"To whom much is given, much is required"

Since our establishment in 1947 by our founder, A.A. Rayner Sr., we have maintained our heritage of community service and commitment to the community. From the company's founding, our families have supported A.A. Rayner and Company. Ltd. We will not forget the families we serve, not even those less fortunate. Even when it has been to the company's financial detriment, we have provided quality funeral services to the families of the South, East, North and West Sides of Chicago, throughout the country, and abroad. Our commitment has resulted in award-winning services; in 2000, we were proud recipients of the Better Business Bureau's Torch Award, given to those businesses that have "demonstrated their commitment to upholding the trust and respect of their customers, employees, suppliers, industry peers, and the community in which they do business."

Our mission is to provide highly ethical funeral services to the community with the deepest respect. It has always been our pledge to be dignified with regards to the final disposition of your loved one. Integrity is valued at this company, and that integrity is reflected through our community leadership. We treat our customers and employees as we would like to be treated, and we share our heritage of service with every family that honors us by selecting our services. It is our belief that the best advertisement is a satisfied customer who will spread the news - for these reasons through 54 years of service we have not used ads, billboards, television, or radio commercials. It is why we are:

A.A. Rayner & Sons is still independently co-owned and operated by third generation family members: Pamela C. Rayner, Charles S. Childs, Jr., and A.A. Rayner III. The fourth generation leaders are being groomed today looking toward the future of funeral service and leading the industry.

We encourage you to contact us should you have any questions about the services we offer. We may be reached directly at one of our two locations, or through our convenient online information request form. We thank you for visiting.

IFDA installs New Board of Directors
The 2006-2007 Illinois Funeral Directors Association Board of Directors was installed during the Professional Session on June 27th at the 126th Annual IFDA Convention. The Convention was held in St. Louis jointly with the Missouri Funeral Directors Association.

2006-2007 President Charles S. Childs, Jr., CFSP, CPC, whose theme is “Honoring the Past and Embracing the Future,” has assisted IFDA and its members for several years by serving on committees as well as the Board of Directors. In his address to the membership, Mr. Childs said, “I am so proud to be a part of IFDA history. I am also proud to be its first African American President, and pledge to serve the members of the association with honesty and integrity.

Mr. Childs continued, “By ‘Honoring the Past,’ we can pay homage to all the funeral directors who have contributed to our profession and made us the funeral directors we are today. By ‘Embracing the Future,’ we can prepare ourselves for an ever-changing consumer.” Mr. Childs went on to describe the ongoing changes in funeral service such as a rise in cremation rates, and discount stores, the impact of baby boomers on the profession, and the new focus on celebrating a life. He explained, “The value of what we do has changed and has had a profound effect on each of the families we serve. IFDA is here to help all of us in many ways.”

Mr. Childs added that one of his goals this year is to make sure that the members of the Association are professional and conduct themselves ethically and responsibly. “During my term in office, I want to help restore the positive image of funeral professionals. It is my opinion that we are just ordinary people doing extraordinary things for people during a most difficult time in their lives. We are privileged and should always be professional when entrusted with the most precious thing anyone has — the remains of their loved one.”