8811 East Forest Avenue
Dwelling, William Skerrett & Son Funeral Home, Walter J. Dehn Funeral Home, McFall Brothers Funeral Home, Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention of Michigan, Coming of Christ Missionary Baptist Church
This structure may soon be demolished.
I believe that this building dates back to around 1909. Originally a two-story dwelling with veneered brick and a garage out back, it was probably added onto in the 1920s or 1930s, but I can’t be certain.
In 1909, the Marsh family lived here. Nettie Brickman, the daughter, died inside the home in 1909 at 20 from pneumonia. In 1911, Lillie Gurzick, 19, died at her parents’ house here from phthisis pulmonary (tuberculosis).
The home was for sale in March 1915. The listing said it had eight rooms, a full basement, hot water, and a furnace. Additionally, it stated that it was a fine location for a doctor or private family. There’s a chance that the person living at the address was selling a home elsewhere, but the description fits perfectly.
In September 1919, a newspaper ad listed all the contents of this home for sale as the owner was leaving the city. You could save 40% on high-class furniture that had only been used for a year. “Leaving city” sales were common in this era, though I’m not certain they were always honest.
By 1921, William Skerrett & Son had taken over the space. This was a funeral home. I’m unsure if that means that the addition had already been completed or if that would come later after the business had succeeded for a while.
Addie Coleman Skerrett, William’s wife, died on June 17, 1925. They had four children: William Jr., Joseph, Helen, and Betty Jane. The funeral was at the family funeral home, pictured here, and she was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.
The last mention of the Skerrett Funeral Home that I’ve found came in 1926.
By 1931, the structure would house Walter J. Dehn Funeral Home, which would last longer than the previous operation. The 1951 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map indicates that the addition was complete, and the front portion of the building, or former home, was labeled as ‘Undertaker.’ I’d guess it was completed in the 1920s or 1930s.
Walter J. Dehn died in 1961. His wife’s name was Kate, and he was the stepfather of Jack Liss and John Weiss. His funeral was at his funeral home inside the structure pictured here.
By 1962, the structure was listed under the McFall Brothers Funeral Home. There are only a few listings of the operation under this address, as their primary location was (and still is) at 9419 Dexter Avenue. Jimmie E. McFall was listed as living in the structure pictured here at the time of his death in 1962, and there are a few listings between then and 1964 for McFall Brothers at the address.
After the short stint with the McFall Brothers, the water gets murky. I’d assume it soon after that became a church, but I can’t be sure when that happened. The current sign on the structure is starting to fade, and you can read that it once said “Baptist Missionary Educational State Convention.”
A quick search finds that the Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention of Michigan was founded in 1949, hosting an annual event and working to create a better Missionary Baptist Church in the Great Lake State. The organization was around until 1991, but I haven’t found anything linking the organization to this address. They had registered addresses at 3600 Chene, 2220 Tuxedo, 1042-1044 East Warren, 3100 Elmwood, and 19939 Livernois. Perhaps the sign was already there and painted for an event the organization hosted, or they called it home for a short time before the 1990s. Another organization under the same name popped up in 2005 but wasn’t located here.
In 1989, the Coming of Christ Missionary Baptist Church was incorporated at the location pictured here by a group led by Reverends John Harris and Sandy Brown. The nonprofit went belly up by the mid-1990s, and the structure was abandoned by the early 2000s, though it was not in awful shape until the 2010s.
The structure is currently listed under the ownership of Rothell Jamerson.
Though I know that the structure may be demolished in the coming weeks, I’m not certain if it’s the entire building or just one portion. Sadly, I’d guess that it’s the whole thing. The neighborhood surrounding the structure is improving, and this building could provide a unique opportunity for a business in the area.
Still, it’s in poor shape, has been open on the far side for years, and is a haven for illegal dumping, so I understand why some might want it demolished.
Either way, the ornate details on this structure will be greatly missed on my walks and bike rides down East Forest.
