It goes without saying, that we should applaud & be extremely grateful to the thousands of medical…read moreprofessionals, who may come in contact with the Covid19 virus, on the frontlines of this epic pandemic war. However, during this most difficult time, there are heroes that go thoroughly unmentioned and unoticed as if they're invisible. There are no signs, billboards, thank you cards, colorful posters, chaulky sidewalk art appreciations, flashing headlights, social media hurrays, lit cell phone waving, nightly news expressions of gratitude, nor horn honking visits to honor these incredible experts where they work. If you've had a love one die, you know the pain and anxiety of planning a funeral. Now imagine planning to honor a loved one during a pandemic--unimaginable. We set our pain aside and thought what in the world must it be like for our skilled funeral professionals. Especially as we view news reports of mass graves & mass incinerations, by the thousands, in Asia. They too are putting their lives on the line handling thousands of love ones. Not for the living, but for the rest of us. Robert did not hesitate to inform us of the magnitude of the situation. We fretted about our options as we called all over NYC after our dear love one succumbed to old age. Robert said yes if I can & put our minds & hearts at ease. We are beyond grateful. We cannot keep quiet. Lets make the posters, lets honk the horns, lets phone flash our funeral experts, lets spread the nightly news, lets take to social media to say.... You are our national heros too! Thank you! A thousand times thank you our honorable funeral experts! You work tirelessly so we can sleep a bit easier. You must be beyond exhausted.

Robert the owner was great in providing information and constant updates. Process was easy and we…read morereceived ashes hand delivered in record time

Excellent staff especially. Kenny Kornhouser The mortuary…read morewas very clean and warmly inviting

People die to get in this place…read more The Original Owner of Parkside sold out to Dignity more than a year ago. It's kind of like those mergers you hear about where a big fish consumes a small fish. In this case, the owner of Parkside reached his retirement years so he was looking for a buy-out. He was a responsible man who would return your calls that I chatted with a couple of times. I enjoyed chatting with him. After the merger, they closed down the original Parkside of many years on Queens Blvd and then combined operations with other Funeral Homes at this new location on Queens Blvd listed above. Economy of scale. My family and I did business with Parkside many times over the years--not Dignity--so not sure if things changed. Probably did. Reality is that there is nothing pleasant about Funerals and Funeral Homes. I had to pick out a casket and burial plan for my mom per her instructions before she past on and take care of the business end of things. I highly recommend doing that at least a few weeks in advance of death or longer if the person knows what they want--get all plans finalized and paid in advance is the way to go. New York State law requires that the funds go into escrow until the death. You won't lose them. The guy I was dealing with at the home was a retired NYC cop. Working at these homes was a retired cop doubling dipping kind of job. And they know who to call if you need heavy lifting pall bearers. And they make arrangements for a secure hearse and limo rides--retired cops part-time on those gigs too. People turn over cash at funeral homes and there can be violence sometimes as families meet who have not seen each other in a while or are unhappy with the will or someone trying to take jewelry off the corpse during viewing. They can tell you 100's of stories. It's a good thing to have cops there to make sure things go right. But I was also part of a funeral where the widow did not pay in advance for the funeral and on the day of, we were locked up in a room at Parkside negotiating and writing checks--you don't want to be there. I still have bad memories from that. Don't do that to yourself please. And as far as Caskets go--if your budget can handle it--try to get a nice casket. You don't need the Gucci, Burberry or YSL model with the logo on the side, just a nicely appointed one--that looks classy. Costco sells caskets too--not sure how that coordinates with the Funeral Home? And with Costco if you are unhappy with the performance of the Casket--they offer a lifetime return policy.

Excellent service from this established funeral parlor . The owners very nice people who really…read morecare about your family . Highly recommended to all the people of st Albans and beyond

I highly recommend Roy L. Gilmore Funeral Home. They did an excellent job in preparing my mom for…read moreher Home Coming Service on January 27, 2025. She was BEAUTIFUL! All staff members were both knowledgeable and professional from beginning to end. Funeral Director, Angela Gilmore Manning was thorough in explaining all details. I appreciated their prompt responses to my emails and calls. I was also pleased with the facilitation of the service by Pastor Beverly Sherrod. I felt confident leaving my mom's preparations in their hands. GREAT JOB!

Used this funeral home in 2013 when my mom passed as it was affordable and received excellent…read moreservice. Then in 2019 when my uncle passed we went back thinking we'd get the same quality service we received before, boy was I wrong. The moment we walked in we were met by pure ratchetness. Dudes that looked like they belong elsewhere eating wings and a so called funeral director (not the same one I dealt with in 2013) just as ghetto. No tact no empathy. I requested a change of casket since the one my cousin chose wasn't up to par and I was told it couldn't be done bc allegedly the body was already in the casket which I suspect wasn't true. Finally the morning of the burial they were over an hour late to pick him up and go to the cemetery. No reason given just kept telling us they were on the way. Unless this place has changed management and staff in the last 7yrs I would not use this place. I'd rate them no stars but that's not possible.

