Page A23 july 2024 Contact your local Wilbert Service Provider for more details Making Ideas Real COMING SOON TO YOUR AREA US Cremation Equipment leads the way. It all comes down to… PERFORMANCE! www.uscremationequipment.com • info@uscremationequipment.com Service Performance · Rapid Response Times · Attentive to Your Needs · Experienced & Knowledgeable Equipment Performance · Low Cost Ef cient Operation · No Cool-Down Between Cases · Fast Processing Times · Longer Equipment Life · Obese Case Capacity · Fully Automated Controls Call 321.282.7357 We build the best and service the rest. The company’s founder, Don and Tom’s great-grandfather, Thomas Stephen Burstow and his wife Mary were living in Shoreham, Sussex in England in the late 1800’s. In 1883 TSB’s father converted the family home into a tavern. TSB was a man who never drank alcohol so as a direct result of his father’s decision, TSB packed up his family and sailed for Australia. After his arrival in Toowoomba, TSB worked for various local builders specializing in quality staircases. He soon became self-employed, building many fine homes in Toowoomba. With his business growing, TSB purchased Daker’s Cabinetmaking business in 1890. TSB soon turned to furniture making. The seating in the TS Burstow Chapel was recently hand crafted by Ryan Clayton, the great-great-grandson of James Hagan who completed his joinery and cabinet making apprenticeship with TSB in 1890. “We love these associations that are steeped in history. The cabinet making side of the business was already responsible for building coffins, it was an inevitable step to add an undertaking business to the existing enterprise in 1900,” said Don. In 1904 with the depression and the introduction of ply in the mass production of furniture in the larger Brisbane factories, the furniture making section of the factory closed, however, the funeral parlour, coffin trimming workshop and a mattress making section remained open. Very active in civic activities and instrumental in gaining city status for Toowoomba, TSB served as the first mayor. TSB purchased one of the first cars in Toowoomba and would write a report for the Chronicle on each trip to Brisbane and back. TS Burstow died July 24, 1928, at the age of 70 years. “The last 20 years or so have seen us compete with the largest and third largest death care providers in the world. We contemplated whether a family-owned business could remain relevant in the midst of such powerful competition. Trevor and I made a trip to the United States, visiting the headquarters of both these multinational companies to learn all we could about their offerings and strategies. We returned confident our family business could continue to be relevant,” said Don. Donald previously served as the head of the Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islanders as a Selected Independent Group. The firm is also a Selected Independent Funeral Home member. At the close of our afternoon together, Donald and his wife Bronnie drove us back to Brisbane for an evening meal together. We are eternally grateful for Donald’s hospitality having invited us to visit if we were ever in Australia. Rick and Elizabeth Roberts own and operate Roberts & Downey Chapel Equipment in Argenta, IL. Since 1987 they have traveled more than 2.5 million highway miles servicing the funeral trade. “Eighty percent of our orders are personally hand delivered and set up in our customers’ buildings,” Rick says proudly. Continued from Page A13 Visiting our Australian Customer
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