About Us

Concern for an underserved market formed the cornerstone in the founding of the WINNFIELD FUNERAL HOMES by the late Dr. Ben D. Johnson. His vision included the actualization of a funeral home system which cared for the families served while exercising corporate social responsibility on a real time basis as well.

His entrepreneurial genius was confirmed by the establishing of the first WINNFIELD FUNERAL HOME in the quaint north Louisiana town of Winnfield, Louisiana, a city which boasts of three native sons as the state’s governor. This economic feat was accomplished in 1932 despite seemingly insurmountable odds—America’s Great Depression and meager sum of $2.75 in seed capital borrowed with difficulty from nine Black male citizens of the area. Armed with the resources of a high school diploma from Natchitoches Parish Training School, an embalming and funeral directing credential from Texas School of Embalming and little other than a determination of iconic proportion coupled with his far-reaching intuitive spirit about developing business, Ben DeLoache Johnson made it happen!

Enhancement of this effort was expanded to encompass a series of funeral homes throughout Louisiana including Shreveport, Mansfield, Natchitoches, Alexandria, Lafayette, River Ridge and Baton Rouge. Winnfield Life affiliate funeral homes were located in Jonesville, New Iberia, Houma and LaFourche Parish. Layering of the WINNFIELD Enterprises grew to include WINNFIELD CASKET COMPANY, WINNFIELD LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY and BEN JOHNSON BUILDING SERVICE. The first mortgage division of WINNFIELD LIFE invested millions of dollars in minority residences, businesses, churches and fraternal meeting facilities throughout the Pelican State.

WINNFIELD’S outreach to the communities it serves survives to this day following the firm’s original commitment to improve the quality of life in each one of its markets. It is still the aim of the current WINNFIELD group to go above and beyond its function to provide professional death care goods and services to families. Current locations stretch from the northern region of Louisiana to settlements which a stone’s throw from the Gulf Coast. They include Shreveport, Alexandria and Baton Rouge. Each location is positively marked with spacious and well appointed facilities, expansive parking accommodations, experienced and professional personnel providing dignified service within affordable price range.

WINNFIELD maintains its commitment to serve families from every socio-economic stratum in our society with the ultimate in death care goods, service, and counseling offerings because we care. This firm’s 85 years of serving the Louisiana public is another milestone of economic development which enhances the standing of a company that has become a household word in the state of Louisiana. More then three quarters of a century of dignified and diligent death care efforts has formed a testament to the stability of an entity that has become an institution in our society.