About Us

Our History

The facility, built in 1860, did not nearly resemble the colonial-style funeral home that it is today. Originally built as an apartment building, it at one time housed several families and the Gardner Fire Department’s horses. It presently is a local landmark that has served thousands of families throughout the funeral home’s more than 75-year history. The Boucher family has been serving the Greater Gardner area for over 40-years but is the third family to operate the funeral home.

In 1947, A. Robert Bourgeois, who was working as the City Auditor since 1939, opened the Bourgeois Funeral Home following extensive alterations and remodeling of his home—which had been previously occupied by his parents. After spending a year in both capacities, he decided to resign from his post as auditor to devote fulltime to the funeral home, which he continued to operate until August of 1953 when he sold the business and building to George G. Dufault of Winchendon, renaming it Dufault’s Funeral Home. Mr. Dufault would operate the funeral home to primarily serve the French-Catholic community in Gardner for nearly 30-years.

In 1982, the business and building were sold to Normand L. Boucher, who had been working with Mr. Dufault since 1978. After the sale, it was renamed the Dufault-Boucher Funeral Home, Inc., and the business model was changed to serve families of various ethnic and religious customs in the community. In 1992, Normand’s son, Andrew N. Boucher, entered the family business and in 2000, as they entered the new millennium, they renamed firm Boucher Funeral Home, Inc.

In 2012, Normand sold the business and grounds to Andrew, and in 2018, Normand’s grandson and Andrew’s nephew, Jacob Boucher Cormier joined the business making the firm a third-generation family funeral. Following Andrew’s sudden passing in December of 2021, Jacob took over the family business, where he strives to live by the same motto his family has for over 40-years, “Treating Every Family As Our Own.” With that motto Jacob plans to lead the firm into the future generations, serving families with the same professionalism and compassion his family has for years.

Licensed funeral directors at the firm at Normand L. Boucher, Jacob Boucher Cormier, and more recently James P. Acciardo Jr.—who has been with the firm since 2022. In addition, the staff includes Normand’s wife, Priscilla T. Boucher, their daughter, Marcelle Boucher Kusske, as well as Jacob’s father, Roger A. Cormier, and his brother, Brighton R. Cormier. It is indeed a family business.

The firm is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association, the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association, and the Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce. In 2000, Boucher Funeral Home, Inc. received the Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award.