Codey & Jones and Galante Funeral Homes Share Location in Caldwell

A Caldwell funeral home long operated by the Galante family will now share its location with a firm managed by former Gov. Richard Codey and Garrett C. Jones.

Galante Funeral Home, located at 54 Roseland Ave., recently announced the opening of Codey & Jones Funeral Home, which will operate independently at the same address.

“Although operating as separate businesses, we are pleased to have the opportunity to serve the Caldwells and West Essex area from under one roof,” Frank Galante said in a release.

Codey relocated Codey Funeral Home, a more than 100-year-old family business, from Orange to Caldwell in early 2012. His partner, Garrett Jones, a lifelong resident of Caldwell, was the longtime funeral director at Dancy.

"We’re going to do very well and I’m very excited about it," said Codey, who also operates a funeral home in Boonton.

The Galante funeral business was started more than 75 years ago by Elvira Galante, who when widowed at the age of 29, began working as an assistant to a funeral director who encouraged her to finish high school and go on to mortuary school.

Elvira worked two jobs during the Great Depression to support her children and became a licensed mortician in 1934.

The fourth generation of Galante funeral directors now operates the business, which has locations in Newark and Union.

The Caldwell funeral home was recently renovated and features two chapels, a large chapel with seating for more than 100 and a smaller, more intimate chapel, Galante said.