Colonial Memorial Chapels Welcomes New Manager of Operations
February 28, 2025
Colonial Memorial Chapels Welcomes New Manager of Operations
Lackawanna, NY — Colonial Memorial Chapels in Lackawanna, NY extends a warm welcome to John Biddlecom who is taking on the role of Manager of Operations.
John is a 1991 graduate of Frontier High School in Hamburg, NY. His passion for caring for others was realized while attending Erie 1 BOCES’ Nursing Program in the early 1990’s. He continued his education at SUNY Canton, attending their Mortuary Science Program, where he graduated with the class of 1996. Gaining vast experience in all aspects of the industry, John served a funeral firm in Western New York for nearly three decades. His last 15 years were spent in the role of licensed manager of their Buffalo location. He also operated a trade company, assisting local funeral firms with their operations.
John is involved with various groups in the Buffalo area which promote putting an end to violence, and assisting families with stillborn and infant deaths. In his spare moments, he enjoys spending time with his 11-year-old daughter, Aviana and his rescue dog, Gemma. He is also an avid sports fan, most notably, the Buffalo Bills, the Bandits and the Sabres.
Having joined the team at Colonial Memorial Chapels in Lackawanna in December of 2024, John is pleased to take on the role of Manager, following his cousin, Matthew Pasnik, to oversee the day-to-day operations and to serve the families of Lackawanna and surrounding communities.
Milestone Funeral Partners would like to warmly welcome Sara Collins, Funeral Director of Advance Planning in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Sara was born and raised in North Smithfield, Rhode Island, where she graduated from high school in 2001. She attended college courses at the Community College of Rhode Island and served for a period of time in the United States Coast Guard, prior to embarking on a long-called career in funeral service. Licensed as a funeral director in Massachusetts, Sara is a 2006 graduate of Mount Ida College. Sara began her career as a Managing Director in the Boston area and more recently in Scituate, MA, for the past decade. She is an expert in Jewish funeral customs and has planned and conducted hundreds of funerals of all faiths in the greater Boston area. She recently joined the team at Dyer-Lake Funeral Home, located in North Attleboro, MA. She is passionate about integrating the funeral home organically into the community and in recent years has focused her efforts solely on community education and advance planning. Sara lives in Scituate, MA with her husband Jimmy, their 3 children, and 2 dogs. She loves a good crossword puzzle and anything with a flamingo on it. She’s an avid reader and enjoys being near the ocean, taking trips to Disney and New Hampshire with her family and attempting to knit. She’s played piano since she was 7 years old and loves to play in her spare time.
Dyer-Lake Funeral Home Welcomes Funeral Director and Manager, Tom Paquette
Reflecting on the past year, we at Milestone Funeral Partners are grateful for each new partnership and the momentous strides made in 2024. Milestone Funeral Partners joined forces with six new firms in January, beginning with the Baker-Gagne Funeral Homes in West Ossipee and Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. The firm’s legacy dates back more than a century. Originally owned and operated by a local cabinetmaker, the Baker-Gagne Funeral Home is the oldest and longest-established in Wolfeboro. Milestone also partnered with the Cheshire Family Funeral Homes in West Swanzey and Keene, New Hampshire and the Tri-State Crematory in Troy. We wrapped up the month of January with the addition of the Colonial Memorial Chapel in Lackawanna, located just south of the City of Buffalo, New York. The month of April brought along an additional five partnerships across New Hampshire and New York. Joining us in Rochester, NH is the team at R.M. Edgerly & Son, New Hampshire’s oldest Funeral Home. Originally owned and operated by a local carriage maker, R.M. Edgerly & Son was established in 1839. The firm’s legacy proudly dates back more than 180 years. The Colonial Family Funeral Homes, with locations in Woodbourne, Liberty, Kauneonga Lake and Livingston Manor, New York also make wonderful additions to our team. Their primary location in Woorbourne is situated within a Colonial Farmhouse, built in the 1830’s. The facility was handcrafted using stones from the nearby Neversink River. Their kind and compassionate staff provide remarkable service to the local community. Milestone partnered with two additional firms in May, both located in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York. The Whiter-Hendrix Funeral Home has served the residents of the Mohawk Valley and surrounding communities since 1893 and is presently the longest-operating business in Ilion, NY. They recently celebrated their 130th anniversary of dedicated service. Mohawk Valley Funerals and Cremations in Little Falls, NY, founded in 2013, also joined our team, providing excellence in service to families in their time of need, while combining affordability. Varnum and Charbonneau Funeral Homes in West Brookfield and Warre, Massachusetts proudly joined Milestone Funeral Partners in August of this year. Their knowledgeable staff joins our team, providing service to the families of Central Massachusetts. The Barry Funeral Home partnered with us at the start of November. Serving the families of Rome, New York and surrounding communities since 1974, their funeral directors and staff have built a reputation of honor and compassion. Also joining us in November are the William W. Tripp Funeral Home and Cheetham Funeral Home of Pawtucket, RI, marking a new state venture for Milestone Funeral Partners. Located in the Lumb Mansion, the William W. Tripp Funeral Home is an English Tudor Style, red tapestry brick mansion, meticulously constructed from 1917 until its completion in 1919. The funeral home has been in operation within the Lumb Mansion since 1957. We closed out a wonderful year by partnering with five firms in December. This marks another new state venture for Milestone, adding the beautiful state of Connecticut. With locations in Manchester, West Hartford, and Willimantic, we are pleased to welcome the Blumenstein Funeral Home, Holmes-Watkins Funeral Home, Manchester Funeral Home, Affordable Tributes, and Potter Funeral Home. The Milestone family is proud to have grown by 23 locations in 2024, bringing our total number of partners to over 60 firms across all six New England States and New York. Each of our distinguished firms has a rich history in their respective communities. We look forward to cultivating these new relationships and continuing our mission to grow in 2025. For more information about Milestone Funeral Partners and each of our funeral homes, please visit www.milestonefuneralpartners.com
Julie Williams Promoted to Director of Advance Planning by Milestone Funeral Partners
Milestone Funeral Partners Welcomes Christopher Sasso as Chief Development Officer