About Us

About Our Funeral Home and Our Commitment to You

Family-owned and locally operated since 1931, our commitment has been unwavering:

We dedicate ourselves to providing compassionate and personalized service to comfort grieving families during their time of greatest need.

The loss of a loved one is often the most difficult event in a person's life. We want to be there to help.

With over 90 years of trusted service spanning over four generations, our experience has helped us to better understand the needs of the families that we serve, as well as to provide guidance on how to best honor the memory of their loved ones.

We understand that no two funerals are exactly alike, nor should they be, as a funeral is a reflection and celebration of the life of an individual. As such, we encourage personalized services, and are always willing to accommodate specific requests.

We openly serve all faiths, traditions and beliefs.

Our Beginnings

Giovanni "John" Colucci came to Niagara Falls, NY from Sulmona, Italy in 1907 at the age of 18. Like many of the immigrants of his time, he came to America in search of a better life.

A deeply caring man with an entrepreneurial spirit, he held many jobs, working tirelessly to make ends meet for his young and growing family. John worked as a grain foreman at the Shredded Wheat factory, operated multiple local taverns, worked as a bricklayer with his brothers Concezio and Francesco, and was a gifted chef who served at local weddings and other celebrations.

Through all of his work, he was most fulfilled when he was able to help his family and friends, whether it be through a ride in his automobile, a hearty meal, or leading celebrations as a grand march leader. He decided that he could best do this by becoming a funeral director, and helping those in their time of greatest need – the death of a loved one. John first began serving the community as a funeral director in the mid-1920s. In order to gain business and build his reputation, he partnered with a few local funeral directors to hone his craft. John began operating under the Grand Funeral Home name out of his family’s home on Grand Avenue in Niagara Falls in 1931.

After a couple of partners and a family move to the other side of Pine Avenue, John branched out on his own and established the Colucci Funeral Home at 481 19th Street in Niagara Falls in 1941. There, he operated under both the Grand Funeral Home and Colucci Funeral Home names. He ran the Funeral Home until the early 1950s, at which point his health deteriorated and he was no longer able to run the business. John was confined to a wheelchair for the last 12 years of his life and passed away in 1963.

Today, The M.J. Colucci and Son Niagara Funeral Chapel carries on the legacy of Giovanni "John" Colucci with a dedication to comfort those in their time of greatest need.

Our Growth

Our GrowthMario J. Colucci, John’s youngest son, sought to carry on the legacy of his father. Mario returned to Niagara Falls in 1946 after serving in Europe with the United States Navy during the Second World War. Mario finished his high school education in 1947, which was cut short by his service to his country. Shortly thereafter, he enrolled in mortuary school. Mario graduated from the McAllister School of Mortuary Science in New York City in 1949. With his father’s health deteriorating, Mario served his apprenticeship at the former Ernest Wedekindt Funeral Home in Buffalo, NY and received his funeral director’s license in 1955.

In August of 1958, with the financial and moral support of his family and friends, Mario opened a funeral chapel at 468 19th Street, across the street from his family home and father’s former funeral home. The newly constructed M.J. Colucci Funeral Chapel was state of the art for its time, featuring 3 large chapels and air conditioning. The financial burden was great, but Mario was dedicated to continue his family’s legacy of helping others.

Like his father, Mario needed to work multiple jobs in order to make ends meet. When he did not have to tend to funeral services, Mario delivered beverages for a local distributor until 1965, when the business grew to a point where he needed to focus solely on running the funeral home. In the late 1960s, the business continued to grow as a result of Mario’s hard work and reputation. The funeral home conducted an average of 40 to 50 funerals per year during this period. Mario’s innovative foresight to offer services and accommodations that no other funeral home in Niagara Falls were offering at the time provided him with a competitive edge.

Mario proudly and faithfully served the community, compiling over 56 years in funeral service, before passing away in 2016 at the of age 89.


“We dedicate our profession to the fulfillment of the needs of every individual with a complete funeral service, with emphasis on Economy, Practicability and Distinction” – Mario J. Colucci, August 1958

Our Advancement

John C. Colucci, Mario’s son, realized his desire to continue in his father and grandfather’s footsteps while attending high school at Bishop Duffy in Niagara Falls. John enrolled at the State University of New York at Canton and earned his degree in Mortuary Science in 1975. Immediately thereafter, he joined Mario as an apprentice before earning his New York State Funeral Director’s License in 1976. John worked under his father's tutelage until 1982, at which point John became a minority partner in the business.

