Riverside Memorial Chapel
Riverside Memorial Chapel is an American Jewish funeral-home chain based in Manhattan and owned by Service Corporation International since 1971.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Riverside Memorial Chapel is an American Jewish funeral-home business whose principal facility is located at 180 West 76th Street on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Its roots extend to 1897, when Louis Meyers established a livery-stable business on Norfolk Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The enterprise gradually moved into undertaking and funeral services, changing names and locations as its customer base and operating scope developed. The business moved to East 109th Street in 1905 and operated under the name Meyers Undertakers. In 1916 it relocated to Lenox Avenue at 122nd Street in Harlem and adopted the name Meyers & Company. A major transition occurred in 1926, when the company moved to its present principal Upper West Side location at West 76th Street and Amsterdam Avenue and constructed a large four-story chapel. In 1933, the business was divided into Riverside Memorial Chapel and Parkwest Chapels, creating the Riverside identity used by the funeral operation. Under the leadership of Charles Rosenthal, Riverside expanded beyond Manhattan. Its reported expansion included Miami in 1935, Brooklyn in 1938, the Bronx in 1940, and Westchester County in 1950. The company also grew through acquisitions, including Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel in 1948, Universal Funeral Chapel in 1955, and Walter B. Cooke Chapel in 1957. These additions made the broader funeral enterprise one of the largest in the United States at the time. The business remained associated with the Rosenthal family until the late 1950s. Edward Rosenthal, the founder’s grandson, owned the company during its acquisition-led expansion. In 1958, he retired and transferred control to his son-in-law, Steve Ross. In 1961, the funeral business was merged with Kinney Parking Company, which was subsequently renamed Kinney Service Corporation, and the combined company became publicly traded. Riverside Memorial Chapel was later purchased by Service Corporation International in June 1971. Riverside operates in the funeral-services sector, with its brand identity particularly associated with Jewish funeral and memorial services in the New York metropolitan area. Publicly available reference material identifies the company’s historic facilities, geographic expansion, ownership changes, and notable role in funeral services, but does not provide sufficient information to document current executives, detailed service packages, financial performance, or a standalone corporate website.
History
Riverside Memorial Chapel traces its origins to 1897, when Louis Meyers founded Meyers Livery Stable on Norfolk Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Although the original enterprise was a livery stable rather than a funeral chapel, it formed the institutional base for the business that later developed into a major funeral-services organization. In 1905, the business moved to 54 East 109th Street and changed its name to Meyers Undertakers, reflecting its transition toward undertaking and funeral work. Eleven years later, in 1916, it relocated again, this time to 228 Lenox Avenue at 122nd Street in Harlem, and adopted the name Meyers & Company. These successive moves accompanied the company’s shift from a local Lower East Side operation into a more formal funeral business serving a wider Manhattan population. A defining stage in the company’s development came in 1926, when it moved to 180 West 76th Street at Amsterdam Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The company constructed a substantial four-story chapel at the site, which became its principal facility and remains the location most closely associated with the Riverside name. In 1933, the business was separated into two companies: Riverside Memorial Chapel and Parkwest Chapels. Charles Rosenthal headed the funeral company after the division. Riverside then expanded geographically. The reference history records new operations in Miami in 1935, Brooklyn in 1938, the Bronx in 1940, and Westchester County in 1950. The company also pursued an acquisition strategy. It acquired Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel in 1948, Universal Funeral Chapel in 1955, and Walter B. Cooke Chapel in 1957. These transactions broadened the organization’s footprint and helped make it, according to the reference account, the largest funeral company in the United States at that point. Ownership and control remained connected to the Rosenthal family during this period. Edward Rosenthal, identified as the founder’s grandson, owned the company during its postwar expansion. In 1958, Edward Rosenthal retired and ceded control to his son-in-law, Steve Ross. The corporate structure changed again in 1961, when the funeral organization merged with Kinney Parking Company. The combined business was subsequently renamed Kinney Service Corporation and became publicly traded. The independent corporate phase ended in June 1971, when Service Corporation International purchased Riverside Memorial Chapel. The transaction placed Riverside within a larger funeral-services group while preserving the chapel’s identity as an established Jewish funeral provider in New York. Available reference material does not establish a separate current corporate structure, a standalone public listing, or a detailed account of present-day management. It does, however, identify the Manhattan chapel as the brand’s principal facility and Service Corporation International as its owner.
- 1971
Acquisition by Service Corporation International
[1]Service Corporation International purchases Riverside Memorial Chapel in June, establishing the ownership relationship identified in the reference history.
- 1961
Merger with Kinney Parking Company
[1]The funeral business merges with Kinney Parking Company; the combined company is later renamed Kinney Service Corporation and becomes publicly traded.
- 1958
Control passes to Steve Ross
[1]Edward Rosenthal retires and transfers control to his son-in-law, Steve Ross.
- 1957
Acquisition of Walter B. Cooke Chapel
[1]The organization acquires Walter B. Cooke Chapel and becomes one of the largest funeral companies in the United States.
- 1955
Acquisition of Universal Funeral Chapel
[1]The organization acquires Universal Funeral Chapel as part of its continuing expansion.
- 1950
Expansion to Westchester County
[1]The company expands into Westchester County, New York.
- 1948
Acquisition of Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel
[1]Riverside’s broader funeral enterprise acquires Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel.
- 1940
Expansion to the Bronx
[1]The company extends its operations to the Bronx.
- 1938
Expansion to Brooklyn
[1]Riverside adds operations in Brooklyn.
- 1935
Expansion to Miami
[1]The company expands its reported operating footprint to Miami, Florida.
Products and positioning
A long-established Jewish funeral-services provider with a landmark Upper West Side Manhattan chapel and a history of regional expansion through additional locations and acquisitions.
Funeral services
Jewish funeral services
Riverside Memorial Chapel is identified as an American Jewish funeral-home chain. Its core offering is the organization and delivery of funeral services for Jewish families, including arrangements surrounding the service, chapel use, burial coordination, and related memorial observances. Specific contemporary packages and denominational details are not documented in the supplied reference material.
Memorial services
Memorial and chapel services
The brand’s principal facility is a large four-story chapel at 180 West 76th Street in Manhattan. Chapel-based funeral and memorial services form a central part of the Riverside identity, providing a dedicated setting for ceremonies and gatherings. Public reference material does not specify current room configurations, service formats, or pricing.
Brand decisions
1971
Sale to Service Corporation InternationalM&ABackground
After decades of geographic expansion, acquisitions, family ownership, and a prior merger with Kinney Parking Company, Riverside Memorial Chapel was acquired by Service Corporation International.
Action taken
Service Corporation International purchased Riverside Memorial Chapel in June 1971.
Aftermath
Riverside became part of Service Corporation International while retaining its established chapel identity in Manhattan.
Recent events
- 1971
Riverside Memorial Chapel is acquired by Service Corporation International[1]
M&A
Service Corporation International purchased Riverside Memorial Chapel in June 1971, bringing the historic funeral-home brand under the ownership of a larger funeral-services corporation.
Sources1 sources
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