All Pursuit of Excellence applicants submitted an essay describing the development and execution of a program or service that had a positive impact on the families they serve or their community, qualifying them for the Best of the Best Award, which recognizes the most novel and innovative programs and services in the profession. After a thorough review, the Pursuit of Excellence Task Force can select up to 10 funeral homes to receive the Best of the Best Award.

• 2024 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Hightower Family Funeral Homes, Carrollton, Georgia; Hightower Family Funeral Homes, Bremen, Georgia; Hightower Family Funeral Homes, Douglasville, Georgia
  • Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Coal City, Illinois; Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Gardner, Illinois; Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Morris, Illinois; Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Wilmington, Illinois
  • Return Home, Auburn Hills, Washington
• 2023 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Arlington Memorial Chapels and Crematory, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
  • Arrington Funeral Directors & Crematory, Jackson, Tennessee
  • David C. Brown Funeral Home, Belleville, MI
  • Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., Hamburg, New York (Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., West Seneca, NY)
  • Macz Funeral Home, Centralia, Illinois (Day Macz Funeral Home, Sandoval, IL; Day Macz Funeral Home, Patoka, IL; Irvin Macz Funeral Home, Odin, IL)
  • Martin Funeral, Cremation & Tribute Services, Mt. Morris, Michigan
  • Morris-Baker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Johnson City, Tennessee
  • Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes & Crematory, New Castle, Delaware (Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes & Crematory, Delaware City, DE; Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes & Crematory, Newark, DE; Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes & Crematory, Middletown, DE)
  • Waitt Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Morganville, New Jersey (Mathis Funeral Home, Medford, NJ)
• 2022 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • J. García López Casa Prim, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Return Home, Auburn, Washington
  • Waitt Funeral Home & Cremation Service and Company, Morganville, New Jersey 
• 2021 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick, New Jersey
  • Funeraria San Vicente S.A., Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia
  • Mililani Memorial Park & Mortuary, Waipahu, Hawaii, and Company
• 2020 Best of the Best Award Recipients 
  • Arlington Memorial Chapels, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
  • Funeraria San Vicente S.A., Medellin, Colombia
  • Gardinier Funeral Home, Inc., Franklin, PA
  • Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., West Seneca, NY
  • Macz Funeral Homes, Centralia, IL
  • Morrissett Funeral & Cremation Service, North Chesterfield, VA
  • Worlein Funeral Home, Austin, MN
• 2019 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Frank E. Campbell - The Funeral Chapel, New York, NY 
  • Jennings-Calvey Funeral and Cremation Services, Inc., Clarks Summit, PA
  • Posey Funeral Directors, North Augusta, SC
  • Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Traverse City, MI
  • St. Peter Chapels, Quezon City, Philippines
• 2018 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Ang Chin Moh Funeral Directors Pte., Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
  • Funeraria San Vicente S.A., Medellin, Colombia
  • Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, East Pittsburgh, PA
• 2017 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Arlington Memorial Chapels, Inc., Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
  • Old Bridge Funeral Home, Old Bridge, NJ
  • Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes and Crematory, New Castle, DE
• 2017 Best of the Best Award Finalists
  • Chambers & James Funeral, Pet & Cremation Services, Wellsburg, WV
  • Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Traverse City, MI
• 2016 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Traverse City, MI
  • Seaver-Brown Funeral Service, Marion, VA
  • Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, TN
• 2016 Best of the Best Award Finalists
  • Geisen Funeral, Cremation & Reception Centre, Crown Point, IN
  • Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre, Madison, IN
  • Morris-Baker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Johnson City, TN
  • Pedersen Funeral & Cremation Service, Morris, MN
  • Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes and Crematory, New Castle, DE
  • Worlein Funeral Home, Austin, MN 
• 2015 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Anderson-Burris Funeral Home & Crematory, Enid, OK
  • DeMoney-Grimes, A "Life Story" Funeral Home, Columbia City, IN
  • Holman-Howe Funeral Home, Lebanon, MO
  • Morrissett Funeral & Cremation Service, North Chesterfield, VA
• 2014 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Kilpatrick Funeral Home, West Monroe, LA
  • Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Traverse City, MI
  • Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, TN
  • Worlein Funeral Home, Austin, MN
• 2013 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Brandon G. Thompson Funeral Home, Hammond, LA
  • Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick, NJ
  • Carlson Funeral Service, Inc., Rhinelander, WI
• 2012 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Brandon G. Thompson Funeral Home, Hammond, LA
  • Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Rockford, IL
• 2011 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Arlington Memorial Chapels & Crematory, Manila, Philippines
  • Coston Funeral Homes Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
  • Paul-McBride Funeral Chapel, Norwood, MN
  • Spencer Family Funeral Home, Athens, MI
• 2010 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Cannon-Cleveland Funeral Directors, McDonough, GA
  • Funeraria San Vicente S.A., Medellín, Colombia
  • Heritage Funeral Home, Spokane, W
  • Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home, Litchfield, MN
  • Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home, Breckenridge, MN
  • Littleton & Rue Funeral Home & Crematory, Springfield, OH
  • Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary, Cemetery & Arboretum, Denver, CO
  • Shuler Funeral Home, Hendersonville, NC
• 2009 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Coston Funeral Homes, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
  • DeMoney-Grimes Countryside Park Funeral Home, Columbia City, IN
  • Ippolito-Stellato Funeral Home, Lyndhurst, NJ
  • Lippert-Olson Funeral Home, Sheboygan, WI
  • Mattson Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Forest Lake, MN
• 2008 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Brucker & Kishler Funeral Home, Newark, OH
  • Carmon Community Funeral Home, Windsor, CT
  • Coston Funeral Homes, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
  • Drum Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Conover, NC
  • Erlewein Mortuary, Greenfield, IN
  • Funeraria San Vicente S.A., Medellin, COLOMBIA    
  • Hooper-Huddleston & Horner Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, Cookeville, TN
  • Humphrey Funeral Service, Inc., Russellville, AR
  • Savage Funeral Service, Binghamton, NY
• 2007 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors, Troy, MI
  • Caldwell & Cowan Funeral Home, Inc., Covington, GA
  • Davis Funeral Home, Nashua, NH
  • Ippolito-Stellato Funeral Home, Lyndhurst, NJ
  • Jones-Wynn Funeral Home, Villa Rica, GA
  • Kilpatrick Funeral Homes, West Monroe, LA
  • Samuel E. Coston Funeral Home, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
  • West Funeral Home, West Fargo, ND
• 2006 Best of the Best Award Recipients
  • Carmon Community Funeral Home, Windsor, CT
  • DeMoney-Grimes Countryside Park Funeral Home, Columbia City, IN
  • Heritage Funeral Home & Crematory, Spokane, WA
  • Kilpatrick Funeral Homes, West Monroe, LA
  • Patti Funeral Directors, Inc., Fort Lee, NJ
  • Spencer Family Funeral Home, Athens, MI
  • Targhetta & Wooldridge Funeral Home, Brighton, IL
  • Waller Funeral Home, Oxford, MS
  • Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Directors, Royal Oak, MI