For nearly 200 years, Milward Funeral Directors has helped Central Kentucky Families and friends to honor, celebrate, and memorialize each unique life with respect and dignity.
Milward Funeral Directors embodies the attributes of six generations of the Milward family. The first, twenty- two year old Joseph Milward started what eventually became Milward Funeral Directors in 1825. At the time he opened a shop on South Broadway where he and his partner John Baxter produced furniture. Their business evolved into providing caskets and aid to bereaved families. Joseph persevered through economic downturns and many obstacles to become a successful family business. His integrity and standing in the community provided an example for future generations of his family.
When Joseph retired in 1865, his son Colonel William Rice Milward began to operate the business. His exemplary service in the Union Army during the Civil War gave him the experience to run the family business. His extraordinary vision and understanding gave him the ability to extend a hand of reconciliation to Confederate Veterans and others in the community. Under his leadership, in 1887 the business separated their funeral directing activities from their furniture business.
William Rice Milward, Jr. (Will) joined the family business in 1892 at twenty- three years of age and was mentored by his father, the Colonel. His attention to detail to the business became his legacy. When the Colonel dies in 1915, Will assumed leadership. Under his watch Milward Funeral Directors entered the motorized age and the days of horse drawn vehicles came to an end. His thoughtful and considerate nature was appreciated by bereaved families. His devotion to others extended into the community through his participation in the Lexington Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and Christ Episcopal Church.
Will’s son William Emmet Milward (Emmet) entered the business in 1926, and continued the expansion of the company with the opening of its second location on Southland Drive. Like his father, Emmet was committed to helping people in his community. When he was elected as president of the Lexington Chamber of Commerce, he was the youngest man to have achieved that honor. He also served as Potentate of Oleika Shrine Temple and was the director of the Blue Grass Automobile Club of forty- two years. His professional service included being president of the National Selected Morticians, secretary fo the Kentucky State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers and serving on several corporate board of directors.
Today the fifth and sixth generations of the Milward family are actively leading Milward Funeral Directors and serving their community. The Fifth generation is Robert E. Milward (Bob) who has served on two national boards, the Select Independent Funeral Homes and the National Foundation of Funeral Service. He has had many long- standing positions in the community including more than thirty years’ service with the Blue Grass Community Foundation as a founder and as president for twenty- five years. Bob has been a fifty year member and served as the youngest president of the Lexington Rotary Club; he received their President’s Cup in 2002. He has served on the board of the Lexington Salvation Army and as president of Hospice of the Bluegrass. He has served on both the boards of Lexington Federal Savings and Loan Association and the Blue Grass Automobile Club for over thirty years. He currently serves on the Triangle Foundation Board.
Robert Emmet Milward, Jr. (Rob) entered the business to work with his father in 1994, and serves as vice president of the firm. Like his predecessors, Rob is dedicated to serving and being active in the community. He is a member of Christ Church Cathedral, Shriners Hospital Board of Governors, Oleika Shrine Temple, Board of Directors for the Better Business Bureau, Lexington Dream Factory and Southland Association. He is a graduate of Leadership Bluegrass, and belongs to numerous professional organizations including Selected Independent Funeral Homes, Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky and National Funeral Directors Association.
As he continues the legacy of community involvement, Rob has carried on the vision for expanding the family business in Lexington. IN 2010, Rob opened the third funeral home in southeast Lexington at 1509 Trent Boulevard, just off Man O’ War Boulevard. The new location, called the Celebration Center of Lexington, is uniquely designed bright and open and welcoming facility. The reception center is used for celebrations of life… christenings, mitzvahs, weddings, reception, anniversaries, birthdays, retirements and community events.
The first suburban facility was opened in 1957 by Emmet at 391 Southland Drive. The historic downtown location is a well- known landmark in the city of Lexington.
In 1905, after a period of time on South Main Street, Joseph built a three- story structure at 159 North Broadway that still serves Lexington families today. The North Broadway location has modern amenities with a historic atmosphere.
At three distinctly different locations, Milward offers comfortable accommodations for visitations, celebration of life ceremonies and receptions. Families can choose traditional, contemporary or personalized fitting tributes, military/veterans honors, eco- friendly green burials, cremation and memorialization services.
In addition to assisting families with honoring and celebrating their loved ones, Bob, Rob, and the Milward Staff are dedicated to volunteering their time, talent and resources to make the community a better place to live. Milward Funeral Directors sets the standard for professional and compassionate care that was the principled bedrock Joseph established almost two centuries ago.
