Business Details
Emergency
services
Candle Light Funeral Home in Catonsville, MD
Founded on a century-old legacy of compassionate service, Candle Light Funeral Home by Craig Witzke is a family-owned business proudly continuing the Witzke family tradition since 1912. As the fourth-generation funeral director, Craig Witzke brings over 25 years of expertise to offer dignified, personalized services tailored to each familys unique needs. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our diverse offerings, including traditional burials, cremation, natural burial partnerships with Serenity Ridge Cemetery, and specialized veteran services. We prioritize transparency, avoiding high-pressure sales, and provide honest guidance during lifes most challenging moments.Located in the historic Candle Light Inn, we combine modern amenities with a legacy of care to honor loved ones in a meaningful, comfortable environment. Our teams deep local roots and dedication to pre-planning resources ensure families receive comprehensive support, from immediate arrangements to long-term grief counseling. This combination of experience, ethical practice, and community focus establishes us as a trusted partner in times of need.
Services
Traditional Services
Cremation Services
Natural Burial
Veteran Services
Pre-Planning
Grief Support
Immediate Need
Obituary Listings
Memorial Services
Personalization
Highlights and features
- We offer fourth-generation expertise in funeral services since 1912.
- Our personalized services include eco-friendly natural burial options at Serenity Ridge.
- We provide specialized veteran services with military honors and benefits assistance.
- Our grief support programs offer one year of weekly messages for healing.
- We operate from the historic, recently renovated Candle Light Inn facility.
Services
Traditional Services
Our traditional services provide families with dignified memorialization options, including visitations, funeral ceremonies, and graveside services. We handle all logistics from embalming to cemetery coordination, ensuring a seamless process. Personalized elements like tribute videos and custom obituaries help create meaningful tributes.
Cremation Services
We offer cremation services with flexible memorial options, including temporary urns, permanent memorialization, and scattering. Our team provides guidance on creating personalized ceremonies, whether held at our chapel or a preferred location, with support for urn selection and final arrangements.
Natural Burial Services
In partnership with Serenity Ridge, we provide natural burials using biodegradable materials and green embalming fluids. These services eliminate concrete vaults and formaldehyde, emphasizing environmental sustainability while maintaining traditional visitation possibilities with eco-conscious preservation methods.
Veteran Services
We assist families in securing VA benefits, including burial flags, cemetery plots, and service-connected death compensation. Our staff coordinates military honors, chapel services, and paperwork submission to ensure veterans receive recognition befitting their sacrifices and service records.
Grief Support
Our grief support includes one year of weekly email messages designed to comfort bereaved individuals. The program offers resources tailored to different age groups, addressing unique challenges faced by children, adults, and families navigating the grieving process after loss.
People
Russell Craig Witzke, Jr.
Owner/President
Fourth-generation funeral director with 25 years of experience, Craig Witzke emphasizes personalized service rooted in family tradition. A lifelong Catonsville resident, he graduated from Catonsville Community College's Mortuary Program.
Celia Kipp
General Manager
A decade of experience in cremation services informs Celias approach to compassionate care. As a Catonsville native, she prioritizes understanding each familys unique needs while balancing administrative expertise with personal attention.
Erin Nagy
Supervising Mortician
Born and raised in Catonsville, Erin specializes in creating celebratory services that reflect individual lives. She holds a Mortuary Science degree from Catonsville Community College and works to combine technical expertise with emotional support for grieving families.
Becky Musto
Funeral Director
With an embalming instructor background, Becky provides technical excellence while emphasizing emotional closure. She balances funeral service duties with teaching responsibilities, bringing both practical and educational perspectives to family consultations.
Lily Johnson
Funeral Apprentice
Current Mortuary Science student at Community College of Baltimore County, Lily focuses on memorial personalization. Her approach combines academic training with a commitment to honoring individual stories through meaningful service details.
Questions
What types of funeral services do you offer?
We provide traditional burials, cremation services, natural burials, and veteran-specific services with personalized options.
Can I plan a funeral in advance?
Yes, we offer online preplanning forms and consultation to document your wishes for future reference.
Do you assist with veteran benefits?
We help families obtain VA benefits, military honors, and burial flags for eligible veterans.
What eco-friendly burial options exist?
Our natural burial partnership uses biodegradable materials and avoids traditional embalming chemicals.
How can grief support help?
Our program provides weekly email messages offering comfort and coping strategies for one year after loss.
What immediate services are available?
Contact us anytime for urgent assistance with arrangements, transportation, and documentation during sudden losses.
