The first owner, Richard W. Nichols, a 1942 graduate of Napoleon High School, joined the United States Marine Corps and served honorably during WWII. In 1959, Richard “Dick” and Phoebe Nichols purchased an old farm house located at 820 Fifth Street in Michigan Center. With some renovations to the farm house, Dick and Phoebe raised their new family in the upstairs apartment and opened their newly founded funeral home and ambulance service to the public. They began serving Michigan Center and the surrounding communities.

Nearly 20 years after opening, in 1979, Robert “Bob” Arthur, a 1973 “Gold Medal Class” Napoleon High School Graduate, joined Dick and Phoebe and created a new partnership well known in the community as Nichols - Arthur Funeral Home. Nichols- Arthur Funeral Home served the community for 36 years.

Later, Jeff Day, a 1981 graduate of Napoleon High School, joined the staff in 1987. In 1991, he became a licensed funeral director in the state of Michigan and furthered his career at Nichols-Arthur Funeral Home.

During their partnership, Dick and Bob began to establish a relationship with Jeff Sr. and Tonyia Eineder. The relationship began when the young couple suffered the loss of their first born, one-month old daughter, Jessica Lynn Marie Eineder in June of 1988. Dick and Bob continued to counsel Jeff Sr. and Tonyia and were among the first to know about the couples’ second pregnancy. Nine months later, Jeffrey Eineder Jr. was born.

Having these family friendships, in late 2006, Jeff Eineder Jr. approached Dick, Bob, and Jeff to inquire about a job shadowing opportunity with the firm. In 2007, Jeff Eineder Jr. began assisting with funerals, visitations, and minor jobs around the Nichols-Arthur Funeral Home. Jeff Eineder Jr., a 2007 graduate of Napoleon High School, remained on staff until 2011 when he left to attend graduate school at Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago. Jeff graduated from Mortuary School in 2012.

After 72 Years of marriage, and 54 years of working in and around the funeral home, Phoebe Nichols died on May 13, 2013, at the age of 88. After the death of his wife, Dick retired in 2015 at the age of 91. Dick died on January 2, 2020 at the age of 95.

Bob continued to operate as Nichols-Arthur Funeral Home until February of 2016 when he gifted a minority partnership and a share in the business to Jeff Day forming the new entity, Arthur-Day Funeral Home.

In late 2017, Bob began the renovation of Arthur-Day Funeral Home. The undertaking included adding a large addition, making the funeral home handicap accessible, providing larger restrooms, creating a more open gathering space, and expanding the parking lot.

As Bob started looking toward retirement, both Bob and Jeff Day contemplated multiple different avenues. They considered Jeff Day taking over as sole proprietor, an Indiana firm purchasing the funeral home, or a national corporation purchasing the funeral home. In light of Jeff Day not having any interest in taking over the business and Bob not having interest in turning the business over to a corporation, Bob and Jeff approached Jeff Eineder Jr. and his wife Kristin (Richardson) Eineder about purchasing the funeral home in April of 2022. In November of 2022, the Eineders purchased Arthur-Day Funeral Home and opened Eineder Funeral Homes in Michigan Center.

Although Jeff and Kristin were eager to begin a business relationship with Jeff Day, he decided he did not want to be a full time funeral director shortly after Eineder Funeral Homes opened in Michigan Center. Jeff Day decided he wanted to fully retire in October of 2023.

Jeff and Kristin posted a job opportunity on the funeral home website and were overjoyed when Chris Hawkins applied for the funeral director position. Chris Hawkins, grandson-in-law of Dick and Phoebe Nichols, became a funeral director for Eineder Funeral Homes in April of 2024.

In 2024, Jeff and Kristin also started additional facility improvements and renovations. The facility now has a kid oriented room and a cafe for families to gather. Effort was also placed into creating a warm and welcoming space for families to call their own with new furnishings and a fireplace. Additional improvements to the outside appearance will continue in 2026.

Jeff, Kristin, and Chris are excited to have the continued opportunity to serve the families of Michigan Center and its surrounding communities.