I was pretty much in shock when I contacted First Avenue Funeral Service in October from another…read morestate to make arrangements for a funeral. From the start they were compassionate, gentle and kind. There was no attempt made to upsell their services. They quickly took possession of my brother before I arrived in New York and it was a comfort to my family that he was no longer in the city morgue while I flew out to NY. They made the entire process of his wake and cremation as simple and gentle as possible. Mr. Lee was the one who prepared my brother for viewing. Mr. Lee is an artistic genius, due to throat cancer my brother did not look as he once did but Mr. Lee worked a miracle and despite the circumstances of his death my brother looked as if he had just settled down for a nap on my sofa. I half expected his ankles to be crossed as was his habit in life. While searching for a funeral home I found out that the one my family traditionally used was having legal issues over quality and was forced to look elsewhere to arrange funeral services. I'd contacted several funeral homes before deciding to go with FAS due to their location and was surprised to find that they were the least expensive out of all the funeral homes I'd contacted. They were budget friendly without being skimpy. Located in an area with several funeral homes, they are small, not so flashy and easily overlooked but they provide wonderful service and are kind and compassionate. I highly recommend them and will use them again should the need arise.

I must say that this place was terribly disappointing... Had my mother not requested years ago to…read morebe buried by them we sure would have chosen another place... How dare you be over 30 minutes late to open the door? I have never been to a funeral service that the owner was late. Not only late but you never returned one call from your answering service. What's the point of having an answering service if you are not going to use it? If I could give you a zero I would.... You tried to make the service the way you wanted it and that's not how it goes. I understand it's a business however it is a grieving time for the family and all we wanted was RESPECT... you didn't show respect when you were late... I cannot recommend this place at this time...

Not sure why people give such a bad rating, my dad passed last week and he handled everything…read moreprofessionally. If you are very sensitive or need a more sympathetic ear you may want someone else but my family has a sense of humor and could deal with him well. he did kinda brush me off when we asked him at wake for an extra death certificate, he said it wasn't the time to talk about that but my brother in law needed it for work right then. Mr. Dowd said it may start something if we did it then, like if one person asked everyone would want one, but other than that it was a good experience.

If you really want to hear about it, I suppose the first thing you'll notice about Fox Funeral Home…read moreis how beautiful it looks from the outside. It's got that official looking brick exterior with big arch windows, established 1906! ​Inside, they set up all these grand looking rooms with enormous Persian rugs, large grandfather clocks in the corner, and big soft leather couches. It's the kind of place that people come to mourn and greive the deceased, obviously its a depressing time for families. But the people who run it aren't like those typical directors who put on dramatic expressions just to make a buck. They are honest, kind, sincere and professional from beginning to end. Everything is clean, quiet, and polished, and they treat you like a real human being that they know instead of just another customer. ​It almost makes you feel like somebody actually cares about doing things right for a change.

Very professional and experienced. They are compassionate and supportive . I have arranged a…read morefuneral pre plan and several relatives were laid to rest through this company.

I can't express how grateful my famiy and I are about the services provided by Leo Kearns. Paul!!…read moreHas been an excellent, very professional and very cooperative. My requests were granted. Thank U Leo Kearns Services. My father had a beautiful send off. Sincerely Priya Kumar New Jersey

The attention to detail was impeccable. I felt genuinely cared for and the location on Woodhaven…read moreBoulevard is sumptuous and inviting, not at all like those dreary dark parlors that are so depressing. This location is tops for celebrating the life of your loved ones. Spacious, clean and the staff is so attentive. Plenty of parking in the adjacent parking lot by the church across the street which is available to all funeral guests.

I always tell my children to never say or write things in the heat of the moment. I tell them that…read moreto give themselves time to think if this what they really want to say, because once you say something it can never be taken back. So, I followed my own advice and waited a week, but I feel that this has to be said to you. Knowing the way you are, I sincerely doubt this will affect you, but I had to have my say. You have known my family for over forty years. As a little girl, I remember your funeral home being across the street from St. Benedict Joseph Labre school which I attended. The first wake I ever attended was at that funeral home for the custodian of St. Benny's. I realize that you deal with death on a daily basis, but the people that come to you are coming at their lowest moment. Fortunately, I don't deal with death on a daily basis. When my father died in April of 2022, I found you to be cold and unsympathetic. However, I gave you the benefit of the doubt, and decided when my mother died on February 16, 2025, to call you to handle the arrangements. I figured my mom would be the last of the Mohicans. I regretted that decision. I found you to be belligerent and condescending. If you cannot show a grieving family a little sympathy, it is time for you to retire. You were not very accommodating. I originally wanted my mom to have her wake on Wednesday, February 19, and to be buried on Thursday, February 20. You explained that there was a storm expected for that Thursday, and it may make the cemetery difficult. I understood that, but when the storm was canceled and I wanted to have the original dates, you said basically too bad I have other funerals. My mom died that Sunday, and I came to make the arrangements that Monday. You have three viewing rooms, how many people died in that period of time. When I checked on your website, the next wake you had was for that Thursday evening. I also gave you things that I wanted in the coffin with my mom, when I looked for them, I could not find them. When you were asked where they were, you said in the coffin. I looked again and still couldn't find them. Finally, you told me that they were under my mother. Something I never heard of. Also, on her mass cards, her date of birth was incorrect. You had her birth certificate. Instead of August 18, 1938, you had printed August 8, 1938. When I wanted a full open casket, you told me I better get her a gown. Who does something like that. I was flabbergasted. I was going to say something to you after the cemetery, but you kind of apologized and said you were having a bad week. Guess what, I was having a worse week than you. There is no excuse for the way you acted. Please consider retiring. Grieving families do not need to deal with a person like you. Not once did you express that you were sorry for my mom's passing. I will say one thing in your defense. My mom looked at peace in her coffin. Once you lose your compassion for a grieving family, you should no longer be a funeral director. Every time you were asked a question, you basically snapped my head off and said that you knew how to do your job. Obviously not, if this is the way you acted. This is no way to be. In addition to the grief of losing a beloved mother, your attitude was not something that I needed or should have experienced. -Maria Priolo

