C hapel Oaks Funeral Home in Holton was started in 1988 by Chris Hutton. In 1990 Wayne Leiker moved to Holton to manage the funeral home and he and Chris became partners after purchasing the Tessendorf Mortuary in Onaga in 1993.

Chris and Wayne purchased the Schroeder Mortuaries in Hiawatha and Horton in 1997. At that time Jay Brock joined them as a partner.

In 1999 two funeral homes were added to the Chapel Oaks family, with facilities built in Highland and Hoyt.