Joseph
P. married Della Fahey in 1914 and together they had six children:
Michael, Mary, James, Joseph, Thomas and Margaret.
In
1925, Joseph and his family moved to 7722 Fourth Avenue in the Bay
Ridge area of Brooklyn, bordering the parishes of Our Lady of Angels
and Saint Anselm. The building was purchased from the Thomas Dongan
Council of The Knights of Columbus (Number 1251) and used as the
family's private residence until the early 1940's when it was converted
to a funeral home.
On
December 31, 1933, Michael Clavin died and the business became known
as Joseph P. Clavin Sons Funeral Home. After Major Michael E. Clavin
was killed in action at the Battle of the Bulge at the age of 29,
7722 Fourth Avenue was designated the Michael E. Clavin Post #1408
of the American Legion.
After
the death of Joseph P. in 1951, the third generation of the Clavin
family, James, Joseph and Thomas carried on with the business at
both 496 Court Street and 7722 Fourth Avenue. On August 27, 1976,
Thomas died at the age of 51 and 496 Court Street was closed. Joseph
P. retired three years later and James R. passed away at the age
of 62 on November 23, 1981. Joseph passed away on November 9, 2007.
Today the business is presently owned and operated
by J. Peter Clavin. (son of James R.) Working with his son Matthew
E. Clavin, they represent the fourth and fifth generations of the
Clavin family carrying on a great tradition of service that has
spanned over 123 years.
