GVL Funeral Chapel

OUR MISSION

In caring for the deceased, their families and their friends, Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel endeavors to provide each individual we serve with dignity, respect and personalized care. Our mission has it's foundation in our philosophy...

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Funeral care is for the living and the dead. Caring for your loved ones is a responsibility that we are very honored to have entrusted to us. We make every effort to make sure that the last vision of your loved one gives comfort and relief. Our care of the bereaved serves an important function as well, we strive to help them express their grief in a way that is meaningful, a way that helps them openly and realistically face the fact that a loved one has died. For the bereaved to reconstruct their lives, they must allow themselves to grieve and mourn and come to the full realization that a death has indeed occurred; funeral services provide an opportunity to do just that. Each individual and family grieves in their own unique way. Given the right environment, support and information regarding death and the choices that surround the funeral service, families will choose the service and services that enables them to give their loved one the most meaningful "Last Good-bye".

David and Shawn Langkamp
David & Shawn Langkamp

David M. Langkamp
David Langkamp, a native of Dubuque, IA., was first exposed to the funeral profession as a high school student working for the Haudenshield Funeral Home in Dubuque. He attended Upper Iowa University in Fayette IA. and Loras College in Dubuque before earning his degree from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago Ill. While in Chicago, he lived and worked for the Belmont Funeral Home. After Graduating in 1976, he did his internship with Haudenshield Funeral Home and then moved to Oskaloosa to work with Calvin in 1978.

David is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association and the Iowa Funeral Directors Association. He is the firm's licensed Insurance Agent, enabling him to write most of the prearrangement policies. From the start, David has been very active in community service in Oskaloosa. He was a member of the Oskaloosa Jaycees, he has served on the boards of the Mahaska County Cancer Society, the Mahaska County YMCA, Mahaska County Hospice, Oskaloosa/Mahaska County Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Group and Mahaska Diamond Shelter. He is presently a member of Kiwanis and the treasurer for the Oskaloosa Education Foundation. He is serving as vice-chair for the current Mahaska County United Way Fund Drive and is a 1999 graduate of the Mahaska Leads Executive Leadership Program. David has and continues to give presentations and tours to church, civic and school groups.

Shawn R. Langkamp
Shawn Langkamp is a native of Orange City, IA.; after graduation from Maurice- Orange City High School she attended Iowa State University for pre-nursing before receiving her B.S. in Nursing from the University of Iowa in 1980. She worked on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the University of Iowa for 2 1/2 years before moving to Oskaloosa. After moving to Oskaloosa she worked at Mahaska County Hospital with Cardiac patients and in a Public Relations capacity. She has spent the last several years caring for her and David's 2 children, helping at the funeral home with visitations and funerals and volunteering in the community. She has served on several boards, including the Y.W.C.A., Hospice Auxiliary, Grant Elementary School P.T.O., Mahaska County Heart Association, Mahaska County Extension Services, P.E.O., the Care Review Committee for Mahaska Manor Nursing Home, Crisis Intervention Services of Mahaska County and she completed the Mahaska Leads Leadership Development Training in 1996. Shawn administers the Resource Library we make available to anyone. Shawn's nursing background and first hand experience with children make her a natural when it comes to communications regarding death, grief and children; she is also glad to do presentations to all age groups on death and grief.

Larry Boyer
Larry Boyer is a native of Oskaloosa and a graduate of Oskaloosa High School – Class of '62. While in high school he worked at various times at both the Powers and Newman Funeral Homes. He attended college at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Truman University) at Kirksville, MO. His Mortuary Science Degree was received in Dallas, TX.

Larry was involved with the Hamilton Funeral Home in Des Moines, IA from 1978 – 2003. In the fall of 2003, he and his wife, Sue, moved to Oskaloosa where he became associated with Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel.

Larry is a licensed funeral director and a member of the Iowa Funeral Directors Association and Rotary International. He also holds an insurance license through the state of Iowa.

Larry and his wife, Sue, reside in Keomah Village. They are the parents of three children.

OUR FACILITY

Built in 1980, our present location was established away from the hustle and bustle of retail and residential areas, yet within the city limits to give private and convenient access. The chapel's setting provides families a quiet and scenic atmosphere, which is totally handicapped accessible . The chapel's north and south porticos and drives provide families "to the door service" and shelter when entering and exiting the building in inclement weather. The Funeral Chapel's two "off street" parking lots provide guests with plenty of clean, close accessible space. The facility was designed and built large enough so that most families could have the option of using the Funeral Chapel or their church for the services. The large chapel room has seating for 200; looking onto the chapel is a private family room, which has seating for 60; and additional seating can be provided to accommodate at least 75 guests.

A state of the art music system allows families to choose from vocalists, cassette tapes, compact disc, organ and piano; and also records the service as a keep sake of the ceremony.

OUR HISTORY

Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel is one of the longest surviving service businesses in our community. In 1866, J.B. McCurdy first established J.B. McCurdy & Co. Furniture and Undertaking to provide funeral care to the Oskaloosa and Mahaska County area. On Nov. 18, 1905, J.B. moved into the a new facility on North 1st Street, the present sight of the Mahaska County Outreach. In 1913, the business was sold to I.H. Garland, Howard Wilcox and Fred Wilbur. The Funeral Chapel was still associated with the furniture store and many will recognize the name Wilcox-Garland as still synonymous with furniture in the Mahaska County area. Art Garland joined his father as a Funeral Director in 1939, the chapel was still located on North 1st Street, but had undergone extensive remodeling to accommodate the changing needs of funeral traditions.

After working for Art Garland as a college student, Cal attended Central College in Pella, Iowa; William Penn College in Oskaloosa, and then received his degree in Mortuary Science from Dallas Institute-Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science in Dallas, Texas. He rejoined Art at the Garland Chapel in 1960. After 34 years of service, Art retired in 1973.

In 1978, David Langkamp moved to Oskaloosa and joined Calvin at Garland Van Arkel Funeral Chapel. David studied at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa, Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa and at Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago, Illinois. In 1980 the Funeral Chapel was moved to its present location at 2116 North 3rd Street. In 1984 David became co-owner with Calvin.

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