In 1926, R. E. and Loura Paisley Shackelford borrowed $500 from a local bank and purchased the funeral service business of Churchwell Stores. The year 1933 found the family purchasing the DeFord house just a few blocks further down Main. It was destined to become the first full-service funeral home operated by the Shackelfords; however, R. E.’s sudden death in 1935 kept him from seeing the dream become reality. His wife Loura managed the business from then until her grandson, Robert Shackelford, Jr., returned to Savannah in 1955 to relieve her of those duties. The current facility opened on December 31, 1978 and was designed to meet the needs of any family searching for funeral or cremation options.