Old
CHESTER
in Delaware County, PA

 OldChesterPa.com: Funeral Directors

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George J. White Funeral Home

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While funeral home records can be a source of information for people researching genealogy, please keep in mind that this service is not a primary part of their business.   Some will gladly look up old records while others my be reluctant or even unwilling to provide this time-consuming service.  It is for this reason that we don't provide contact information here.  Also, some old records were kept only in the name of the person who made the arrangements - not in the name of the deceased.  The following table is intended only as a guide to determine whether the particular funeral home who served your ancestors is currently in operation or, if not, who might have taken over their records.

Funeral Home Owner Current Location History
Bateman   Yes Edgmont Ave.
Brookhaven, PA
 
Bleyler William S. Bleyler No 500 W 22nd St.
Upland, PA
The Bleyler Funeral Home was the first in the area built c. 1948-1949 exclusively for Funeral services. Mr. Bleyler had formerly worked for Imschweiler.

As of May 2006 Bleyler Funeral Home became a part of Minshall - Shropshire- Bleyler funeral home at their Media location.

Brower James M. Brower Yes S. Providence Rd.
Wallingford, PA
The business, originally established by N. Walter Fairlamb in 1844, is the successor to Fairlamb, Imschweiler, and Imschweiler/Brower.
Carr   Yes S. Providence Rd.
Wallingford, PA
Is a descendant and has the records of the EF White Funeral Home.
Also has the records of:
Nacrelli,
Nacrelli-Molla, Thomas E Rairdon, & Mary E. Carr funeral homes
Carr, Mary E. Mary E. Carr No
(1960-1963)
3rd & Norris St. Successor to Thomas E. Rairdon. For records see Carr Funeral Home.
Cavanagh   Yes   Cavanagh has been in existence since 1885.  In 1974 they merged with William T. Patterson (Baltimore Ave. & Monroe St. in Media, PA).
Clancy John L. Clancy No Broad (9th) & Upland Streets
Chester, PA
(June 1937)
Records may be at Nolan-Fidale
Fairlamb N. Walter Fairlamb No 512 Market St.
Chester, PA
(1929)
One of the two original "undertakers" in the city of Chester, this business was founded in 1844 by cabinet-maker N. Walter Fairlamb.  Following his own death, the business was carried on by successive generations of Fairlambs until it was sold to Ray F. Imschweiler in 1932.
Foster Earl L. Foster

Reginald L. R. Rawls & son Kyle (2001)

Yes Kerlin St.
Chester, PA
Thanks to TERRYABJT@aol.com for this current information.
Francis, Mrs. Annie E. Mrs. Annie E. Francis No 1713 W 3rd St. "Only Colored Funeral Director & Professional Embalmer"

From their advertisement in the Home Directory of the Colored People of Chester, 1906 compiled by Lawrence L. Barrett & C. I. Wilson

Francis Funeral Home   Yes 500 W 22nd St.
Upland, PA
Began business c. May 2006 at the former location of Bleyler Funeral Home.
Griffith Horace B. Griffith III. Yes Norwood, PA Established 1898
Hunt Lewis Hunt

Christopher G. Kent

Now In Philadelphia 3rd & Tilghman In 1949 his son, Lewis M. Hunt, Jr. joined the business.

"Hunt Funeral Home was last owned by Christopher G. Kent who has now moved his business to Philadelphia."

Thanks to TERRYABJT@aol.com for this current information.

Hunt Irving Chapel & Arrangement Offices Raphael M. Hunt Irving Yes 2500 Concord Rd., Chester Township, PA

610-494-2961

Dedicated October 2, 2002

"I purchased the former Leake Funeral Home, it is now called the Hunt Irving Chapel and Arrangement offices. So we all understand, I own the Hunt Irving Funeral home and the Hunt Irving Chapel and arrangement offices."

Thanks to
Raphael M. Hunt Irving
10/12/2006

Mr. Raphael M. Hunt Irving is the great grandson of the original Lewis M. Hunt who started Hunt Funeral Home at 3rd & Tilghman Sts.

