Readers of the Portland Anchor know the value and importance of the monthly obituaries, provided by local funeral homes as well as residents. The warmth and humanity that these brief articles convey goes a long way towards demonstrating the pulse of a neighborhood, the deep bonds of generations of families and the unique details and personality traits that made someone’s life special.
“It’s hard to summarize someone’s life in such a small snippet,” said pastor Joey Hightower, who serves part time at the Legacy Funeral Center Schoppenhorst Chapel at 1832 West Market Street, which is affiliated with Scott Funeral Homes in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Joey’s great uncle, Joe Noe, served the Portland community for more than 50 years, as founder of Manly Memorial Church on Main Street in 1972. Joey is a third-generation pastor, who grew up in Portland and also helps run the youth Little League baseball at Lannan Park.
Scott Moyes, General Manager and Funeral Director with Scott Funeral Homes, oversees eight locations in the region including the one on Market Street and said that each obituary is different, but the process comes down to simply honoring loved ones in the best way according to each family. He said his job a calling and passion, and he enjoy serving folks in that time.
“The goal is to make it conversational to gather information for death certificate,” Scott said. “The service details, or burials versus cremation. We say, ‘Tell me a little bit about your family member.’ For some it’s too much at that moment, and some folks don’t want to mention details. In some cases families send their own, and it’s just a copy/paste job.
“But others are like, ‘Mom had the best pot pie and could sew and knit’,” he said. “We just want to make it respectful of the deceased. It’s usually a 30-minute conversation. Directors typically type up their own, so it’s a skill, but not as much as it used to be. We try to add personal flair.”
Joey earned his undergraduate degree in pastoral ministries at Campbellsville University, as well as a master’s in business administration. When his great uncle Joe passed away in 2020, Joey was ready to step into his role and help out. His main congregation is Ballard Baptist Church in Lawrenceburg, and his family lives in Mount Washington.
“Today, a lot of people don’t go to church but still need clergy person,” Joey said. “For people who don’t have a home church community or advocate and resource, it’s a need in those times, especially when it comes to getting people married and funerals.”
With lifelong ties to Portland, Joey understands the value of its deep history and importance to the development of Louisville.
“The 1832 Market building has so much history,” he said. “The stained glass was made in 1854, shipped from France, piece by piece, so it goes back centuries in Europe. Records from the 1900s are still in the funeral home. From 1905 to 1907, they served 500 families. Back then the causes of death were things like typhoid, and services cost well under $200.
“It’s like going back in time, and it’s amazing to be part of such a rich history and staple in community for more than 100 years,” Joey said.
