Our History
Oceanside Mortuary has been in operation at its current location on the famous 602 S Coast Highway since 1924 when Roy Dival obtained a building permit in the original town of 300. Roy also operated the only ambulance from Oceanside to Long Beach. The building has been modified on several different occasions, while always keeping the charm and professionalism offered by the historic building.
The Mortuary was subsequently owned by Percy Benbough, Fire Chief and Mayor of San Diego from 1935 to 1942, who was succeeded by his son, Legler Benbough, in the late 1930s until 1960. The Benbough family ran a variety of mortuaries, making the family-owned business a part of the largest group of funeral establishments under one ownership in the country at the time.
In 1955, Robert C**n began managing Oceanside Mortuary for Legler Benbough and five years later, he bought the mortuary and operated it until retiring in the early 1980s. Mr. C**n was very active in the local community and was a longtime official of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, chairing the city's tourism, recreation, and parade committees.
In 2001, Mark and Lori Matthews, 4th generation of the Wiefels family who have owned and operated funeral homes since 1908, purchased the Oceanside Mortuary. Our company has grown to include locations in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms, and Oceanside.
