we lost our Dad. This was my first time planning a funeral and Nikki truly was professional, comforting, and very attentive in coordinating everything. Nikki truly is very knowledgeable and provided us with all the options available. Nikki, Thank you for being such an amazing person. PS. Please do not get help from the other employee I believe her name was Claire she was a blonde lady, she was not friendly and was hostile towards my mom, she had absolutely no patience with her and seemed irritated with my mothers language barrier. Clare was very unwelcoming, to the point we felt discriminated against. However, the good thing is we met with Nikki, otherwise we would have gone elsewhere. read more

Clare from Crippen was fantastic, she helped my family and I with everything from start to finish. She was always responsive and understood our needs during the entire process. I'm so happy to have met her and her team. read more

I have used Crippen for both my parents. They are very friendly, experienced, and helpful. I was also extremely happy with the price. I would expect to pay a lot more for the level of quality they offer. Great service from great people. read more

When my father in law passed away the family went to the funeral home where his wife was buried and where he had a pre-paid plot next to her. We remembered that he was not happy with the way he was treated there when his wife past, but we felt we had no choice since he certainly would want to be laid to rest next to his beloved wife of over 50 years. While speaking with them (I wont name them here) we got more and more unhappy with their attitude which was all about how they operated and how they could not be flexible and considerate of how the family wanted to proceed with the process. We then remembered that recently my father in law was talking about a small mortuary called Crippen and that he wanted to use them (they happen to be across the street from our favorite breakfast location) even though he was going to be buried with his wife. We actually found some information he had gathered from them in his home as well. He may have been trying to save the family money. Finally in exasperation with the other funeral home, we called Crippen. We should have listened more closely to my father in law and called them first. Every interaction we had with Chris at Crippen was the opposite of our previous experience. Chris's sincerity and honesty were apparent throughout the process. We ended up having the service within four days at their location across from the diner, and only 10 minutes from my father in laws home of many year. Chris handled everything and led the services with grace and kindness and with very little notice. Crippen then transferred the remains so my father in law could be laid to rest next to his wife. Everyone felt it was the kind of service that he would have wanted. Thank you Crippen and Chris. Rest in peace Tom. read more

Crippen Mortuary met and then exceeded my expectations with the preparation of my father, and the final ceremony. Robert, Chris and William are the professionals who you need during such a dire time. Their excellent prices, transparency of itemization of services, and board overview of options and available keepsakes made this a much easier process to contend with. I am glad that we chose a local family-oriented mortuary, as opposed to the corporate types who make you feel as though you entered a swap meet when going over options. My family and I truly thank the Crippen staff for a job well done. read more

They are so nice. Bob is a sweetheart as well as Chris. Everything went smooth. Mom looked really good. They left her mouth open as I requested and she looked great. Hopefully not having a funeral any time soon. But this is the best place for it! read more

Hi my name is Crystal Bartlett. I Just wanted to take a few moments an discribe my experience at crippen. My little brother passed away on November 18th we felt lost and broken one of my girlfriends referred me to Crippen to Chris to be exact, we felt taken care of right from the moment we walked in the door they were very caring and understanding they also worked very well with our budget everything was taken care of by them from the brochures to give to everybody to the slideshow to the music they also offered us flowers but we got them from somewhere else. Chris is absolutely amazing he coordinated everything beautifully for us we also did a private viewing of my brother they did an amazing job. If you're lost just like my family was and still is go to Crippen they take care of you 100%. read more

Crippen Mortuary - The brochure that Chris made for my brother service it was absolutely amazing he designed it with are in sight & Style for my brother - Mortuary Services Near Me - Glendale, California

Caring, calm and compassionate. This team helped us through a tough time and we are grateful.

