Our history

Our Story of Tradition

Established in 1908 by Phillip Wise, Wise Funeral Home began – like most funeral homes at that time – as a furniture store that served funerary needs. Wise Funeral Home was originally located on the downtown square in Bonham; it moved to its present location at 219 West Sam Rayburn in 1935. It is now located in the beautiful Scarborough Home, which becomes a part of the history of the funeral home. 

House Interior

A. B. Scarborough, president of First National Bank, built the mansion in 1897. He and his wife personally supervised the construction. The massive architecture combines Gothic (characterized by high steep roofs, pointed arches, vaulted flying buttresses, and the use of large stained glass windows), Grecian, and 17-century features in arches, balconies, cupola, turrets, and gables. The intricately carved woodwork was milled in St. Louis and shipped to Bonham by boat and railway, then assembled on the spot.

The original light fixtures in the house also came from St. Louis. The parquet floor in the library is built of three types of wood-oak, mahogany, and maple, and each square is made of eight perfectly cut and fitted pieces. Other attractions of the building include four stained glass windows – one in the library, two in the old master suite, and one on the second landing of the main staircase. The home also has nine fireplaces, including a three-way fireplace opening into the foyer, library, and parlor. 

There is also a two-way fireplace for the sitting room and bedroom of the master suite, one in the dining room, and three upstairs. In addition to second-floor bedrooms, the house has a third-floor attic room that was used by children for roller skating and other recreation, and a large basement that housed a boiler once used for heating. 

In November of 1961 Wise Funeral Home had the privilege of doing the funeral for Mr. Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the House. President Kennedy, Johnson, Eisenhower, and Truman were all in attendance.