Our staff's commitment to you
Our staff is committed to providing support, compassion, information, and direction as needed to all members of our community, their families, and friends who are dealing with loss and grief.
Jim Dimbleby is a Principal of the firm and has been a Licensed Funeral Director for over 35 years. He is a third generation funeral director and began working in the funeral business as a teenager, with his father and grandfather.
Jim graduated from Whitesboro Central High School and later SUNY Canton ATC with an A.A.S. in Mortuary Science. He served his residency under his father’s supervision and became a New York State Licensed Funeral Director in 1987.
Jim was a member of the former First Presbyterian Church of Whitesboro, where he has been ordained a Deacon and Elder. He is a member of the Oriskany Lodge #799 F&AM where he served as Master of the Lodge in 1991 and 1994. He is a member of NY State Funeral Direcrors Association, Tri-County Funeral Directors Association, member emeritus of the Board of the Whitesboro Central High School Alumni Association. He is a former member of the Whitesboro Fire Department and is a current member of its Benevolent Association.
Jim has four children — daughter and son-in-law, Christine McLear and Darius Romero; son, John Dimbleby, a Licensed Funeral Director, who represents the fourth generation in the firm; and twin daughters Hope and Hannah Dimbleby.
John Dimbleby, grew up in Deerfield. He is proud to serve to the community through his involvement in the family owned funeral home, founded by his great-grandfather in 1931. He is a member of Whitesboro Presbyterian Church, where he has been ordained an Elder. John is a member of Oriskany Lodge No. 799 F&AM.
John is a 2013 graduate of Whitesboro Central High School, where he was a captain of the wrestling team. He furthered his education at SUNY Canton, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in 2017. He has successfully completed the National Board Examination, served a one year Residency with Dimbleby Funeral Homes, Inc., and completed all of the NY State requirements, thus becoming the fourth generation of his family to become a Licensed Funeral Director. John is a member of Tri-County Funeral Directors Association, and an Advisory Board member to SUNY Canton.
Albert J. Abdulla has been a New York State Licensed Funeral Director for most of his adult life; Al plays a vital role in managing the day to day operations of the funeral home's five locations. His knowledge on cremation has put him in the forefront of creating meaningful and memorable services for the many families who choose cremation that we are privileged to care for. He is also a Certified Crematory operator, and is a member of the Cremation Association of North America; He has had the honor of attending several Cremation Association of North America conferences all around the country. Al is also a member of the Tri County Funeral Directors Association, where he served as past president for six years, the New York State Funeral Directors Association, and the National Funeral Directors Association.
Al Graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1979, and Mohawk Valley Community College where he has a Degree in Business. He also graduated at the top of his class from Simmons Institute of Mortuary Science in Syracuse. He served his residency with the Miller Funeral Homes in Rochester, NY.
Al is a board member of Hospice Care’s Siegenthaler Center and serves on the Siegenthaler Center’s Fund Raising Committee. He is a member of St. Louis Gonzaga Church in Utica. He lives in Utica with his wife Robin. They have a daughter Victoria and daughter-in-law Elena, and a grandson Mateo. Al enjoys traveling with his family especially to New York City, Las Vegas and Florida.
Rich Kozlowski graduated from Thousand Islands High School; received an A.A.S. in Mortuary Science from SUNY Canton ATC and has been an active funeral director in the area for over 12 years.
Rich is a member of the Tri County Funeral Directors, William E. Burke Council 189 Knights of Columbus, and Sacred Heart/Saint Mary’s Our Lady of Czestochowa Church in New York Mills.
Rich lives in Yorkville with his wife Krista and daughter, Margaret. He loves spending time with his family and friends and also enjoys camping, motorcycling, attending car shows and working on and collecting classic cars in his spare time.
Tom graduated from Whitesboro Central School with Jack Dimbleby after being in the same class since kindergarten. He attended The Crane School of Music as a trombone major, and later The Simmons School of Embalming.
