Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home

Veteran services at Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home

Veteran families in Plainfield, CT can turn to Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home for honors and benefit coordination. In their own words: "Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home & Crematory provides comprehensive support for honoring veterans. This includes arranging traditional military funeral honors such as the folding and presentation of the American flag to the next of kin, and the playing of Taps by an honor guard detail from the Armed Forces. Additional honors can include a U.S. flag draped over the casket, a three-volley rifle salute, and a final gravesite salute. The funeral home assists families in contacting the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to access benefits like headstones, Presidential Memorial Certificates, memorial plots, burial in a national cemetery, and potential reimbursement for burial expenses. Eligibility for military funeral honors is verified by the veteran's DD-214 discharge papers, covering active duty members, Selected Reserve members, and former military members discharged under honorable conditions." Published pricing lists a quoted rate for basic burial and $3,235 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.

Veteran-related services offered include veteran services, memorialization services, and cremation services. Each service is coordinated with the family and, where applicable, with the deceased's last unit or branch honor detail.

Published pricing at Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home: direct cremation from $3,635. That places direct cremation roughly 17% above the Connecticut median ($3,106). 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 Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery in RI, approximately 22 miles from Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home. Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.

Connecticut has approximately 304 licensed funeral homes serving its population, of which a subset specifically lists military funeral honors and VA benefits assistance among their services. Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What sets Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home apart

• On-site crematory at The Park Tribute Center, Windham County's first and only crematory.
• Offers green burial services for environmentally conscious families.
• Provides Death Doula support through certified staff member Judie Blackmore.
• Strong emphasis on personalized services, including custom merchandise, stationery, memorial videos, and keepsake candles.
• Extensive community involvement and affiliations, with staff members holding leadership roles in local business and civic organizations.
• Owner Bob Fournier was recognized as the Northeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year in 2014.

Military & veteran services offered

Burial & cremation services

On-site facilities

Affiliations & specializations

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Congregational. Languages spoken at the home: English.

How 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.