From 1982 onward, John began to build upon Mario’s foundation of high level quality service and offering with a goal of modernizing the business. John spearheaded remodeling efforts at the 19th Street Chapel to give the facility an updated and spacious feeling. In all, the 19th Street Chapel underwent 5 remodels since it opened in 1958, a testament to John and Mario’s focus on customer comfort. John purchased adjacent properties to meet parking needs of the growing business. In addition, he acquired a fleet of modern vehicles to better accommodate the families that he served. In 1992, Mario entered semi-retirement and John assumed control of the operation.

It is John's true passion to help others in need, an inherited trait from his father and grandfather. John realized that if the business operations functioned more seamlessly, more time would be allowed for him to attend to the bereaved. Knowing that he could not do it all alone, John has worked to assemble a very dedicated and knowledgeable staff to assist him helping to better attend to every detail and need. John’s desire to serve more families created a vision for future growth.

In 2002, John realized his vision. Space was becoming limited on 19th Street as the operation was outgrowing its facility. John acquired 2730 Military Road in Niagara Falls, the location of a former bread store. It was at this location that John constructed the M.J. Colucci & Son Niagara Funeral Chapel, which opened in February 2004. The modern facility is the first of its kind in Niagara County. From 2004 until late 2014, operations continued out of both locations. The 19th Street location was sold to a non-funeral entity in 2014 and operations were consolidated to Military Road, where John and his dedicated staff continue to work to find progressive ways to best serve those that are grieving.

“Always keeping the needs of the families that we serve first and foremost, we aim to make this difficult time as stress-free, courteous, and cost effective as possible. Please let us know if there is anything that we can do, big or small, to help comfort you during this trying time. We will go above and beyond to accommodate any request.” – John C. Colucci

Our Timeline

Our Timeline

1907: Giovanni “John” Colucci immigrates to Niagara Falls, NY from Sulmona, Italy

C. 1924-1925 John Colucci begins working as a funeral director

1926: Mario J. Colucci, the youngest child of John and Giuseppina Colucci, is born on October 26th in Niagara Falls

C. 1931: John Colucci operates under the Grand Funeral Home name on Grand Avenue in Niagara Falls

1941: John Colucci opens Colucci Funeral Home at 481 19th Street in Niagara Falls; operates under both Colucci and Grand Funeral Home names

1949: Mario J. Colucci, John’s son, graduates from McAllister School of Mortuary Science in New York City after serving in the US Navy from 1945-1946

1951: John Colucci ceases operations of Colucci Funeral Home due to deteriorating health

1955: Mario J. Colucci earns his New York State Funeral Director’s License after serving his apprenticeship in Buffalo, NY

1955: John C. Colucci, son of Mario J. and Josephine J. Colucci, is born in Niagara Falls.

1958: Mario J. Colucci constructs and opens the M.J. Colucci Funeral Chapel on August 14th, located at 468 19th Street in Niagara Falls

1963: Giovanni "John" Colucci passes away on February 1st in Lockport, NY at the age of 74

1975: John C. Colucci graduates from SUNY at Canton with a degree in Mortuary Science; John becomes apprentice with Mario

1976: John C. Colucci earns his New York State Funeral Director’s License

1982: John C. Colucci becomes a partner with Mario J. Colucci

1992: Mario J. Colucci semi-retires; John C. Colucci becomes majority partner and manager

2004: Construction is completed on the second location, M.J. Colucci & Son Niagara Funeral Chapel, 2730 Military Road in Niagara Falls

2014: 468 19th Street is sold to a non-funeral entity; all operations continue at M.J. Colucci & Son Niagara Funeral Chapel

2016: Mario J. Colucci passed away on April 10th at age 89.

2018: Construction is completed on 5,500 square foot addition to M.J. Colucci & Son Niagara Funeral Chapel, including new chapel space (Peace Chapel), 3 garages, office, flower room and preparation space.

2020: Mario J. Colucci, son of John C. Colucci, earns his New York State Funeral Director’s License, becoming the 4th Generation of the Colucci family in Funeral Service.