Welcome to the Holmes-Watkins Funeral Homes website.

The Holmes Funeral Home has been a Manchester family business for over 75 years, and the Watkins Funeral Home has been a Manchester institution since 1876. We are a full-service funeral family. We understand that funerals are for the living—they allow family and friends to gather in honoring the deceased and to in celebrating a life that has been lived. With that in mind, we strive every day to help every family we serve create a meaningful, individual service.

Mark Holmes began his funeral home in 1925 in the north end of Manchester, relocating to the present location in 1948. In 1977, his sons Howard, Arthur, and Norman Holmes purchased the Watkins Funeral Home from the Watkins family, maintaining the history of family-owned businesses and community involvement in Manchester.

There are now four members of the third generation that own and operate the funeral homes: Scott, Howard, Richard, and Mark Holmes. They, along with a staff of seven full-time employees, including three licensed funeral directors/embalmers and a certified bereavement counselor, are always available for assistance and guidance. Regardless of whether our services be needed before the funeral, at the time of death, or even following the funeral, you can rest assured that our staff is always ready to help. Most of our staff are Manchester residents, and they are actively involved in the community.

A full-service funeral home is always available, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. Just like medical facilities, ambulance services, and police and fire departments, we respond when you call.

We’ve designed this website to provide you with information about the services that we offer to you, your family, and our community. We appreciate any comments, questions, or suggestions that you might have, and we encourage you to contact us at (860) 643-2441 [Holmes] or at (860) 646-5310 [Watkins], or we may be reached via email at holmes@hfhwfh.com.