Our Story – A Legacy of Compassionate Cremation & Funeral Planning
Honoring Families With Dignity & Care for Over 50 Years
At Whatley Cremation & Funeral Planning, our mission has always been simple: to help families navigate funeral planning with compassion, expertise, and integrity.
For over five decades, we have been committed to ensuring that every family receives the personalized care and guidance they deserve, whether they are preplanning for the future or facing an unexpected loss.
As a family-owned and operated business, our legacy is built on trust, service, and a deep understanding of what it means to support families during life’s most difficult moments.
Meet Gene Whatley Jr. – Carrying on a Family Tradition
A Lifetime of Dedication to Funeral Prearrangement
My name is Gene Whatley Jr., and I am the current President and Owner of Whatley Funeral Planning. With over 33 years of experience in the funeral prearrangement industry, I have dedicated my career to helping families in San Diego and beyond secure their final wishes and ease the financial burden on their loved ones.
I was born and raised in Bonita, CA, where my journey in this field began. While attending Bonita Vista High School, I worked at La Vista Memorial Park, gaining early exposure to the funeral profession. After graduating from San Diego State University in 1989, I followed in my father’s footsteps, selling funeral insurance for local mortuaries. Over the years, I’ve been honored to receive multiple "Salesman of the Year" awards, a testament to my dedication to serving families with honesty and care.
In 1998, I married my wife, Linda Lee, and together, we have built a family and a business focused on helping people preplan funerals and cremation services. We take great pride in specializing in veterans burial benefits, ensuring that military families receive the full honors and financial assistance they deserve.
Our role is simple but profound:
we assist individuals in prearranging funeral services with trusted mortuaries, locking in today’s prices to provide peace of mind for the future. When the time comes, families don’t have to worry about making difficult financial decisions—they simply call the contracted mortuary, and their loved one’s wishes are honored as planned.
A Family Business – Built on Service & Integrity
The Vision of Gene Whatley Sr.
Our story begins with Gene Whatley Sr., a U.S. Navy veteran who came to San Diego from Georgia to serve his country. In 1956, while stationed in California, he met my mother, Ouida, a San Diego native. After being honorably discharged from the Navy in 1959, my parents married in 1961, and that’s where our family legacy in funeral planning began.
In 1969, my father joined his brother Terry in the preneed funeral and cemetery industry in Georgia. A year later, he returned to San Diego to work for El Camino Memorial Park, quickly becoming their top funeral prearrangement salesman. He spent several years excelling in the industry, helping families secure funeral plans in advance.
El Camino recognized his talent and offered him a management position, but instead, my father chose to pursue his own vision. He moved on to La Vista Memorial Park, where he built a prearrangement sales force and continued to assist families in securing funeral and cemetery plans.
The Birth of Our Family Business
In 1988, Gene Sr. took a bold step—he established his own business, working directly with funeral homes across Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona. This was the foundation of what would later become Whatley Cremation & Funeral Planning.
He incorporated the business under the name
SCNA Insurance Services Inc., derived from his initials, and began expanding our reach. Today, we are proud to work with
over 100 mortuaries throughout Southern California, continuing my father’s vision of helping families secure
preplanned funeral services with
clarity, dignity, and financial security.
Our Commitment to Helping Families
At Whatley Cremation & Funeral Planning, we see our role as guides, advocates, and trusted advisors for families during a time when clarity and support matter most. We are committed to:
Providing Compassionate Guidance – Helping families make informed decisions with care and understanding.
Simplifying Funeral Planning – Taking care of paperwork, arrangements, and logistics so families can focus on what matters most.
Offering Affordable Preplanning Solutions – Ensuring families can lock in today’s prices and avoid
future financial strain.
Serving Veterans & Their Families – Helping military families
maximize their VA burial benefits and receive the honors they deserve.
Answers to Your Questions – We’re Here to Help
We understand that cremation & funeral planning can feel overwhelming, and families often have many questions about final expense planning, prearranged funerals, and veterans benefits. We encourage you to reach out so we can provide clear, honest answers and help you make the best decisions for your family.
Whether you need to preplan your arrangements or require immediate funeral assistance, we are here to guide you.
Contact Us – Let’s Start the Conversation
If you would like to discuss funeral planning, veterans burial benefits, or cremation services, please call Whatley Cremation & Funeral Planning at 619-390-9408 or fill out the contact form below.
Let us help you
secure your wishes, protect your loved ones, and find peace of mind knowing that everything is taken care of.
A Legacy of Service – Helping Families for Generations
For over 50 years, Whatley Cremation & Funeral Planning has been a trusted name in San Diego County and beyond, helping families prepare for the future with compassion, professionalism, and care.
We are proud to continue our family tradition of service, ensuring that every family we work with receives the guidance, support, and peace of mind they deserve.
Business Hours
- Mon - Fri
- -
- Sat - Sun
- Closed
