Building a Custom Urn Carrier for a Chrysler Pacifica: A Funeral Director’s DIY Project
Funeral homes are no strangers to adapting their vehicles to meet their needs. With more and more funeral homes converting vans and SUVs into hearses and funeral home vehicles, the need for custom solutions is growing, especially when it comes to respectfully transporting urns.
That was the vision for Steve Robison of Robison-Bahnmiller Funeral Home in Saline, Michigan. Wanting a safe and secure way to carry urns in his 2018 Chrysler Pacifica, Steve set out to design and build a custom urn carrier that would honor families and provide peace of mind on every trip.
From Vision to Plan
Steve entered the project with a clear idea: to build a durable urn carrier that would fit his Pacifica, while ensuring the urns inside remained stable and secure. Before starting, he reached out to our team at G. Burns to confirm whether his plan would work with our products. After discussing his vision, we agreed that the combination of a 10-hole bier pin plate and an urn holder carrier kit would be the right fit to bring his project to life.
The Build Recipe
Like any successful project, Steve’s urn carrier came together with the right mix of parts, materials, and craftsmanship.
G. Burns Products used:
10-hole bier pin plate
Urn holder carrier kit
Materials used:
Pine boards (10" x 1" x 8 ft, cut to size)
3/4" plywood (for the top)
Black felt lining
3M spray glue
Wood screws and glue
Dimensions of finished carrier:
10" tall
42" wide
30" deep
The process involved cutting the pine boards to the correct size for the box frame, securing the pieces with glue and screws, and finishing it off with a plywood top. Steve then lined the exterior with black felt for a finished, professional look. The final piece not only fits seamlessly into his Chrysler Pacifica but also provides a reliable and dignified way to transport urns.
A Look at the Project
The photos tell the story best from the early stages of assembly to the final completed urn carrier installed in the Pacifica.
Inspiration for Others
We’d like to thank Steve Robison and Robison-Bahnmiller Funeral Home for sharing this project with us and allowing us to highlight it here. His work is a reminder that with creativity and the right parts, funeral homes can create custom solutions that serve families well.
If Steve’s urn carrier has inspired you, explore our bier pin plates and urn carrier kits to start your own project. And if you’ve built something unique with G. Burns products, we’d love to feature your story in a future blog — contact us here.
