 History
of the Fippinger Funeral Home Building
Block #106, on which the Fippinger Funeral Home is located, was platted
and recorded March 19, 1856. This site was the home of John and Arabella
C. Thompson who founded the city of Aledo.
On April 24, 1873 John and Arabella C. Thompson sold lots 1, 2, 3 and
4 of the block to John McKinney Sr.
 On
January 14, 1892 John McKinney died. He bequeathed the house and property
to his wife, Mary, and at her death he bequeathed the house and property
to his daughter Adelaide. Mary McKinney died April 14, 1908 and Adelaide
McKinney exercised her option and took ownership of the residence. Adelaide
McKinney died June 30, 1927.
The Honorable James McKinney (Congressman) was then extended an option
to buy the house and property from his sister Adelaide’s estate
and thus did so owning it from 1928 until his death September 29, 1934.
He bequeathed the property to Elizabeth Fulton, Hope McKinney and Margaret
Bloomer.
On July 1, 1936, Robert M. Conway purchased this property from Elizabeth
Fulton, Hope McKinney and Margaret Bloomer and converted the residence
to a Funeral Home. Naming it the Wheelan Gustafson Funeral Home.
On July 2, 1945 J.R. Sherrard purchased the funeral home from Robert
Conway.
 The
Sherrards continued to operate the funeral home until adding on the existing
chapel and completely eliminating the Italianate Style Architecture, replacing
it with a Gothic Architecture.
August 25, 1964 Marie Sherrard sold the premises to Robert M. Fippinger,
Elizabeth Ann Fippinger and Pauline Geraldi. The Fippingers have continued
to operate the Funeral Home and have made it their principal residence
to this date.
History of the Fippinger Funeral Home Business
 In
1857, Hugh R. Morrison founded the Morrison Funeral Home and furniture
store in Aledo Illinois. For three generations members of the Morrison
family were associated with funeral service and furniture business in
Mercer County. The business was eventually sold to the partnership of
Baily and Sherrard. J.R. Sherrard came from Sherrard, Illinois, a town
founded by his grandfather’s brother. Mr. Sherrard married Marie
Morrison, granddaughter of Hugh R. Morrison. In 1928, J.R. Sherrard purchased
the entire business from his partner. Mr. Sherrard operated the furniture
and funeral business out of what is now the downtown Aledo business known
and Knox Heating and Cooling. Mr. Sherrard realized the need for more
space, and in 1942, he leased the residence of the late Congressman James
McKinney to be used as a funeral home. The home was completely changed
in 1952 by adding a chapel and garage area onto the original home. The
dedication of the new Sherrard funeral home took place in December of
1952. J.R. Sherrard died in 1962, and the business was sold to Robert
and Elizabeth Fippinger in August of 1964.
 Robert
and Elizabeth Fippinger came to Aledo from Oak Park Illinois to begin
their own business and settle their family in a small town. Having four
children, twin daughters Karen and Jan, and sons Robert and Scott; Bob
and Betty purchased the Sherrard Funeral Home from Marie Sherrard, wife
of J.R. Sherrard. Marie wished to sell the funeral home due to the death
of her husband, after her family’s 105 years of funeral service
in the city of Aledo. At the time, the funeral home was engaged in ambulance
service and Fippingers continued this ambulance business until 1985. Robert
Fippinger was elected as Mercer County Coroner in 1970 and served in that
capacity until 1980. Elizabeth Fippinger passed away due to leukemia in
1979.
 Scott
Fippinger joined his father’s business as a mortician after graduating
from the University of Minnesota in 1982. He was employed at the Peterson-Wallin-Knox
Funeral Homes in Alpha and Woodhull, Illinois. On October 1st, 2002, Fippinger
Funeral Home was incorporated and purchased the Peterson-Wallin-Knox Funeral
Homes in Alpha and Woodhull.
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