Our family has used Crippen Mortuary for over 25 years for for 4 family members. They have always been professional and compassionate while walking us through the process of setting up services for our loved ones. Chris and Bob have helped us save money without cutting corners. I highly recommend them. read more

I'm writing this review on behalf of my mother who has been dealing with the Mortuary for years, now. William Niblick has recently helped her in the unfortunate mourning process, and would like to thank everyone for their wonderful customer service. read more

I want to thank Crippen Mortuary for the best experience I could've expected in helping with my mother's end of days celebration. I spoke mostly with Chris and what a kind and caring individual during a time of great grief, upheaval, and worry. On top of it all Chris gave me a few extras that I couldn't afford. Many blessings Thank you to everyone at Crippen mortuary. read more

The passing of a loved one is never easy. There is an overwhelming pile of emotions and things that suddenly need to be done. The people at Crippen made what is nothing less than a nightmare into something much easier to process. They helped us with making the necessary arrangements for our loved ones unexpected passing. read more

Crippen Mortuary in La Crescenta was a lovely and compassionate place to work with. All staff members (especially Will) were so incredibly caring during our tragic time. My brother was a resident of California with our entire family living in Maryland, therefore all arrangements needed to be made via phone and email...and it could not have been easier. Their prices are extremely affordable and I would absolutely recommend this business! read more

Crippen Mortuary went above and beyond for my family in our time of need. They were extremely professional and comforting. Chris helped my family every step of the way. He handled everything as if he was part of our family. We now consider him family. The service he gave for my brothers funeral was wonderful and heartfelt. It was the hardest thing my family has ever gone through but Chris was right by our side. Thank you Crippen Mortuary but most of all thank you Chris Reichman! read more

My father passed away 3 weeks ago I am still having a hard time with that. My father made arrangements made back in 2005 so when he pass I won't have a difficult time. He had chosen Crippen Mortuary, because of people who he knew were happy with the services Crippen Mortuary provided. I want to say Thank you to Chris and Robert for you compassion and professionalism in this difficult time for me and helping all the arrangements go smoothly. I was able to have a meeting with Robert the next day at a very short notice and we gone over what was needed and if I needed military service for my dad nice to have this information. I was able to get a flag for my dad who was a naval veteran. Crippen Mortuary has met my expectation and I will use their services in the future. Again, thank you Crippen Mortuary for an outstanding job. Alex Martinez read more

This is the second time I used them, They took care of everything. The first time they got us a broker to get a plot at forest lawn, great way to go, Last month when my father died they took care of everything. Great job for a hard time read more

In taking a moment to speak to the professionalism of the Crippen Mortuary team, it is their true dedication to make each family feel at "home" that sets them apart. Recently our family experienced an unsettling feat, and Chris and his team were there by our side to address every spoken and unspoken concern. On behalf of our family, we would like to thank you for all of your efforts and unwavering support. Sincerely, The Wofford Family read more

Crippen Mortuary in La Crescenta was amazing my mother passed November 2 and I needed a place to hold her ceremony and have her cremated so her ashes can go back to the South Dakota. We also wanted a viewing before her cremation along with the ceremony.My brother and I needed to make arrangements he's out of state and i am a local and live in the area. The staff was so professional kind and compassionate my brother flew out here to help make arrangements I was so worried because I wanted something close by for family members. My brother and I met with Bob in his office he explained in detail pricing what costs are covered he made suggestions that were very helpful I wanted bagpipes and he had recommendations and phone numbers he arranged for the Priest I can't say enough about the way we were retreated with dignity and respect.I had requested a private closed viewing for the women of the family a cultural tradition before the main ceremony they seem to understand a lot about different cultures the way they conduct their ceremonies. Bob was very clear and I knew exactly what to expect his transparency and the way they run their business with outstanding. From the picking up of my mom's body at the hospital having them prep and clean and prepare my mother for my viewing for my moms ceremony, the cremation along with their hands on professionalism.I hate to talk about pricing and money because we are like most people have to keep it around $4000 no more than $5000 which we were able to accomplish .I can't thank them enough I am someone that never writes reviews but they made the celebration of my mother's life loving and memorable I forgot to mention the program and the wording for the brochures were so professional and the picture that I sent them came out beautiful.They made it so much easier for my family and myself during a very very difficult time. read more

