Walter J. Kent Funeral Home

Veteran services at Walter J. Kent Funeral Home

Veteran families in Elmira, NY can turn to Walter J. Kent Funeral Home for honors and benefit coordination. In their own words: "Walter J. Kent Funeral Home provides comprehensive services for veterans, including assistance with military honors. Eligibility for military honors extends to those who served active duty with a discharge other than dishonorable, those discharged due to service-incurred disability, or those who completed at least one period of enlistment or obligated service in the Selected Reserve with a discharge other than dishonorable. Local military honors services are provided by the Chemung County Honor Guard, Steuben County Honor Guard, Vietnam Veterans of America #803, Marine Corps League, and Patriot Guard Riders. Active duty members of the deceased soldier's branch of service also attend honor services. The funeral home can assist families in obtaining a no-cost plaque or flat marker stone for eligible veterans buried outside a national cemetery." On-site amenities include expansive parking lot, suited to flag presentation and honors ceremonies. Published pricing lists $3,395 for basic burial and a quoted rate for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.

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

Published pricing at Walter J. Kent Funeral Home: direct cremation from $3,300 and basic burial from $3,395. That places direct cremation roughly 43% 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 Woodlawn National Cemetery in NY, approximately 1 miles from Walter J. Kent Funeral Home. Walter J. Kent Funeral Home can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.

Walter J. Kent Funeral Home also accommodates Catholic traditions for veterans whose religious or cultural observance shapes the service. Military honors can be integrated into the family's tradition with no conflict — the honor detail observes the family's pace.

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. Walter J. Kent Funeral Home is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What sets Walter J. Kent Funeral Home apart

• Operates as a father-and-son funeral service with two generations of the Kent family involved.
• Walter J. Kent is a Certified Funeral Celebrant, offering personalized service creation and officiation.
• Offers green funeral options, including environmentally friendly caskets and urns.
• Provides caskets hand-crafted locally by E. M. Pfaff & Son in Horseheads, NY.
• Partners with PrePlan, an FDIC-insured institution, for pre-need funeral funding.
• Features local art and glass from Corning, NY, within its facility to create a unique, comfortable atmosphere.

Military & veteran services offered

Burial & cremation services

On-site facilities

Affiliations & specializations

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: Catholic, Christian, All Faiths. Languages spoken at the home: English.

Branches of service supported

Based on the home's stated services and specializations, Walter J. Kent Funeral Home has documented experience supporting the following branches:

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.