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History & Staff

Our Story

Learn our story, from the beginning and into the future.

Over the many years that have gone by since 1905, traditions, customs, and how we are able to serve families have and continue to evolve, but one key characteristic of the Goldfinch tradition has remained the same over all these years.  That tradition is the firm’s strong commitment to compassionate, quality service.  Goldfinch Funeral Home is one of the few businesses in Horry County that has operated successfully and continually for over 105 years under the ownership of four generations of one family.

Why Us?

In a nutshell? Experience, professionalism, compassion, and empathy.

Why Us?

We've learned a lot over many years. Like how to present options without overwhelming. And how to meet the needs of many caring parties. People come to us in difficult times, and we respond kindness, calmness and expertise. Our goal is to create a beautiful occasion and make you feel welcome, always. We spend our days planning with families. We stay up to date with industry developments. And we make hard times a little easier.

Learn the legacy of family.

The year was 1905.  W.T. Goldfinch, owner of Kingston Furniture Company on Main Street in Conway, SC, set aside a space in the rear of his new store to display “coffins,” as they were called in those days. This describes the simple beginning of a Company, Goldfinch Funeral Home, which was destined to become a very successful funeral home serving many families in Horry County and the Grand Strand area of South Carolina.

Today, Goldfinch Funeral Home is widely recognized as a progressive leader in funeral service in the South East.   In 1919, Mr. W. T. Goldfinch died, leaving the business to his two sons, Albert and William Goldfinch.  Albert died just ten years after his father, but William, known as “Mr. Will,” continued the family business.

Mr. Will was a Methodist Lay reader who could “preach as well as anybody,” said grandson and current owner of Goldfinch Funeral Home, George H. Goldfinch, Jr.  Mr. Will was the first in the family business to study embalming, and in fact, was the first embalmer inHorry County.  The practice of preservation was so new in that day, and advent of embalming represented the beginning of public visitations and viewing.

In 1938, Mr. Will moved the funeral service business to his residence on Beaty Street in Conway, thus opening the first funeral home in Horry County, South Carolina.  He raised his four children above the funeral home which had been expanded over time around the original home.  Today the facility is a state of the art 18,000 square foot structure which bears little resemblance to the original bungalow style home.  Mr. Will’s two sons, G. Heyward Goldfinch, Sr., and Mac Goldfinch represent the third generation of the Goldfinch family to work in the family business.  Both brothers were known for their personal warmth, professional competence and community involvement. They were quite an exceptional team providing compassionate, dependable care to the region for more than 40 years, and established a legacy for quality service, which is carried on today.

The fourth generation of Goldfinch Funeral Home included Heyward’s son, George, and Mac’s oldest son Will. They entered the family business as children, cutting grass, working at Hillcrest Cemetery, and working with their fathers as they served families in the area.  These two Goldfinch cousins took over the management of Goldfinch Funeral Home and later purchased the business from their fathers in 1995. Two years later, Will Goldfinch died of cancer, an untimely death which brought much sorrow to the Goldfinch Funeral Home family, and to the Conway Community.  For years, George H. Goldfinch, Jr., continues to carry on the tradition of service as established by four generations of the Goldfinch Family.  

In 2018, Goldfinch Funeral Home entered it's fifth generation of ownership with Meghan Goldfinch Hayden, George Heyward's daughter, becoming the President and CEO.  Meghan, like George, entered the business as a child, and has been actively involved in the management of Goldfinch's since 2010.  Meghan, with George's active involvement, will continue the legacy and commitment to the community that has been established since 1905, by the generations that have come before. 

Goldfinch Funeral Home- Serving all areas

Over the years, Horry County’s oceanfront became known as the Grand Strand, and people from other regions of the country began buying second homes and retirement homes in the area.  The family opened Goldfinch’s Beach Chapel on US 17 By-Pass in Garden City in 1987.  Several years later, the Goldfinch Litchfield-Pawleys Chapel was established to serve the people of South Horry and Georgetown Counties.

Who We Are

Meet our staff. Members of the local community make everything that happens possible.Together, we make this place amazing.

Meghan Goldfinch Hayden

Meghan Goldfinch Hayden

President/ CEO
George H. Goldfinch Jr.

George H. Goldfinch Jr.

Adviser, Funeral Director/ Embalmer
Eddie Richardson II

Eddie Richardson II

Assistant Vice President; Location Manager- Conway Chapel/ Carolina Forest Chapel
Josh Campbell

Josh Campbell

Assistant Vice President, Location Manager- Beach Chapel
Tom Spencer

Tom Spencer

Assistant Vice President; Location Manager- Loris Chapel
Leslie E. Wallace

Leslie E. Wallace

Financial Manager
Todd Jones

Todd Jones

Licensed Funeral Director/ Embalmer
Catherine Cooper

Catherine Cooper

Apprentice Funeral Director/Embalmer
Casey Ward

Casey Ward

Licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer
Terry Burnham

Terry Burnham

Licensed Funeral Director/ Embalmer
Lisa Perry

Lisa Perry

Licensed Funeral Director/ Embalmer
Deanna Stephens

Deanna Stephens

Funeral Director (Pending)
Katelyn Hucks

Katelyn Hucks

Administrative Assistant
Carmen Hardee

Carmen Hardee

Administrative Assistant
Brian Edgerton

Brian Edgerton

Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer- Beach Chapel
Cori Carmine Wilson

Cori Carmine Wilson

Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer- Beach Chapel
Lynn Sawyer

Lynn Sawyer

Funeral Director/Embalmer
Jeremy W Sweeney

Jeremy W Sweeney

Funeral Director/Embalmer
Christian Chambers

Christian Chambers

Licensed Funeral Director/ Embalmer
Zach Avalos

Zach Avalos

Licensed Funeral Director
Amber Martin

Amber Martin

Apprentice Funeral Director
Renee Sullivan

Renee Sullivan

Administrative Assistant- Beach Chapel
MaryKate  Doyle

MaryKate Doyle

Administrative Assistant
Jeff Wallace

Jeff Wallace

Advanced Funeral Planning Director
Heather Black

Heather Black

Continuing Care Assistant/Celebrant
Sabrina Ganous

Sabrina Ganous

Administrative Assistant/Purchasing Agent
Ricky Jones

Ricky Jones

Building and Grounds Supervisor
Murphy Hayden

Murphy Hayden

Therapy Dog and Grief Counselor
Tux Hayden

Tux Hayden

Certified Grief Therapy Dog & Certified Service Dog

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