It pains me to write this review, it really does. We love small businesses and love to support them. I have not taken to Yelp in quite awhile and ususally only do when businesses stand out to me- whether good or bad. I am so conflicted with this. The people who work at Crippen are very kind. Very professional very respectful. My mom passed away on 12/14/16. As she was deteriorating those last couple of days, I spent a lot of time calling different mortuaries. I called one local to our home (Eternal Velley in Newhall) and was taken aback when the woman told me that I, "needed to come down today in order to receive their special pricing." What?!?! My mom was on her deathbed and they want me to "lock in a deal"? And leave her home to pass away by herself? I hung up feeling hopeless. That's when I found the reviews for Crippen on Yelp. I gave them a call and Cordero answered. I explained that my mom wasn't doing well and that I didn't want to leave her. His response was, "Please don't worry about coming down. The last thing I'd want would be for you to do that and then have your mom pass while you're not there." I felt so comforted by his statement. I explained that my mother was to be cremated and asked about different packages. We wanted to witness the cremation and I was told that the cremation would take place at Grandview Cemetary in Glendale. I was told that there was two different witnessing packages. The first was about $200 and only offered a quick look at her for a few minutes before she went into the machine.The second one was about $500 and would allow us to have a small ceremony in a seperate room for a short time before they put her in. I knew that we definitely wanted the second and we were willing to pay that extra amount. My mom passed the next day. Chris and William came to pick her up from our home. They waited for a bit for us to be ready and they explained everything that they were doing before they did it. They saw flowers in my mothers bedroom and took a few from the boquet to put on her chest, so she could go on her final journey looking beautiful. I can not put into words just how great these guys were when they came. They were truly empathetic to our situation and it was so greatly appreciated. We felt like they took exceptional care of my mother, as if she was their own family member. We went to do the arrangements two days later at their La Cresenta office and spoke with Chris again. This, too, was comforting, as he was the same guy who picked my mother up. It really was a nice personal touch. We also were able to see my mom there that day at a small visitation that they had set up. Everything went great. Chris is very easy to speak to and was not pushy when explaining their services. Again, my mother was going to be cremated and we wanted the more expensive package that would allow us to have a small prayer ceremony before saying goodbye. We paid the $500 to do so. Fast forward to a few days later on the morning of the cremation. We arrived at the cemetary and I wanted to make sure that my mom looked ok before I brought my kids in to see her. I was surprised that she was not in the front cerimonial room. Instead, she was in the room where the cremation would take place. A cold, dark room with the cremation machine so loud, we could barely hear ourselves speak. The guys that worked there at the crematory were there and didn't offer to step out. It was NOTHING like how I had imagined. And NOTHING like how it had been explained to me. My children had wrote out their own prayers to say at the ceremony and were prepared to say "goodbye" to their Grandma, but were unable to do so. There was no way I wanted them to see her in that room. I was so upset but needed to hide it in the face of my children, my mom, and for myself. I didn't want me being hysterical as my last memory of my mom. Our pastor was there and said a short prayer. 5 minutes. That is all. It may have not even been that long. As the guys who worked there seemed to be in a rush, I said, "Ok". I ran out of there to just curl up in a ball and cry. My mom was gone and I was NEVER going to see her again. My kids never did get to say their goodbyes to their Grandma, which was heartbreaking. Seeing them there with their prayers in their hands, unable to go in. **PLEASE READ MY HUSBAND'S (Greg R.) REVIEW AS THERE WASN'T ENOUGH ROOM FOR THE REST OF MY REVIEW HERE AND THERE ARE MORE DETAILS.** read more

I couldn't have said it better: what Lottie W said is spot on. Each person at Crippens was a patient and caring listener. We didn't know what to do and didn't know our options. They guided us through gently and kindly, no pressure at all, and continued to be there for us in the weeks after the service as we had other questions and needs. Great people and great business. read more

During a very difficult time (the death of my father), Crippen Mortuary really was a godsend for us. Chris (arrangement counselor) was kind, understanding and walked us through all the details. We had heard 'horror' stories of the large mortuaries and were unsure what we would face. There was no pressure put upon us - they just made the way easy for us. We can't thank them enough. read more

