The history of this facility dates back to 1938, when Mr. Francis Xavier Buchanan purchased the former Swifts-Diedericks residence on Cayuga Street at Fourth Avenue. He opened the Buchanan Funeral Home at that location in October of that year. He retired in 1956, having sold the funeral home in Iron River to Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Duvall of Iron Mountain. It was then called Duvall Funeral Home. In July 1978, Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Jacobs bought the funeral home from Duvall, and the name was changed to Duvall - Jacobs Funeral Home.

Mike and Toni Jacobs now own and operate the funeral home under the name Jacobs Funeral Home, Inc. of Iron River. Their son Paul returned to Iron River in the fall of 2007 to become a second-generation funeral director at the funeral home.