The Lytle family has been active in funeral service in Madison, Indiana since 1920 when Andrew Lytle and John Gans opened the Lytle-Gans Funeral Home in Madison. Some two years later, Mr.Gans left the partnership and formed his own funeral business.
In 1948, after Mr. Lytle's death, his son, Markt A. Lytle, returned to Madison to assume the leadership role. He operated the funeral home until his untimely death in 1966. While presiding over a city council meeting as Mayor of Madison, he was stricken with a heart attack and died a few hours later.
Mrs. Ruth Lytle, Markt's widow, operated the funeral home under an emergency license granted by the Indiana State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers until her son, Markt Lance Lytle finished high school and mortuary school and could run the family business.
Over the years, the name of the firm has been changed to reflect the transitions, and from 1989 until 2002 was even renamed Lytle-Gans-Andrew Funeral Home after Mrs. Lytle's purchase of the competitor's business.
Markt Trevor Lytle, the fourth generation Lytle, purchased the funeral home in June 2004, once again placing the business under Lytle family ownership after a period of about eight years. The name was changed to Lytle Funeral Chapel.
October 1, 2015 was a landmark day in the history of the firm, as a second location was added. Daily operations of an existing funeral home were assumed, allowing the staff to serve the area with a facility "on the hill." The downtown facility became known as Lytle Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Main Street, while the new location became known as Lytle Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Vail's on Michigan Road. Just a few months later on January 5, 2016, a third location was added to the firm. The 90+ year old firm, Wood-Oakley Funeral Home in Milton, Kentucky, just across the Ohio River from Madison, was purchased from Wilma (Wood) Oakley. Over the years, we experience an increased interest from families we were serving to primarily use our more modern, easily accessable facility on the hilltop. This led to the Lytle family selling both the Main Street Chapel and the Wood Oakley Chapel to families who have turned them into their own residences.
In October 2018, Markt Trevor Lytle partnered with Brye Welty, a dedicated member of the staff to form Lytle Welty Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Vail Chapel. Trevor and Brye provided compassionate care to families together until August of 2025 when Trevor decided to step away from the family business.
On May 1, 2026, we launched Welty Family Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Lytle Chapel under the sole ownership of Brye Welty and his family. We strive each day to build upon the foundation of dignified care the Lytle Family built over the last century, while serving each family with a steady presence and a listening ear. The staff of Welty Family Funeral Home and Cremation Service invites you to stop in or call anytime with inquiries about the full range of funeral and cremation services offered.
"Our Family Serving YOUR Family"
