James "Jimmy" Moran was born in 1868 in Trevorton, PA. His family came to Decatur in 1880 when his father went to work for the Decatur Coal Company. In 1893, Jimmy joined the Funeral establishment of Wikoff & Reeve. Early in his career he drove a hearse working his way up to the position of an apprentice embalmer. In 1924 after saving for 20 years, Mr. Moran realized his dream and built the finest and most sophisticated funeral home in "Downstate Illinois" at the corner of Water and Eldorado.