Lakeshore Mortuary — Consumer Profile
Mesa, AZ
Lakeshore Mortuary is a full-service, corporate-owned funeral home in Mesa, Arizona, operating under the Dignity Memorial / Service Corporation International (SCI) umbrella, distinguished by its historic lakeside setting and consistently high customer satisfaction ratings.
Founded in 1978 by the Shumway family, the mortuary has served Mesa's East Valley community for over four decades. It holds a 4.9/5 rating across 114 Google reviews, one of the higher scores among SCI-network locations. Direct cremation starts at $2,005 (with a customer-supplied container) and traditional burial packages begin around $3,388 based on GPL data effective June 2024.
Locations
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 1815 S Dobson Rd, Mesa, AZ 85202 |
| Phone | (480) 838-5639 |
| Hours | Open 24 hours, 7 days a week |
| Facility | Lakeside setting; indoor chapel, visitation rooms, outdoor gathering space, catering available on-site |
This is the single location for Lakeshore Mortuary. Per the Dignity Memorial listing, the facility features space for both intimate and large-format services, including rental of the entire facility. Ever Loved notes comfortable indoor settings for funerals, visitations, and receptions alongside outdoor gathering areas. Parting notes that Mesa Cemetery is approximately 7 miles away for families choosing burial.
Services
Lakeshore Mortuary offers a broad range of funeral and cremation services, as listed on their Dignity Memorial profile:
- Cremation — direct cremation, cremation with viewing, witness cremation ($395 fee)
- Burial — immediate burial, traditional full-service burial
- Memorial & Funeral Services — graveside services, chapel services, celebration of life events, off-site venue services
- Veterans Services — funeral planning for veterans, including aerial salute / Missing Man Formation Flight ($1,600); flag case ($295)
- Pre-Planning — online pre-need purchase available; in-person appointments offered; free planning guide available
- Grief Support — curated grief library accessible via their website
- Religious & Cultural Traditions — listed as a service category on their site
- Specialty / Add-On Services — Dignity Celebrant service, catered receptions, memorial diamonds, cremation jewelry, spaceflight options (see Pricing), scattering at sea, internet memorial archive
- International / Out-of-Area Coordination — forwarding and receiving of remains; international ship-out coordination ($695 fee)
No on-site crematory is explicitly confirmed in the available data; a separate crematory transfer fee of $175 and a crematory fee of $325 appear on the GPL, suggesting cremation is performed off-site or at a partnered facility.
Pricing
GPL effective date: June 20, 2024. All prices reflect Lakeshore Mortuary's General Price List. Prices are subject to change.
Professional & Basic Services
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Basic Services of Funeral Director and Staff (required) | $1,850 |
| Embalming | $845 |
| Bathing and handling of unembalmed deceased | $295 |
| Refrigeration | $95 |
| Dressing, casketing, and cosmetizing | $295 |
| Hairdresser | $65 |
| Restoration (per hour, where necessary) | $95 |
| Special Care for Autopsied Cases | $150 |
Facilities & Staff
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Visitation — Up to 4 Hours | $295 |
| Standard Funeral/Memorial — Medium | $595 |
| Premium Funeral/Memorial — Large | $895 |
| Graveside Service — Equipment & Staff | $595 |
| Moment of Reflection | $595 |
| Off-Site Venue & Staff for Funeral | $895 |
| Entire Facility (Signature Exclusive) | $3,995 |
| Chapel Rental | $3,995 |
| Evening Service (additional charge) | $190 |
| Weekend Service (additional charge) | $495 |
| Holiday Service (additional charge) | $495 |
| Private Family Moment / Minimal Preparation | $295 |
| Supervision of Disinterment | $2,995 |
Transportation
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Transfer of remains from place of death to funeral home | $695 |
| Funeral vehicle / Hearse | $250 |
| Limousine (up to 5 hrs / 30 mi radius; +$4.00/add'l mile) | $695 |
| Transfer to/from airport | $175 |
| Transfer to/from crematory | $175 |
| Transfer to/from autopsy and return | $195 |
Direct Cremation Packages
| Package | Price |
|---|---|
| Direct Cremation — container provided by purchaser | $2,005 |
| Direct Cremation — Cardboard Container (heavy) | $2,200 |
| Direct Cremation — Trayview (cardboard, cremation-oriented) | $2,400 |
| Direct Cremation — Stratus (medium-density fiberboard) | $2,455 |
| Direct Cremation — Pacific Pine (light pine laminate casket) | $3,200 |
| Direct Cremation — casket from facility (add cost of casket) | $2,005 + casket |
| Range | $2,005 – $17,300 |
Average direct cremation per GPL data: $2,378.
Immediate Burial Packages
| Package | Price |
|---|---|
| Immediate Burial — container provided by purchaser | $2,890 |
| Immediate Burial — minimum casket from facility | $4,385 |
| Immediate Burial — casket selected from facility (add casket cost) | $2,890 + casket |
| Range | $2,890 – $23,885 |
Average traditional burial per GPL data: $3,388.
