About Us

J. Frank Dellinger was born April 13, 1858, and Minnie Lee Grim was born July 9, 1864. They were married December 9, 1880 in Hamburg, Va. J. Frank and Minnie started the funeral home in 1883 in Hamburg and called it the J. Frank Dellinger Funeral Home. J. Frank graduated from the Philadelphia Training School for Embalmers. He was licensed by the State Board of Embalming of Virginia on May 23, 1910. He and his wife opened a business in Mt. Jackson in 1909 and named it the J. F. Dellinger Funeral Home.

Vernon Lee (Pete) Dellinger, son of Frank and Minnie, was born June 17, 1889. He married Virginia Belle Stickley on December 19, 1909. Pete and Virginia lived with J. Frank until they built a house at Hamburg. Pete helped his father in the undertaking business and had his own planer mill. He also built houses for other people. In 1916, Pete and his wife bought the Alice Dodson place and opened a business in Conicville. The names of the funeral homes were changed to Dellinger and Son. After his father’s passing, Pete continued to run the Conicville and Mt Jackson businesses. In 1924, he moved everything to the Mt. Jackson location. In 1939, Pete Dellinger bought out the Frank Fravel Funeral business of Woodstock and built the funeral home located in Woodstock. Opening days were in August of 1940. In 1947, Pete bought the S.P. Lonas property, then known as the Ford Saum residence in Mt. Jackson and converted it to the present funeral home there.

Pete and Virginia had three children: Elwood Dellinger was born Feb. 18, 1913. He received his funeral license in 1934. He died on May 9, 1959 and had no children.

Sadie Dellinger was born April 13, 1917. She married Clyde W. Heishman. They had three children, Vernon Heishman, C. Dennis Heishman, and Bonita Heishman. Vernon had three boys; Dennis had a son and a daughter, all of whom were married in the chapel.

Pete’s third child was Margaret Virginia Dellinger who was born February 7, 1921; she married David Stanley Kagey who became a licensed funeral director in 1950. They operated the funeral home in Mt. Jackson. They had two children. Janelle Kagey Fadely who is a licensed fourth generation funeral director, retired and she had a son, David Lee Litten who is a fifth generation funeral director retired. Margaret and Stanley’s son, V.L.D Kagey is a former funeral director but is not currently employed with the family business.