David followed his father Maurice Devall in the profession who had been a funeral director in Nuneaton until his death in 1969 when David was just 11 years old.
David started as a trainee funeral director with a Nuneaton based funeral directing company when he left school and gained his qualification as a member of the British Institute of Embalmers. David was very ambitious and wanted to expand his knowledge in his chosen career and worked for other funeral companies around the country gaining his qualification in Funeral Directing and becoming a member of the British Institute of Funeral Directors. Whilst working as the Operations Manager for the Bristol and Bath region of the Co-operative Funeral Service (CRS) he gained his diploma in Funeral Service Management and met Stephanie who had also worked for the company since leaving school and gained her qualification as an embalmer. In 1986 they moved back to Nuneaton to start their own independent family business. The following year, Stephanie qualified as a Funeral Director with the British Institute of Funeral Directors.
In 1987 David’s nephew Jonathan Bambury joined the family business and gained his diploma in Funeral Directing and his NVQ in Monumental Masonry which he is currently responsible for managing. In 2006 David and Stephanie were proud to welcome their son Daniel into the family business, who also went on to gain his Diploma in Funeral Directing and became a member of The British Institute of Funeral Directors. The family management team has over a century of experience in the funeral profession between them.
Devall & Son are extremely proud of their conscientious staff, many of whom have been with the company for over 25 years and a few staff members have been with them since it was established.
In 2010 Devall & Son completed a major expansion of its funeral home which has doubled the size of its Attleborough base and have carried out a full refurbishment of its existing building. The expansion includes a new reception area, four interview rooms, nine chapels of rest, administration offices, a state-of-the-art embalming theatre and mortuary and additional garaging. The extension also boasts a beautifully presented catering suite which incorporates an airy conservatory.
From early humble beginnings back in 1986, Devall & Son have continually sought to reinvest in their premises, facilities, vehicles and ultimately service to their clients. David said “It is extremely important to us that people who have lost a loved one feel comfortable in their surroundings and we are delighted with the improved facilities we now have in place. We are very much a family business with solid foundations in place for the future of the company. We are determined to continue to provide a professional and caring service to the community for generations to come”.