Hilgenfeld Mortuary Celebrates an October Anniversary
Through nearly a century of changes and challenges Hilgenfeld Mortuary continues to provide compassionate and caring service to those who have lost a loved one here in the North Orange County community.
Reverend Samuel Hilgenfeld and his wife Lydia opened for business in 1927 after acquiring the Huddle Funeral Home that had been in Anaheim since 1920. Their first location was on Broadway and Lemon in Anaheim. In 1942 they moved just down the street to their current location on the corner of Anaheim Blvd and Broadway.
Their son Melvin joined the firm in 1937 as a funeral director and embalmer and became very involved in the field of mortuary sciences. Melvin’s daughter, Margie Hilgenfeld Field, took over as president after Melvin. Becky Areias, the current president followed in her mother’s footsteps after Margie’s passing in 2015.
In addition to the changes of leadership, the family business has experienced many innovations in the industry and in their ability to serve their community. A beautiful 200+ capacity chapel was added in the mid-1960s. It had been a dream of Reverend Hilgenfeld to have a chapel on site and it came to fruition prior to his passing in 1966. During Margie Hilgenfeld-Field’s tenure as president, the focus was on providing a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere for grieving families with upgrades to the fellowship and gathering rooms. Margie was also a trailblazer for women in the funeral services industry and both she and Becky have been extremely active volunteers in their local community.
As Hilgenfeld Mortuary celebrates its 97th anniversary on October 27 of this year, the family-owned firm will continue with the tradition of outstanding service to the community for years to come.