Whitehurst entered the funeral business in 1911. Together with his wife Anne, purchased a partnership in the Stockton and Ives Funeral Chapel in Los Banos in 1921. Interestingly, along with funerals, they also operated the local ambulance service. Anne Whitehurst practiced as a home nurse and midwife and Mr. Joel Whitehurst drove the only school bus in town, he also did some carpentry jobs to make
ends meet. The Whitehurst Family soon bought out Mr. Ives and operated the little funeral home in downtown Los Banos until 1941, when the business was taken over by their son, Joel Whitehurst, II. After serving in the Air Force during World War II, Joel II and his brother Bill expanded the business to include Dos Palos and Firebaugh. In 1967 the Los Banos Chapel moved to a beautiful new building on Center Avenue across from the Cemetery. In 1975 a brand new building was built in Dos Palos. Joel II passed away in 2002 and the business went to his sons, Joel III, Al and Tony. Joel A Whitehurst III, currently manages the Los Banos, Dos Palos and Firebaugh branches
Times have changed but the motto is still the same. "Treat each family as if they were our own, with dignity and respect".
