Our History

We stand behind our reputation and will continue to serve our community with the values instilled by our funeral directors.

We, at the Iocovozzi Funeral Homes, are proud to be family owned and operated. Our funeral homes are large enough to give our families the same, quality service provided by the largest funeral homes around, yet we are small enough to provide each family we serve with the level of attention and care they deserve.

We have three licensed funeral directors on staff to ensure that the needs of you and your family are always met. The families in the Mohawk Valley have come to expect the highest level of service from the Iocovozzi Funeral Homes.

We pride ourselves in making your experience with the Iocovozzi Funeral Homes the best that it can be.

Our History

The V.J. Iocovozzi Funeral Home, Inc. was founded in 1946 at its present location, 203 Second Avenue. When Vincent J. Iocovozzi opened for business his was the most modern funeral home in the area. In 1953, he had an addition built on to the funeral home which more than doubled the size of the building. This addition could seat up to 125 people and the central air in the building was a real luxury, which made it the largest and again, most modern in Mohawk Valley. In 1953, Vincent founded Twin Oaks Memorials to make available, quality, affordable monuments to the families he served.

Vincent's wife Rose was also an invaluable asset in running the businesses. Vincent passed away on February 1, 1973 at the age of 49. Rose immediately took on the role of owner and operator of both businesses at that time. She was a wise and shrewd business woman. She had to be, since a woman in the funeral business was not welcomed at that time. She purchased the local competitor, Frankfort Owens Funeral Home, in the 1970s and turned it into an apartment house. Rose continued to be an independent business woman and mother of five throughout the 1970s.

In 1977, Rose's middle child, Cosmas, graduated from Simmons School of Embalming and Mortuary Science and returned to Frankfort to assist in running the family businesses. Rose's youngest son, Vinny, also attended Simmons and returned to Frankfort in 1980. Together, the three of them ran the family business for several years.

In 1981, Vinny founded Iocovozzi Livery Service to provide professional vehicles to the families served by the Iocovozzi Funeral Homes as well as to other funeral homes in and around the Mohawk Valley.

Also in 1981, Cosmas and Vinny decided to expand into Herkimer. They continued to help Rose in Frankfort but they also purchased the Petykiewicz Funeral Home on South Washington Street as well as the Burns-Richer Funeral Home on Henry Street.

In 1986 Cosmas decided to pursue other avenues in his career and Vinny bought out his share of the family business. In 1990, Vinny put a large addition onto the funeral home on South Washington Street and consolidated the two funeral homes creating what is there today, the Petykiewicz, Iocovozzi & Burns Funeral Home.

Rose has now retired and is living happily with her daughter Mary in Herkimer. She is enjoying retirement and fills her time doing many things that she never had time to do while she was running things at the funeral home. She enjoys spending time with friends and having her wonderful grandchildren over for supper.

(Photo: Founder of Petykiewicz Funeral Home/Licensed Funeral Director)