I have used the services of Simple Choices twice now over the last 7 years. Each time, Roy and his…read morestaff have been professional and compassionate. I felt at ease from first contact that my loved one (and I !) would be treated with care and respect. I appreciated the prompt response from the moment I reached out. Without hesitation, I would recommend Simple Choices for end of life arrangements.

I'm a year late writing this review, but it was recently the first anniversary of the death in our…read morefamily and it reminded me that we intended to share our glowing review of Simple Choices but didn't get to it in the months immediately after. At the time, I called around to at least 4-6 different places in the Albany area to understand the cremation options available, at a very stressful time obviously. Roy was BY FAR the most compassionate, patient, responsive, and clear about what to expect. Seriously, you just don't want to deal with the impersonal or callous attitudes that came across in my first phone call with some of the other places that offer cremation services. There wasn't even the smallest hint of anything other than the ideal level of genuine helpfulness from Roy. On top of that the prices were extremely fair, and the environment and decor in the Simple Choices funeral home is very comforting. Looking back, it also feels good to have supported a business & team that is committed to doing the right thing for people at their worst times. They live out ALL the values stated on their website. Oh, and I should also mention just in case anyone's looking for this detail in a review - our family isn't Christian, and Roy was nothing but pure kindness and understanding on adjusting the decor in the funeral home for our small family viewing. Roy & team, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for your excellence at serving us at such a difficult time. If we could leave you a 6 star review we would!

I paid Gretchen-Cahrenger $550 to engrave my father's name on a headstone. They cashed my check on…read more8/8/23. As of 11/26/23 the engraving was still not done. I received no contact from them to let me know of any delays. I was very unhappy when I contacted the owner. He had no real excuse other than they were behind. And he acted like he didn't have the power to get his staff to do the work anytime soon. Who knows if they even have staff? He made no apology or promise to get the work done by any date. I called him out on all of it and he told me I was snotty. He's a thief. I asked for a refund and told him to have it to me within a week. I'm told the check is in the mail. Yeah. There's still a few days left in the week but I fully expect I'll be at small claims court. His contract says all work must be paid for in advance and he gives no timeframe for getting the work done. If you do take the risk and do business with this place - get a deadline in writing and do not pay in full up front. Obviously, I can't speak to the quality of their work because they didn't do any. Zero stars and a possible trip to small claims court.

My dad passed away 33 years ago, and his stone really needed attention. Grethen-Cahrenger…read moreMemorials did an outstanding job. So much so that I thought they had replaced the stone with a new one. Highly recommended for stone cleaning.

Having been to the FDR Library and Museum this weekend, I was still tripping for Presidents and was…read morepleased to learn that the late 21st POTUS was laid to rest here in Albany. Yes, Chester Alan Arthur (1829-1886) served as President of the United States from 1881 to 1885, taking over for the assassinated James A. Garfield. I did not know much about President Arthur other than the brief reference to him in Die Hard With a Vengeance (the school with the bomb was named after him). He achieved little notoriety as a President, though this quote says much about him: "No man ever entered the Presidency so profoundly and widely distrusted as Chester Alan Arthur, and no one ever retired ... more generally respected, alike by political friend and foe." It seems to me that he was a great leader for America. His tomb here is quite nice. You're looking for lot 8, section 34. I suggest downloading this helpful map https://albanyruralcemetery.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Notables_Map.pdf which also points out some of the other famous residents of the cemetery. [Review 11509 overall, 1289 of 2019.]

This was my first visit to the Albany Rural Cemetery even though I have resided in the Albany area…read moreall my life. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping on this glorious day. Strange to visit a cemetery without having to gone to a funeral first. It turns out that this is resting place that is visited by a good number of visitors on any given day. Chester B. Arthur is also a resident of this cemetery. The mature trees and rickety roads all lead the way to the unique headstones and mausoleums with angels keeping watch over all those resting in peace. It's a beautiful place to visit. I am sure I'll be back for another visit.

Although the entrance off Helderberg Avenue (by Curry Road) is just a chain link fence, there's no…read moremissing the grounds of Fisher Cemetery. (Fairlane is the road behind the cemetery.) It's a smallish (for a cemetery) area that is surrounded by homes and a church. Some very old, funky headstones are peppered with the newish headstones. Definitely worth a visit for those so inclined. This cemetery has been Max-approved.

Jeff and his team are true professionals. He gave me an honest price for all work done and stone…read morecosts. He was very helpful on design ideas as well as the longevity of the designs that we were thinking of putting on the stones. Jeff and his staff take pride in there work and made sure that every thing was tip top and perfect. If anything wasn't quite right he made sure it was fixed with no additional costs. He is a great communicator, as well, and kept me in the know as the process of making the stones and engraving an already existing stone took place. Can't ask for a better place for this type of work. A very happy customer.

From the owner: Here at Custom Monument Designs we understand that losing a loved one can be a confusing and…read moredifficult time, but we are here to help you through every step of this journey. We are a monument dealer that believes in building your vision to memorialize your loved one with a monument that will eternally express who they were for generations to come. Each one of our designs is hand drawn and then converted digitally for both precision and beauty. At Custom Monument Designs we work with you on every stage of development with multiple proofs, in person consultations and a one on one experience to ensure you are receiving exactly what you envisioned. The consultant that you meet with will be the same person who is designing, lettering and drawing the stone that you created. This allows us to get to know exactly what you would like without any miscommunications, errors or additional frustration that can come with using a third party design company. We are here for you, every step of the way.

Trisha is very professional! She was very helpful with helping me is such a harsh time. Great…read moreservice !! Great prices !

When I contacted Emily about the possibility of matching a new gravestone to a preexisting…read moregravestone, she conducted a find a grave search, found the stone I was talking about (saving me having to drive to see Emily) and easily matched the stone, designed it to our specifications, and had the stone placed in the cemetery - all this was done without me having to travel to Westfield. Emily and Smith Monuments' professionalism and consistent clear communication made it so much easier on our end with multiple family members spread across the country. Emily made my role as estate executor so much easier and I was greatly satisfied with the job well done. The added drama of the pandemic world and supply issues was handled well by Emily and her team. I would recommend Smith Monuments without hesitation.

We had a celebration of life for my father and mother at Konciek Collett funeral home. The care…read moreand compassion Jeffery and Daniel Collett took in caring for my family was beyond any expectation we had. They focused on every detail, from the video presentation, to prayer cards, to placement of flowers. Every detail was well thought out and gave us such peace. I highly recommend Jeffery and Daniel in your time of need.

When my Mother passed recently we found out she had a trust set up for her funeral, it turned into…read morea nightmare, until Jeff Collette. This was the hardest day in my life and I truly feel God put Jeff into my path. He was wonderful from start to finish. He made everything so much easier and we knew Mom would be taken care of. I truly can not thank that man enough. God bless you Jeff, this is why small business is so important, I don't think a large place would have done everything they did. My family and myself will always be thankful. Sincerely, Kellie Nardin