Frederick Brothers Crematory

In the 1930s Clifton E. and Clinton M. Frederick, identical twins started working for the Charles Giltz Funeral Home, Theresa, NY. In 1939 Clifton graduated from Simmons School of Embalming in Syracuse. Clinton graduated the following year. They continued working for Mr. Giltz and assisted his son Harold at his funeral home in Alexandria Bay, while also operating the family vegetable truck farm. When Charles Giltz died in the 1940s the Frederick brothers continued operating the business for Mrs. Giltz. They purchased the Theresa funeral home in 1951 changing the name to Frederick Bros. Funeral Home. In the 1950s they bought the Coolidge Funeral Home in Philadelphia and then purchased the Shurtleff Funeral Home in Evans Mills in the early 1960s. They added Parker Funeral Home in LaFargeville in the late 1960s and the Quincer Funeral Home of Redwood in the early 1970s. Clifton Frederick married Elizabeth J. Haller, a registered nurse from LaFargeville in 1953. She received her funeral director's license in 1955, making her the first female licensed funeral director in Jefferson County. Clifton died July 1976 and the funeral homes were incorporated under the Frederick Bros. Funeral Home, Inc. name. In January 1977 fire destroyed the Theresa funeral home, which was the main office for the corporation. That spring ground was broken for the present facility on Route 37 in Theresa. Clifton and Elizabeth's son Jeffrey graduated with his Mortuary Science Degree from Canton ATC, Canton, NY in May 1978 and following a one year residency received his funeral director's license. In 1980 Jeffrey married Julie A. Buckley of Antwerp. Julie, a registered nurse went back to college at Canton ATC and graduated in 1984 with a degree in Mortuary Science. Following a year of residency she received her funeral director's license. Joy Frederick, daughter of Jeffrey and Julie completed her degree in Mortuary Science from SUNY Canton and after completing her residency received her NYS funeral director's license in 2009. In past years, due to changing trends in the funeral industry and restructuring we now have two funeral homes, located in Theresa and Evans Mills. We continue to serve Jefferson and southern St. Lawrence counties, including the towns of Theresa, Alexandria, Orleans, LeRay, Antwerp, Phildelphia and Hammond. Clinton Frederick continued to be active in the funeral business until his death March 24, 1995, at the age of 80 and Elizabeth Frederick retired in 2002 due to illness. She died January16, 2009.