The Crippen Staff made our difficult journey of burying our eldest son an honored and loving experience. From the viewing, cremation, the on-line memorial book, and more they took extra care to see that our needs were met. Chris made sure the design elements in our Celebration of Life brochure were just right and reflected our son's interests perfectly. Blessings to you all. read more

I used Crippen Mortuary when my father passed away 3 years ago. Sadly, I again had to call on them to assist with an uncle's passing this last December. Our uncle actually had a pre-need arrangement with another mortuary, who were too overwhelmed to properly assist due to the pandemic. They also did not have the expertise or knowledge offer any advice as to the possible of transfer to another company. That's when I decided to call Crippen Mortuary, as they were absolutely invaluable with my father's passing. Sure enough, they walked me through the process in transferring the pre-need over to them. All was handled by them within just a few days. (not the 4 month time span given to us by the other facility) They were there for my family 3 years ago, and they were there for us again now! I cannot say enough for the kindness and patience they showed us on both occasions. Chris especially shined, from beginning to end. But, the entire team, Robert, William, Ed, all great! read more

My wife, Michelle, reviewed Crippen but ran out of room, so I would like to add a few of my own concerns. When we picked up my mother-in-law's cremains the week after she had been cremated, my wife felt so incredibly hurt. To recap- we opted to purchase a cremation viewing package that cost $500, but only got te services offered in their lower cremation viewing package, which was around $200. I hate to complain about a business that has been so nice, and rarely do. However, we felt like this was just so wrong. Michelle expressed her concerns to William and Cordero. They seemed well received and said they'd speak to the crematory. When we called to ask about the status, we were told by Chris that when he spoke to the crematory, they informed him that they had changed their policy. That becuase the front room is under construction, they no longer offer the small ceremony time or space, but that they now charge the $500 for just the first package, which consists of a quick view of your loved one before they're put into the machine. So, apparently their policy just changed. They sold us the $500 package and we were under the impression that we would get what we paid for. Chris said that the men who worked there were not trying to rush us and assured us that they would have waited for as long as we needed. It sure didn't feel that way, as they didn't even offer to step out of the room. While Chris seemed sorry that this happened, he said that the crematory didn't offer up any sort of refund. Crippens did not step up to the plate to offer us any sort of refund either. So, basically they pulled a bait and switch on us. We most definitely did not get what we paid for. $500 for five minutes or less, was not what we paid for. Our children not being able to go into the room to say their final goodbyes was not what we paid for. That brings us to another issue, which we wouldn't have brought up, had the crematory issue not happened. Because, again, we were very pleased with how genuine the staff at Crippen seemed once we met with them. But when my mother in law passed away, the hospice team called Crippen to arrange for her to be picked up. My wife voiced to the hospice team that we wanted time with her mom before she was picked up. That's when the hospice team handed her the phone. On the other end was the owner of Crippen. He seemed very kind and wanted to talk about picking her up. She explained that we wanted some time before they came. She passed at 9:50pm, but everyone (hospice and Cippen in an earlier conversation) had told us that we could spend up to 5 hours with her. It was only 10pm at the time and he asked my wife if they could come now. She explained that we wanted more time. He (very kindly) tried to make a deal with her. He told her that it was getting late and that by time he called and got his guys up to our home, it would be about an hour. That because we wanted more time and he wanted to come right away, that he would be willing to give us a small viewing when we went to make her arrangements. And I quote, "It won't cost anything because we have staff there anyways. It won't be anything fancy, but we will set that up so you can spend a couple of hours there with her. We have no other viewings that day, so it'll work out nicely." She gave in. Her mother had literally died just 15 minutes prior to all of this. She was shaking and very emotional. She felt defeated. They picked up my mother in law just a short ime later and I had to literally pull my wife away from her while she was sobbing and crying because her mother was still warm. It was way too soon for her. I was shocked that while my wife was making arraingments with Chris, we were charged $150 for the viewing. In the end, we are so sad to have to write this review, although we feel it is only fair to let others know about our experience so that they can make an informed decision. Like we said, the staff there were so very kind when we needed them to be most. My wife felt very comfortable leaving her mother in their hands. Maybe this was just a miscommunication between the owner and Chris and maybe there was another miscommunication between Crippen's and the crematory. Either way, our family paid the cost. We wish this could have been a 5 star review, and it would have been, even if they would have offered us some sort of refund for what we paid for and didn't get. My beautiful mother in law is gone and we are sad we didn't get the closure we thought we would. Hopefully we won't need any sort of final arraingments for a long time, however, we won't be using Crippen when we do. read more

