Detroit Area Funeral Homes prior to 1950s

[IrishSpartan]

From my research of the Detroit Free Press archives, the last funeral out of Calcaterra's at 1201 East Grand Boulevard was on March 17, 1959. There were apparently no funerals from Calcaterra's in April 1959. The first one out of the location at 16090 E. 7 Mile Road was on May 4, 1959. I could find no other business located at that location prior. Judging from its mid-century modern architecture, I would ascertain that it was new construction at that time.

Of course, any additional information or a correction to.my findings would be greatly appreciated.

Calcaterra on E. Grand Blvd. was operating until at least early 1962. A close friend of the family back then had a funeral there in December of 1961. It was House of Diggs by 1963 and that year the former Baltimore Colts football player Big Daddy Lipscomb, who was originally from Detroit had his funeral at Diggs.

[canuck]

Calcaterra on E. Grand Blvd. was operating until at least early 1962. A close friend of the family back then had a funeral there in December of 1961. It was House of Diggs by 1963 and that year the former Baltimore Colts football player Big Daddy Lipscomb, who was originally from Detroit had his funeral at Diggs.

What a great name for a Funeral Parlor; House of Diggs. Love it.

There is an old Funeral company in Montreal with a similar evocative name;
"T. Sansregret". The T when spoken in the French idiom also stands for “You”, in other words, You are without regret.

[jcole]

The first obit from the 7 Mile Calcattera's is this one from July of 1959

[jcole]

Calcaterra may have been on E Grand until 1962 but that doesn't mean they didn't build a new one on 7 and Moross at the V in the road before that. I lived around the block from it and remember it from being a tiny child in the early 60's or late 50's.

Calcaterra on E. Grand Blvd. was operating until at least early 1962. A close friend of the family back then had a funeral there in December of 1961. It was House of Diggs by 1963 and that year the former Baltimore Colts football player Big Daddy Lipscomb, who was originally from Detroit had his funeral at Diggs.

[IrishSpartan]

Calcaterra may have been on E Grand until 1962 but that doesn't mean they didn't build a new one on 7 and Moross at the V in the road before that. I lived around the block from it and remember it from being a tiny child in the early 60's or late 50's.

Where did I claim that the two were not operating concurrently for a certain period of time? A.H. Peters had the Gratiot location and still open Mack location operating together for years before they opened the funeral home on Schoenherr in Warren. A number of funeral home operations did that as the demographics of the neighborhoods in the city/suburbs changed.