Rader Funeral Home has been serving Kilgore area families for years. We are honored to be a part of the rich history of this community and plan to be a part of it for many years to come.

Rader Funeral Home traces its growth to a long history of dedication and caring. LeRoy Rader, founder of the firm, came to Paris, Texas, from his native Illinois in 1930. In Paris, he was employed as a licensed funeral director and embalmer by the Emberson-Brown-Roden Funeral Home. Four years later, LeRoy, his wife “Bennie", and their infant son moved to Longview, where he was employed by Welch Funeral Home. The following year, he moved to Gladewater as manager of Everett & Welch Funeral Home.

In 1938, he went into partnership with O. Thomas Welch Sr. and Mrs. Elizabeth Everett, and they founded Welch and Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore. Just three years later, the name was changed to Rader Funeral Home after LeRoy bought out his partners’ interests. Rader Funeral Home was housed in a stately, two-story colonial structure (see photo) located at 905 Broadway in Kilgore. The building was one of the first in East Texas constructed as a funeral home. Judging by the large fleet of late model vehicles on display, superior service and family comfort was of primary importance then, as it is today.

The Rader family breaking ground on the Kilgore location in the fall of 1972

LeRoy expanded into the Longview market in 1953 and built a beautiful new structure shortly after. It is located at 1617 Judson Road. Meanwhile, plans were being made to construct a similar building in Kilgore. These plans were realized on Sunday, October 28, 1973, when the Rader family held a dedication and public open house.

The late Vernon Mitchell, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Mitchell of Kilgore, and husband of the former India Rader, was Vice President and Assistant Manager of the Kilgore operation at the time. Over the years, India Rader Stroope and J Mitchell became the owners and managers of the business until J’s passing in January 2024. J’s three children—Philip, Britt, and Marjorie Mitchell—are proud to be the fourth generation of the Rader family to lead Rader Funeral Home, and they look forward to many more years of service to Kilgore and surrounding communities.