Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home

Veteran services at Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home

Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home, located in Cobleskill, NY, assists those who served and their families. In their own words: "Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home assists families in completing necessary forms to obtain benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for deceased veterans. This includes guidance on VA burial benefits, memorial items, and arranging military funeral honors such as the playing of “Taps,” a rifle detail, a color guard, and the presentation of the U.S. flag." Published pricing lists $4,610 for basic burial and $2,445 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.

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

Published pricing at Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home: direct cremation from $2,445. That places direct cremation roughly 6% 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 Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in NY, approximately 51 miles from Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home. Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.

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. Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What does a funeral at Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home cost for veteran families?

From its published general price list, direct cremation starts at $2,445. 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 Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home located, and can it coordinate a veterans cemetery burial?

Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home is located at 171 Elm Street in Cobleskill, NY. You can reach the home at (518) 234-3549. Staff can coordinate burial with nearby VA national and state veterans cemeteries.

What services does Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home offer veteran families?

Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home provides immediate need, preplanning, send flowers, online memorial, tribute video, and can arrange military funeral honors for eligible veterans.

Does Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home help veterans with VA burial benefits?

Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home assists families in completing necessary forms to obtain benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for deceased veterans. This includes guidance on VA burial benefits, memorial items, and arranging military funeral honors such as the playing of “Taps,” a rifle detail, a color guard, and the presentation of the U.S. flag.

Which faith traditions does Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home accommodate?

Staff coordinate services for Methodist, Catholic, Christian Community Church of Faith, Lutheran, Salvation Army families, among others.

What sets Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home apart

Assistance with completing forms for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, including VA burial benefits and military funeral honors.
Provision of a year of weekly grief messages for ongoing support.
Creation of customized online memorials and tribute videos.
Offering life celebrants to lead services when clergy are not chosen.
Flexible preplanning options with various funding choices, including preneed and life insurance policies.

Military & veteran services offered

★Online Memorial

Burial & cremation services

Burial

· Burial
· Graveside Service
· Committal Service

Cremation

· Cremation

On-site facilities

· Funeral Home

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: Methodist, Catholic, Christian Community Church of Faith, Lutheran, Salvation Army. Languages spoken at the home: English.

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.