You may be familiar with Gearty-Delmore Funeral Chapel in Robbinsdale, but did you know its history in the northwest suburbs dates back to 1926? The Robbinsdale Historical Society invites you to learn about the early history of funeral service in Robbinsdale on Tuesday, September 24, 2019, at 1:00 pm.
Origi
nally known as Larson’s, the funeral home became Davis from 1935 to 1944, when it was purchased by B.J. (Barney) Gearty and his wife Mary.
Bar
ney Gearty was a descendant of John Gearty, a pioneer farmer and land settler in Golden Valley. Barney attended Ascension School in North Minneapolis and was an employee of Gill Bros. Funeral Home when he made the move to Robbinsdale.
The Gearty-Davis Funeral Chapel served many families over those years. Mary Gearty was an integral part of the operation. She secured a funeral directors license through a program with the state health department that allowed spouses’ to be licensed in order to assist in the operation of the funeral home.
In 1973 Bob Delmore and two partners purchased the funeral home and in 1978 the name was changed to Gearty-Delmore Funeral Chapel. Dan Delmore joined his father in 1976 upon graduation from the University of Minnesota Department of Mortuary Science.
In 1982 the Delmores expanded to St. Louis Park, and later to Plymouth. While continuing to serve Robbinsdale, Crystal, North Minneapolis, and St. Louis Park, the firm now also serves the growing Western suburbs of Plymouth, Maple Grove, Medina, Wayzata, Corcoran, and Hamel.
Robbinsdale Historical Society’s monthly programs are free of charge and open to anyone interested in local history. The programs are held at the Museum (the former public library building at 4915 42nd Ave. N.) on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 1:00 pm. Membership in the Historical Society is $15/year or $100/lifetime.