Three Generations on the Lakeshore: The Thomas Funeral Chapels Story
Thomas Funeral Chapels is a family-owned funeral home in Rochester, NY, founded in 1929 by Thomas A. Polvino in the Charlotte lakeshore neighborhood. Today the firm is run by his daughter, Lana Polvino Sullivan, and his grandson, Gregory Thomas Sullivan, continuing three generations of local, hands-on service.
Choosing a funeral home is rarely something you've had practice doing, which can make the decision feel bigger than it should. Knowing a little about the people you'd be trusting with that call often makes it easier to pick up the phone.
That's why we want to share where we came from, and why our family has stayed in this same Charlotte lakeshore neighborhood for nearly a century. Thomas Funeral Chapels has been helping Rochester families through this for 97 years. This article will help you know a little more about who answers when you call.
A Funeral Home Founded in 1929
Our story starts in 1929, when Thomas A. Polvino founded Thomas Funeral Chapels in Rochester.
Nearly a hundred years later, our family continues to serve from that same lakeshore neighborhood. The facility has been updated over the decades to keep it comfortable and accessible for every family who walks through the door.
You can read our family's full history for a closer look at those early years and how the firm grew into what it is today.
Three Generations, One Family Name
Thomas passed the business to his daughter, Lana Polvino Sullivan, who has now worked as a licensed funeral director for more than 30 years. Her son, Gregory Thomas Sullivan, followed her into the profession and has been a licensed funeral director for more than 15 years.
Together, Lana and Gregory represent the second and third generations of this family to lead Thomas Funeral Chapels. Both are hands-on in the day-to-day work of caring for families, not owners who stay behind a desk. You can meet our funeral directors and read more about their backgrounds and licensing.
What Family Ownership Means for the Families We Serve
When a funeral home is family owned, the people who greet you at the door are often the same people who will sit with you through every decision that follows. There's no corporate office making calls from another state, and no staff rotation to get used to.
In our experience, that continuity matters most in the small moments: a tribute video pieced together from photos a family brings in, a livestream arranged so a grandson overseas can watch the service, a detail remembered from a conversation weeks earlier. Personal touches like these are easier to deliver when the same family has been doing this work, in the same building, for generations.
Our Roots in the Charlotte Lakeshore Neighborhood
Charlotte is one of Rochester's oldest neighborhoods, sitting where the Genesee River meets Lake Ontario. It grew up around the Port of Rochester and has been a lakeshore community since long before Thomas Polvino opened his doors here in 1929.
Our family has been part of that neighborhood for nearly a century now. If you're looking for funeral services in Charlotte, that local history is part of what you're choosing.
Beyond Charlotte, we consider all of Monroe County our home, and we've served families from Greece to Irondequoit to Gates over the years, always from this same lakeshore base.
Why Families Across Monroe County Choose Us
We think families choose Thomas Funeral Chapels for a few reasons: the personal attention that comes with family ownership, flexible cremation options, and our willingness to actively help arrange green burial at partner cemeteries when a family wants that option. Not every funeral home offers that conversation, and we think it should be an easy one to have.
Our reviews reflect that approach, with a 4.89-star average across 57 reviews from families we've served. You can read more about why families choose our family directly from the people who've worked with us.
How to Reach Our Family for Guidance
Whether you're planning ahead or facing an immediate need, you don't have to carry the decision alone. Lana, Gregory, and our team are available any time you're ready to talk, with no pressure and no obligation attached to that first call.
Frequently Asked Questions About Thomas Funeral Chapels
How long has Thomas Funeral Chapels been serving Rochester families?
Thomas Funeral Chapels has been serving the Rochester community since 1929, when Thomas A. Polvino founded the firm. That is nearly a century of continuous, family-owned service from the same Charlotte lakeshore neighborhood on Lake Avenue.
Who runs Thomas Funeral Chapels today?
Thomas Funeral Chapels is owned and operated by Lana Polvino Sullivan, daughter of founder Thomas A. Polvino and a licensed funeral director for more than 30 years, and her son Gregory Thomas Sullivan, also a licensed funeral director. Together they represent the firm's second and third generations.
What does it mean that Thomas Funeral Chapels is family owned?
It means the people you meet during an arrangement conference are the same people whose name is on the building, not a rotating staff from a distant corporate office. Lana and Gregory are personally involved in the families they serve, which shapes how every detail, large or small, gets handled.
Where is Thomas Funeral Chapels located?
Thomas Funeral Chapels is located at 4545 Lake Ave in the Charlotte neighborhood of Rochester, NY, near the Lake Ontario shoreline. The firm has served families from this same lakeshore neighborhood since 1929.
Is Thomas Funeral Chapels available if I need help right away?
Yes. Thomas Funeral Chapels is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including nights, weekends, and holidays. You can call (585) 663-3837 any time you need to reach our family.
Whenever you're ready, we're here. There's no pressure and no obligation, just a family that has spent nearly a century getting to know this neighborhood and the people in it. Call us any time at (585) 663-3837, day or night.
