Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc.

Veteran services at Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc.

Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. serves veteran families in Jeannette, PA with military funeral planning. In their own words: "Mason-Gelder Funeral Home provides comprehensive services for veterans, including assistance with headstones, burial flags, and navigating available benefits. They also help families with Social Security benefits, which can include survivor benefits for eligible family members of deceased veterans." On-site amenities include chapels, suited to flag presentation and honors ceremonies. Published pricing lists a quoted rate for basic burial and $2,129 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs. Early reviews are positive, averaging 4.7 stars across 13.

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

On-site facilities of note include chapels. These spaces accommodate full military honors details, family gatherings before and after the service, and the placement of the United States flag during the visitation period.

Published pricing at Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc.: direct cremation from $2,225. That places direct cremation roughly 6% below the Pennsylvania median ($2,375). 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 National Cemetery of the Alleghenies in PA, approximately 29 miles from Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc.. Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.

Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. holds a 4.7-star rating from 13 Google reviews, indicating consistent service quality reported by families who have used the home for veteran and non-veteran services alike.

Pennsylvania has approximately 1,623 licensed funeral homes serving its population, of which a subset specifically lists military funeral honors and VA benefits assistance among their services. Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What does a funeral at Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. cost for veteran families?

From its published general price list, direct cremation starts at $2,225. 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 Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. located, and can it coordinate a veterans cemetery burial?

Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. is located at 201 North First St. in Jeannette, PA. You can reach the home at (724) 523-5539. Staff can coordinate burial with nearby VA national and state veterans cemeteries.

What services does Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. offer veteran families?

Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. provides pre-planning, veterans services, grief support, funeral financing, monuments, and can arrange military funeral honors for eligible veterans.

Does Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. help veterans with VA burial benefits?

Mason-Gelder Funeral Home provides comprehensive services for veterans, including assistance with headstones, burial flags, and navigating available benefits. They also help families with Social Security benefits, which can include survivor benefits for eligible family members of deceased veterans.

Which faith traditions does Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. accommodate?

Staff coordinate services for Catholic, Protestant (United Church of Christ), Protestant (Congregational Christian) families, among others.

How do families rate Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc.?

Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. holds a 4.7-star rating across 13 Google reviews from local families and veterans.

What sets Mason-Gelder Funeral Home, Inc. apart

Fourth-generation family-owned and operated business since 1931.
Staff actively involved in local emergency services, including Jeannette Fire Department and Westmoreland County Rough Terrain Support Unit Team 211.
Involvement with the Gelder Foundation, providing Mass Casualty Incident Training in conjunction with PEMA and Department of Homeland Security.
Offers monument sales directly through R & B Monument Co., Inc. at their location.
Provides a year of daily grief support messages via email.

Military & veteran services offered

★Veterans Services

★Memorial Service

Burial & cremation services

Burial

· Earth Burial

Cremation

· Cremation

On-site facilities

· Chapels

Affiliations & specializations

Industry affiliations

· National Funeral Directors Association
· Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association
· Westmoreland, Indiana, and Armstrong County Funeral Directors Association
· National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
· American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
· Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA)
· Department of Homeland Security

Specializations

· Veterans

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: Catholic, Protestant (United Church of Christ), Protestant (Congregational Christian). Languages spoken at the home: English.

What families have said

Mason-Gelder has served this family since the 1940s, with Mr. Gelder and staff consistently responsive to needs. The most recent service was arranged with thoughtful organization and handled with dignity. A long family history suggests reliable, dependable care.

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 Settlement

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.