About Commack Abbey Inc

With 150 years of experience in New York we have helped families from all walks of life honor and celebrate the life of their loved ones. Planning a funeral can be overwhelming and our knowledge allows us to help families make decisions during this difficult time. Our approach focuses on active listening to create an environment to honor and remember those who have passed. Our chapels provide a setting for us to reflect, appreciate, and celebrate life.

Our History

The Michalek family has owned and operated funeral businesses in New York since 1871. Jan Josef Michalek opened his funeral home on the Upper East Side of Manhattan on East 73rd Street. The building was located in a Czech neighborhood in a six-story building where his family also resided. Jan’s son Charles then took over the business at the turn of the century.

Charles ran the funeral home until his son John Michalek took over before World War II. John was educated at St John’s University in Queens, NY and was an accountant at General Cigar before he joined the family business. In 1941 John made the decision to relocate the business from Manhattan to Bellmore, Long Island. He opened a funeral home on the corner of Bellmore and Wilson Avenues where he lived with his family. He then opened the first funeral home in the town of Wantagh in 1956 known as the Wantagh Abbey.

John’s sons – John Jr., Bruce, and Douglas all joined the family business in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Bruce moved to Connecticut and John opened the Commack Abbey on August 4th, 1974 with his wife Mary. John passed away in 1990 at the young age of 52 leaving his wife Mary and son John to run Commack Abbey.

Mary and her son John ran Commack Abbey until 2016 when Mary succumbed to illness and passed away. John continues to operate and manage Commack Abbey, and his son, John Jr., also came into the business in 2018.