Our funeral homes are all owned and operated by the same local family—the Hightowers. We have 4 generations of funeral planning history.
Our top priority is to provide the best, most dignified, and quality service to our friends and families. Hightower Family Funeral Homes, located in West Georgia, have been serving Carroll, Haralson, Douglas, and surrounding areas, since 1928 from 3 locations. The Hightower's represent the traditions and values learned from their father/grandfather, the late H.B. Hightower, and their friend, the late Stewart Martin, by treating each family with respect, dignity, and professionalism, as well as honoring the customs and traditions of the communities in which they live and serve. We know that our success is directly related to how we treat each and every family we serve. We answer to our own communities—our friends, neighbors, you.
10/20/2025
Janice C. Jordan, age 81, of Franklin, Georgia, passed away peacefully on October 20, 2025. She was born on November 30, 1943, in Ephesus, Georgia, the daughter of the late J.B. Cunningham and Thelma Fincher Cunningham.
Janice graduated from Carrollton High School and went on to build a life...
10/20/2025
Our facilities are designed to be welcoming, accessible, and well-maintained, ensuring your family has a peaceful place to mourn the loss of a loved one.
10/20/2025
William James Walker, III, of Auburn, Alabama, passed away on October 16, 2025 at East Alabama Medical Center. He was born on April 27, 1949, in Troy, Alabama, the son of the late William James Walker, Jr, and Jane Kelley Walker. He was a retired Information Technology professional at AmSouth Bank a...
10/17/2025
John Paul Scherer, Jr., age 84, of Douglasville, Georgia, passed away on October 15, 2025. The service commemorating his life will be held at Dorsett Shoals Baptist Church at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 1, 1941, John Scherer served his G...
10/17/2025
Ponciano Alvarado Rivera, age 56, of Carrollton, Georgia, passed away on Friday, October 10, 2025. He was born on April 20, 1969, in Veracruz, Mexico, the son of the late Idulio Alvarado and Avelina Rivera.
He was devoted to his family, always putting their needs before his own. He served th...
10/17/2025
Happy Birthday Jimmy! Hope you enjoy a great day surrounded by family, friends, and good memories.
10/16/2025
🇺🇸 Every Veteran deserves to be remembered with dignity and respect. The National Cemetery Administration’s "Plan Today, Honor Forever" campaign helps Veterans and their families understand burial and memorial benefits, as well as the importance of planning ahead.
The program lets families check burial eligibility in a VA national cemetery, learn about allowances, and find nearby Veterans cemeteries. Pre-need applications take less than 10 minutes and bring peace of mind.
Visit https://bit.ly/42DgbJU to explore planning tools, cemetery locations, and helpful resources designed to honor every Veteran’s legacy.
For pre-need burial eligibility questions, call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (TTY: 711) and select 4.
📞 Available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.
10/16/2025
Claudia “Gayle” Bearden, age 84, of Temple, Georgia, passed away on October 13, 2025. She was born in Douglasville, Georgia on September 22, 1941, daughter of the late Otis Bearden and the late Thelma Bearden. She was employed with the CDC where she worked for over twenty-five years as an Administra...
10/15/2025
Ricky Lee Gossett, age 65, of Bremen, passed away on October 15, 2025, at his residence. He was born on June 29, 1960, in Athens, Tennessee, the son of the late Jason Gossett and Belvia Mae Smith Gossett
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Trudy Jean Gilliland Go...
10/15/2025
James Jesse Ivey, age 79, of Carrollton, Georgia, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 15, 2025. He was born on November 1, 1945, in Carrollton, Georgia, the son of the late Henry Albert Ivey and Martha Mae Hammond Ivey.
James was a man of quiet strength, steady hands, and a servant’...
10/15/2025
🍂 Does fall ever stir up old memories for you?
Changing seasons can bring waves of grief, a favorite holiday tradition, the smell of autumn air, or the reminder of time passing. Seasonal grief is real, and it can feel heavier when the world around us is shifting.
If you’re feeling it this fall, know you’re not alone. Give yourself grace and lean into small moments of comfort.
