Tom Keiser Jr., a life-long resident of Scotch Plains, sees the community from a unique vantage point. Like his father and grandfather, Tom is the owner of the Memorial Funeral Home in Fanwood, which has been serving the community since 1928.
“The community is at the center of our work and we really value feedback we get from people” Tom said. “Things have changed dramatically in our profession – especially after the pandemic, and I’d like to believe that we are leaders in the community when it comes to helping people through challenging times like the death of a loved one.”
Originally located in Plainfield, Memorial Funeral Home in Fanwood was designed and built by Tom’s father from the ground up in 1980. It was the first funeral home in the area that was specifically designed to function efficiently as a funeral home – as opposed to the traditional old homes that were converted into funeral homes. The goal was for every detail of this warm, comfortable, and fully handicapped accessible space would help mourners honor their loved ones in the most comfortable setting.
“Although we work with all the local churches and temples, religious services are not as prevalent as they once were. So, we pay attention to that. We often host celebrations of life, as opposed to the traditional religious services with the deceased present. Our community has become more diverse and younger, and we made some physical changes to our funeral home with a complete renovation in 2021 with those families in mind. We wanted a bright and comfortable space,” Tom explained, referring to the recent renovations.
Comfort is tangible in the close groupings of soft couches and chairs instead of rows of seats that can make conversation difficult. This way, small groups are talking and connecting over the person they’ve lost.
“Covid restrictions for funerals showed all of us how important it is for people to gather and remember together. Hugs are really important.”
Setting Memorial apart from other funeral homes is their café area. In 2019, New Jersey was one of the last states to repeal a law which banned food or drink from being served in funeral homes. Visitors may have traveled long distances, and the café area can be set up with coffee, snacks, and sandwiches for them to enjoy. The café can also provide a private space just for the family to take a breather without needing to leave the building.
Tom’s daughter, Katie, also felt the generational pull to serve her community. After graduating from Brooklyn Law School and working in family law and mediation, Katie found law wasn’t as fulfilling as her previous part-time work at the funeral home.
“I found the common denominator, helping people, combined with my love of our family business really pushed me in this direction. I love finding different ways to help people honor their loved ones and also help the business evolve,” Katie said.
“And it's nice to have youth, especially when it comes to technology,” Tom added, referring to the importance of livestreaming services and putting together video memorials from photos.
“When a death happens, some people want to know every detail from that first phone call they make to us. And other people are just in a head spin. And so, we go slow, taking it one step at a time,” Tom explains. “We try to be very good listeners and intuitive to what people need - whether that first phone call is 9:30 on a Monday morning or 3 o'clock in the morning over the weekend.”
Preplanning your arrangements is something Tom strongly suggests when he does presentations within the community. There are many financial as well as emotional benefits to preplanning and Memorial is well versed and happy to answer any questions.
In addition to supporting the community in sad times, Tom is also a longtime member and past president of the Fanwood-Scotch Plains Rotary Club and serves as the chairman of the Rotary Garbe Scholarship Fund. Tom has also participated in Century for the Cure, biking 100 miles in a single day to raise money for the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.
Serving the community, along with Tom and Katie, are Laura Mann, who serves as manager of the funeral home. After graduating from Mount St. Mary Academy and Loyola University, Laura, decided to pursue a career as a funeral director. Originally from Plainfield, Laura recently moved to a new home in Scotch Plains with her husband and daughter.
For more information or to discuss your funeral and memorial needs, please reach out at (908) 322-4350 or visit www.fanwoodmemorial.com
“Covid restrictions for funerals showed all of us how important it is for people to gather and remember together. Hugs are really important.”