Our History

Bopp Chapel on West Argonne Drive.  This location was in operation from 1931-1961.
 

Bopp Chapel, the oldest business in Kirkwood, was established March 15, 1902 by Louis H. Bopp.  He started by providing a livery service on West Jefferson Avenue and soon decided that the area also needed some type of funeral service.  The business moved to West Argonne Drive in 1918 and remained there until its move to 10610 Manchester Road in 1961.  From 1931 to 1961, the Bopp family operated a funeral chapel at Hanley Road and Forsyth Boulevard in Clayton until all operations were consolidated to the Manchester Road location.

Louis H. Bopp is remembered as being a devoted family man, a community leader, and an entrepreneur.   At the time he started his business, he was married and had three children.  He assisted in organizing Kirkwood's first volunteer fire department in 1907.  He was elected coroner and sheriff of St. Louis County for several terms between 1917 and 1940.  He owned and operated the first motorized ambulance in St. Louis County and during the 1920's and 1930's, his chapel served as the morgue for the entire county.

Before his death, his son, Rolland, and his two sons-in-law, William T. Humes and Richard C. Mueller, Sr., became part of the firm, assuring his dream that it would remain a family owned and operated business.  His grandsons, Louis H. Bopp II, Richard C. Mueller, Jr. and the late Louis W. Humes proudly continued the tradition.  Louis Humes passed away in September 2001.  His son, Scott W. Humes, Louis H. Bopp II's daughter, Christine A. Bopp and son-in-law, Christopher J. Roth and Richard C. Mueller, Jr.'s son-in-law, Louis F. (Chip) Obert, Jr. are currently involved in the business as the fourth generation of the Bopp family.

The services provided by funeral directors have changed a great deal in the past 115 years.  During the early years, visitation usually took place at the church of the family's choice or in their home which limited the funeral director's involvement.  The services and responsibilities of today's funeral director are much broader.  The recognition of the importance of pre-planning one's own funeral, as a most thoughtful gesture for the surviving family, and post funeral bereavement counseling service, designed to assist family in the months following the death of a loved one, enable the funeral director to provide a broad spectrum of personalized and caring service during a difficult time.

The dedicated family and staff of professionals at Bopp Chapel are proud of its rich heritage and look forward to continuing the tradition of excellence established by Louis H. Bopp.