The Miller-Ward Funeral Home on Route 67 is now known as the Miller-Macari Family Funeral Home.
SEYMOUR – The Miller-Ward Funeral Home on Route 67 is now known as the Miller-Macari Family Funeral Home.
The funeral home, with roots dating back to 1842, will remain at 260 Bank St. However, the ownership of the business changed hands Jan. 1.
The new owner and president is Jerry Macari, the fourth generation of the Lacerenza-Macari Family Funeral Home. Established in 1928, Lacarenza-Macari is the oldest funeral home in Stamford.
Macari is leasing the space but has plans to eventually purchase the building and property outright.
Longtime Miller-Ward owner and funeral director Carl Miller III and his son, Kurt Miller, who is Seymour’s chief administrative officer, said the new owners will do well.
“Choosing Jerry was not something that we did lightly or quickly.” Kurt Miller said. “There were many discussions about how things are done and should be done and what the expected standard is. Jerry is, without question, up to the task.”
Kurt Miller said he and his father for several months have been looking for another, like-minded funeral home to succeed them.
“My father just recently celebrated his 81st birthday and with me being in my mid 50’s, we had started to talk about the next generation of the funeral home,” Miller said. “We wanted to make sure that the business continued on for many years to come.”
Miller’s father and grandfather purchased the business in 1968. It was previously known as the Upson-Ward Funeral Home. W.L. Ward founded the business in 1842.
The Miller family kept Ward’s name in the business as tradition. Now the Miller name is staying on with Macari.
Miller said his father saw a lot of himself in his younger days when he met with Macari.
“From the moment my dad and Jerry first sat down to talk, we knew we had the right person to carry the business forward,” Miller said. “We both feel very confident in Jerry’s ability to maintain the standard that we have tried to set for the last 50-plus years.”
Miller said while he and his dad will no longer be involved in the day-to-day operations, they will still be available to meet with families and work on funerals as the business transitions.
“It was an extremely tough decision for my father and my mother,” Miller said. “As a family, we have been blessed by the support of the community, allowing us to serve them for all of these years.”
Macari said his family had been looking to expand the business to another area of the state. When he found the Millers were looking for a successor, Macari knew it was a good fit.
“Carl Miller felt our philosophies were aligned, as well,” Macari said. “Both Kurt and Carl are very much involved, introducing us to families and the community. Their longtime staff remains involved as well. It is our intention to have them remain involved for quite some time. It is a family business.”
