Our History

Townsend-Wood Funeral Chapel began caring for families in the Penn Yan-Yates County area in 1918 as the Thayer-Waldo Funeral Directors and Undertakers. Archie Thayer and Theron Waldo owned and operated the funeral home until the early 1920s when Archie took over the business and changed the name to Thayer Funeral Home. Archie operated the funeral home for many decades and, shortly after the passing of his son, Archie sold the funeral home to George Townsend.

George operated the funeral home under the name of Townsend Funeral Chapel until the late 1970s when Steven P. Wood purchased the funeral home and operated as the Townsend-Wood Funeral Chapel until his passing in 2006.