About Us

John came to Upstate New York in 2004 with his wife and three children, and settled in Norwich in 2006. John's wife, Shannon, was born and raised in nearby Greene, NY.

John graduated with honors from mortuary school and passed the national boards in 2011. He completed his residency and passed the NY state law exam in 2012 and received his funeral director's license soon thereafter.

During his studies, he was awarded the 2010 educational scholarship by the Tribute Foundation and the “Second Career” scholarship from the Educational Trust of the Selected Independent Funeral Homes. After being licensed, John was awarded the tribute Foundation's R. Barry McPhillips Scholarship.

John earned a bachelor’s degree from the George Washington University (Washington, DC).

In 2015, John became the firm's manager. In March 2017, John and Shannon purchase the funeral home from Doug and Sharon Wilson.

John met Shannon in Washington, D.C., where they both worked on Capitol Hill. They were married in 1995, and are the proud parents of three children: Erin, Gabe, and Katie.

Outside of work, John keeps busy with activities and events sponsored by the Norwich Family YMCA, where Shannon works as its health and fitness director. Together they have coached youth sports teams and assisted the Norwich YMCA Dolphins swim team. John also served on the Board of the Chenango County Hospice, and was a local swim official at area high school swim meets. They now help run the YMCA's new BOLT's youth track and field team, sponored by the Norwich YMCA and USATF.

John, a Norwich native, is a 2013 graduate of Norwich High School and completed Hudson Valley Community College's mortuary school program in May 2016. He passed the national board exam in October 2016, completed his one-year residency requirement, and passed the NY law exam in October 2017. John became a fully licensed funeral director in November 2017.

John is very active in Norwich. He volunteers at the Northeast Classic Car Museum, and the Chenango Arts Council, among others. He was selected as the first youth to serve as an officer of the New York Archaeological Association, where at age 15 he served as Vice President for the Chenango Chapter.

John is also on the Board of Directors of the Chenango County Historical Society, Chenango County Hospice, Chenango Valley Home, and the Chenango United Way.

In his spare time, John collects various artifacts of Norwich's past and sells antiques at several local antique markets.

Doug Wilson is a native and life-long resident of Norwich, and is a second generation funeral director, having followed in the footsteps of his father, Braden (“Pete”) Wilson.

Doug was licensed as a funeral director in 1980 and was the firm's manager in 1991 after the passing of his father, Pete. In 2002, he became the sole owner of the firm. In April 2017 he sold the firm to his long-time employee and firm manager, John Gawronski.

Doug is a graduate of Norwich High School, Cornell University, and the Simmons Institute of Funeral Service.  

His altruism is evidenced by his activities outside of the funeral home. Doug has served as a member, on the Board of Directors, or as President of the local YMCA, Chenango County Hospice, Norwich Rotary Club, Norwich Youth Bureaus, and area cemetery organizations. He also served as President of the New York State Funeral Directors Association (NYSFDA) and as President of the Leatherstocking Funeral Directors Association.

Doug and his wife, Sharon (Ryan), each of whom are now retired, reside at their home on Chenango Lake. Their daughter, Kelly, is an attorney in Baltimore, MD, and a resident of Alexandria, VA.