Our Story
The Dreier-Giltner Funeral Home and the John M. Hedges Funeral Home are both independently owned and operated by Alan E. Giltner. They share the same location at 1717 Portland Ave in Irondequoit.
List of Services
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Edward H. Dreier "Eddie" opened his funeral home in 1933 on Joseph Place in the city of Rochester. In 1959 it was moved to it's current location on Portland Ave.
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Mr. Dreier operated the firm until 1984 when he sold it to Alan Giltner. Mr. Dreier remained active with the community and the firm until his death in 2005 at the age of 95.
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In 1942 John M. Hedges "Jack" took over the business his father started in 1912 at Scio and University Ave. Mr. Hedges was a senior at Notre Dame studying to become a doctor when his father became ill and returned home to take over. In 1951 he built a new location at the corner of Empire Blvd and Culver Rd.
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In 1986 he sold the funeral home to Alan Giltner who later moved the business to its current location.
What Makes Us Unique
We are proud to embrace traditional values, diversity and innovation in honoring the spirit and life of each person we serve. We offer a full selection of:
- Funeral and memorial services, ranging from traditional to uniquely innovative and personal
- Burial services and cremation options
- Celebrant Services
Letting go of a loved one is usually a very difficult process. In order to provide your family peace-of-mind, our funeral home offers complete care, so you can focus on comforting each other as you prepare to say goodbye to someone dear to you.
Although there are many decisions you may have to make, we assure you that we will guide you through the entire process every step of the way. We promise to help you:
- Design the most fitting memorial or funeral service to honor their memory and pay tribute to their life achievements and experiences.
- Select the most appropriate products, including a casket, burial vault, cremation urn, cemetery or mausoleum, to fit your budget and suit your needs and desires.
- Write a fitting obituary to honor your loved one’s life experiences and social connections.
- Assist in the publication of the obituary in the newspapers of your choice.
- Create a Book of Memories™, a beautiful, permanent online memorial, where you and your friends can build a legacy of memories by archiving treasured photos and memories.
- Welcome your family and friends to our funeral home for your planned services, including a viewing, visitation, funeral or memorial service.
- Make all arrangements with regard to the services whether they are held at your place of worship, our funeral home, cemetery, or alternate gathering place.
- Provide you with beautiful funeral print materials, including memorial folders, prayer cards and book marks. We also offer personalized note cards for you to acknowledge the emotional support you received from friends, co-workers and community members.
- Provide an elegant hearse and funeral cars, as well as arrange for escorts.
- Help in the selection and on-site arrangement of floral tributes.
- Provide access to grief education and support materials, and referrals to counseling services.
- Prepare all paperwork, including vital record statistics, permits, filing and obtaining death certificates, and assistance with life insurance, veteran’s benefits and Social Security claims.