Honestly, if you can find another funeral home. Do it. I wish I could give ZERO stars if I could…read more We experienced a passing of a loved one, and the responses we received to ANY inquires were rude and absolutely disrespectful. Even asking something simple as 'Can we deliver the flowers on Saturday for a Sunday funeral' came with answer of 'Well if the flowers die, it's NOT our problem.' Absolute insanity. Would NOT recommend.

Deep Gratitude for Exceptional Care and Accommodations:…read more To the Management and Staff, the Houston family is writing to express our deepest, most sincere gratitude for the extraordinary care, professionalism, and comfort your team provided during one of the most difficult times for our family. Navigating the arrangements for a loved one is an incredibly heavy task, but the seamless accommodations and grace extended by J. Foster Phillips Funeral Home truly went above and beyond our expectations. From our very first interaction, your staff treated us not just as clients, but with the genuine warmth and respect of family. Every detail was handled with immaculate precision, and the environment you provided allowed us to focus entirely on honoring our loved one's memory without stress or worry. While the entire team deserves recognition, I must place a special spotlight on Erika Hinton. Erika is an absolute treasure, and her support was nothing short of exceptional. During moments when we felt overwhelmed, her calm presence, profound empathy, and meticulous attention to detail provided an immense sense of peace. She anticipated our needs before we even knew how to articulate them, handling every request with grace and a comforting reassurance that let us know we were in the best possible hands. Erika's dedication to her work and her genuine compassion for grieving families is rare and deeply admirable. She is a stellar representative of your funeral home. Please accept this note as a small token of our immense appreciation for everything you have done. You turned a period of profound sadness into a beautiful, dignified celebration of life, and we will never forget the kindness shown to us. With sincere gratitude, The Houston Family

My mother passed away 10/424, I was absolutely devastated and too distraught to handle the affairs…read moreset before me. While trauma can be a thief of memory forgive me if I get this wrong but her name is Tracey I believe, the ancestors must've known I needed her! She handled me with a level of care indescribably put into words. She made sure to work out every financial plan available to me and her patience during my time of loss went well beyond the professional standard. I couldn't thank the professionals at J. Foster Phillips enough. I lost family and gained some, they shall handle all me on my day because I know my family and loved ones are safe and secure to proceed. Thank you again.

I am very thankful the Hillebrand Funeral Home was there to take care of my loved one and help us…read moresay our final goodbye to him. The entire staff was kind, professional, and patient. Tara guided us through the entire process and explained each aspect of the funeral and viewing. Additionally, we were undecided about a few things but Tara gave us the space and time to finalize those decisions. She gave us her honest opinion and helped us make smart decisions about logistics. Tara held our hand throughout and didn't make this feel like a business transaction. Due to COVID-19, there were many restrictions at burial grounds within the city. I am extremely appreciative of how hard the team worked to find options for us that gave us the appropriate closure. I was able to sleep at night because I trusted the family with my loved one. They treated him with respect and care. We were especially touched when we left the funeral home and drove by our home for one last goodbye to the home. The funeral director, Brenden, stepped out of the car and placed a rose on our front step. He supported the entire family during the services and ensured everything ran on time. As a Guyanese Hindu family, we felt that the Hillebrand staff and family honored our traditions and helped us do everything that was necessary for my loved one's last rites. The facility was very clean and comfortable. It is beautifully designed. It didn't feel dark or gloomy. Additionally the parking lot was spacious enough to fit all of the guests. Even after the services I was amazed at how flexible the staff was when I needed to finalize details. My family and I left behind pictures and a few items from the memorial. They packaged everything with care and didn't pressure us at any point about pickup. If you are reading this review, I am sorry that you have faced a loss. Please know that I can confidently recommend this funeral home because the entire staff was caring, professional, and comforting.

Had a wake and mass at a church followed by cremation…read more Everyone was so kind, helpful , polite and patient with us. The place was very clean and they did a great job making g our loved one look great and paid attention to what they looked like in life. Pallbearers were well dressed and very professional. All funeral services are going to be expensive but I felt it was a good value and gave us the closure we needed.