POCATELLO — Wilks Funeral Homes recently made a big investment in their casket transportation options with a new one-of-a-kind Rosewood Coach hearse that offers all the charm and prestige of a well-kept vintage car.
The Max Prinzing Rosewood Coach is one of only 13 the manufacturer makes each year, and it’s the only one in the world that is fully customized the way Wilks Funeral Homes wanted it.
Brock Wilks,owner and funeral director at Wilks Funeral Homes, had been eyeing the car for years after he first saw a Rosewood Coach 15 years ago at a convention. Owning a Rosewood Coach almost immediately became an expensive goal that, as a car enthusiast, Wilks wanted to work toward.
“I've always really enjoyed cars. I'm not mechanically inclined, but I do really like cars,” Wilks said. “I remember in my ninth-grade speech class we had to give an informative speech, and for my informative speech, I actually went through and talked about all the features of the Cadillac DeVille. So, I've always been interested in cars.”
In October 2021, Wilks heard that the price of the Rosewood Coach would likely go up soon due to an increase in the cost of materials. He took that as a sign to make a move on the high-end hearse.
“I always was really impressed by how people were just drawn to it,” Wilks said of the hearse. “So, I thought it would be great at some point to have one of those, so I kept track of the company. They said, ‘Well, if you're thinking about it, now's the time.’ So, I decided to move forward with it.”
Wilks waited more than a year for the Rosewood Coach to be built. It was completed in March of this year, and Wilks took a roadtrip to pick up the car in Arkansas.
The already lengthy road trip took even longer with the new hearse in tow because every time he stopped for gas, Wilks said, strangers would approach to admire the car, get photos and ask him questions about it.
“I was answering questions on one side of the car and my wife was answering questions on the other side of the car,” he said. “It really justifies and speaks to what this car does for people because if we were towing home a regular hearse, it would actually repel people. Nobody would want to know anything about it. They wouldn't want to look in that direction, and this was the exact opposite.”
The hearse’s black and silver color scheme was chosen by followers of Wilks Funeral Homes in a poll the company posted on Facebook, and the car also has custom logos and other features.
While the hearse looks vintage on the outside, it's an entirely brand new build, with all modern GM parts to keep the car running, and a new frame.
Since arriving in Pocatello, the hearse has been booked most weekends for funeral services and has made appearances at car shows.
“We're really excited to have it here,” Wilks said of the Rosewood Coach. "We think it brings a light element to the funeral itself, and it's just another way to make the day special for families.”
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