Page 5 - Higgins and Bonner Echo Lake Funeral Home

Our History
The family started in the business in 1868. The existing management team represents the 5th Generation in the funeral business.
In 1868 the business was started in Elizabeth, N.J. by an Irish Immigrant Cabinet Maker who came to the United States several years earlier from County Cork Ireland. The business was known as Michael Durning Furnishings and Undertaker.
In 1890, as the business started to increase, he took his nephew, James J. Higgins, into the business. After Mr. Durning died in 1910, Mr. Higgins took over the business and ran it alone until his son, Richard J. Higgins, joined the firm in 1931.
The firm was then known as James J. Higgins and Son Mortuary. In 1928 James J. Higgins had purchased property and opened a facility in the Westminster Section of Elizabeth which was considered “Uptown” at the time. He died in 1940 and his son Richard was then in charge of the two locations.
In 1958, Richard Higgins sold the “Downtown Property” and constructed an addition to the Westminster Facility to meet the change in the habits of families who were deciding to have funerals in the funeral home as opposed to conducting the funerals from their homes which was the norm until after World War II.
In 1968, Richard’s son in law, Edward J. Bonner joined the firm and the business became known as Higgins and Bonner Funeral Home.
In the beginning of the 1980’s, the City of Elizabeth’s residential population began to change. In 1993, in order to meet the challenges of the change in the families served, a new funeral home known as the Higgins and Bonner Echo Lake Funeral Home was built in the suburbs of Elizabeth in the Township of Westfield.
During this time period, Jim and Brian Bonner representing the 5th Generation of the family in the business became Licensed Funeral Directors.
The Bonner family is proud to continue to serve the families of Union County and New Jersey. We are honored to be doing so for over 150 years. Thank you for trusting us with care of your loved ones.
HIGGINS AND BONNER ECHO LAKE FUNERAL HOME - Page 5