Learn our story, from the beginning and into the future.
We understand how difficult it is to lose a loved one. Our compassionate and caring team work hard each and every day to make sure that the members of our community and beyond are taken care of during such a difficult time. For advice on what to do when a loved one is dying, making funeral arrangements, pre-arranging your own funeral, or anything else, please feel free to contact us, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
We promise to work with you and your family in your time of need to create the perfect memorial service for your loved one. We will be here for you today, as well as tomorrow.
Why Us?
In a nutshell? Experience, professionalism, compassion, and empathy.
We've learned a lot over many years. Like how to present options without overwhelming. And how to meet the needs of many caring parties. People come to us in difficult times, and we respond kindness, calmness and expertise. Our goal is to create a beautiful occasion and make you feel welcome, always. We spend our days planning with families. We stay up to date with industry developments. And we make hard times a little easier.
Learn the legacy.
Our story begins in January of 1910, when Harry Ernest Turner (pictured above left), a native of Clarendon, and Harry D. Bartlett of Holley, bought the Williamson Furniture and Undertaking Store.
The furniture and funeral combination wasn’t unusual at the time. Historians believe early furniture stores carried coffins and other funeral accessories, which made them a natural link to the funeral business.
Turner, who worked 10 years in a furniture store in Holley before purchasing the Batavia store, published a weekly newspaper, The Holley Standard, as a sideline. Bartlett served as Orleans County Clerk in the early 1900’s, and the pair also had a joint interest in stores in Byron and Holley, which they sold a few years after they came to Batavia.
H.E. Turner & Co. was operated at 111 Main St, the former Newberry Building until 1921 when it was moved to the Cary Mansion at 211 East Main St (Pictured above center). 14 years later the firm moved to the Bean Mansion at 403 East Main St, where it remains today (pictured above right).
Harry Turner served as president until his death on January 30, 1949, when James B. McCulley and Harold J. Bishop took over. The furniture line was gone by the time Bishop assumed sole ownership of the business following McCulley’s death in 1953.
Bishop continued the business with the help of new associates, Harold Kruger and Edward Canty, for a dozen years preceding his own death in 1965, at which time, Canty became president of the funeral home. He and Kruger carried on the Turner tradition with the help of Amos Grefrath and George Patterson.
Mr. Canty retired in 1972, at which time Patterson took over as president. Kruger retired in 1975. Patterson died in December of 1976, and management became the responsibility of James F. Smith, Amos Grefrath and Ed Canty’s nephew, James Canty.
Jim Smith worked at the former C.W. Bohm Mortuary before he came to Turner’s. He became president of the firm in 1977.
As the business grew, so did Smith’s desire to continue the Turner tradition of fine service to the community. He opened the funeral home in Bergen in July of 1988.
Amos retired in 1986. Jim Canty retired in 1992, leaving Jim Smith the sole owner of the funeral home.
In October of 2012, Mr. Smith transferred ownership of the firm to his two sons, Justin D. Calarco-Smith, Joshua J. Smith and his longtime trusted friend and employee, Randy W. McIntire.
In April of 2020, Randy W. McIntire transferred his interest in the firm to Steven L. Johnson who has been with the firm since January 2011. Together we have over 115 years of funeral service experience.
Bohm Calarco Smith Funeral Home
The Bohm Mortuary was founded in 1927 by William Bohm, and his son, Clarence. Like H.E. Turner & Co., the firm was originally a combination furniture/undertaking store located on Center Street. As trends changed within the funeral business, the firm moved in 1930, to 308 East Main Street, where it remains today.
Clarence ran the funeral home until his death in 1953 with the help of William Glynn and Vic Powell. Tony Cecere was employed with the firm from 1940-1960. After Clarence's death, William Glynn assumed the manager's role. During this time, Richard was a student at Cornell University and Robert was serving with the Navy. Dick graduated from Cornell and received his funeral director's license and remained with the funeral home until Bob's discharge from the Navy. Bob was licensed in 1957, after which, Dick left for the Priesthood, leaving Bob manager of the business. He remained until H.E. Turner & Co., Inc. Funeral Home, owned by Jim Smith, purchased the firm in 1993, renaming it the Bohm-Calarco-Smith Funeral Home.
Bob continued to work until his death in 2004.
Burdett & Sanford Funeral Home
The original funeral home in Oakfield was located on Main Street in what is now the Village Offices. It was owned by Emmery Root. Ellis Burdett worked for Emmery and upon Root's death in 1940, Burdett tried to purchase the firm. However, an agreement was never made. With the closing of Root's firm, Ellis opened the Burdett Funeral Home on Maple Avenue, which was across the street from our current location.
