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Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory bought Dougherty Funeral Home in Plainfield recently. At left, Robert Fournier Jr., owner of Gilman and Valade, with Tim Plante of Dougherty Brothers. Courtesy photo.
PLAINFIELD — After nearly four decades of owning and operating Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home, Timothy Plante announced the sale of his funeral home to Robert Fournier, owner of Gilman & Valade Funeral Homes & Crematory of Putnam and Thompson.
Plante said: “The time has come to step back from the daily operations of the funeral home. While I still plan to continue working for Bob, Melissa and I are ready to enjoy a well-earned rest from the long hours and unending dedication that funeral service requires.”
Fournier, a third-generation funeral director, has been serving Connecticut families since 2005, carrying on the tradition of care begun by The Gilman & Valade Funeral Homes in 1919. In 2013 Bob built the Park Tribute Center, Windham County’s first and only crematory, as an exclusive service to the families he serves. This service will now be available to Dougherty Brothers clients, whose loved ones will no longer leave the care of the funeral home staff.
“For the last 15 years, Tim and I have worked side by side, assisting each other in various aspects of our businesses. We share the same commitment to providing excellent funeral service, and I am honored to continue his tradition,” said Fournier.
“It was very important to me that Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home remain locally owned. With Bob’s experience and compassion, I am confident that the families of the greater Plainfield area will continue to receive the best care possible,” said Plante.
Dougherty Brothers and Gilman & Valade Funeral Homes will continue to operate under their own names, with the current staff in place. Furthermore, all prepaid funeral contracts will be honored as planned.
Plante added, “We want to let you know how excited we are to see Dougherty Brothers legacy continue well into the future. You can rest assured that the plans you made with us remain in full effect with no changes.”
Dougherty Brothers Funeral Home was founded in 1929 by Walter, George, and Edward Dougherty in Moosup. In 1960, the brothers opened their Plainfield location at 595 Norwich Road on the corner of Railroad Avenue. In 1983, Tim Plante and his parents Henry J. “Bud” and Mary Jane Plante purchased the funeral home and built a large addition onto the existing facilities in 1992.
The Gilman Funeral Home, founded in 1919 by Alexander Gilman, and the Valade Funeral Home, founded in 1924 by Alphonse Valade, merged in 1980 under the direction of Lawrence J. Bellerose. In December 2005, Robert “Bob” Fournier purchased both funeral homes and then built The Park Tribute Center.
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