John P. Feeney, Founder 1918-1999

The John P. Feeney Funeral Home was founded in 1941 by John P. Feeney. It was located in a modest row home in the 1200 block of North 10th Street in Reading. Back in those days, many funerals were still being held in the deceased family’s home, actually in their living room. This made the need for a large funeral facility unnecessary.

In late 1942, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, John Feeney opted to voluntarily close his already successful funeral home to serve in the U.S. Army. He was the only local funeral director to do so, even though an exemption could have easily been granted.

In 1946, John returned to Reading and again decided to open a funeral home. He did so late in 1946 by purchasing the building located at 839 Washington Street. As this building was previously occupied by another funeral home, its former use made John’s re-entry into the business easier. For 23 years, Feeney Funeral Home operated at that address, serving families of all religious backgrounds with dignified services at the most reasonable price.

Centre Park Location

In the mid-sixties, the Washington Street facility was quickly becoming too small to meet our families’ needs and a search began for a new location. In December of 1969, several days after Christmas, the Feeney Family acquired the property at 625 North 4th Street, in what is now known as the Centre Park Historic District.

This historic, 28 room early 20th Century property has served as the facility for the Feeney Funeral Home and as a residence for members of the Feeney Family ever since. With the ambiance and charm of a bygone era of Reading’s glorious past, this historic facility offers a perfect setting for a funeral or cremation service.

Michael F. Feeney, Current Supervisor

Our Future

Although no one can truly predict the future, the continuation of Feeney Funeral Home into the third generation is firmly on the horizon. Coupled with dedicated staff, Feeney Funeral Home plans to continue to serve Berks County families for years to come. With larger corporations buying up businesses, it is our commitment to stay a locally owned and operated funeral home.