Business Of Wealthy Deaths: What You Need To Know About Lee Funeral Home, Owner
Lee Funeral Home: This is one of the few morgues in Kenya that will not open doors for anybody, especially the poor, whether dead or alive.
It is know as the final resting place on earth for the rich before they are interred, the most recent being the late Retired President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi.
Founded in 1987, the Lee Funeral Home is owned by John Stuart Lee who is the founder and CEO, an ex-UK cop who was born, raised and educated in Kenya.
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“I was born and educated here in Nairobi and in 1963 my parents and I went back to the UK and then in 1964 I joined the main police force and after a while they put me into Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge to work for the coroner’s office so I was dealing with pathologists and the undertakers every day,” says Lee in a previous interview.
In 1968, Lee came back to Kenya, and at that time, just like today, the most famous mortuary in Nairobi, the City Mortuary was in an appalling state and people were seeking alternatives.
At this time, an idea of starting a decent morgue struck.
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“When I came back to Kenya in 1968 and was told of the appalling state of City Mortuary, I was then being asked by various people can you help us to set up our funeral because we don’t want to go to City Mortuary ourselves and that’s where I got the idea from,” he adds.
With the help of veteran politician Charles Njonjo, Lee built the current Lee Funeral Home which opened up in 1988.
“Whilst I was working out of City Mortuary and the holding room at Nairobi Hospital before we ever built where we are now at Nairobi Hospital, Sir Charles Njonjo who was then the chairman of Nairobi Hospital called me up and he said, would you like to build a funeral parlour on the grounds of Nairobi Hospital? So we built the current Lee Funeral Home within the grounds of the hospital in 87 and we opened in 1988 during the 25 years celebration of Independence of the Republic of Kenya,” Lee adds.
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The Funeral Home charges Ksh5,000 to collect the body from home and Ksh3,000 daily for storage while coffins cost between Ksh35,000 to Ksh130,000.
Body handling, which includes washing and dressing, costs Ksh5,000 while a Jaguar hearse goes for at least Ksh130,000 for transport within Nairobi.
Here’ the full interview:-
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