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The owners of Hughes-Ransom Mortuary & Crematory are selling the company’s two mortuaries in Astoria and Seaside as they look to consolidate into one new, modernized location.
“Mostly, we want a nice one-level (building) that can be built to accommodate new service,” said Todd Slack, co-owner of Hughes-Ransom in Astoria and Seaside with his wife, Joy, since 2013. “The buildings are fairly old. There’s just so much more new technology to where you can build things to suit.”
The couple also own mortuaries in Oakridge and Springfield, where they have been remodeling. The new mortuary would have a more efficient crematory and technologically upgraded chapel.
“We’re about 70, 75 percent cremation” on the North Coast, Slack said. “That’s why we’re trying to get where the chapel would have projectors to run video tributes.”
E. B. Hughes established a mortuary in the Harvey and Mary Pike residence at 576 12th St. in Astoria in 1923, remodeling the building in the 1930s into its present look. The building is 10,000 square feet spread over three stories, including a chapel, reception area, kitchen and a two-bedroom apartment upstairs, and is listed at $649,000.
Hughes Mortuary started the Seaside chapel in 1933 at the site of a former Masonic hall, according to an article at the time in the Evening Astorian Budget. The current mortuary was built in 1948 and was recently listed at $499,000. It includes a chapel, meeting rooms and a two-bedroom apartment.
“It’s been hard for us to keep both buildings open,” Slack said, adding that having only one location will help the mortuary lower prices.
The mortuary won’t settle on a new location until after selling at least one of the two buildings, Slack said.