Our Heritage
Mr. Lawrence H. Woodward left Spartanburg,South Carolina arriving in New York in 1920. He and his family set up roots in the Bedford Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn and in 1923 opened up a funeral home bearing his name on Fulton Street. Mr.Woodward stayed in that building until 1947. His business growing rapidly made him venture out and purchase buildings on Schenectady Avenue. He made two of the ground floors his new location for business. Here at 18 Schenectady Avenue, Mr. Woodward became a familiar face throughout his community often being seen at church and civic functions. In 1960, the Woodward family welcomed newly licensed director Mr. Melvin D. Thompson. Sadly in June 1961 Mr.Woodward passed.
Mr Thompson, like his friend and mentor, worked long and hard hours within the community at large. He was able to purchase the funeral home in 1968. As Urban Renewal came into the area, Mr Thompson and many others sat on boards and attended hundreds of meetings fighting for new homes,schools,stores and parks so this community would continue to thrive..With the building of a new Boy and Girl's High School in the making, Mr.Thompson would have to move to a new location. With the help of baseball legend Jackie Robinson and his construction company, Mr.Thompson chose to build just up the street. The new location at One Troy Ave was the first African American structure built and designed from the ground up to be just what it is...a funeral home. Out of love and respect Mr.Thompson kept the name Lawrence H. Woodward and dedicated it in September 1975 to those in repose and for the comfort of their loved ones.
Mr. Melvin Thompson with his grand daughters at the YMCA Brooklyn Honors Award Ceremony where Mr. Thompson was the Lifetime Achievement Award.
What Makes Us Unique
We are proud to embrace traditional values, diversity and innovation in honoring the spirit and life of each person we serve. We offer a full selection of:
- Funeral and memorial services, ranging from traditional to uniquely innovative and personal
- Burial services and cremation options
- Celebrant Services
Letting go of a loved one is usually a very difficult process. In order to provide your family peace-of-mind, our funeral home offers complete care, so you can focus on comforting each other as you prepare to say goodbye to someone dear to you.
Although there are many decisions you may have to make, we assure you that we will guide you through the entire process every step of the way. We promise to help you:
- Design the most fitting memorial or funeral service to honor their memory and pay tribute to their life achievements and experiences.
- Select the most appropriate products, including a casket, burial vault, cremation urn, cemetery or mausoleum, to fit your budget and suit your needs and desires.
- Write a fitting obituary to honor your loved one’s life experiences and social connections.
- Assist in the publication of the obituary in the newspapers of your choice.
- Create a Book of Memories™, a beautiful, permanent online memorial, where you and your friends can build a legacy of memories by archiving treasured photos and memories.
- Welcome your family and friends to our funeral home for your planned services, including a viewing, visitation, funeral or memorial service.
- Make all arrangements with regard to the services whether they are held at your place of worship, our funeral home, cemetery, or alternate gathering place.
- Provide you with beautiful funeral print materials, including memorial folders, prayer cards and book marks. We also offer personalized note cards for you to acknowledge the emotional support you received from friends, co-workers and community members.
- Provide an elegant hearse and funeral cars, as well as arrange for escorts.
- Help in the selection and on-site arrangement of floral tributes.
- Provide access to grief education and support materials, and referrals to counseling services.
- Prepare all paperwork, including vital record statistics, permits, filing and obtaining death certificates, and assistance with life insurance, veteran’s benefits and Social Security claims.