Veteran services at Riles & Woolley Funeral Home
Riles & Woolley Funeral Home serves veteran families in Forestville, NY with military funeral planning. The team handles VA burial allowances, honor-guard coordination, and national-cemetery scheduling. On-site amenities include spacious viewing chapel, viewing chapels (3 total), and off-street parking (handicap accessible), suited to flag presentation and honors ceremonies. Published pricing lists $5,000 for basic burial and $2,870 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.
The home lists these veteran-related services: immediate burial and immediate cremation. Ask the director which of them they arrange directly.
Facilities on site include spacious viewing chapel and viewing chapels (3 total).
Published pricing at Riles & Woolley Funeral Home: direct cremation from $2,870. That places direct cremation roughly 25% above the New York median ($2,300). If the veteran qualifies for a VA burial allowance, the family claims it with VA Form 21P-530EZ. Ask whether the home will help you file it.
The nearest veterans cemetery that isn't listed as closed is Pennsylvania Soldiers' and Sailors' Home Cemetery in PA, about 51 miles from Riles & Woolley Funeral Home. For a burial in a VA national cemetery, the funeral home or the family calls the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117.
We list about 1,440 funeral homes in New York. Only some of them name military funeral honors or VA benefits help among their services.
Frequently asked questions
What does a funeral at Riles & Woolley Funeral Home cost for veteran families?
From its published general price list, direct cremation starts at $2,870. 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 Riles & Woolley Funeral Home located, and can it coordinate a veterans cemetery burial?
Riles & Woolley Funeral Home is located at 39 Main Street in Forestville, NY. You can reach the home at (716) 965-2941. Staff can coordinate burial with nearby VA national and state veterans cemeteries.
What services does Riles & Woolley Funeral Home offer veteran families?
Riles & Woolley Funeral Home provides traditional funeral, immediate burial, immediate cremation, preplanning, and can arrange military funeral honors for eligible veterans.
Does Riles & Woolley Funeral Home help veterans with VA burial benefits?
Riles & Woolley 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.
Which faith traditions does Riles & Woolley Funeral Home accommodate?
Staff coordinate services for Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Wesleyan families, among others.
What sets Riles & Woolley Funeral Home apart
- Independently owned and operated since 1927, with continuous family involvement through Mark Woolley, a Forestville native.
- Extensive facility renovations in 2001, including a grand foyer with handicap ramp, three viewing chapels, and heated sidewalks.
- One of the first funeral homes in Chautauqua County to install its own refrigeration unit (2017), accommodating up to three individuals.
- Integrated built-in webcam for virtual funeral services via Zoom, implemented during COVID-19 restrictions.
- Assistance with Medicaid-compliant irrevocable trust accounts for funeral preplanning, as well as revocable trust options.
Burial and cremation services
Burial
- · Immediate Burial
Cremation
- · Immediate Cremation
On-site facilities
Affiliations and specialties
Industry affiliations
- · Chautauqua County Funeral Directors Association
- · New York State Funeral Directors Association
- · National Funeral Directors Association
Religious traditions and languages
Religious traditions served: Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Wesleyan, Lutheran.
How to request military funeral honors
By law (10 U.S.C. § 1491), an eligible veteran's funeral can include, on request, an honors detail of at least two service members who fold and present the U.S. flag to the family and play Taps. The funeral director usually makes the request and will need the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers.
VA suggests asking at least 48 to 72 hours before the service. More on what honors include and how to request them.