About Us

Beginnings

Great Bend merchant, J. Lester Cox, opened a furniture store and funeral parlor in downtown Great Bend in 1899. He started his business, Great Bend Furniture Company, on the northwest corner of the intersection of Main Street and Broadway Avenue. He later moved his business to the 1400 block of Main Street.

In 1932, Cox closed the furniture portion of the firm to devote his attention to funeral service. Cox also was one of the founders of the Kansas Board of Embalming, giving more examinations and issuing more licenses while serving on the board than any other person. He sold the funeral home in 1937. Cox died February 25, 1958.

Black and white photograph of a two-story brick building with a covered walkway and tall windows.

Cook and Weber Era

William C. Cook, who had established Cook Funeral Home in 1933 at 1416 Kansas Avenue, and Frank Weber, Ellinwood, bought J. Lester Cox’s funeral home when he decided to retire from the funeral business. The name was then changed to Cook and Weber Funeral Home.

R. Raymond “Ray” Cornett joined the firm in 1939, becoming a partner in 1944. Cook and Cornett ran the funeral home continuously for more than thirty years, until Cook died suddenly while attending a funeral director’s convention in Kansas City, March 21, 1972. Cook’s heirs and Cornett sold the funeral home in August 1972 to Earl Bram, who owned the firm three years. Cornett continued working for the new owner, and died February 18, 1974, while removing a body to the funeral home.

Cars driving at an intersection in a historic town. Buildings and power lines are visible.

Today

Gordon R. Brantley, Bill Nicholson, and Ted Ricke purchased the Cook and Weber Funeral Home from Earl Bram in August 1975. Brantley was manager of the firm with Nicholson and Ricke being silent partners. Brantley was joined a year later by long-time Great Bend funeral director, Larry Bryant, and the funeral home became Brantley-Bryant Funeral Home. Brantley sold his interest in the firm to Nicholson and Ricke in 1983. The funeral home then became Bryant-Christians Funeral Home, with Larry Bryant and Alan Christians operating the firm. In 2000, when Alan Christians moved to Lindsborg, the name was changed to Bryant Funeral Home, and Michael Nicholson, Bill’s son, took an active part in the business interests.