Our History
Having served the Lakeland community since 1911, Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes are the oldest funeral homes in Polk County.
Our firm has been locally owned and operated by Lew Hall since 2001. Our family and staff are active in local church, civic and community activities in an effort to support our community. We have two full service funeral homes, a Cremation Center, as well as our cemetery, Serenity Gardens, for the convenience of our families. The greater Lakeland community has entrusted their loved ones to our firm now for over 100 years.
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Lew & Anita Hall Owner & Funeral Director
Lew Hall, owner of Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes, is a graduate of the Kentucky School of Mortuary Science. Lew has been married to his wife Anita since 1980. Their son, Trey, lives in Lakeland, FL and son Todd, resides in Louisville, KY.
Before returning to the funeral business in 2001, Lew was in the insurance and real estate business for twenty years. Lew is a Past President for the Florida Funeral Director's Association and currently serves on the Board of Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services for the State of Florida. -
Trey Hall Funeral Director
Trey Hall began working for his father at Gentry Morrison Funeral Homes in April of 2001. He is a lifelong resident of Polk County, having graduated from Bartow High School and St. Petersburg College. He is a third generation funeral director and currently serves as the Immediate Past President of the Florida Cemetery Cremation and Funeral Association.
Trey and his wife Lauren have two children, Shelby and Lane. -
Don Bellar Funeral Director
Don Bellar joined Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes in August of 2002 as a funeral director. He graduated from Miami-Dade Community College of Mortuary Science in 1984 and became a licensed funeral director in 1985.
After several years of funeral directing experience in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Don moved to Lakeland in 1990 to manage Lakeland Funeral Home for 10 years before joining the Gentry-Morrison staff.
He resides in Lakeland with his wife Lorrie and their three children, Jordan, Mason and Blake. The Bellars are very active in the Lakeland community. -
Billy Johnson Funeral Director
Billy Johnson grew up in Gainesville, FL. He attended Liberty University and the University of Florida. After owning and operating flower shops for many years, he became a funeral director. Billy was the General Manager of Forest Meadows Funeral Homes and Cemeteries and eventually owned a funeral home in Ocala until selling his shares and moving to Lakeland. Billy is married and has two children and two beautiful granddaughters. He says the best job he has ever had is being “Pop Pop.”
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Nathanael Swenson Funeral Director
Nathanael Swenson joined Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes in July of 2020 as a Funeral Director. Nathanael graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science located near Chicago in 2018 after several years of working in the nursing field in his home state, Missouri. Nathanael is a first-generation Funeral Director and after serving an apprenticeship in Utah, he and his wife decided to make their home in Florida.
Nathanael and his wife Riely have one daughter, Benli. They currently reside in Lakeland. -
Vera Hall Administrative Assistant
Vera Hall began working for her son, Lew Hall Jr., at Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes in February of 2009. Vera and her late husband, Lew Hall, Sr., attended Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma.She served as administrative assistant to the District Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene and later as administrative assistant to the Senior Pastor at the Highland Park Church of the Nazarene, both in Lakeland.
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Paige Hernandez
Paige Hernandez joined Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes in the Fall of 2018. She is an 8th generation Floridian and lifelong resident of Lakeland. Paige graduated from Kathleen High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of South Florida, where she also studied forensics and criminology. She is currently pursuing an education in Mortuary Science at St. Petersburg College.
Paige has been married to her high school sweetheart, Martin, since 2012, and they have one daughter, Anslee.
