Why North Shore Families Trust C.R. Lyons and Sons

Families across the North Shore choose C.R. Lyons and Sons because it is a fourth-generation, independent, locally controlled funeral home that has served Danvers since 1925, with no commissioned salespeople. The firm offers capabilities many cannot, including family-attended cremation, hands-on family participation in care of the body, genuine green burial, veteran honors, and international repatriation. C.R. Lyons III is one of the first Certified Cremation Specialists in the United States. To talk with a director, call 978.777.7900, any time of day.

A Family Name You Can Trust

For four generations, the Lyons family has cared for North Shore families. The firm grew from a storefront on North Street in Salem, where Clarence R. Lyons Sr. began in 1925, to its current home in Danvers. It remains independent and locally controlled, which means decisions are made by the family who serves you, not a distant corporate owner.

Care, Not Sales

C.R. Lyons and Sons employs no commissioned salespeople. Every family meets directly with a licensed funeral director whose only job is to help them honor their loved one well and at a fair price. The firm follows the FTC Funeral Rule, offering and itemizing direct cremation and accepting family-provided containers.

Recognized for Excellence

The firm is a recurring recipient of the NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award and belongs to the Massachusetts and National Funeral Directors Associations, the Cremation Association of North America, and Selected Independent Funeral Homes. C.R. Lyons III is a past MFDA president and one of the first Certified Cremation Specialists in the country.

Our Story

Learn our story, from the beginning and into the future.

Ever since we opened our doors we have approached life (and death) differently. While some just see the end of a loved one’s life as a time for grief and mourning, we prefer to think of it as a time for reflection, appreciation and even celebration. This is evident in everything we do, from the way we conduct our services to the amenities we choose to offer. We are not a burial ground. We are a close knit community dedicated to honoring, sharing and preserving the amazing and inspirational stories that are life.

Four generations of the Lyons family funeral directors in Danvers MA

Reasons Families Choose C.R. Lyons and Sons

  • Four generations, independent and locally controlled since 1925, with no commissioned salespeople.
  • Family-attended, witnessed cremation where a family member may start the cremation.
  • Hands-on family participation in care of the body, with a female funeral director on request.
  • Genuine green burial and full navigation of alternative dispositions.
  • International repatriation experience and veteran honors coordination.
  • C.R. Lyons III is one of the first Certified Cremation Specialists in the United States.
NFDA Pursuit of Excellence recognition at C.R. Lyons and Sons Danvers

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes C.R. Lyons and Sons different from other funeral homes?

C.R. Lyons and Sons is a fourth-generation, independent, locally controlled funeral home with no commissioned salespeople. It offers rare capabilities such as family-attended cremation, family participation in care of the body, genuine green burial, and international repatriation.
Yes. The firm was founded in 1925 by Clarence R. Lyons Sr. and is now run by the fourth generation of the Lyons family. It is independent and locally controlled, and is not part of a corporate group or chain.
No. The firm has no commissioned salespeople. Every family works directly with a licensed funeral director, so guidance is based on what the family needs, not on a sales target.
Reviewed by C.R. Lyons III, CFSP, CCS, owner and licensed funeral director, Massachusetts. Past president of the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association and one of the first Certified Cremation Specialists in the United States (CANA, 2022).

Member of the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association, the National Funeral Directors Association, the Cremation Association of North America, and Selected Independent Funeral Homes. Recurring recipient of the NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award. Four generations of family ownership since 1925.