Our current location was built circa 1828 and was the office of Dr. Messinger from approximately 1905-1944, when Ellis Burdett purchased the building, thus moving the funeral home to 11 Maple Avenue. In 1950, Ellis' son-in-law, LeRoy "Bud" Sanford joined the firm, renaming it Burdett & Sanford Funeral Home.
The partners sold the firm to Larry Davis in 1969 who operated the funeral home until he sold it to Michael Zakes in 1975.
In 2009, Mike and Diane Zakes sold the funeral home to Jim Smith of H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home in Batavia.
Who We Are
Meet our staff. Members of the local community make everything that happens possible. Together, we make this place amazing.
Justin D. Calarco-Smith
Funeral Director
I was born August 25, 1973, the second of four children to James and Mary (Calarco) Smith.
I graduated from Batavia High School in 1991 and continued my education at SUNY Geneseo. While at Geneseo, I decided to enter the family business and began working part time for my father in the winter of 1992.I graduated from Geneseo in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. I continued my studies at Simmons Institute of Funeral Service, receiving my Associates in Mortuary Science in 1996. I've been a licensed funeral director in New York State since 1997.
I married Elizabeth Allen, a long time Elba resident, on September 15, 2007. We have three children;two boys and a girl, Noah, Nicolas, and Lucia. We currently reside in Elba and attend Padre Pio Parish - St. Cecilia Worship Site, where I am a member of the men's group and serve as a Lector and usher. I volunteer many hours as a commissioner for the Elba Joint Fire District and assist the district as the vice-chair. I am also a member of the Batavia Rotary Club and have served as a board member of The Jerome Foundation since 1997 and as the foundation president since 2007. I am a graduate of the inaugural class of Leadership Genesee in 2001 and was honored in 2017 by the Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation as an Outstanding Italian American Man of the Genesee County Region.
In my spare time, I enjoy cross-training at Whole Life Fitness in Batavia and watching my children in the activities and sports they are involved in.
Joshua J. Smith
Funeral Director
A second generation funeral director, I was born and raised in Batavia to James and Mary (Calarco) Smith and still call Batavia home. I graduated from Batavia High School in 1997, SUNY Brockport in 2001 and Simmons Institute of Mortuary Science in 2002. I completed my one year residency in 2003 with the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home and have been licensed since then.
I married my wife Kristin on August 6, 2005 and we are the parents of three children, Caleb, Brendan and Gabriella.
I am a member of Grace Baptist Church in Batavia and am involved in several different ministries of the church. These include a trustee of the church, co-managing the church capital campaign, steward of finance and a member of Joshua’s Men.
I am also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Batavia, where I previously served on the board of directors and social committee and also belong to the City of Batavia Republican Committee. A 2005 graduate of Leadership Genesee, I am a past member and board member of the Batavia Area Jaycees.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, working out, working around my home and watching sports.
Steven L. Johnson CFSP
Funeral Director & Certified Celebrant
A first generation funeral director, I was raised in Wethersfield, a son of Lisa (Drake) Johnson and the late John T. Johnson. After graduating from Letchworth Central School, Class of 2002, I began my formal education at Genesee Community College; graduating in 2005 with an Associate's Degree in Business Administration. Following GCC, I attended Mortuary School at SUNY Canton, graduating in 2006 with high honor and a member of Phi Theta Kappa (International Two Year Honor Society).
I completed my residency with Miller Funeral Homes in Rochester and earned my Funeral Director’s License in August of 2007. Following my residency, I worked for a funeral home in Buffalo until I joined the H.E. Turner & Co. team in January of 2011.
In 2013 I opted continue furthering my education and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Funeral Services Administration from SUNY Canton in 2016. Upon graduation, I was awarded the college's Ethics and Professionalism Award and was nominated for the American Funeral Director Magazine's "Ones to Watch." In July 2018 I was awarded the designation of CFSP (Certified Funeral Service Practitioner). I am currently an MBA Candidate at Medaille College.
My wife, Jessica and I currently reside in Batavia. We welcomed our first child, a daughter, Kaleesi, on May 23, 2017. I am a member of the New York State Funeral Director’s Association, and the National Funeral Director’s Association. I strive to continue furthering my professional education which will allow me to better serve the families of Genesee County.
I currently serve on the Crossroads House Board of Directors as President, Genesee Cancer Assistance Board of Directors, the Advisory Board to SUNY Canton's Mortuary Science Program, and the Committee for Continuing Education with the New York State Funeral Director's Association, and am an adjunct instructor in the Mortuary Science Department at SUNY Canton. I am a past member of the Executive Board of the Rochester Genesee Valley Funeral Director's Association. In the spring of 2013 I received training and was Certified as a Funeral Celebrant.
