ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, November 3, 1996 TAG: 9611040001
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NORFOLK
SOURCE: Associated Press
Russ Harman has no hearse, no limousine, no funeral parlor.
But he'll sell you everything you need for a funeral from the back of his minivan - for what he says is up to 60 percent cheaper than the cost of a traditional funeral.
Harman is president and founder of Affordable Funeral Services Inc., which opened two years ago in Vienna.
The idea is simple: Cut costs by eliminating the overhead of a funeral home.
Business has been doing so well that Harman started a similar service in Denver. He hopes to open a branch to serve the Tidewater area, as soon as he receives a funeral establishment license in Virginia Beach.
``A lot of people think that there is only one way to have a funeral,'' Harman said. ``We're here to let them know they have an option.
``Our customers are generally well-educated and conscientious. They have made a personal decision to have a simple service or cremation.''
The average cost of a funeral in Virginia is $4,500, said Robert Oman, vice president of the state funeral directors board. Affordable funeral's average $3,000.
LENGTH: Short : 33 linesby CNB