History & Staff

Our History

At the encouragement of a friend, Joseph Farone, Sr. moved to Syracuse, New York, in 1911 to open a funeral home to serve the large Italian immigrant population. From 1911 to 1946 his funeral home was in various locations on State Street. In the early 1900s funeral homes were mostly store fronts because funerals were conducted in the deceased’s family home. But after World War II, funerals were held more often in a funeral home. 

In 1939 Joseph Farone, Jr. entered the business after his older brother, Pasquale, passed away. In 1946, Joseph Farone, Sr. and son Joseph Jr. purchased a mansion on James Street next to an empty lot that later became the new St. Peter’s Church. In 1955 Joseph Farone, Sr. passed away, and in 1967, Patrick and Anthony Farone joined their father, Joseph, in the funeral home business. 

In 1975 Joseph and Anthony designed and built a new funeral home, which is the current facility. At 17,000 square feet, it was the largest funeral home built in central New York at that time, and may still be the largest.

In 1989 Marie Farone and in 1991 Joseph Farone joined their father, Anthony in the running of the funeral home.  In 1997 Toni Ann Farone received her license and joined the family in the funeral home.

In 1997, Farone & Son joined with SCI and then in 2013 reacquired the firm from SCI.  The Farone family also acquired Pirro & Sons Funeral Home which also operates at 1500 Park Street.

Anthony, Joseph, and Marie continue to operate the two most premier funeral homes in Central New York.

Four generations of funeral directors, the Farone family continues to improve and expand.  In the near future plans are being made to move to the suburbs while keeping our present location.