Ralph Herbert Weatherford and his wife, Vivian Bennett Weatherford, opened the doors of Weatherford Mortuary, Inc. for business in December 1966. Mr. & Mrs. Weatherford were both born and raised in Lake City, Tennessee. Ralph served with the United States Air Force during WWII. He and Vivian were married in 1947. Ralph graduated from Gupton-Jones Mortuary School in Nashville in 1950, and had worked for funeral homes in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Arizona. The Weatherford's had dreamed of opening their own funeral home and after much consideration, they decided on Oak Ridge as the perfect location.
In 1967, their oldest son, Bennett Weatherford, joined the firm after his graduation from the Kentucky School of Mortuary Science, located in Louisville. He took over for his parents until his passing in 2019.
In 1978, Ralph's health began to decline and he stepped down from the day to day responsibilities and began to serve as a consultant. Bennett's wife, Sandra, came to work with the family in 1978. She and Vivian, both received their Funeral Director's licenses in 1982. Ralph & Vivian's daughter, Joy Katz, began working with the family firm in 1986, but has since retired. Grandson, Erik Weatherford graduated from Mid-America College of Funeral Sciences in 2003 and immediately joined the firm. Erik, along with another grandson of Ralph & Vivian, Adam Weatherford, currently work alongside a full staff of employees not related to the Weatherford Family.
In 1995, a major renovation was completed which doubled the size of the original building.
Weatherford Mortuary, Inc. is a full service funeral home offering traditional services, burial, cremation, and pre-arrangement services.