History of J.S. Waterman & Sons & Waring

J. S. Waterman and Sons-Waring has been a pioneer in the funeral service profession in the United States, serving the people of Greater Boston and New England for over a century. Joseph S. Waterman founded his firm in 1832. In 1870 and 1876 his sons, George H. and Frank S. Waterman, joined the firm, making it “Joseph S. Waterman & Sons.” The Waterman “W” became well-known and later became a registered licensed trademark in the U.S. Patent Office.

Upon the death of Joseph S. Waterman in 1893, his sons continued as partners in the firm. They were active when the firm was incorporated at the turn of the century and is now one of the oldest corporations in our country. They also led the way in raising standards of the profession as they kept their facilities the finest in the Boston area. Additionally, the Waterman firm made the area’s first cremation arrangement in the late 19th century.

In 1921, a new building was acquired and a formal colonial chapel – a first for the New England area, and one of the first funeral chapels in the country, was added. The new chapel was the prototype for other funeral service providers and set a trend for families to use a funeral chapel instead of their own home. Continual remodeling has kept the establishment modern and up-to-date for more than 80 years.

To accommodate the expansion of Boston suburbs, new branches were opened in nearby towns, including Wellesley. Located in the historic and exclusive suburb of Wellesley, the chapel was designed to meet the new trends and public demands in funeral service; and included a substantial acreage and a large parking area. The spacious chapel was designed to accommodate a public visitation and funeral service on the premises.

The Wellesley Chapel serves families from surrounding towns such as: Newton, Needham, Weston, Wayland, Waltham, Natick, Dover and Sherborn.

In September 1990, the Waring family, a fifth-generation heritage family within funeral service, joined with the Waterman family.

We are proud to be part of the Dignity Memorial® national network of funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers. Dignity Memorial providers offer exclusive benefits, including National Transferability of Prearranged Services, the Bereavement Travel Program, the 24-Hour Compassion Helpline® and access to an acclaimed grief management library. As North America’s largest provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services, the Dignity Memorial brand is your assurance of quality, value, caring service and exceptional customer satisfaction.

We are committed to exceeding expectations and delivering a standard of service that is 100 percent guaranteed.