Our Story

David Rairigh has spent most of his lifetime in the funeral business. He grew up in Hillsdale, the son of Albert and Doris Rairigh, where he and his family lived above the   Albert E. Rairigh Funeral Home. David’s grandfather, H.D. “Dan” Rairigh and his great grandfather, H.A. “Albert” Rairigh were funeral directors and founded and established the family business in 1915.

In 1991, David began his studies at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, graduating in 1992. He was fortunate to serve his internship under the supervision of his father and continued to work with his dad as a licensed funeral director until Albert’s untimely death in 1998. Dave’s mother, Doris had previously passed away in 1997.

After his parents passed, his sister took ownership of the family business and Dave and his wife, Jenny, sought out a business of their own.

From 2001 through 2012, Dave and Jenny owned and operated the Kelchner-McMichael Funeral Home, later known as the McMichael & Rairigh Funeral Home in Berwick, PA. In 2012 they discovered an opportunity to return “home” to Indiana County, therefore they sold the funeral home in Berwick and purchased the Bence Funeral Homes in Indiana and Clymer.

Today Dave and Jenny operate the Rairigh-Bence Funeral Home & Crematory in Indiana, PA.

The Indiana Funeral Home

Bence-Mihalcik Funeral Home

In the early 1970’s, funeral director Frank T. Mihalcik purchased the property at 965 Philadelphia Street in Indiana which is still used as our funeral home, as well as our main business office. Mr. Mihalcik renovated and expanded the building so it could be used as a funeral home. He operated the Frank T. Mihalcik Funeral Home until he sold it to the Bence Family in 1992, when the business became known as the Bence-Mihalcik Funeral Home. Mr. Mihalcik died in 2009.

Carl and Harry Bence operated the Bence-Mihalcik Funeral Home for twenty years before selling to David and Jennifer Rairigh in December 2012.