While Holman-Howe Funeral Homes maintain one of the most beautiful fleet of professional blue Cadillac vehicles in South Missouri, it is even more widely known for its fleet of antique funeral vehicles.

 

The funeral home has available a 1955 Miller/Cadillac flower car, a 1890 S & S Horsedrawn Hearse, as well as the crown jewel of the entire fleet - the 1950 Presidential Lincoln Limousine of Harry S. Truman.

These vehicles are available for use upon request. Area residents are welcome to stop by and view these vehicles which are often parked outside on sunny days for public viewing.

Presidential Car returns home to Missouri
A famous car returned to its Missouri roots. In 1949 the Truman Administration commissioned Ford Motor Company to build eighteen (18) Presidential Limousines for exclusive use of the President of the United States. One of the few that remained after 50 years, was purchased by Lebanon funeral director and car collector, Kenneth Howe.

"We purchased the car from a Florida car collector who was selling his entire collection due to ill health". I recently visited the Fred Hunter collection in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, with the interest to potentially trade for, or purchase one of his antique hearses. When I saw this limousine, I could not help but want to bring this car back to its Missouri roots. Although the car was never stationed in Missouri, there are less than four (4) accounted for of the original eighteen (18). Number One, which was stationed at the White House is in a museum in Sweden, serial number 50LP(Lincoln Presidential) 6237H is one car and 50LP6238 is housed in the Truman Library in Independence, MO. Another car is reportedly in the Harrah Collection in Nevada. The other cars were continued to be used by the Eisenhower Administration until they were damaged or used beyond restoration.

Our car has been fully restored to its original condition. According to Mark Beveridge of the Truman Library…

"You have purchased the 1950 Special Custom Lincoln Cosmopolitan seven passenger limousine, serial number 50LP6237H. Your car has a special body built by Henney Motor Company, Inc., of Freeport, Illinois, under the direction of Lincoln-Mercury engineers and with the aid of Lincoln technicians. The car's high compression engine develops 152 horsepower and the chassis is specially equipped with a heavy duty, Cadillac commercial type, Hydra-Matic transmission, two-section drive shaft, and 8.20 X 15 tires. The script on the sides of the limousines reads, "Lincoln" instead of "Cosmopolitan." The car is painted black with a black landau top of pyroxlin-coated fabric. It has two, fresh air heaters, one under the hood for the driver and one fitted into the trunk for the passengers. The rear heater is connected to the radiator with tubes and a special fresh air inlet protrudes above the top to the rear deck. The car was originally equipped with front and rear compartment radios and an intercom system".

"We are delighted to bring this little bit of history back to Missouri," states Howe, "and particularly to have the car's new home in Lebanon, Missouri."

The Harry S. Truman Limousine placed 1st at the 26th Annual Professional Car Society's International Meet, in Grand Rapids, Michigan,for the limousine class, and was the talk of the show for many that were members as well as the visitors at the "open to public" show.

Late 1890's Sayers & Scovill Horsedrawn Hearse
The earliest model edition to the Holman-Howe Antique Funeral Livery	Awaiting the departure for Mt. Rose Memorial Park

Kenneth Howe, President of Holman-Howe Funeral Homes, is a member of the Professional Car Society which is dedicated to the preservation of antique funeral coaches, ambulances and limousines.