As a young girl of eight, Geri wanted to be a funeral director. Her grandmother’s sudden death and her parent’s decision not to let her go to the funeral stirred her curiosity into the funeral business. In 1969, shortly after her grandmother’s funeral, her parents moved from Newark, NJ to a farm in Jackson, NJ. There were many changes it seemed that were happening at once to a little girl. Her parents thought it was a phase she would eventually grow out of and were quite surprised when she entered high school and planned her science courses accordingly. They even went so far as to visit a local funeral home where her aunt did hair to see if she could handle being in the preparation room where everything is done.

Growing up on the farm and watching the circle of life with the animals she cared for reminded her again why she wanted to be a funeral director. “The funeral is for the living, and it gives family and friends a place to gather and grieve”, says Geri. “I love the social aspect of the funeral, the noisier the better. We celebrate the life the deceased lived and how they may have been an influence to each and every one of us. Unlike weddings, no invitation is required, and the price of the funeral you select is the same no matter how many attend.”

After graduation, Geri interned and worked for a local funeral home in Lakewood. She stayed there and learned the business aspect of her job for five years. Now 23 and working long hours for someone else, she approached her father for advice and help. Her parents offered to help her make the next logical step and purchase her own funeral home. They gave her a loan for the deposit and the seller held the mortgage that the banks wouldn’t touch. The first Oliverie Funeral Home opened April 17, 1987 at 100 Union Ave Lakehurst, NJ, with her family and friends behind her.

With this, Geri worked longer hours and for less money but was out to prove a point. She did everything on the premises and did all the work herself to maintain the quality of the funerals she did and make a mark in the community. Women can do this job as well as men, after all 70% of her families were widows. Wouldn’t they rather speak to a woman who was caring and not so business like? Her father helped with the visitations and greeted people as they came in for many years before his death in 2001. Years later and they still ask for him.

In 1988 Geri married Michael J. Hennicke. He was working for a local funeral home in Bricktown, NJ. Mike was also working many hours and decided it was time to go out on his own. In 1994 Mike started Tri-County Trade which serviced the funeral home industry. Now on his own he was able to help at the funeral home more and use it as his office. Now the father of a newborn and a three year old, Mike was able to take over more of the responsibility and the day to day operations of the funeral home.

In 1997 Mike and Geri felt the funeral home had reached its full potential, and could not grow in its current location. Landlocked and unable to provide more parking were key concerns. That year they decided to look around in the next community to see what was available. They were able to find an available piece of property and were extremely lucky that seller was willing to work with them. They were in for a long drawn out process that took four and a half years.

Mike did all the layout and design with the architects and Geri did all the color schemes and decorating. Everything seemed to come together. Their current location in Manchester opened its door for business in January of 2001. Their first year was a struggle and again they worked the long hours. They did everything themselves right down to the landscaping to help with the expenses.

After a couple of years they grew strong enough to add the front gazebo and park like setting that everyone comments about. Occasionally they get phone calls from brides to be looking for permission to take pictures there. The three car garage was added in 2006.

Mike and Geri live on the premises with their three children, Marissa, Bridget and Michael. Each helps with the business in their own unique way. They help with the cleaning, making of the prayer cards, hanging up coats and answering the phones. “We like that we live upstairs and are available to all our families and their needs 24 hours a day. We answer our own phones and only go to a service if we are unable to physically be here.” “In this hectic, unexpected business, being upstairs lets us take care of our family as well, and we are able to be together for meals and to help with the homework”, says Mike and Geri.

“Our family cares for your family as if it were our own, and that’s what makes us different than the others”, says Mike. They set the standard for themselves and raise the bar every year. In 2008 they joined the Order of the Golden Rule. This organization sets high standards for those members who are fortunate enough to qualify, be nominated and be accepted. The staff and Mike and Geri are extremely proud of this accomplishment and hope you select them to help you in your time of need.