Veteran services at Brookside Memorial
Brookside Memorial is a funeral home in Middlebury, CT that accepts veteran families and provides military funeral honors coordination through the Department of Defense honors program.
Published pricing at Brookside Memorial: direct cremation from $2,595. 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 Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in CT, approximately 26 miles from Brookside Memorial. Brookside Memorial can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.
Brookside Memorial holds a 4.9-star rating from 18 Google reviews, indicating consistent service quality reported by families who have used the home for veteran and non-veteran services alike.
What families have said
Recent reviews from families who used Brookside Memorial. Reviews are sourced from Google Places and shown verbatim — we do not edit or filter for sentiment.
“My family and I are very appreciative of Raymond and Maria. They were very helpful and kind. They took care of everything. We are grateful and highly recommended their services.”
“Wonderful family owned and operated funeral home with kind and knowledgeable staff. Working with them was easy and prices are very reasonable for the high quality services. They even have a resident therapy dog, Libby, who really helped relax everyone. Highly recommended!”
“This is a review I truly wish I didn’t have to write, but a good funeral home is something we will all need in time. My father passed away suddenly in early January in Connecticut while my sister and I live in Georgia. Being states away and unsure where to begin was overwhelming. After receiving calls from the hospital asking what to do with his body, I contacted Brookside Memorial Funeral Home, and from the very first call I felt reassured and calm. There are some people that are just called to a line of work and I had the pleasure of interacting with Raymond Albini and Maria and they were so compassionate, kind and patient. They picked up my father within two hours, handled the cremation, cared for him until we could travel, drafted his obituary, and helped us select a newspaper for publication. When we arrived at the Middlebury facility, it was beautiful, clean, warm, and welcoming. Maria walked us through all of the paperwork with care, and everything was thoughtfully organized, including laminated copies of his obituary and certified copies of his final documents. I had dreaded going to the funeral home, but the tranquil atmosphere made it a surprisingly comforting experience. I am deeply sorry for anyone who experiences loss, but I am grateful the Albini family carries on this work with such compassion and care. I cannot recommend them enough.”
“Wonderful place with wonderful people. Ray and his staff are amazing. They made me feel so comfortable when I was nervous when I went to do business at his establishment. I lost my mom and Ray and his staff handled everything professionally and very caring and very friendly folks. So if you lose a loved one, Brookside Memorial and also Chase Memorial Parkway are highly recommended.”
“This peaceful setting nestled in an unexpected location in Middlebury Connecticut is filled with grasses and wild flowers gently blowing in the wind. The family owned and operated memorial exudes a genuine, loving, hopeful serene environment. Thoughtfully decorated to reflect the towns history adding that extra element of home and comfort to its local visitors. This wonderful family instantly greets you with a calming, warm, peaceful sentiment that exudes a genuine love for celebrating life and it's journeys.”
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.