Our Passion is Serving Families through a Difficult Time

Mission
The mission of the Roland Funeral Home is to
serve families of all faiths in Christian love.
Our Philosophy
  • We are dedicated to assisting families by providing deeply meaningful and personal final tributes.
  • We are honored to care for each loved one who is entrusted to us.
  • It is our hearts' desire to encourage and inspire grief healing through our continuing care.
Mission
The mission of the Roland Funeral Home is to
serve families of all faiths in Christian love.
Our Philosophy
  • We are dedicated to assisting families by providing deeply meaningful and personal final tributes.
  • We are honored to care for each loved one who is entrusted to us.
  • It is our hearts' desire to encourage and inspire grief healing through our continuing care.
Our Staff
  • Warren Roland — Atlantic, Iowa — Roland Funeral Service
    • We at Rolands are blessed to have a staff that supports our mission to serve families, of all faiths, in Christian love. We are dedicated to assisting each family by providing a deeply meaningful and personal final tribute for their loved one.

    It is also our hearts' desire to encourage and inspire grief healing through continuing care. We count it a privilege to care for each loved one entrusted to us.
    Roland Funeral Service History — Roland Front Office in Atlantic, IA
    Our History
    In 2019, Warren and Amy Jo Roland and our staff at Roland Funeral Home celebrated our 100th Anniversary year of business in Atlantic. We dedicated this anniversary to Warren's father, Burdette L. Roland. Our success is due chiefly to Burdette and his wife Martha and our staff, as well as to those who have been supportive and have entrusted us with the final care of their loved ones.
    Looking Back...
    In about 1900, J.L. Winne established the J.L. Winne Furniture and Undertaking Company at 315 Chestnut Street. The business was purchased in 1919 by Henry Baxter and Jack Peacock becoming the Peacock and Baxter Furniture and Undertaking Company.
    About Roland Funeral Home — Roland Funeral Location in Atlantic, IA
    In about 1900, J.L. Winne established the J.L. Winne Furniture and Undertaking Company at 315 Chestnut Street. The business was purchased in 1919 by Henry Baxter and Jack Peacock becoming the Peacock and Baxter Furniture and Undertaking Company.
    The history of the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic started in 1919, when Burdette L. Roland was employed by Baxter and Peacock to work as the funeral director and embalmer. Born in Corning, Burdette had received his license in 1916 and had previously worked in Oskaloosa, Boone and Ames.

    In 1922 when Burdette bought a one-half interest in the business and the business name changed to Roland-Peacock and Baxter. The business remained at their main street location, 315 Chestnut Street, until in 1926 when Burdette purchased a property at Fifth and Elm streets and moved a house to make room for what has since then been the Roland Funeral Home.


    This was the one of the first two buildings in Iowa to be built especially as a funeral home. It featured a chapel, private family room and a modern preparation room for the care of the deceased. At that time, it wasn't popular to remove bodies from their homes, so funeral workers took their equipment to the homes to do preparation work. Funeral services were also sometimes conducted in the home and sometimes held in churches.


    For many years Roland-Peacock and Baxter operated a "modern ambulance and invalid coach" service before the city of Atlantic began an ambulance service in 1940.

    In 1935 a north addition to the funeral home added much needed room for funeral seating, visitation rooms and a music room. In addition, that year, Burdette designed a cemetery tent that was made by the Manufacturing Company of Omaha. It was the first cemetery tent the company had made and today the Manufacturing Company is nationally known for producing the tents through the years.
    In 1959, Burdette became sole owner after purchasing Peacock's interest in the funeral service. The firm changed its name to Roland's Home for Funerals, and later changed it again to Roland Funeral Service.
    Burdette and his wife Martha had four sons, James, Keith, John and Warren. James had taken mortuary training, was working at the funeral home and had married Sally Baier when he tragically died, along with his father-in-law, in an automobile accident in 1964.
    Warren, the youngest of the brothers, then took mortuary training and after he received his license in 1966, came back home to assist his father in the family business. Martha had joined the funeral home staff and worked as a secretary for many years. Additional remodeling took place, adding office space and an east entrance, as well as a four-car garage. 
    In 1971 Warren and his wife, Amy, purchased half of the business from Burdette. Then in 1973 Warren and Amy purchased the other half of the business. In 1975 Warren and Amy purchased the building from Warren's parents. 
    In 1976 more remodeling added two viewing rooms, two restrooms and more seating. The 1980's saw new services offered including a pre-recorded message giving pending funerals and service time and information. Parking areas were expanded and a 24-hour fax service was added. Burdette remained active, keeping his continuing education credits current for his service in the family business until shortly before his death in 1986.

    See Our Family for more current changes and further updates are related throughout our web pages.
    At Roland Funeral Service, we care about you and your loved one regardless of whether or not we were involved in your services. Our grief support is offered to everyone without charge, including the "Mourning to Joy" booklet that our services center on.
    Our Family
    Get Acquainted With the Warren and Amy Jo Roland Family

    Warren B. Roland, son of Roland Funeral Home's original owner Burdette L. Roland, graduated from the University of Minnesota with an associate degree in Mortuary Science in 1966 and began buying into the business in the late 1960's. Warren and hometown beautician, Amy Jo Paul, a graduate of Americana Beauty College in Des Moines, IA, were wed at The Little Brown Church in Nashua , Iowa in 1971. 

    Warren and Amy were blessed with six children. As lobbyists, the Roland family took an active part in pioneering the revival of home education in Iowa. In co-operation with Iowa law and the Atlantic Community S chool District, they homeschooled their family from the time the eldest was eleven years old. Their dream come true was obtaining the legal rights to school their family according to each one's individual interests and having the advantage of taking part in public school classes and activities, as desired. While they had what they determined to be "the best of both worlds,” the Rolands maintained their friendship and support of the Atlantic Public Schools. 

    Their children have graduated, gone on to college and various careers and at one point were living on four different continents at the same time! They are all enjoying growing families of their own.

    Warren passed away February 16, 2023 and Amy Jo has taken an active part helping clients and the community with their grief since 2003 and continues as co-owner of the funeral home. Other family members currently sharing in the funeral service calling are their daughter, Heidi (Roland) Hinman, who is co-owner and manager, working with pre-planning and funeral assistance, as well as grief support; son-in-law, Larry Hinman, full-time licensed (2021) funeral director; and son-in-law, Ian Barrs, assistant and media specialist for Rolands'.

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