Veteran services at Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home
Veteran families in Middleport, NY can turn to Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home for honors and benefit coordination. In their own words: "Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home provides assistance with veteran benefits, including applying for military honors, Presidential Memorial Certificates, and veteran memorial markers or headstones. They are committed to honoring those who have served through comprehensive support for military families." Published pricing lists $4,855 for basic burial and $2,648 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs. Local families rate the firm 5.0 stars across 31 Google reviews.
Published pricing at Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home: direct cremation from $2,648. That places direct cremation roughly 15% above the New York median ($2,300). Veterans who served on active duty for at least 24 months may qualify for VA burial allowance to offset funeral costs — this home accepts assignment of those benefits where eligible.
The nearest VA national cemetery is Western New York National Cemetery in NY, approximately 14 miles from Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home. Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.
Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home holds a 5.0-star rating from 31 Google reviews, indicating consistent service quality reported by families who have used the home for veteran and non-veteran services alike.
New York has approximately 1,440 licensed funeral homes serving its population, of which a subset specifically lists military funeral honors and VA benefits assistance among their services. Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home is among them.
Frequently asked questions
What does a funeral at Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home cost for veteran families?
From its published general price list, direct cremation starts at $2,648. Eligible veterans can offset these costs with a VA burial allowance, and burial in a VA national cemetery is provided at no charge.
Where is Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home located, and can it coordinate a veterans cemetery burial?
Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home is located at 38 State Street in Middleport, NY. You can reach the home at (716) 735-9244. Staff can coordinate burial with nearby VA national and state veterans cemeteries.
Does Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home offer cremation for veterans?
Yes. Direct cremation at Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home starts at $2,648. Cremated veterans remain eligible for inurnment in a VA national cemetery.
Does Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home help veterans with VA burial benefits?
Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home provides assistance with veteran benefits, including applying for military honors, Presidential Memorial Certificates, and veteran memorial markers or headstones. They are committed to honoring those who have served through comprehensive support for military families.
Which faith traditions does Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home accommodate?
Staff coordinate services for Lutheran, Fundamentalist Baptist, United Methodist, Catholic families, among others.
How do families rate Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home?
Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home holds a 5.0-star rating across 31 Google reviews from local families and veterans.
What sets Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home apart
- Comprehensive support for traditional burials and various cremation options, including full-service and direct cremations.
- Dedicated assistance with veteran benefits, including military honors, Presidential Memorial Certificates, and memorial markers.
- Ability to curate meaningful funeral services that provide closure and honor individual and family traditions.
- Engagement with diverse Christian denominations within the Middleport community.
Religious traditions & languages
Religious traditions accommodated: Lutheran, Fundamentalist Baptist, United Methodist, Catholic.
What families have said
Recent reviews from families who used Bates Wallace & Heath Funeral Home. Reviews are sourced from Google Places and shown verbatim — we do not edit or filter for sentiment.
“Josh and his colleagues at Bates, Wallace and Heath funeral home are exceptional for the service they provide. They were responsive and continued to check in to make sure our needs are met during the loss of our loved one. They accommodated our requests and guided us through the process, professionally and with care. Even though we had preplanned, there were many questions Had some modifications to the planning. We couldn’t be more satisfied With our experience.”
“We have recently used Bates, Wallace & Heath twice this year. The care and professionalism that they exhibit is unmatched. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend their services for anyone in need. We really appreciated the peace of mind we felt leaving the funeral arrangements and details in their hands. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.”
“We had a wonderful experience at the Bates, Wallace & Heath Funeral Home! It was a difficult time to go through, but they made each step extremely easy. Josh was helpful by providing us with many options for each part of the service so we were able to plan it exactly the way our Mom had envisioned it!! I would highly recommend this funeral home because they will treat you like family!!”
“For many, many years, my family has called upon Bates, Wallace & Health to help guide us through the saddest part of life; with kindness, comfort, and sincerity. And even though the funeral home has 'changed hands' in the past few recent years, nothing has changed. These wonderful people are there for the family in any capacity needed. My recent call to them regarding the passing of my mother was no different. Paula and Jeff... I thank you from the bottom of my heart...for not only coming out in the middle of the night, during one heck of a snowstorm, but also...making us feel like we were your family at that moment too. I thank you for the helping me smile a bit at that moment too. As for Mike (Scott) Schmidt, who also happens to be my friend from school, it goes without saying, that this kind human being cares very much about people, and will do anything in his power to help families in their time of sadness. When it comes to choosing a funeral home, whenever that need arises, this one is the best. I am so grateful for Bates, Wallace & Heath and the wonderful caring people they are.”
“I can't say enough about the genuine care and concern that comes from these amazing people! We dealt directly with Josh who gave us every bit of his time that we needed. He came directly to my home on a couple of occasions to drop off or pick up things of necessity because it made things easier for me. He called to check on me throughout this sad journey and he or his assistant still continue to check in now and then just to see how I am doing or if there's anything they can help with. This was only a small part of all the things he did for us. If Josh couldn't be with us during a part of the process he was very informative of when he would be there and who would be in his place until he arrived. I am so grateful to Josh and his staff in all they did for me and my family. I would've been completely lost without him.”
EverSettled · After the Veteran Funeral
The veteran's spouse may qualify for VA Dependency & Indemnity Compensation.
DIC is a tax-free monthly benefit for surviving spouses, dependent children, and (in some cases) parents of veterans whose death is service-connected. EverSettled walks veteran families through DIC eligibility, survivor pension, life-insurance claims, probate, and the federal-account paperwork that follows.
Begin Veteran Estate SettlementHow honors are coordinated
Military funeral honors are guaranteed at no cost for any veteran discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. The funeral home arranges the honors detail by contacting the deceased's last unit or the nearest active-duty installation of the appropriate branch and submitting the DD-214 to verify eligibility.
For requests less than 72 hours from service time, families can call the Department of Defense's expedited honors line at 1-877-MIL-HONR (1-877-645-4667). See the full honors protocol.