Thanks to TERRYABJT@aol.com for this current information.

"W.J. Leake passed away and the funeral home was purchased by Hunt-Irving Funeral Home in 2006 and the name has changed to Hunt-Irving Funeral Home"

Thanks to
Brenda Tildon

Imschweiler
Imschweiler/Brower
Ray F. Imschweiler
George H. Brower
No 1600 Edgmont Ave.,
Chester, PA
In 1932 Ray F. Imschweiler became proprietor of the Fairlamb Funeral Home business and relocated it to the former D. Reese Esrey (of Shaw & Esrey)  home at 1600 Edgmont Ave.  (See newspaper clipping.)  In 1959 his associate, George Brower assumed ownership and the establishment became known as "Imschweiler/Brower".  It remained at this location until 1989 when George's son, James M. Brower relocated to Wallingford, PA.
Kaniefski-Kendus-D'Anjolell   Yes 1938, V.M. Kaniefski located at 2519 W. 3rd St.

W. 9th St.
Trainer, PA

Established 1918
Knoetgen   Yes Morton, PA
& Collingdale, PA
Established c. 1955
Laws Catherine B. Laws

Theodore Hawkins (2001)

Yes W 4th St.
Chester, PA
Thanks to TERRYABJT@aol.com for this current information.
Leake Mrs. W. M. James Leake (See Lewis Hunt - Irving Funeral Home) Formerly Pusey St.
Chester, PA
"W.J. Leake passed away and the funeral home was purchased by Hunt-Irving Funeral Home in 2006 and the name has changed to Lewis Hunt-Irving Funeral Home"

Thanks to
Brenda Tildon
Lee Harry A. Lee No 24th & Edgmont Ave.,
Chester, PA
 
Marvil   Yes    
Minshall

Minshall Brothers

William A. Minshall
Thomas Minshall
EJ Minshall
Minshall Brothers
(Thomas T. & Edward Minshall)
EB Minshall
Melvin Minshall
No 3rd St. (just east of Yarnall)

later

Kerlin St.
Chester, PA

later

Middletown & Knowlton Rds.
Media, PA

The second of the two original Chester "undertakers", William A. Minshall established this business in 1845.  He was succeded by several generations of Minshalls until the business was purchased by Norman Shropshire.  It operates today as the "Minshall-Shropshire Funeral Home".  Melvin I. Minshall, the last of the family to operate the business died after a very short retirement in Florida.

"Melvin was my cousin. He was my Dad's nephew. My Dad was in business with his brother (who was Melvin's dad) his name was Edward. The business was called "The Minshall Brothers Funeral Home". I will find out the year that it moved off of third street to Kerlin Street."

Thanks to Jim Minshall, son of Thomas T. Minshall,
carpjm40@yahoo.com

Minshall-Shropshire Norman C. Shropshire Yes Middletown & Knowlton Rds.
Media, PA
Established by William A. Minshall in 1845, the business now operates as "Minshall-Shropshire."

"The Minshal- Shropshire funeral home was my Aunt Ruth Warburton MacNeal's home.  It is now the home that my family uses for funerals.  What was the dining room is now a reception area next to the viewing room. Norm Shropshire, who is a family friend also, obtained the same type of furniture that my aunt had in the house. He got a large grandfather clock for the same corner of the room that the clock was in when it was my aunt's house.  When I go there for family funerals, it seems strange that when I was a toddler that I was playing in that room and all the family members who have had their viewings in the house (including my Aunt Ruth and my father) had dinner in that same dining room.  Who would have known."

Albert E. Warburton III, Aewarbur3@aol.com

Minshall-Shropshire-Bleyler Norman C. Shropshire Yes   As of March 2006 the former Bleyler Funeral Home was absorbed by Minshall-Shropshire at their Media location.
Molla Anthony Molla No   Anthony Molla's mother, Julia Molla, ran Molla's Florist on 3rd St.

