OUR HISTORY Vancil Memorial Funeral Chapel was founded in 1916 by W.T. Vancil in Auburn, Illinois. Known as W.T. Vancil Funeral Chapel at the time, the business was a storefront operation on the east side of the square. The Auburn funeral chapel was closed in 1927. Upon the closing of the Auburn chapel in 1927, W.T. Vancil moved his operation to Springfield. Springfield's first W.T. Vancil Funeral Chapel was located at the corner of 5th & Allen Streets. The business was operated from this location until 1934. In 1934 W.T. Vancil acquired the Ferguson home where the business resumed operation as the Vancil Funeral Mansion. This home was built in the 1880's by Benjamin Ferguson and his wife, Alice Edwards Ferguson. The home was redecorated by Tiffany of New York for a luncheon to be attended by President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1951 the Vancil family expanded their business with the purchase of two pieces of property at the corner of 17th and Cook streets. The Vancil Funeral Church and the Vancil Flower Center operated until 1966 and 1960, respectively. The Vancil family purchased property at 437 South Grand Avenue West in 1961 to serve as a second location for their funeral business. The home, built in 1906, served as the Vancil family's primary residence for 25 years until the Vancil family was finally granted the proper zoning to expand their business. In 1966, the Vancil family began construction at the South Grand location. Upon completion, the second location was opened in 1967 under the name of Vancil Memorial Funeral Chapel. Services are still conducted at this location which became the primary business location after the closing of Vancil Funeral Mansion in 1971.