Our Legacy

Our History

A brief history of the family of directors who have owned and run the Funeral Home for over a century, as well as a brief history of the grounds and buildings that comprise the funeral home site.

Directors Past and Present

A history of the family of Funeral Directors that have served the community for over 100 years

HENRY A. STEVENS (1881-1959) 

Born in Nova Scotia, Henry Stevens moved to Great Barrington in 1918, where he purchased a stake in the furniture and funeral business originally established by Edmund B. Culver. Culver had opened the business, known as E.B. Culver, Undertaker and Cabinet Maker, in the mid-1870s on Dresser Avenue in Great Barrington.

In January 1919, Henry acquired full ownership of the business and in 1921 he moved the business to its current location on Main Street. 

MILTON L. STEVENS (1916-2000) 

Milton L. Stevens was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and moved to Great Barrington with his family as a child. He was educated in local schools and graduated in 1939 from the Renouard School of Mortuary Science in New York City.

He became a licensed funeral director in March 1940, and the following year, in 1941, he married Edna (Coates) Stevens.

From 1942 to 1945, Milton proudly served in the U.S. Army during World War II, stationed in England with the 115th Station Medical Hospital.

After returning home from military service, Milton joined his father in operating the family funeral home. In 1954, Stevens Funeral Home expanded by purchasing the Searing Funeral Home in Stockbridge. The Stockbridge location remained in operation until it was sold in 2000.

KEVIN B. FINNERTY (1937-2008) 

In 1971, Kevin Finnerty married Laura Jane Stevens, daughter of Milton and Edna Stevens. Shortly after their marriage, Kevin began working alongside his father-in-law at the family funeral home.

At the age of 38, Kevin made a significant career change and enrolled at the New England Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences. He graduated in 1977 and became a licensed funeral director in October of that year.

In 1980, Kevin purchased the funeral home from his father-in-law, Milton Stevens. The business was renamed Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home, Inc., continuing the tradition of compassionate service to the community under a new generation of leadership.

MEGHAN L. FINNERTY (1978- present) 

Born and raised in Great Barrington, Meghan L. Finnerty was educated in the town’s local schools and represents the fourth generation of her family to serve the community in funeral service.

She began working at the funeral home in June 1999 and pursued formal training in Mortuary Science at Hudson Valley Community College, graduating in 2001.

In November 2001, Meghan became a licensed funeral director, exactly 100 years after her great-grandfather, Henry Stevens, first earned his license, a milestone that underscores her deep family connection to the profession.

Meghan worked closely with her father, Kevin Finnerty, until his passing in 2008, continuing the legacy of dedicated, compassionate service that has defined the family's commitment to the community for over a century.

History Of Our Location

Taylor Hill: A Place of History and Service

• The building that currently houses Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home was constructed in 1815 by George Ives.

         Noted American poet and journalist William Cullen Bryant and his bride lived here for a time; their daughter, Frances, was born in the home.

• In 1826, Ralph Taylor, George Ives’  brother-in-law, purchased the property and named it Taylor Hill. After Ralph's passing in 1886, his son, Charles J. Taylor, inherited the property. Charles authored his town’s history in a small, detached building just south of the main house.

• In 1921, Henry A. Stevens moved the funeral home business to this historic location, beginning a legacy of service that continues today.

• In September 1964, Milton L. Stevens relocated the Fassett House from Elm Street in Great Barrington—where the Great Barrington Savings Bank had acquired the land for expansion—to its current site on South Street. The house now sits on the funeral home property, just above Finnerty & Stevens, and currently serves as an apartment building.

• In 1999, a significant addition was completed, doubling the size of the funeral home. This expansion included a 150+ person capacity chapel and additional office space, enhancing the facility’s ability to serve the community with dignity and care.