Forwarding & Receiving Remains
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Forwarding Remains (includes preparation room, basic professional fee) | $2,685 |
| Receiving Remains (includes basic professional fees, local transportation) | $1,000 |
Merchandise
| Category | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Caskets | $1,195 – $20,995 |
| Outer Burial Containers | $1,095 – $2,995 |
| Rental Casket | $1,000 |
| Urns | $65 – $1,295 |
| Cremation Jewelry Bundle (pendant + keepsakes) | $295 |
| Memorial Diamond | $3,499 – $16,000 |
| Flag Case | $295 |
| Remembrance Blanket | $295 |
| Shroud | $195 |
Specialty & Add-On Services (Selected)
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Cremation Witnessing Fee | $395 |
| Crematory Fee | $325 |
| Dignity Celebrant | $695 |
| Catered Reception | $625 |
| Scattering at Sea with Cenotaph | $3,495 |
| Earth Rise Spaceflight | $2,995 |
| Luna / Voyager Spaceflight | $12,995 each |
| Earth Orbit Spaceflight | $4,995 |
| Aerial Salute — Missing Man Formation | $1,600 |
| Estate Fraud Protection | $295 |
| Everlasting Memorial® (internet archive) | $395 |
| Coordination Fee — International Ship-Out | $695 |
| Mailing of Ashes (excl. container) | $195 |
Reviews
Lakeshore Mortuary holds a 4.9/5 rating based on 114 Google reviews, which is notably high for a location of its size and corporate affiliation. The Ever Loved and Yelp profiles exist but contain limited review volume. The Facebook page shows no ratings at the time of data collection.
Dominant Positive Themes
1. Staff compassion and attentiveness. Multiple reviewers highlight that staff went beyond transactional service. Janet Delligatti wrote: "They were very compassionate and went over everything step-by-step." Frankie Cordova, coordinating services from out of state, noted that staff "went above and beyond for my loved ones private viewing."
2. Standout individual staff members — particularly Lupita. Funeral director or arranger Lupita is mentioned by name in multiple reviews. AJ R noted that Lupita "took the time to demonstrate what was available, but quickly narrowed it down to what we wanted for our particular situation. Did not feel pressured or rushed." Carlos Alatorre wrote: "From the very first conversation with Lupita, it was clear that we were in the right place and in the hands of someone exceptional."
3. Competent management and seamless execution. Reviewer Mike B praised the broader management team — specifically naming David and Cheri — for handling services for two family members over two separate years: "the entire management staff led by David, Cheri and many others, made the painful planning process easy and took care of all the details for two perfectly executed days."
Notable Negative Reviews or Complaints
No negative reviews or complaint patterns are present in the available data. The BBB link provided does not resolve to a Lakeshore Mortuary (Mesa, AZ) profile — the BBB results in the data refer to unrelated businesses in Michigan and Texas. BBB accreditation status and complaint history for this specific location cannot be confirmed from the available data.
Ownership
Lakeshore Mortuary is corporately owned by Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), the largest funeral services company in North America, operating under SCI's consumer brand Dignity Memorial. SCI is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
The mortuary was originally founded by the Shumway family and incorporated in 1978. The Dignity Memorial site notes that "the Shumway family founded Lakeshore Mortuary on a lake in the historic" East Valley area, though the precise date of SCI's acquisition is not documented in the available data. The facility has operated continuously for over 45 years, and the Dignity Memorial profile indicates the mortuary's community commitment has remained consistent across ownership eras.
Families considering this provider should be aware that as an SCI/Dignity Memorial location, pricing, policies, and some staffing decisions may be influenced at the corporate level. Pre-need contracts funded through Dignity Memorial carry network-level portability across SCI locations nationally.
Accreditations
| Category | Status |
|---|---|
| BBB Rating (Mesa, AZ location) | Not confirmed from available data |
| Dignity Memorial Network Member | Yes — SCI's consumer network |
| Pre-Need Online Purchase | Available |
| State Licensing (AZ) | Not confirmed from available data, but legally required to operate |
No independent professional memberships (e.g., NFDA, NFDA's Selected Independent Funeral Homes) or awards are documented in the available data. Membership in the Dignity Memorial network does carry SCI's internal service guarantees, including a 100% service guarantee program, though specific terms are detailed on the Dignity Memorial corporate site.
Conclusion
Lakeshore Mortuary occupies a mid-range pricing position in the Mesa, AZ market — direct cremation starting at $2,005 and traditional burial averaging $3,388 are consistent with (and in some cases slightly above) regional norms for a full-service provider, reflecting the Dignity Memorial network's standardized pricing structure. Its primary strengths are a historically high customer satisfaction record, a named and repeatedly praised staff, and a distinctive lakeside facility that sets it apart aesthetically from typical suburban funeral homes.
Families who value individual staff relationships, broad service options, and the logistical backing of a large national network will likely find Lakeshore a reliable choice. Those prioritizing the lowest possible cost, independent ownership, or confirmed BBB accreditation may wish to compare Lakeshore against independent funeral homes in the East Valley before making a decision.
This report was generated using publicly available information including licensing records, pricing data, and consumer reviews. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation.
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