photo of Jon Boucher and Paul Guare, on the day Jon bought the business. (With Paul's wife Lynn Guare).
Tell us about the history of Guare and Sons
The Guare family funeral business has been a part of the history of Montpelier for more than one hundred years. It is one of the longest-running family businesses known in Montpelier.
In 1921, Thomas and Florence Guare purchased the Frank E. Hall Funeral Home which was located on East State Street in
Montpelier. In 1924, they purchased a property in 1924 at 57 Barre Street and renovated the first floor to serve as a funeral home. Thomas Guare was assisted by his wife Florence, and later on by his sons Thomas J., Richard J., and Paul H. In 1941 Thomas became partners with Percy H. Davidson where they formed the Guare and Davidson Funeral Home. Mrs. Florence Guare passed away in 1944 followed by the retirement of her husband Thomas in the mid 40’s. Thomas died in 1954 leaving his son Richard J. Guare to carry on the family business.
Mr. Richard Guare was a pillar of the Montpelier community. He served as a member of the Call Force on the Montpelier Fire Department for many years, he also assisted in the Coast Guard Fire Service in 1942. In 1946 Richard Guare graduated from the Boston School of Embalming. He returned home where he commenced operations and management of
the family business and re-named the business The Guare and Sons Funeral Home.
In 1956, Mr. Richard Guare purchased the property at 30 School Street and transitioned the business to the location where it stands today. Mr. Richard Guare maintained involvement in the management of the funeral home until his death in 1997.
Paul Guare became the resident manager of the funeral home in 1976 and had been directing the business since 1986. Jonathan Boucher was hired in 1995 from New England Institute of Mortuary Science. He assisted in directing and management of the Guare funeral and purchased the business in April of 2017. Jonathan's wife Jasmine, a lifelong central Vermont resident, joined the Guare and Sons firm in March of 2023. Jasmine is currently an Apprentice at Guare and Sons and in her last semester of the Funeral Director's Program through CCV.
Tell us about the services Guare and Sons offers
Guare and Sons offer traditional funeral services such as casket burial, cremation, and almost everything in between. Guare and Sons partners with several Central Vermont cemeteries including Green Mount in Montpelier to provide green burial services (Oak Hill in Green Mount offers a green burial section and hybrid model).
What is green burial? During a green burial, the body is bathed and dressed in clothing of natural materials. Then the body is wrapped in a cotton sheet, or shroud, or placed in a simple pine casket or wicker casket. A grave is chosen and the body is lowered into the ground to return to the earth. The grave is often filled in by the family of the deceased and they can assist in bathing, dressing, and preparation of the grave as much or as little as they wish. Green burial is often a very hands-on experience and can be very cathartic for family members to participate in the process.
The July 2023 devastated downtown Montpelier and the Guare and Sons funeral home sustained damage and required extensive cleanup. Jon and Jasmine pulled together with the support of their community and kept the business running. Jon and Jasmine served eleven families during the first week of the July 2023 flood.
What do you love about Montpelier?
We enjoy Montpelier for the solid bonds and relationships we have made over the years with community members and other business owners. We are close neighbors with Manghis Bakery. The amazing aroma coming from there every morning is amazing and I wish I could bottle it. I love seeing the smiling faces of owners Maria and Steve each day when we are at work. We can walk downtown and enjoy a sandwich from Yellow Mustard or have dinner at one of our favorite dinner spots, Julio’s.
Photo of John and Jasmine Boucher
