For the team at Westfield Chapel Funeral Home, decades of experience meet a deeply personal commitment to the families and community they serve. For Stan Youngblood, the road to Northwest Arkansas began with family.
Raised in South Arkansas and around the funeral profession for much of his life, Stan graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 1984. His career has given him decades of experience caring for families during some of life’s most difficult moments, but it was his own family that first brought him to this corner of the state.
As his children attended the University of Arkansas, Stan and his wife, JoLynne, made countless trips to Fayetteville. Along the way, they watched Northwest Arkansas grow and change. Over time, the area began to feel less like somewhere they visited and more like somewhere they could call home.
Westfield Chapel Funeral Home was founded in Springdale in 2008 by the Fulfer family, who built a well-respected presence in the community over the next decade. In 2019, Stan and JoLynne purchased the funeral home from Colby Fulfer, carrying that foundation forward while bringing their own experience and approach to serving Northwest Arkansas families.
Today, Westfield remains family-owned and operated, but caring for families is very much a team effort.
JoLynne serves as office manager and is also a licensed funeral director. Marietta Walls, another licensed funeral director, has been a valued member of Westfield’s staff for 15 years, providing continuity across ownership and years of growth. More recently, Jason Stuart joined Westfield as a family coordinator, assisting with funerals, arrangements, and pre-planning.
Together, they serve families whose lives, traditions, and wishes can look very different from one another.
“We know every family is different, and there is no single right way to honor someone’s life,” Stan says. “Our role is to listen, answer questions, and help families make the decisions that are right for them during difficult times."
That philosophy shapes everything from traditional and personalized funeral services to cremation and pre-planning.
“We believe every family deserves to honor their loved one in a way that reflects who they were and what mattered to them,” Stan says. “Our responsibility is to listen, understand, and help families create something meaningful.”
Occasionally, that begins long before a family experiences a loss. At Westfield, pre-planning begins with a conversation. It can be an opportunity to ask questions, understand the choices available, and consider wishes at your own pace. For many families, making those wishes known can provide peace of mind today while easing difficult decisions for loved ones later.
And when a family needs Westfield, the team is available day or night, offering a steady presence, compassionate guidance, and personal attention so families have the time and space to focus on one another.
The team also recognizes that traditions, faith, culture, and personal wishes can shape how a family chooses to gather, remember, and say goodbye. Westfield places particular importance on honoring those who have spent their lives serving others, including veterans and first responders.
That commitment has earned recognition throughout the region. For six consecutive years, Westfield Chapel has been named a Best of Northwest Arkansas award winner.
But for the people behind Westfield, the most meaningful measure of their work is much more personal.
“It is an honor when a family places their trust in us,” Stan says. “Our entire team understands the responsibility that comes with that trust.”
Northwest Arkansas may not be where Stan’s story began, but it has become home for his family and the place where he and the Westfield team continue work that is deeply personal.
In a season centered on gratitude, there is much to be thankful for: a dedicated team, a community that has welcomed them, and the families who continue to trust Westfield with the people they love.
For the Westfield team, that trust is both a responsibility and a privilege.
“Our role is to listen, answer questions, and help families make the decisions that are right for them.” -Stan Youngblood
“It is an honor when a family places their trust in us. Our entire team understands the responsibility that comes with that trust.”