History & Staff
We have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity.
When we sit down with a family, we have just one goal: to create a fitting, memorable and affordable service for their loved one. Together, we explore the wide variety of services and products available, as well as a wealth of creative ideas and suggestions.
Together, we'll design a memorial or funeral service that suits their needs now, and in the future. Families who come to us know that years from now, they will have deep peace-of-mind because in coming to us, they've done their best to honor their loved one.
Our History
During 1977, William J. McDonough and his brother-in-law Robert L. Potterfield III saw the need for a new funeral home in Leesburg, Virginia. A funeral home that would put great emphasis on the service aspects of the industry and serve each family with out regard to race, creed or station in life, with the highest quality of professional service and sincerity.
During the early part of June 1977 a groundbreaking ceremony was held and after eleven months of construction our family was able to offer the families of Loudoun County a funeral home that was built just for funeral services, all on one floor with a formal chapel and rooms large enough to accommodate most families needs. This was the first time families of Leesburg had a choice in funeral homes for there final tribute to there loved one.
William J. McDonough and Robert L. Potterfield III were partners in the business for twelve years before Robert sold his interest to William in 1989. Over the next eight years Bill McDonough’s three children, Kathy, Bill, and Mark, graduated and began to help with the day-to-day operations of the funeral home. Loudoun Funeral Chapels, the McDonough family and the Loudoun community lost Bill, a loving and dedicated servant in July 2002 to cancer. Shirley Potterfield McDonough and their three children have continued to provide the same quality of professional service to families.
In August 1980 the Brown Funeral Home of Lovettsville, Virginia was purchased from Renice and his wife Lucille Brown. Brown Funeral Home began as a furniture and coffin business operated by Elijah Goodhart up until the early 1920s.
John D. Brown, a former banker in Brunswick, Maryland, then purchased the business. Mr. Brown’s sons Renice and Wendell operated the business and built the building in 1938 that the funeral home is still providing services in today. Wendell sold his portion of the business to his brother in 1940 and began working for the Railroad.
Families continued to use their homes for visitations as they always had until around 1942. During this year they began to see more families interested in using the funeral home. Families began to be more interested in using a building that had larger rooms than most homes to accommodate their friends. The Brown family operated the business for over sixty years before selling the business to Loudoun Funeral Chapel in 1980.
In 2012 all of Lovettsvilles operations were consolidated to the Leesburg chapel. We would like to thank the community for the years we have been allowed to provide our services and stand ready to continue the level of professionalism and service you have become accustom.
Our Valued Staff
William J. McDonough, Founder
William J. McDonough, passed peacefully on July 30, 2002 at home in Leesburg with his family by his side. Mr. McDonough was born February 12, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York, to the late Joseph J. and Kathryn P. McDonough. He attended Arlington County Public Schools.
Shirley McDonough, President
Shirley and her late husband, William, were founders of Loudoun Funeral Chapels. She has been a life long resident of Loudoun County, being a Potterfield, Shirley is proud of her family's ancestors being one of the founders of Lovettsville. Shirley is involved in many civic activities including a lifetime member of the Rebecca's Lodge as well as a member of Leesburg United Methodist Church and Chairman of the Kathryn Eye Circle. Shirley and her family have dedicated their lives to serving the community.
Bill McDonough, Funeral Director
Bill attended Loudoun County Public Schools growing up and graduated in 1991 from Loudoun County High. He holds a mortuary science degree from Gupton Jones Collage of Mortuary Science, Atlanta, Georgia.
He has been with the funeral home since 1991 and helps with all aspects of the family business. Bill resides in South Riding, Virginia.
Kathryn McDonough Webb, Managing Director/ Funeral Director
A life long resident of Loudoun, Kathryn is a 1989 graduate of Loudoun County High.
She graduated in 1997, Magna Cum Laude from Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science, Atlanta, Georgia.
She has been dedicated to the family business since 1994 and began managing the funeral home when her father passed in 2002.
She is a proud Mom to three amazing young adult children, Matthew who is the newest director on staff. Meghan works part time in the business and is a college student, and Morgan who also works part time in the family business and is a college student.
Kathryn and her family resides in Paeonian Springs.She enjoys being active in the community.
Mark McDonough, Monument Sales/Funeral Assistant
Mark, a life long resident of Leesburg, attended Loudoun Country Day School, Leesburg, Va. and graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. At Loudoun Funeral Chapels, Mark helps with many aspects of funeral service and manages our monument division.
Matthew McDonough Webb, Funeral Director
Lisa Perry, Funeral Director
Lisa is a 1988 graduate of Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. She has been a funeral director in the Northern Virginia area for over 31 years. Lisa resides in Lovettsville, Virginia with her two children Amanda and Ryan.
Dan Crist, Funeral Director
Dan holds his funeral directors license in VA and PA. He is also a licensed insurance agent.
Bev Tate, Funeral Attendant
Bev is a life-long resident of Loudoun County and a graduate of Loudoun County High School.
She served in the United States Army and then returned to Loudoun County where she began a life of public safety.
Bev served 26 years in the Loudoun County Combined Fire-Rescue system and retired from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office after 28+ years of service.
Meghan Webb, Funeral Attendant