About Us

Parthemore Funeral Home & Cremation Services is an independent, family-owned funeral home. When we opened our home in 1969, we did so with the firm belief that dignity, compassion and professionalism were of utmost importance to the families we serve. That principle has passed on from generation to generation.

Our focus is on serving families, not stockholders. We are dedicated to working closely with our community with compassion and caring.

Throughout our history, Parthemore has continued its commitment to excellence. We are a longstanding member of the National Funeral Directors Association and the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association, the largest state funeral directors association in the nation.

Parthemore Funeral Home also was accepted as a member of the International Order of the Golden Rule (IOGR), an association of over 1,200 independent funeral homes that are guided in their business practices by the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

To become a member, Parthemore had to pass a rigorous qualification and review process to ensure that we adhere to high standards of conduct and provide dignified, caring service at fair and reasonable prices. In addition, a random survey of the area served by Parthemore was conducted to insure that the funeral home is actively involved in the community.

Parthemore is pleased also to be selected by readers of Senior News, Harrisburg Magazine and The Sentinel as the area’s Best Funeral Home. We are thankful for this recognition and pledge to continue the high level of service that earned this confidence and trust.

Our Founders

The Parthemore family has called New Cumberland home since 1914. Since then five generations have been born and raised in this charming borough on the outskirts of Harrisburg.

George Bruaw Parthemore, and his sons, Gilbert Jacob and John Alfred, opened the G.B. Parthemore & Sons Dairy, shortly after arriving in their new hometown. The dairy offered door-to-door service via horse-drawn milk wagon. Eventually, the horse-drawn wagon was replaced by a milk truck, but the Parthemore name continued to be synonymous with quality service.

The Parthemores have seen many changes since the days when horse-drawn wagons and street cars were familiar sites along Bridge Street, but a strong sense of public service and emphasis on supporting the community remains.

The funeral home founders, Gil and Sondra Parthemore, have fond memories of growing up in a small town with a population of 3,500, where personalized service was important and everyone looked out for one another. It was that sense of community and a strong understanding of service that has been the foundation of Parthemore’s Family Tradition of Caring.

Gil’s introduction to funeral service began at age 15 when he started working at the cemetery cutting grass and digging graves. It was years later in January of 1969, that he and Sondra purchased what is now Parthemore Funeral Home from Dr. & Mrs. (Marjorie) Carl Ervin. Originally built in 1928, the home remains a landmark along New Cumberland’s main thoroughfare.

The small town residents welcomed the Parthemore family into their new business, and the first funeral was held even before the new carpet was laid. In the early days, Gil met with the families, and Sondra worked behind the scenes, handling flower arrangements, writing the obituaries and tending to other details.

The Parthemore’s oldest son, Gib, was nine-years-old when the Parthemores moved into their new home and business. He immediately became interested in the business, as did his younger brothers, Bruce and Steve, all of whom remain part of the business today.

Eight active grandchildren round out the Parthemore family, all still happy to call New Cumberland their home and continue the Parthemore legacy.