Exuding eternal empathy

SANDUSKY — No matter who enters the Brown-Robinson Funeral Home, its primary proprietor made a promise. "We are full of compassion and professionalism here," owner Ray Robinson said. To further explain his point, Robinson pointed to the company's street-facing sign at 1814 Milan Road and read it aloud verbatim. "A service beyond the ordinary," said Robinson, who's married to his wife, Holly. Together they have three children. "That means we treat each family as if they were our own," he explained. "We bring a level of sensitivity here. I'm an ordained pastor, which lets me approach people with a balance of the spiritual and natural. And that is what allows our staffing to have a different approach." Robinson recently opened the funeral home in a building formerly home to Father's Heart Family Church near Jaycee Park. The Norwalk native expanded to a second location, growing from his original site in Lorain. Robinson, a 1995 Norwalk High School graduate, attended the University of Cincinnati's mortuary science program. He then began his career at the former Brown Funeral Home, working under the late Vernon Brown. Opening a funeral home in Erie County represents a homecoming of sorts for Robinson. His father, Ray H. Robinson Sr., served as a pastor at the former Christ Temple, 604 W. Market St., in Sandusky, which later relocated to Norwalk. "This has allowed us to have a strong tie into the local church community," Robinson said. It also fills a void. "I saw a need here," Robinson said. "There are no African American-owned or -ran funeral homes here in Sandusky. Matter of fact, there aren't any until you go to Toledo or Lorain." From Lorain, Robinson often serves families in Sandusky. "We figured now was a good time to come back home and into this great community," Robinson said. "We are culture-sensitive. We have certain traditions that are unique, and someone who shares in those same traditions will feel more comfortable coming to us." The Brown-Robinson Funeral Home: • Offers traditional funeral services, which include burial and cremation • Provides new-age alternative celebrations and memorial services • Caters to large groups for gatherings, meetings or luncheons • Sells caskets • Accommodates for calling hours, visitations, prearrangements, insurance evaluations and more; "We have compassionate and competitive pricing and packages to fit all financial needs," Robinson said. "We've created a very special ambiance here," Robinson said. "It doesn't feel like your traditional funeral home." People can contact the funeral home, at 419-502-0277, for more information. "We are just excited to be here and are full of desire to serve Erie County and the surrounding areas," Robinson said