Cummings Funeral Service, Inc. of Watertown and Clayton is 105 years old and is operated by the grandson of the founder. The business was started in 1919 as a combination funeral home/furniture store in Clayton, New York, which was not unusual in that time.

The business has been passed down from the grandfather and father of Mr. Cummings. Mr. Cummings's grandfather, also named Walter P., opened the business on Riverside Drive in Clayton. By 1929 the funeral home had dropped its furniture business. That same year Cummings Funeral Home moved to 320 John Street, Clayton, its present location.

Mr. Cummings, Sr. bought 212-214 Sterling Street in 1933 and started the Watertown Funeral Home called The Cummings Place. Cummings Place was operated by the grandfather and his wife, Nellie Fitzgerald Cummings, both of whom were licensed undertakers. The business was incorporated in 1949.

Upon the death of Mr. Cummings Sr. in 1952, his sons Walter P. Cummings, Jr., and Charles M. Cummings, continued the business. Walter P. Cummings, Jr. bought his brother's share of the business in 1953 and continued to operate it until his death in 1979. Today, the funeral service is owned and operated by his son, Walter P. Cummings.

When it comes to your final arrangements, shouldn't you make the decisions? The arrangements you make will reflect your exact wishes and desires. Pre-arranging your own service will help to ease the burden of your loved ones. It will also alleviate any questions, problems or differences, which can occur among family members.