Our History

We stand behind our reputation and will continue to serve our community with the values instilled by our funeral directors.

Houghtaling & Hanley Funeral Home

The Houghtaling Brothers, Floyd, Sr. and Chauncey owned a combined furniture store and funeral home on Main Street in Canajoharie next to the Methodist Church. It was a small frame building. The furniture store was eventually sold to Conover's and the funeral home was moved up on West Hill.

The present funeral home building was used by the family as their home and as the funeral home. The front of the house was the funeral home and the family lived in the back using the back staircase. Stories were told of Grandma Houghtaling serving dinner at the big dining room table downstairs as families came in for funeral services. Floyd, Jr. and Doris Houghtaling raised their family after the building was remodeled. The downstairs was the funeral home with the top two floors being their home.

William Smith came to Canajoharie to work with Floyd in 1975 and became a partner in Houghtaling & Hanley Funeral Home shortly after. Floyd and Bill remodeled the funeral home adding a chapel seating over 175 people in 1990. Beneath the chapel, we built state-of-the-art preparation rooms. Our commitment is to provide complete care for your loved ones on our premises. The funeral home is handicapped accessible with gracious décor and spacious restrooms that are handicapped-accessible.

Fort Plain Funeral Home

In 1986, Bill Smith, former owner of Houghtaling & Hanley Funeral Home, Inc. in Canajoharie, purchased part ownership of the Swartz Funeral Home on Center Street in Fort Plain. He became sole owner of the funeral home in 1991. He was later to use this facility to house the newly formed company known today as Fort Plain Funeral Home.

The Gray Funeral Home had been a Fort Plain institution since 1894 when it was known as the Dwandler and Gray Funeral Home. It operated under different owners through the 102 years until the business was blended with Houghtaling Funeral home. Our funeral home building on Center Street in Fort Plain dates back to the Erie Canal days. There have been many additions to the historical building over the years.

Additionally, the building is handicapped accessible with spacious handicapped restrooms. The chapel seats over 100 people. There is a parking lot for the convenience of family and friends.

Funeral Directors, Chris Hanley, continue to provide their professional services to the communities of Fort Plain and Canajoharie, at both facilities.