About Us
About Henry W. Dabney Funeral Home, Inc.
Welcome to Henry W. Dabney Funeral Home, Inc., a place where care, dignity, and respect are at the heart of what we do. For years, we have been a pillar in the community, offering a serene and compassionate environment for families to commemorate their loved ones.
This was our original building in 1930
The original building burned down in a fire in February 1987
This is our current building where we perform our services
The first minority-owned funeral home in Ashland and Hanover County, Virginia., the Henry W. Dabney Funeral Home, was established and operated in 1930 by long-time local resident, Henry W. Dabney. His sixteen-year-old daughter, Salada, later joined the family funeral business and implemented an impressive and rigorous business plan that kept it on a steady rise to greatness serving the community she loved.
Miss Dabney married Charlie McCarthy, who at the time was a Pullman Porter on the New York - Hartford Connecticut Railroad. After their marriage, Mr. McCarthy transferred to the Seaboard Railroad and began partnering with his wife in the family funeral business during his time at home. Charlie later became a licensed Funeral Director and began working full-time with his wife and father-in-law. Together, they catapulted the firm to its next level by continuing excellent service and becoming the information hub of the local Black community. Mrs. McCarthy, in her love for her community, also coordinated weddings. She loved to work with the brides, decorating the church at her expense, and rehearsing the wedding party. Henry W. Dabney departed this life in 1954.
During this time, the McCarthys, in their desire for a family, adopted two infant sons. They were named Charlie, Jr., and Ricardo. After graduating from high school, Charlie Jr. joined the firm, and Ricardo began college. Charlie Jr. died in 1995. After the deaths of Salada and Charlie McCarthy, the thriving funeral business was left to their surviving son, Ricardo McCarthy. Ricardo McCarthy and his team continued the Henry W. Dabney Funeral Home's legacy by serving their families in the same dignified manner as Henry, Salada, and Charlie. Ricardo died on October 13, 2017.
Mr. Ricardo McCarthy managed the Henry W. Dabney Funeral Home from 1975 until his passing on October 13, 2017. The son of the late Salada D. and Charlie McCarthy, Rick, as he was affectionately known, was a native of Ashland, Va., where he graduated from Hanover Public Schools. He then attended Hampton Institute, now Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia, where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. Ricardo also received an Associate Degree of Mortuary Science from John Tyler Community College, Chester, Virginia, and was licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a funeral director and embalmer. One who loved people, his community, and to play golf, Rick was a member of the Association of Independent Funeral Homes of Virginia, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., and a former member of the Ashland Industrial Development Commission.
The Henry W. Dabney Funeral Home, Inc. is now owned by Ricardo's son, Greg. Along with a team of professional staff, Greg's desire is to continue the legacy established by his great-grandfather, grandparents, and father. Noting the importance of Henry W. Dabney Funeral Home in Ashland and the surrounding communities, we will continue to
"Celebrate Life With Dignity"
