OUR History

2010 Business of the Year Award

Stewart and Carroll Funeral Home has been honored with receiving the 2010 Business Of The Year Award from The Paris Area Chamber Of Commerce And Tourism.

Our History

The Carroll Family has been in the funeral home business for 100 years. It started in 1940 when Mrs. Pearl Finney Carroll, mother of James T. Carroll, married William Zieren, following the death of her husband, Thomas Carroll. William Zieren was the proprietor of Zieren Funeral Home formerly located at 323 West Court Street, Paris, Illinois. The Zieren Funeral Home was founded in 1923. James T. Carroll took great interest in the operations of his stepfather's funeral home, spending his teenage years there. After the death of William Zieren in 1947, James attended Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago and graduated in 1949 as a licensed funeral director. Following graduation, James returned to Paris to help his mother run the family business. After years of operating Zieren Funeral Home and ambulance service on Court Street, James Carroll bought into the partnership at the Blume and Stewart Funeral Home at 303 East Wood Street in 1970. The Blume and Stewart Funeral Home originated in 1930 as Blume Funeral Home which was owned and operated by Mr. Wayne Blume. In 1960 Mr. Robert G. Stewart entered into business with Mr. Blume, forming Blume and Stewart Funeral Home. Upon the merger of the funeral homes in 1970, and at the retirement of Mr. Blume, the business became known as Blume Stewart Carroll Funeral Home until 1975. In 1975, the business became known as Stewart and Carroll Funeral Home which continues today. In May 1980, Thomas D. Carroll joined the staff at Stewart and Carroll Funeral Home as a licensed funeral director. Tom became a licensed funeral director in 1975. He spent five years working for Pulliam Funeral Home in Robinson, Illinois and Williamson Funeral Home in Staunton, Illinois before returning to Paris in 1980. Following the death of Robert Stewart in 1988, Tom joined the partnership with his father Jim. Tom became the sole owner of the business after his father died in 1995. On October 12, 2021, we lost the patriarch of our family and owner of Stewart and Carroll Funeral Home, Thomas D. Carroll. Tom loved his community and serving the families who entrusted their loved ones to his care. He worked tirelessly to ensure that he met the needs of all families during their most difficult times. He will be remembered as a man who was kind, patient, and truly had a heart for serving others. Following the loss of Tom, Stewart and Carroll Funeral Home will continue to serve the families of Paris and the surrounding areas. Our family and staff are dedicated to continuing Tom's legacy by providing the same attention to detail and professionalism that you have come to know and expect. We continue to provide the same excellent service that our community has come to expect for nearly a century. We are committed to providing quality, professional service based on family tradition, integrity, dignity and honesty.