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After constructing his house, he bought an 18ft x 18ft building, and drawing on his experience in Woodstock, began manufacturing caskets as a supplement to his farming income in November of 1908. He sold his first casket on January 1, 1909.
Stephen saw the need for a motor hearse to be used in the summer months so he bought a Model A Ford half ton and began building a compartment to carry a casket. The work was completed except for the doors on the back when Stephen took ill and died within a few days on April 5, 1925. His son Frederick finished the work on the hearse and it was used first for Stephen' s funeral. Frederick then moved with his wife Robena and four children from the farm to the apartment over the funeral home to care for his mother and operate the family business. He also built many houses in the area and did furniture repair and cabinet work in the shop where the caskets were manufactured. There was not much demand for embalming in the area until the 1930's and when a family asked for this service Frederick would have Kenneth McAdam of McAdam's Funeral Home in Fredericton come and do the work. He soon realized that it was important for him to be an embalmer. He attended seminars held at Brenan's Funeral Home in Saint John where he was taught the practical aspects of the trade and then learned by experience, receiving his licence in 1938.
Following his high school graduation in 1961, Fraser's son Wendell joined his father and grandfather at the funeral home and for seven years three generations of Flewellings worked together at Flewelling's Funeral Service. Wendell married Judy Johnson in 1966. Fraser died suddenly on July 9, 1968. Following the death of her husband, Dorothy began part time work at the funeral home, but became involved full time when Frederick suffered a stroke and retired in 1970. His death occurred on May 4, 1984.
For twenty years Dorothy and Wendell operated the funeral service. Judy's responsibilities during this time were for the most part to "keep the home fires burning". Caring for the children, Michael and Rebecca, answering the phone and preparing meals occupied most of her time. As the children grew, more time was available for part time work at the funeral home. After their high school graduation, it became a full time job.
In November of 1994, the Flewelling family purchased the Swan Funeral Home
in Harvey Station. That funeral service was established in 1934 by Harry
T. S In 1956 Allison and Arthur Craig bought the funeral business from Mrs. Swan and built a small facility across from the Harvey Community Hospital. In 1976 Allison bought Arthur's share and built the funeral home now located at 1826 Highway 3. Together with his wife Joyce and part time employee Levurn Swan he operated the funeral home until his retirement in 1994. Allison's death occurred February 29, 2000.
In their work, the Flewellings are reminded on a daily basis that the future is uncertain, but their plans are now to continue operating Flewelling's Funeral Service Ltd. as they have for five generations in the beautiful St. John River Valley and among the lakes and rolling hills of the Harvey Station area as represented by the graphics on the home page. It's the hope of the Flewellings that as each generation follows, they will recognize the work and sacrifices of the previous generations and the satisfaction this work brings and become funeral directors as well.
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He turned the operation of the farm over to his son Frederick and for the
next 15 years expanded the business by adding a display room, storage area
for lumber and a second floor apartment to the original building. He
purchased a horse drawn hearse (presently on display at Kings Landing) and
was truly in the "undertaking" business, operating under the name S. A.
Flewelling and Son.
When Frederick's son Fraser finished his schooling, he began working in
the funeral service. In 1941 he married Dorothy P. Quigg and in 1943
received his embalmers licence. The funeral service was then operated as
F. R. Flewelling and Son.
In 1968 there were few women in funeral service in New Brunswick. There
were women licensed in the province and others employed as receptionists,
but few that made transfers, assisted in the preparation room and
arrangement office, supervised visiting hours, delivered outside cases and
cemetery equipment, assisted in conducting funeral services and drove the
hearse and an ambulance. It was a labour of love for Dorothy and continues
to be 35 years later.
Like all the Flewelling children since 1908, Mike and Rebecca worked part
time at the funeral home while living at home. When Mike graduated from
Nackawic High School in 1987 he registered as an apprentice embalmer and
received his embalmers and funeral director's licence in 1991. He has two
sons, Bryden and Taylor. Rebecca lives and works in Fredericton and helps
when needed at the funeral home.
wan
and was operated out of his home. During the late 1940's and early 1950's
Harry would call on Fraser to do embalming for him. Harry died in 1955 and
for a year the service was operated by Mrs. Swan with the assistance of
her son-in-law, Allison Knowlton. Allison was born in Nova Scotia,
educated in Saint John and moved to Harvey Station in the late 1930's. In
February of 1945 he married Joyce Swan.
In 1996 Flewellings hired their first full time employee who was not a
family member. Arol Brewer had been a friend of the family for many years
and had helped with funerals and long distance transfers at busy times.
Arol and his wife Judy live on the Upper Stone Ridge Road in Zealand, and
in addition to working at the funeral home, Arol is the pastor of the
Stone Ridge Pentecostal Church.
In 2000, Elouise Lagacy joined the staff of the funeral home as a
receptionist and secretary. Elouise was not unaccustomed to the activity
around a funeral home as her home as a child was next door to Flewelling
Funeral Home and she and her husband Roger now live only three houses
away.