Our History

We have worked to develop a standard of service that matches your expectations, with our ability to deliver your wishes and requests. We are continuously striving to build relationships with other organizations that would enhance our ability to achieve that goal. This equation leads itself to our success in servicing our community.We have made our families the center of all our management decisions and we genuinely appreciate the community's trust and loyalty in entrusting their love ones to our care.

Floyd A. Williams Funeral Home’s Commitment to a Multicultural Boston Community

FLOYD A. WILLIAMS FUNERAL HOME-TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018

For over 45 years, the Floyd A. Williams Funeral Home, Inc., by the Will & Grace of God, has stood steadfast, unmovable, and always abounding in its work to serve the diverse Boston community and it’s surrounding areas, done with the highest level of dignity and professionalism.

Since his youth, Reverend Floyd A. Williams, III has had a unique reverence for the deceased. With a heartfelt desire to care for them and their bereaved families, he pursued his dream of establishing his own funeral home. In February 1974, He and his family purchased the building at 490 Columbia Road from the Chapman family.

The 11,000-square-foot facility had undergone at that time, an extensive structural transformation that took on a multicultural aura while maintaining its stately appearance. Prior to the renovations we see today, you would entering the funeral home lobby on the lower floor, were you met with mirrored walls on your right and the entrance to the main chapel on your left. This was the place were the funeral home’s warm, caring staff first welcomed families and friends to services their loved ones.

The building had two chapels, each with an antique organs. The main chapel had seated only 75 people but still was very welcoming with soft rose pink-painted walls and contrasting maroon chairs and carpeting. The room had old Bostonian architecture with white trim, and as throughout the entire building, the large windows lend a peaceful atmosphere as the natural sunlight came in. The second chapel, named in honor of Rev. Williams’ late grandmother, Adele Brown, has a more pastoral setting with wooden floors and benches.

Guests were welcome to relax in either of the two serene sitting rooms. Both were furnished with reclining chairs and large aquariums, which added tranquility to the atmosphere. The arrangement room, embalming room and storage areas were also located on the lower level, while staff rooms and living quarters are upstairs. He always took pride in the maintenance of his facility therefore the strides we have taken to uphold all the qualities of the original facility where necessary to reflects the foundation Rev. Williams has laid. You will find that the facility now matches the standard of care and professionalism that has provided the goodwill to sustains the Floyd A. Williams legacy.

Rev. Williams has worked hard to make his firm successful. His dedication, along with love for God and his fellow man, has kept him from wavering in his commitment to serve others. He has persevered against what has been, at times, insurmountable odds as an African-American Man struggling to build a business in the United States. Rev. Williams attributes his drive to his late grandmother Adele who raised him according to the great teachings of Marcus Garvey: “If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence you have won even before you started.”

As a former US Marine, these teaching where tested; with Distinguished Service Medals, such as the Silver Star & the Purple Heart, Rev. Williams is the example of commitment, loyalty, determination and perseverance. He has strived for excellence in everything he does.

Along with founding the Floyd A Williams Funeral Home, Inc., he served on the Massachusetts Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers for five years. Rev. Williams was the first African American appointed to this seat and first to rise to the level of Chairman.

Rev. Williams is a respected Bostonian who is known for reaching out to his brothers and sisters around the Diaspora. Members of this beloved community have known that they can turn to Mr. Williams for compassion, sympathy, advocacy and guidance. They regard his funeral home as a place where they can find refuge and strength when burdens grow great. Inspiring such trust from the community, it is no wonder that the family-owned funeral home has been so successful. Today it not only services the entire New England area, but additionally providing End of Life Planning, Funeral and Cremation Services domestic and internationally. While making it a point to provide support and empowerment through resources that assist the community through initiatives that promote bereavement counseling, personal growth & wellness, and estate planning which gives rise what we see as our purpose ~ sustaining Legacy. No matter how big or how small.

Many members of Rev. Williams’ family have contributed to the longevity of the firm as well. As his children: Tracey, Debbie, Sean and Dahria all had the opportunity to work for “Dad”. Rev. Williams’ youngest daughter, Dahria Williams-Fernandes, has followed some of her father’s footsteps; she has become a funeral director and served as the first African American Women to be appointed to the Massachusetts Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers. Dahria is very proud of what her father has overcome & accomplished in his lifetime and believes that working alongside him has been a tremendously blessing in her life. Even with the new addition of Rev. Williams’ son in-law, Pastor John Fernandes, a rising funeral director, manifests his positive influence and responsibility to his family’s growth.

In fact, everyone at the funeral home is spiritual to some degree. Perhaps caring for families of different nationalities and religions fosters this sense. At the least, they have found it to be very enlightening in regard to the social and economic struggles people face, not just at the time of death, but also in everyday life.

Reverend Williams’ consistent commitment & example of professionalism, alined with a clear inherent; somewhat innate nature has given rise to the charge to help others, the wisdom to define your purpose, while keeping not just the reverence for death but first, for life.

Dahria is president of the funeral home and in succession, only plans to continue her father’s legacy, policies & standards, but will also expand on that foundation. She has already begun by adding a feminine touch to the business practices and as one will see, from the now newly renovated facility, how her clear intent was to focus on the needs of the families she served, looking from the eyes of one whom has lost.

Dahria, her partner, Jenelle A. Johnson, shares in Rev. Williams’ dedication. She reflects the teach of Rev. Williams standards, policy, commitment and professionalism. Jenelle implements proper protocol to insure the families needs our met. Both are big on personalization and respectfully honoring the traditions of the many cultures.

As Floyd A. Williams Funeral Home moves forward, its professionals will remain true to its founding principles of serving people of all faiths and nationalities with compassion as they celebrate the lives of their loved ones.

This team of licensed professionals have worked to develop a standard of service that matches expectations and beyond. The families are the center of all our management decisions. The transparency, with the ability to deliver on your wishes while insuring to provide your families’ needs, has been observed by the community and is reflected in their trust and loyalty.

The Floyd A. Williams Funeral Home, Inc. continuously strives to build relationships with other organizations that would enhance their ability to achieve that goal & your expectations. It comes down to Professionalism, Respect, Dignity and Love. This equation leads it self to the success. With over 45 years of service, this community reflects that this is not just a funeral home in the Community but truly a Ministry.