Thanks to
Tony Casciato
tony.four@verizon.net

Moreland   Yes 9th & Main
Trainer, PA
 
Nacrelli
Nacrelli-Molla
  No 2217 Providence Ave.
Chester, PA
The Nacrelli Funeral Home was previously located at 811 West 3rd St., former location of Dr. DiMedio's home.

Nacrelli's & Nacrelli-Molla records are now at Carr Funeral Home.

Nolan-Fidale John P. Nolan
Frank Fidale
Yes 2316 Providence Ave.
Chester, PA
 
Parker Mary (and Frank) F. Parker   E. 10th St. "A very prominent and pioneering business"

Thanks to
Narice Jones, narice.jones@verizon.net

Patterson William T. Patterson Yes Baltimore Ave. & Monroe St., Media, PA In 1974 Patterson merged with Cavanagh.
Quattro   No    
Quinn, Herbert T. Herbert T. Quinn No 516 E. 9th St. (same block as the Mac Movie Theater)
Chester, PA
Probably closed in the 1960's following Mr. Quinn's death.

D. Gregas Dottygreg@aol.com

(For records, see White-Luttrell Funeral Homes, ltd.)

Rairdon Thomas E. Rairdon

[Obituary]

No

(1942-1960)

3rd & Norris St.
Chester, PA
Rairdon's records are now at Carr Funeral Home.

Mr. Rairdon assumed ownership of the E.F. White Funeral Home upon Mr. White's death in 1942.

Mr. Rairdon was succeeded by Mary E. Carr.

Ray Israel S. Ray, Jr. Yes 1924 W. 3rd St.
Chester, PA
Founded 1952.
This home suffered extensive fire damage during renovations on 5/5/2000.
Renda Chester A. Renda No Highland Ave. between 8th & 9th St. c. 1941 - c. 1977
Rigby Harting & Hagan   Yes Media, PA  
Videon        
White, E. F.   No 3rd & Norris St.
Chester, PA
For records, see Carr Funeral Home.
Records (1887-1930) are also available at Delaware County Historical Society; acquired and copied 1988 by Helen M. (Webber) Imburgia, HMWEBBER@aol.com
White, George J.   No

1940-1974

9th & Madison St.
Chester, PA
The George White Funeral Home was the former home of George DeShong. [Picture]

"George J. White was the founder of George J. White Funeral Home in 1940, which is now the White-Luttrell Funeral Homes, ltd. with locations in Ridley Park and Aston, PA. H.M. White and A.J. White-Luttrell, daughters of Mr. White, formed the White-Luttrell Funeral Homes, ltd. in 1974. Currently owned by Harold J. Whartnaby who has been employed by the funeral home since 1985.
Also, White-Luttrell Funeral Homes, ltd. maintains the records of the former Herbert T. Quinn Funeral Home of Chester."

Thanks to the White-Luttrell Funeral Home Staff for this information.

White-Luttrell Funeral Homes, ltd.   Yes

1974 - Present

Aston, PA
& Ridley Park, PA
"George J. White was the founder of George J. White Funeral Home in 1940, which is now the White-Luttrell Funeral Homes, ltd. with locations in Ridley Park and Aston, PA. H.M. White and A.J. White-Luttrell, daughters of Mr. White, formed the White-Luttrell Funeral Homes, ltd. in 1974. Currently owned by Harold J. Whartnaby who has been employed by the funeral home since 1985.
Also, White-Luttrell Funeral Homes, ltd. maintains the records of the former Herbert T. Quinn Funeral Home of Chester."

Thanks to the White-Luttrell Funeral Home Staff for this information.
Williams, M. F.   Yes Baltimore Pike
Clifton Heights, PA
Established 1927.

If you have any information and or pictures that you would like to contribute about the history of Chester, please forward it to john@oldchesterpa.com


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If you have any information and or pictures that you would like to contribute about any businesses in Chester, please forward it to john@oldchesterpa.com


© 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007 John A. Bullock III.

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This page last updated 05/14/07

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