Lee Funeral Home, located in Nairobi, Kenya, is renowned as the final resting place on earth for the country’s affluent before they are interred.
Founded in 1987 by John Stuart Lee, a former UK cop who was born, raised, and educated in Kenya, this upscale funeral home has become a preferred choice for the wealthy and influential in Kenya, including notable figures such as the late Retired President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, Cabinet Ministers John Michuki and Nicholas Biwott, and Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore, among others.
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The idea of Lee Funeral Home came to fruition when Lee realized that the City Mortuary, the most famous mortuary in Nairobi at that time, was in an appalling state and people were seeking alternatives.
“When I came back to Kenya in 1968 and was told of the appalling state of City Mortuary, I was then being asked by various people can you help us to set up our funeral because we don’t want to go to City Mortuary ourselves and that’s where I got the idea from,” Lee said in a previous interview.
With the assistance of veteran politician Charles Njonjo, Lee built the current Lee Funeral Home, which opened in 1988 within the grounds of Nairobi Hospital. This strategic location within a prestigious hospital complex added to its exclusivity and appeal to the elite.
“Whilst I was working out of City Mortuary and the holding room at Nairobi Hospital before we ever built where we are now at Nairobi Hospital, Sir Charles Njonjo who was then the chairman of Nairobi Hospital called me up and he said, would you like to build a funeral parlour on the grounds of Nairobi Hospital? So we built the current Lee Funeral Home within the grounds of the hospital in 87 and we opened in 1988 during the 25 years celebration of Independence of the Republic of Kenya,” Lee added.
Up to date, Lee Funeral Home has emerged as a leading morgue in the region, earning a reputation for its exceptional services, and as a result, the demand for its services has witnessed a significant increase.
Based on reports, Lee Funeral Home implements a fee structure that varies for its services. For instance, the cost of collecting the body from home is set at Sh5,000, while daily storage is priced at Sh3,000.
The cost of coffins at Lee Funeral Home ranges from Sh. 35,000 to Sh. 130,000.
Additionally, body handling services, which include washing and dressing, are priced at Sh. 5,000, and transportation within Nairobi using a Jaguar hearse starts at Sh. 130,000.
Furthermore, other charges at the funeral home are customized based on the individual needs and demands of the clients seeking services.
