BLENDING PAST TRADITIONS WITH TODAY'S POSSIBILITIES
At Dolby Funeral Chapels we bring a rich and vibrant history of
supporting the need for burial and remembrance services for members of our
community.
We’ve been providing funerals, memorials, and crematory services for
the Windham community since 1946 when Robert (Bob) Dolby purchased the John C.
Nichols Funeral Home in South Windham. His father Herbert was also a licensed funeral director.
The Early Days...
In the early days of the business, when the town was much smaller,
Bob ran the town ambulance service, using the hearse for
emergencies. In 1953, Bob felt it was time to relocate the business and he
moved the funeral home to a new location at 434 River Road, where it’s currently
located. Later on, as the population of Windham grew, and needing
additional space, Bob remodeled the funeral home and added a 30 x 30 foot extension,
and also an adjoining parking lot.
Bob’s son, Tim, began working for the family business at the age
of thirteen, assisting with wakes, services, and other funeral related tasks. In
1991, upon his father’s retirement, Tim took over the family business, and one
year later acquired the Gorham location at 76 State St., which he remodeled in
2010. He truly dedicated his time to the town, providing funerals for the local
community and also serving as Windham fire chief for a number of years. His
father, Bob, died on January 15, 2008 at 88 years of age.
The Recent Years...
In 2013, Dolby hired Eric Segee to help out with his
growing business. Prior to coming here, he worked at funeral homes in Portland and Bangor, Maine as a licensed funeral
director with years of experience in the industry.
In 2015, after decades in the business, Tim decided it was time to
relinquish his leadership role in the business, but he wanted to make sure that
the business was in good hands before doing so. Having worked closely with Eric,
he knew he was the right person to continue his family’s legacy. And Eric was extremely excited to become the proud owner of Dolby Funeral
Chapels.
Even though the ownership has changed, Eric is committed as ever to the members of the community. They have retained the Dolby
name because of the high quality of service and level of commitment associated
with the business. And Tim has
continued to work there on a part-time basis, which brings a level of
continuity that is so important in bridging the past with the future.
Committed to Our Families
“We are committed to blending the traditions of the past with today’s
possibilities,” says Eric. We plan to offer traditional services for those
people who want the comfort of what they’ve always known. In addition, we want
to provide more contemporary and specialty services that are more in line with
the unique lives of the people we serve in our community.”
Eric has brought new technologies to the chapels with
multiple flat-screen TVs and wireless audio capabilities. They now offer videos,
still pictures, and musical playlists as special tributes to the deceased and
are planning some new additions that will make their services truly
unique.
Dolby Funeral Chapel is a member of National Funeral Directors
Association.