I cannot say how wonderful these people are. Every single person at Crippen takes a personal interest and handles their jobs as if it was their own family member. They just handled my father's funeral and from the pre-planning to the funeral, they could not have been better. It is not a plastic, soulless business, but a warm and caring family who handles their duties as professionals. read more

My family and I are so grateful for everyone at Crippen. The loss of a loved one is never easy but they became family during a difficult time. Chris, our arrangement counselor, was so helpful and did all he could to make planning the arrangements as easy as possible. Not a day passed when we didn't speak with Chris. He kept us up to date and Ron and his team worked hard to iron out any snafus we encountered. Words cannot express how much we appreciate Chris, Ron and the entire Crippen team. read more

I could fill an entire page with praise for Crippen Mortuary. When my father passed away somewhat unexpectedly last week, we contacted Crippen immediately. Chris came to "retrieve" dad that night, and waited patiently for over an hour as a string of grieving family members - primarily grandchildren - arrived to cry and say goodbye to our beloved dad/grandpa. There was no pressure for us to hurry along, and his patience and sensitivity was very much appreciated. From that moment on, I knew I wanted Chris to help me with the many decisions that needed to be made to make sure we honored dad's life. From choosing the casket, to discussing the role of embalming, to ordering Death Certificates and Chris' coordinating with the church where the services were to be held, every single detail was handled with compassion and the utmost professionalism. Chris even made all the arrangements to secure a U.S. flag to drape dad's coffin, and worked with the church to make time for a Military Honors ceremony just before the funeral - complete with Taps and the presentation of the folded flag to my son, and Air Force veteran. It was a beautiful and very touching memory to honor my dad who was so proud to be a WWII Army veteran. Our entire family, and everyone at the funeral, witnessed something they will never forget - all thanks to Chris, as I had no idea this was even possible. We had not planned to have an open casket, so I did not ask for or expect any "special" attention to dad's appearance. However, another member of the Crippen staff who had accompanied Chris mentioned that it was "too bad, because your dad looks really good". Because of the relationship that had already been established by this time, I felt as if I had heard those words from a trusted friend. I made a decision to have them open the casket for a short time after the evening Rosary, and anyone who wished to was invited to come to the front of the church. He was right - there was my sweet father in his "World's Best Dad" shirt, "sleeping" peacefully. It was a wonderful moment for many of our family members who had not been able to see him before he passed. Again, not only the skill and expertise but also the care and attention to detail provided by the folks at Crippen was very evident, and we were very grateful for the surprise of this special memory as well. I could go on and on...this experience could not possibly have been any better. Working with grieving families can't be an easy job, and I don't think it's something that can be done successfully if the motivation is money - this is a "calling", and the staff at Crippen has it in spades. I hope I don't bury another family member any time soon, but I wouldn't dream of going anywhere else for these services. Thank you Chris, and all the staff at Crippen - most of you working behind the scenes and, likely, unseen and unappreciated. You made this as easy and as beautiful as it could have been, and our family is so grateful to each one of you. read more

Not a review I ever wanted to have to write, but when my dad died in August, we used Crippen and they were fantastic. They were helpful, sympathetic, caring, friendly, and just really understanding of what we were going through. We had the service in their chapel and it was perfect. The flowers they created for my dad's casket were gorgeous and just perfect for my him. We had an open casket and he looked so peaceful and natural, not totally made up and fake at all. My mom even commented on how he really looked just like him, and that it was the "best looking dead person" she'd seen. Weird compliment, I know, but true. I'd love to say I hope you never need to use this type of service, but the reality is we all will at some point. If you are in the La Crescenta/Tujunga/Montrose/etc. area, I highly recommend you contact Crippen. read more