Kenosha wedding and funeral business, born from personal tragedies, celebrates new venue

Before starting her own business, Kenosha resident Holly Miller found herself at the end of a long road of personal tragedies.

Three people most important to her, Miller’s “best people,” have died. The first was her grandmother a few weeks before her wedding. Then, two years later, her father. And finally, in the winter of 2018, Brian Steiner, Miller’s first husband.

It was during these difficult times that Miller said he realized the importance of funeral services, especially eulogies.

“My favorite people started running away, and I felt very compelled to tell their stories,” Miller said. “I just realized how precious and important this day is, how much these stories mean.”

From these experiences, Miller would create Stories of Life LLC, which provides funeral and wedding celebration services, in hopes of giving her the comfort and closure she found during her struggles.

On Thursday, friends, family and fellow local businesses gathered at Miller’s recently opened brick-and-mortar location, 6040 39th Ave Suite No. 5, which offers a remarkable space for small events.

Miller said she started the business in 2020, before the Covid pandemic hit, changing her career and getting the necessary training to manage events.

“I take my part with all these hopes and dreams and faith,” Miller said. “Then the world stopped.”

Despite the odds, SOAL survived the pandemic, and now with the space she acquired in September, Miller is looking to the future.

“I kind of dreamed of having a place one day, but it wasn’t a priority until I saw how much need there was,” Miller said. “We have a lot of wonderful, big places around here and I love them, but we need something smaller.”

The ribbon cutting was a crowded event, including Miller’s mother and the building’s owner, Dino Paili of neighboring Paili’s Bakery. During her speech to the assembled group, Miller shared her story, when she recalled losing her husband and starting a business while caring for her child.

She thanked her mother and Payley for their support, along with many others who helped her along the way.

“I don’t cry when I do services, I promise,” Miller joked. The group, including her teary-eyed mother, laughed.

More information about SOAL’s services and Miller’s story can be found on her website at storyofalifetimellc.com. Miller can be reached at 262-220-6754 or [email protected]