Veteran services at Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home
Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home serves veteran families in Buffalo, NY with military funeral planning. Staff help families secure VA burial benefits, request military honors, and coordinate with national or state veterans cemeteries. A smaller but favorable set of 10 reviews averages 4.0 stars.
The nearest VA national cemetery is Western New York National Cemetery in NY, approximately 23 miles from Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home. Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.
Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home holds a 4.0-star rating from 10 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. Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home is among them.
Frequently asked questions
Does Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home publish funeral prices?
Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home has not posted a full price list online. Under the FTC Funeral Rule it must provide itemized pricing on request — call (716) 895-9901, and ask how VA burial benefits apply.
Where is Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home located, and can it coordinate a veterans cemetery burial?
Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home is located at 2047 Broadway Street in Buffalo, NY. You can reach the home at (716) 895-9901. Staff can coordinate burial with nearby VA national and state veterans cemeteries.
Does Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home help veterans with VA burial benefits?
Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home assists veteran families with VA burial benefits, military funeral honors, and coordination with national and state veterans cemeteries. Eligible veterans may receive a burial allowance and a free government headstone.
How do families rate Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home?
Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home holds a 4.0-star rating across 10 Google reviews from local families and veterans.
What families have said
Keith Smolarek personally managed an out-of-state child's funeral, handling airport pickup and service logistics. Families praise his dedication and competitive pricing, though billing discrepancies and initial handling insensitivity have been reported.
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.