OUR LOCATION
HEER MORTUARY & CREMATORY - BRUSH LOCATION
Funeral service in Brush has a long and meaningful history—one built by dedicated professionals who cared deeply for their community. That legacy began in 1913, when Frank N. Potter, one of the founders of the Colorado Funeral Directors Association, established Potter Mortuary in the 200 block of Clayton Street. Potter later sold the business to Frances S. Jolliffe, continuing a tradition of service that would shape funeral care in Morgan County for generations.
By 1929, Frances S. and Frankie Jolliffe operated Potter Mortuary at its new location on Edison Street. Although the mortuary closed in 1934, the Jolliffe name remained an important part of local funeral history, and both Frances D. and Frankie Jolliffe are laid to rest in nearby Fort Morgan.
That same year, funeral service in Brush entered a new chapter when Cliff Brittell reopened the mortuary as Brittell Funeral Home. Originally located on Clayton Street, Brittell soon built a new facility at 222 Cameron Street in 1938—the very location where the funeral home still stands today. After the passing of his wife in 1943, Brittell’s era came to a close, but the foundation he built endured.
In 1944, Bert and Leona Frezieres purchased the Brittell Funeral Home and renamed it Frezieres Funeral Home. Coming from Colorado Springs, Bert brought professional expertise as a graduate of Worsham Mortuary College in Chicago. His leadership extended statewide, serving as president of the Colorado Funeral Directors Association in 1954. The Frezieres retired in 1967, and they, along with their son, are buried in Brush Memorial Cemetery.
That same year marked a major shift in local emergency services. Funeral homes in Morgan County—including Frezieres and Cutler‑Jolliffe—ended ambulance operations, donating their equipment to the county so a centralized ambulance service could be established.
After the Frezieres retired, the funeral home was purchased by Charles W. “Chuck” Gale Jr. and Faye Gale, who had first come to Brush in 1952. Chuck, a World War II veteran and Worsham College graduate, had worked for Howard Mortuary in Denver before joining Bert Frezieres as a partner in 1962. He became sole owner in 1967 and continued serving families until his retirement in 1979. The Gales are buried in Haxtun, Colorado.
On July 1, 1979, Don and Carol Heer purchased the Gale Funeral Home, beginning the modern era of funeral service in Brush. Don, originally from South Dakota, entered funeral service in 1965 and graduated from the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science in 1969. The Heers moved to Brush later that year, and in 1982, they renamed the business Heer Mortuary.
Don’s leadership extended statewide as he served as president of the Colorado Funeral Directors Association in 1987 and 1988. In 1997, the Heers installed a crematory at the Cameron Street location, expanding services to meet the needs of a growing community. In 2000, they purchased Jolliffe Mortuary in Fort Morgan, uniting both locations under the name Heer Mortuary & Crematory—a single, locally owned business dedicated to serving families throughout Morgan County and the surrounding area. After 45 years of dedicated service to Morgan County, Don and Carol passed the tradition forward in 2021, selling the business to Javan Jones and Jacque Clark. Their ownership continues the long‑standing legacy of local, family‑run funeral care serving the communities of Morgan County.