After spending two years in Germany with the US Army, he returned to the Utica area, working with several local funeral homes. He later graduated from the nursing program at Mohawk Valley Community College, and worked as a charge nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital and a supervisor at the Loretto Utica Center.
Tom has been a past Master of Baron Steuben Lodge #264 in Lee Center and North Woods Lodge #849 in Old Forge, and past Assistant Grand Lecturer for the 2nd Oneida District, F&AM. He has also been Past Patron of Old Forge Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star. He is also active in Hamilton College and the Community Oratorio Society, and was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Whitesboro, and now Grace Episcopal Church in Utica.
Tom’s wife Barbara is also a registered nurse and a Deacon in the Episcopal church. Together they have three children: Laura Cooper of Old Forge, Cathy Schafer of Manlius, and Tom, sho is retired from the US Navy.
Anne is the newest member of the Dimbleby staff. She comes to us with a very diversified background. She was the former owner/director of the Magic Penny Nursery School for thirteen years, gaining knowledge and experience in managing her own business. She is also currently the Director of Religious Education for the Jr/Sr High School Students at St. Mary of Mt. Carmel/Blessed Sacrament Church in Utica where she teaches, supervises, coordinates and writes curriculum for the program.
Anne has also been an organist in the area for over 45 years, having been the organist at St. Agnes Church for 19 years where her father rebuilt the pipe organ for her use in the church. She has played the organ and sung for thousands of funerals and weddings over the years and has substituted at many churches as well.
Anne has also worked at several local funeral homes in the past, gaining knowledge in helping grieving families and skills for the business and office work. She was previously the Grief Support Group facilitatior for the Good News Foundation.
She has a Master of Science degree in Elementary/Special Education from Touro College; a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in psychology in the educational setting and two Associate Degrees from Mohawk Valley Community College.
Anne is a member of the board of directors for Chelsea Opera; Genesis Group and its Sustainability Project Committee; the parish council of St. Mary of Mt. Carmel/Blessed Sacrament Church and its choir and decorating team; the Syracuse Diocese Youth Ministers team and Eastern Region Youth event collaboration team as well as the Good News Foundation Super Grant Stewardship Committee. She is a certified diocese organist and has Formation for Ministry Certification in Faith Formation from the Syracuse Diocese.
Anne lives in Utica with her husband, David, also a licensed funeral director, and her two sons, David Jr., a Colgate University graduate and organist/choir director at Historic Old St. John's Church, and Nicholas, also a graduate of Colgate University. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and enjoys baking.
Dave Sychtysz is a funeral associate and our Catering Manager.
Dave has been in hospitality for over 40 years managing restaurants, hotels and private Country Clubs in Utica, Rochester, Syracuse and even North Carolina. His experience has included sales and the execution of upscale weddings and various types of business and social events. He has hosted dinners for US Presidents and other high profile individuals.
Recently Dave needed to return back to the Utica area to assist elderly parents. He has been working part time at Dimbleby Funeral Homes for over two years, assisting families in their difficult time. Dave's sincere warmth and understanding makes him very valuable to the team.
The recent approval by New York State to allow food and beverage in funeral homes has opened up a brand new challenge for Dave. His expertise in hospitality provides Dimbleby Funeral Homes with a wonderful opportunity to provide additional care to the families that they are privileged to serve, as Dimbleby Funeral Home proudly becomes the first area establishment to offer food and beverage during and following visitation.
Dave is active in the Polish Community as well as Polish polka music. He has hosted, for several years, the Annual Adirondack Polka Festival formerly held in Old Forge. This event was attended by hundreds of people from throughout the Country.
Dave and his wife, Genia reside in Whitesboro.
David Smith joined his family's firm, J. Donald Smith Funeral Home in Sauquoit in 1976. In 1998, David and his wife Lori purchased the business, continuing to serve the Sauquoit Valley in the tradition of service started by David's father, since 1955. In 2019 Smith Funeral Home was purchased by the Dimbleby family. David continued to work with the firm until his retirement in 2024.
