The Scanlan funeral history began four generations ago in Paterson, when Martin John Scanlan, an Irish immigrant, opened Scanlan Funeral Home on Market Street in the 1880s. Marty’s two sons, Charlie and John, joined the family business in the 1920s, continuing the Scanlan good name in funeral service.

With the 1950s sprawl out of the cities and into the suburbs, John sold the Market Street funeral home and opened a branch in nearby Pompton Plains, buying a large farm home on the Newark-Pompton Turnpike.

In 1967, John renamed his funeral home in Pompton Plains the M. John Scanlan Funeral Home. John’s two sons, Marty and Charlie, joined the family business in the 1970s. Charlie took over as manager upon John’s death in 1984, and is known throughout the region as a kind, compassionate and honest man.

Charlie’s daughter Kiera joined the firm in 2006 after completing her education at Susquehanna University and the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service, and serves as the fourth generation of Scanlan funeral professionals.