“Cooperative” Organizations in the Boston, MA Area

UPDATED: September 9, 2024

This webpage lists funeral homes and cremation organizations in the Boston, MA area that we deem “cooperative.” A “cooperative” funeral home or cremation organization meets two criteria:

ACCESS

  • makes its facility available to pathology personnel on a daily basis. At minimum, a four-hour window each day is necessary.
  • ideally, makes its facility available on a 24×7 basis.

FEES

  • charges a reasonable fee, if any, and assesses that fee only if the facility is utilized after-hours. We have not included funeral homes or cremation organizations where the facility charge exceeds $500.
  • ideally, charges no fee to the family (or anyone else) for allowing pathology personnel to use its facilities.

Listed below are places we’ve worked with or called somewhat recently that we deem “cooperative.” This list is not intended to be exhaustive, and serves only as a starting point. If you identify other organizations that should be on this list, let us know.

Fees listed assume that your family is utilizing this business for final arrangements.

Note 1: if you are using a funeral home or cremation organization that does not allow the work on its premises, we can ask one of these “cooperative” funeral homes whether its facility can be rented for a fee for the brain donation work. And the “cooperative” funeral home may provide transportation from the place of death.

Note 2: there are two rare cases when a funeral home or cremation organization need not be open on a daily basis: (1) if death has occurred or (2) if the loved one is utilizing a “death with dignity” act on a certain day/time.

 


Eustis and Cornell Funeral Home

Marblehead, MA

Contact: Jason Fitzgibbons
Phone: 781-631-0076
Web: dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/marblehead-ma/eustis-cornell-funeral-home

Regular Hours
M-F 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Fee:
None
After Hours
Willing to open up 24×7 as necessary. Fee:
None

 


George F. Doherty and Sons Funeral Home

Needham, MA

Contact: Ed Doherty
Phone: 781-444-0687
Web: gfdoherty.com

Regular Hours
Willing to open up 24×7 as necessary. Fee:
None

 


George F. Doherty and Sons Funeral Home

Dedham, MA

Phone: 781-326-0500
Web: gfdoherty.com

Regular Hours
Willing to open up 24×7 as necessary. Fee:
None

 


George F. Doherty and Sons Funeral Home

Wellesley, MA

Phone: 781-235-4100
Web: gfdoherty.com

Regular Hours
Willing to open up 24×7 as necessary. Fee:
None

 


George F. Doherty and Sons Funeral Home

West Roxbury, MA

Phone: 617-325-2000
Web: gfdoherty.com

Regular Hours
Willing to open up 24×7 as necessary. Fee:
None

 


MacKinnon Funeral Home & Cremation Services

Whitman, MA

Contact: Tim O’Brien
Phone: 781-447-4141
Web: mackinnonfuneral.com

Regular Hours
Daily as needed Fee:
None