James W. Dimbleby was born in Marcy, NY, a son of William J. and Anna Smith Dimbleby. He received his education in Whitesboro Schools. Following high school Jim pursued a career as a professional musician. He played with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra and later played locally with bands including The Big Five, Lawrence Luizzi Orchestra, and the Sammy Niles Orchestra. He was also employed by First Trust Bank of Utica. Following the stock market crash of 1929, Mr. Dimbleby enrolled in Simmons School of Embalming and Mortuary Science, Syracuse. He established Dimbleby Funeral Home, Whitesboro, in 1931. Additionally, he drove a school bus for the Whitesboro School District for 29 years. In 1933, he married the former Lottie May Owens, in Whitesboro. Jim and Lottie worked together in the operation of the funeral home until his death in 1981.
Mr. Dimbleby was a past president of the Whitesboro Central School Board of Education; a member of the Whitestown Chamber of Commerce; served as Village of Whitesboro treasurer for a time; a member and Elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Whitesboro; a member of the Whitesboro Fire Department; and was a founding member and past president of the Whitestown Kiwanis Club. Additional memberships include; past master of Oriskany Lodge #799 F&AM; District Deputy Grand Master of the Second Oneida District; past patron of Oriskany Chapter #524 OES, and District Grand Lecturer of the Lewis-Oneida District; Yahnundasis Bodies Scottish Rite; Ziyara Temple AAONMS; past Noble Grand of Schuyler Lodge #147 IOOF; Utica Lodge #33 BPO Elks; Marcy Grange; Tri-County Funeral Directors Association, NY State Funeral Directors Association, and National Funeral Directors Association.
His legacy has been carried on by his son, John W. (Jack) Dimbleby {1939-2022}; grandson, James W. Dimbleby; and great-grandson, John W. Dimbleby; as well as the dedicated group of funeral directors and staff that continue to serve the community in their time of need.
Jack Dimbleby was the second generation to guide the Dimbleby family business. He had been a Licensed Funeral Director for 60 years. Jack was key to growing the business through the acquisition of funeral homes in Holland Patent, Old Forge and West Winfield, and through his association with the former Elwood T. Day Funeral Home in Utica.
Jack graduated from Whitesboro High School. A talented trumpet player, together with several high school friends, founded a successful dance band called the Musical Demons. Following High School he was asked to join the nationally known Little John Beecher's Band, however, Jack enrolled in Utica College of Syracuse University, earning a Bachelors degree. While attending college, he also successfully completed the requirements to become a New York State Licensed Funeral Director in 1962. In addition to working with his father, Jack worked as a writer for a research company, taught classes, and worked for several area funeral directors.
Jack was a member of The First Presbyterian Church of Whitesboro and had been ordained a Deacon and Elder. He was a member of the Oriskany Lodge #799 F&AM, Yahnundasis Bodies AASR, Ziyara Temple AAONMS, a life member of the Whitesboro Fire Department, and its Benevolent Assn., and the Mohawk Motorcades. In earlier years he was active in the Whitestown Jaycee's. and the Mohawk Vally Sports Car Club.
Jack was a lifelong Whitesboro resident and lived there with his wife Judy. They have two daughters, Brenda Gilberti of Whitesboro and Jean Nelson of Maryland, and a son James W. Dimbleby of Whitesboro who is the third generation to join the family business. He had eight grandchildren, and a great-grandson.
Dominick, was a resident of Marcy, NY. Husband of the late Andrea Palczynski Cittadino, a parishioner of St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Whitesboro, for 50 years. Dominick was the father of four children and seven grandchildren.
A native of Clinton, NY, he was a graduate of Clinton Central High School and Simmons School of Mortuary Science in Syracuse, NY. Dominick proudly served with the US Army during the Vietnam era.
Dominick was associated with a funeral home in Utica for nearly 20 years, and then affiliated with Dimbleby Funeral Homes, Inc. for over 35 years, Dominick served with the Dimbleby Funeral Homes and the communities of Whitesboro, West Winfield, Old Forge, and Holland Patent.