Celebrating Life and Legacy

Celebrating Life and LegacyArticle and Photos by Mallory Leonard

Jerod Heidrick

In the United States, death care is a robust industry generating over $20 billion in annual revenue. Currently there are approximately 15,400 licensed funeral homes in the country. More than 80 percent are either privately or family owned. For the July “Exit Strategies” issue of Strictly Business I met with two local funeral directors who proudly care for North Country families during some of their most difficult moments.

Jerod Heidrick was drawn to his profession after losing his father when he was 20 years old. He found comfort in how the funeral directors took care of everything, making the planning and carrying out of his father’s services as seamless as possible. From that experience Jerod, and Chris, found a career opportunity.

In 2019 the Heidricks purchased the Twaits-Zaumetzer Funeral Home in Au Sable Forks, New York sight unseen. “I saw an ad in a nationwide funeral industry publication and we purchased it,” Heidrick explained. “Throughout our due diligence, everything lined up with what we were looking for and we took a chance.” The Heidricks left their jobs, sold their Colorado Springs homes, packed up their lives, and drove 2,200 miles east. They saw the property and the town for the first time the day they moved in.

The community was welcoming and the Heidricks worked hard. As time went on, they purchased a funeral home in Elizabethtown and then a third in Plattsburgh. Founded in 1829, the Elizabethtown location was the oldest family-owned firm in the State and one of the oldest in the United States. In 2025 a devastating fire destroyed the historic funeral home, a loss for both the Heidricks and the community.

But despite the challenges the Heidricks have experienced during their North Country tenure, they have never faltered. Today Jerod serves as the Funeral Director/CEO for both properties while Chris handles the administrative side of the business. When asked about their mission and vision ,Jerod smiled. “We want to be the best at what we do, and we believe in strong community interaction. Our goal is to do what the family wants and create a personalized experience for each individual. Not everyone wants a formal or traditional funeral. More families are honoring their loved ones with individualized arrangements. If we can find a way to do what they’re requesting, we will make sure their wishes are carried out.” This attention to detail and time spent getting to know the families has made a difference in the Heidricks success.

Asked about advice he could offer, Jerod began, “Pre-planning is a powerful tool, allowing for people to plan and pre-pay for their desired arrangements, alleviating some of the stress from the process and potential for overspending while grieving.” He continued, “Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better when it comes to providing a personal experience. Because of our smaller size and autonomy to make immediate decisions, volume isn’t what is most important to us. We believe in healthy growth, and it has worked well for us and our communities.”

When I visited R.W. Walker Funeral Home and Crematorium in Plattsburgh, I was greeted by funeral director Trevor Rabideau and his canine pal, Artemis. “He truly has a sense for those who need a calming presence,” Rabideau offered with a smile “Animals always know.”

Trevor Rabideau and Artemis

The Walker Funeral Home began operations in 1938 in Chazy, New York.  The company was founded by the late Robert W. Walker and his wife Lois.  In 1944 the Walkers purchased property on Court Street in Plattsburgh, which is now the permanent place of business.  Then in 1967, Mr. Walker purchased the Pulrang home located at 71 Court Street.  During the following 13 months, a major renovation was completed to join the two properties which doubled the size of the facility and allowed for all operations of the funeral home to be conducted on one floor.  As the years continued, Mr. Walker worked diligently to provide an atmosphere of peace and beauty to the grieving families he served.  His two sons, R. Richard ‘Dick’ Walker and John J. Walker purchased the funeral home in 1979. 

Over the past several years the R.W. Walker Funeral Home has employed many talented and caring employees. Among them were the late Glen ‘Don’ Robbins who was the first full-time licensed funeral director and Winifred Pearsall who was the office manager for several years.  Currently the office manager is Shelley LaBombard.

During the summer of 2013 the funeral home was purchased by longtime employees, Barbara K. Maggy and Trevor D. Rabideau.  Today, they continue to serve the families of the North Country with the understanding of the value of courteous service and attention to detail.

Founded in 1938, R.W. Walker Funeral Home began operations in Chazy, NY. In 2013, Rabideau alongside Barbara K. Maggy purchased the firm. Both longtime employees, they stepped into their new roles as owners and seamlessly transitioned the business, keeping consistency and familiarity in the community and remaining a locally owned and operated firm. Rabideau also owns Rabideau Funeral Home in Ellenburg Center, NY. The two locations serve the North Country with a small yet consistent staff who split their time between the two locations.

Guiding families and individuals through the preplanning process, Rabideau focuses on the individual. “Their family can be here with them, and I’ve seen the person we are planning for shut down. It can be daunting, and the family can think they know what the individual would like, but it’s difficult to get to a place of comfort and ease when you’re at the funeral home to plan, especially for yourself,” Rabideau said. “We meet with families anywhere they’d like. I once had someone here with her children who was having a difficult time opening up about what she truly wanted. We moved our meeting to a local restaurant and she began to open up as soon as we were in an environment she was comfortable in. I was able to learn so much about her and what she would like by personalizing her planning experience, including her environment while talking about arrangements.”

Rabideau emphasized the firm’s focus on a personal and professional encounter every time. “A family should never know that you have two services and another meeting after your meeting with them. They should always feel like they are your only meeting that day,” Rabideau emphasized. The undivided attention and compassion given to each family is key to building the trust that lasts beyond the services. Rabideau enjoys seeing families that they have helped out in the community, and seeing their smiles solidifies the reasons why he does what he does. “It’s all about honoring their loved ones, alleviating stress, and making sure the family can focus on what they need to. We handle the rest.”

R.W. Walker Funeral Home is community-driven, and they remain active in several local organizations, continuously giving back to the community they serve. “I will be at an event or out in the community and people will come up and thank me for something we did for their family a couple of months or even years ago. It is truly a wonderful feeling to leave that lasting positive impression in such a meaningful time in their life.”

Both the Heidrick Funeral Home and R.W. Walker Funeral Home and Cremation Services focus not only on the individuals they care for, but also the families, the friends and the community experiencing the loss. As difficult as the profession of funeral director is, it takes a uniquely compassionate individual to step into that role for those they serve. These two firms are North Country-focused, eager to guide those planning for themselves or others in celebrating the life and legacy of those they love.

Heidrick Funeral Home

48 Court Street

Plattsburgh, NY 12901

(518) 561-5111

heidrickfuneralhome.com

R.W. Walker Funeral Home

and Cremation Services

69 Court Street

Plattsburgh, NY 12901

(518) 563-1760

rwwalkerfh.com