About
The Healy Chapel with its stately elegance and rich history is the perfect setting to the funeral home’s proud tradition. For 100 years The Healy Chapel has provided quality caring funeral service to the families of Aurora and the surrounding communities.
The beginning of The Healy Undertaking Company dates back to 1891 when W.H. Healy opened a combination furniture and undertaking business under the name of Healy and Blair. His brother, A.N. Healy, soon entered the business forming a partnership that extends to today.
With the increasing demands of the business, The Healy Undertaking Company decided a new facility must be commissioned that would be designed specifically for the arranging and conducting of funeral services. The Healy management commissioned George Grant Elmslie a noted Chicago architect, to design an elegant yet functional facility. Elmslie worked in the office of Louis Sullivan, a leader in the Prairie School of Design.
The building is constructed of a high quality Roman brick on all four sides and embellished with terra cotta and glazed tile set in unique places. The main chapel is finished in American black walnut. The main and second floors are finished in oak and the third floor in birch. The decorative work has been taken from the architects’ original designs, including the chairs on the speaker’s platform and the lighting fixtures.
Specifically designed stained glass windows are used extensively throughout the chapel with three magnificent panels located in the main chapel. Remaining window treatments are comprised of steel casement sash windows of leaded glass with sliding copper fly screens. The facility was designed to be fireproof and completely functional. The Healy Chapel was completed in 1928 at a cost of $100,000.