In my free time, I enjoy traveling, spending time with family and friends, as well as most outdoor activities; especially hunting, hiking, and attending sporting events.
David R. Penepent
Funeral Director
Randy W. McIntire
Funeral Director Emeritus
My history in funeral service stems from a background in Emergency Medicine (EMS). I was involved in both firefighting and ambulance work in the mid-1970’s when I became an Emergency Medical Technician in the state of Ohio. After I moved back to the Batavia area, I began work at Genesee Memorial Hospital (now UMMC) as a medic and hospital orderly. I became familiar with all of the local funeral directors, and through that relationship, felt that Funeral Service represented a great opportunity for service.
I was born in Flint Michigan on August 6, 1957. My father, Rev. Harold McIntire, was a Methodist minister, and some of my earliest memories were of my mother, Margaret “Peg” McIntire as she graduated from nurse’s school. The last church that my father pastored was in Batavia and, as I spent some of my child hood here, I felt that Batavia was more home than most of the other places that we had lived. It was good to get back in Batavia.
I enrolled in “mortuary” school in the spring of 1985. I graduated from the Simmons School of Mortuary Science in the fall of 1986, served a one year residency with H.E. Turner & Co., Inc., where I have been since then.
In September of 2012, Justin Calarco-Smith, Joshua Smith and I purchased the firm and its four locations from Jim Smith.
Activity in funeral service has provided me with unusual opportunities. I serve as a Mortuary Officer on a team that responds to disasters that involve large numbers of fatalities. The team is called the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team and falls under the NDMS program with the US Department of Health and Human Services. I have been asked to assist at the Egypt Air Flight 990 plane crash on October 31, 1999, World Trade Center Tragedy (9-11) on September 11, 2001, Hurricane Katrina on August 28, 2005 and Continental Flight 3407 on February 12, 2009.
I rejoined the fire service and was a member and past Fire Chief of the Town of Batavia Fire Department. I was very active in Fire Service within the department as well as on a county and state level. I am a former member of the Genesee County Fire Advisory Board, The Town of Batavia Fire Department’s Strategic Planning Committee, Building Committee and provided input to various other committees on a local level. I thought I had hung up my boots and turn-out coat for good, however I was felt compelled to continue my history as a volunteer firefighter with the Town of Oakfield Fire Department; where I am currently the 2nd Assistant Chief and member of the Honor Guard. I also continue as a Truck Judge with the Genesee Valley Judging Association, providing judging service for fireman’s parades and events for over 27 years.
I am also a member of the Northgate Free Methodist Church, member of the Genesee Valley Funeral Director’s Association, National Funeral Directors Association and New York State Funeral Directors Association (NYSFDA) where I serve on the Family Assistance Commission (FAC).
I live in Oakfield with my wife Colleen (Worthington) McIntire. We have two children, my oldest is Dr. Lisa (McIntire) (husband Chris) Lavrey. She is a wonderful person and successful Physical Therapist with Summit Physical Therapy in Batavia. They have a daughter, Mackenzie. My son, SSgt. Jeffery W. (wife Amy) McIntire, has recently completed 12 years in the US Marine Corps in the spring of 2012, having served in four overseas deployments. He is a Purple Heart recipient and is in the process of starting his own business training law enforcement in tactical operations. Jeff has three children, Derek, Kayla and Randy.
In my free time, I enjoy hunting, fishing, lawn work, and 4-wheeling. Most recently I have become certified on an advanced level, as a SCUBA diver.
James F. Smith
Funeral Director Emeritus
While not having been born in Batavia I have resided here since 1955. My parent's moved here when the former GTE Sylvania plant opened.
In 1966 I graduated from Notre Dame High School, in 1967 graduated from Simmons School of Mortuary Science and in 1968 I married Mary Calarco and also began my funeral service career at the C. W. Bohm Mortuary in Batavia. I have been involved with funeral service since that time except for active duty in 1968 with the US Army Reserve.
My wife and I are the proud parents of Jason (Lori)Smith of Batavia, Justin (Liz) Calarco-Smith of Elba, Joshua (Kristin) Smith of Batavia and Jenna (Mark) Alexander of Oakfield and grandparents of nine. I have always treasured my career, continue to do so today and while I am proud of all my children's accomplishments, I am pleased that two of my sons have chosen funeral service as their career.
Over the course of our lives my wife and I have always been involved with many volunteer activites for our church, community and our children' school activities. We are fortunate to have been able to live, work and raise our family here. We are truly happy that our children continue to reside here and know that this community someday will be our "retirement home".
