About Us
We're a Funeral Home Built On Showing Up for Families
We've grown well beyond where we started, but how we care for your family hasn't changed at all.
Real People Helping Real People
We focus on how many families we can help, not how much money we can make
It's always been about helping people, and it always will be.
We care for every family the way we'd want our own family cared for
Dignity, respect, and kindness — the same things we'd want if we were standing in your shoes.
We've learned to slow down and never assume
We ask questions, confirm every detail, and make sure your family always knows what comes next
Why City of Oaks Exists
Before City of Oaks, Edward managed operations across North Carolina for a large insurance company. Losing his grandparents changed that. Planning their funerals from a family's side showed him how confusing and overwhelming the process could be, even for someone who wanted to do everything right.
He opened City of Oaks in 2012 to offer something simpler. No unnecessary complexity, no pressure, just honest answers and a family treated the way he'd want his own family treated.
Fourteen Years of Growing, the Right Way
A lot has happened since we opened our doors in 2012. Here's a look at how we got from there to where we are today.
Where We Started
City of Oaks opens with one simple idea: cremation and burial without unnecessary complexity. Edward runs everything himself, answering phones, meeting families, and handling the paperwork. The first year, caring for seven or eight families a month feels like a real accomplishment.
Families Asked for More
Families start asking City of Oaks to handle more than cremation. Traditional funeral and burial services are added so every family can be served the same way, no matter what they need. Somer joins to lead daily operations, and the team grows enough to keep that same personal attention for every family.
A Dynamic Team Forms
Edward and Somer begin developing a team and implementing processes designed to support the vision of City of Oaks, adapt to change, and make arrangements as simple and accessible as possible for the families they serve.
Remaining Flexible to Changing Times
City of Oaks implements a user-friendly online arrangement system well before the pandemic. The ability for families to complete arrangements remotely proves invaluable and continues to be a preferred option for many families seeking convenience and flexibility.
Meaningful Offerings
City of Oaks partners with Parting Stone to provide families with an alternative way to honor their loved one's remains. This partnership encourages deeper evaluation of the products and services offered, focusing on those that provide genuine value and meaning to families.
Expansion of Services
The funeral home introduces alkaline hydrolysis as an alternative to traditional cremation. Additional viewing and visitation options are also developed, allowing cremation families more opportunities to gather, honor, and spend meaningful time with their loved ones.
From Innovation to Renovation
City of Oaks begins a major renovation project aimed at improving operations and modernizing the facility. The updates position the organization to continue serving families efficiently and thoughtfully for years to come.
Still the Same Mission
City of Oaks now cares for 150 to 160 families a month. The services have grown. The mission hasn't: every family should feel like they're our only family.
"When I started City of Oaks, I didn't set out to build the largest funeral home. I set out to build one that families could trust. Every family who walks through our doors is experiencing one of the hardest days of their lives. They don't need pressure. They don't need confusion. They don't need someone trying to sell them something. They need honest guidance, genuine compassion, and the confidence that someone is looking out for them as if they were family.
Every decision we've made since opening our doors has been guided by one simple question: 'If this were my own family, what would I want?' That question has shaped our people, our values, and every service we provide.
My hope is that long after families have forgotten what we said or what they spent, they will always remember how we made them feel — respected, cared for, and never alone. If we can give a family even a small measure of peace during one of life's most difficult moments, then we've fulfilled the purpose for which City of Oaks was founded."
Edward Kosmos
City of Oaks Funeral Home & Cremations
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Our Team
The people who'll walk with your family through every step, from the first call to the last.
Testimonials
Read what families we've served have to say.
We're Here When You're Ready
If you need help right now, call us. Our telephone line is answered 24 hours a day.
If you'd rather send a message, we'll get back to you as soon as we can. There's no wrong time and no wrong way to reach out.