10/14/2025
We’re thrilled to be nominated for the 2025 Best of Georgia Awards! Every vote counts, and we need yours. Cast your vote today to help Hightower Family Funeral Homes win! gbj.com/best-of/vote/shopping
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Mr. H.B. Hightower began his funeral service career in 1926 at a funeral home in Bradenton, FL. From 1931 - 1937 he worked as an ambulance driver for Grady Hospital. In 1945, Mr. H.B. purchased Hoyt Kinney Funeral Home, a six room house, in Bremen. In1953, the funeral home moved across the street to the old hospital building. In 1960, the funeral home relocated to the present building on Gordon Street. Mr. Hightower's wife, Ruby, served as Secretary-Treasurer from 1945 - December 1976.
In 1912, when J.C. "Mr. Cliff" Martin began his apprenticeship with J.N. Johnson in the funeral business, as most others in the U.S., operated from the back of a Carrollton general store. In 1923, he joined Kytle-Aycock who had a furniture store with funeral facilities in the back.
Martin opened his own funeral home on July 15, 1928, going into business with his brother-in-law, the late Henry M. Almon. Martin & Almon Funeral Home was the first in West Georgia to operate not as a sideline to furniture, hardware or other store.
After operating on the square for 13 years, Mr. Martin built the area's first structure designed exclusively as a funeral home on his wife, Eula Wiggins Martin's homeplace on West Center Street. He drew the building plans on a cardboard box and supervised the construction.
"Mr.Cliff" also embalmed regularly for firms that sold caskets in a 30 to 40 mile radius of Carrollton. A 1916 graduate of Chattanooga's Eckels College of Embalming, Martin held Georgia License #536 and Tennessee License #450, both issued in 1916.
His beloved wife, Eula, was one of Georgia's first lady attendants and performed all kinds of mortuary duties. One of those duties was to keep the pallbearers gloves freshly laundered.
In 1953 Mr. Hightower bought Martin Funeral Home from Stewart and Cliff Martin.
Both J.C. Martin and H.B. Hightower had sons who grew up in the funeral business and became the driving force for improvements as the business became more scientific and service oriented.
Richard Hightower graduated from Bremen High School in 1955, West Georgia College in 1957and John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science in Nashville, TN, in1958. He returned to Bremen to assist his father in constructing the area's most modern funeral facility in 1960. In 1974, he master minded a major remodeling and chapel addition to Martin & Hightower West Center Street location in Carrollton. Richard was a state and national leader in the development of funeral service. He was selected to the Academy of Graduate Embalmers and served on its board for 12 years. He is a past president of the Academy. He served on the Georgia State Board of Funeral Service from 1990 to 1998, has served on the Board of Directors of Independent Funeral Directors, and is past president of Associated Funeral Directors Service.
"Mr. Cliff's" son, Stewart Martin, was a legend in his own time. After graduating from West Georgia College and Emory University with a degree in Biology, he attended Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science where he was a student instructor. He graduated in 1937 after having been an apprentice since childhood.
When Stewart Martin began his funeral career in Carrollton, he also began an enviable record in Community Service. When elected mayor of Carrollton at the age of 26, he became the youngest mayor in the United States.
In addition, he was secretary of the City-County Hospital Authority from its inception to 1973. He was past treasurer of the Carrollton Housing Authority; chairman of the Carroll Service Council; member of the Carroll County Board of Tax Assessors; deacon of Tabernacle Baptist Church, and taught a radio Sunday School Class for almost 40 years. Stewart spoke as a lay minister at thousands of the services he conducted.
As business increased and taxed the capacity of the West Center Street location, Richard built the Martin & Hightower Heritage Chapel on South Park Street in 1985. The West Center Street facility held its last services in 2005.
In 1999, the Hightower family moved into the Douglasville community with the addition of Hightower's Memorial Chapel on Highway 78 in the former location of J. Cowan Whitley / Whitley-Garner Funeral Home.
The Hightower family continues to maintain the level of professionalism, integrity, dignity and compassion that has been the hallmarks of Hightower Family Funeral Homes’ services throughout the past 8-plus decades. On any given day you will find the Hightower’s actively involved with the families and communities in the West Georgia area.
