James and Kristy Mullis run Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home in downtown LaFayette.Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home owners James and Kristy Mullis first met at a funeral at the business.
Kristy had been helping take care of a lady, and when she passed on, her funeral was held at Wallis-Wilbanks. James Mullis drove the family and Kristy to the cemetery. A year later, they reconnected and later married.
The Mullis couple began running the funeral home in June 2015. James Mullis learned the business from Richard Wilbanks, who learned the business from J.D. Wallis. The business started in 1933.
Having grown up poor in West LaFayette, James Mullis gives a lot of credit to Wilbanks for the way his life turned out.
"It's all by the grace of God I got to where I am," he said, adding, "If it wasn't for Richard Wilbanks [helping me pay for college] I would not be here. Coming from nothing and the Lord made the opportunities and provided the way and brought me on this journey."
Wilbanks brought Mullis on board in 2004, a year after he bought the business. They worked together for 12 years. Graduating from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service, Mullis is a licensed funeral director and a licensed embalmer.
Kristy Mullis is a life insurance agent who focuses on pre-needs associated with the funeral service.
"Since 1933, Wallis-Wilbanks has been committed to one thing: service," James Mullis said. "This service has been built on a tradition of personal attention to every family's customs and desires. Our trained and professional staff carries out this service with the dignity and respect that area families have come to expect. A reputation for service is not something that is given, it is earned. Through the years of serving families, Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home upholds that reputation of complete service. This has been the funeral home's commitment for over 77 years, and it shall always remain so. We pledge to continue to be a place where complete service counts more than anything."
In 1933, Max Wallis purchased LaFayette Furniture Company from Charlie Hammond, where they began selling caskets. The name was later changed to Max Wallis Funeral Home, Mullis said. After graduating from embalming school in 1937, J.D. Wallis joined his father Max Wallis at the family business. Max changed the name to Wallis and Son Funeral Home.
"In August of 1954, Max Wallis passed away. After his death, his son J.D. sold the furniture part of the business in September of 1954 and moved the funeral home into the old home of Max and Granny Wallis," said James Mullis. "In 1959 Danny Wallis, J.D. Wallis' son, joined his dad. Danny helped his dad until J.D.'s death in 1974. The funeral home was then run by Danny Wallis and Richard Wilbanks. Richard had been with the Wallis family since 1962. In 1993, they changed the name of the funeral home to Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home."
Now at the helm, Mullis said he strives to treat everyone the way he would want to be treated.
"We try to be here from start to finish and run it as a husband-and-wife team," he said. "The funeral home was built on love, caring and kindness to everyone. It's family-owned and operated."
He said more than 60 calls inquiring about service have come in so far this year, ranging from funerals to cremations, but the staff also welcomes people to stop in to chat, he added.
"There's a lot of hours in this business," James Mullis said. "You try to be here if something happens. You are available 24/7 and 365 days a year. We have several part-time employees, including Jim Powelson, Terry Thompson, Barry Hollis, Josh Bailey and John Eldridge."
Email Katie Ward at kward@timesfreepress.com.