Scamardella Funeral Home: Celebrating 50 Years with the Chamber

By MICHAEL ANDERSON
Content Development Specialist

S. Joann Scamardella always wanted to help others. 

“As a little girl, I had to take care of everybody. I had a doll, and I would even take her temperature. I wanted to be a caregiver my whole life,” she said. 

That nurturing disposition is one of the reasons the 69-year-old has successfully carried on the family legacy at Scamardella Funeral Home Inc. as the owner, manager, and licensed funeral director of the third-generation West Brighton business.

 In 1927, Joann’s grandparents, Matteo and Sophie, opened Scamardella Funeral Home in Rosebank. They moved the funeral home to its current 332 Broadway location in West Brighton in the early 1930s and raised their two sons, Matteo Jr. and Joseph, on the businesses’ second floor.

Joann’s father, Joseph, became involved in the business after returning home from World War II and oversaw expansion efforts by constructing a new wing (which now houses Chapel B) in the late 1960s. Although Joseph teamed with his mother to run the business after the death of Matteo Sr. in 1968, Joann had no desire to follow in those footsteps.

“I never gave working there a thought. My grandmother lived upstairs from the funeral home, and I would rush through the business to go visit her. I was never interested in finding out what they did,” said Scamardella.

Instead, she pursued her lifelong dream and became a nurse in 1980 and began working in the head trauma unit at the former St. Vincent’s Hospital (now known as Richmond University Medical Center). However, her grandmother still tried to convince her to pursue helping with the family business. Scamardella relented and enrolled at the American Academy of McAllister Institute before graduating cum Laude in 1981. 

In addition to raising her son, Robert, and working as a nurse, Joann would assist her father at the funeral home. In 1992, her father suddenly passed away, and Joan took over the reins at the family business. 

Her goal was always to return to nursing, but with her 93-year-old grandmother still living upstairs above the funeral home, Scamardella stayed and never left.

“I like the fact that I didn’t walk away and leave behind my grandparents’ hard work,” she said. “My father used to tell me, ‘With this job, you’ll never have a life.’ He was right. But I don’t find it a sacrifice. I like what I do.”   

After nearly 30 years of operating the funeral home, Scamardella’s ability to comfort and help people is what keeps her going.

“In my own way, I do a form of nursing here. I don’t prescribe meds, but I do take care of people -- both living and deceased -- the right way,” she said. 

Looking forward, Scamardella Funeral Home is shaping to become a fourth-generation business. Scamardella is thrilled that her grandson -- 18-year-old Robert Dazzo Jr. -- is currently attending the American Academy of McAllister Institute for a career in funeral service.   

As Scamardella Funeral Home has serviced the community for over 90 years, Scamardella says that aspect is a big reason her father joined the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce 50 years ago.

“My dad was always a people person. He would drop everything to help anyone. He liked being in the community. He believed in all that -- and I do, too,” said Scamardella. “I attended Chamber events in the beginning, and I met so many great people.”