Paulette Crabiel Wahler
Manager, NJ License No. 3875
Paulette Crabiel Wahler has called the Milltown area home for her entire life. Growing up above the Milltown funeral home and following in her father’s footsteps, Paulette became a Licensed Practitioner of Mortuary Science (funeral director) in 1987. She owns and manages The Crabiel Home for Funerals in Milltown today. After her father, the late David B. Crabiel passed away, she and her brother David J. Crabiel, are now owners of Crabiel, Inc.
Paulette is a dedicated member of many professional and charitable organizations. She is a member and past chairwoman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board in New Brunswick, a member of the Elijah’s Promise Advisory Board, a longtime member and Past President of the Milltown Lions Club, Past President of the Milltown Chamber of Commerce, a member of the historical Metlar Bodine House Museum in Piscataway, member of the Elks BPO Lodge 324, a honorary member of the Milltown Fire Department and a member of the American Legion Ladies Auxillary in Milltown. Professionally she is a Member of the NJ State Funeral Directors and can proudly say that she is an association member and past secretary of the Middlesex-Somerset County Funeral Directors Association.
Paulette’s pride and passion is providing an exceptional Life Celebration experience for the Milltown community and the surrounding area. Paulette and her dedicated staff welcome all faiths and cultures to experience the difference at The Crabiel Home for Funerals. Their motto has always been, “Where the Personalized Service Makes the Difference.” Paulette spoke about her passion and philosophy with the following message:
“As a funeral director, I provide comfort to family and friends of the deceased, arrange details and handle the logistics of funeral and cremation services. Through personal interviews with the deceased’s family, I guide them toward the most meaningful funeral or cremation service.
After these choices are made, I help arrange the clergy members or other person who will officiate the service. With the family’s assistance, I establish the service location, date, and time of the visitation and viewing ceremonies, memorial services and cemetery committal services. Depending on the service choice, I will arrange for a hearse to transport the deceased from the funeral home to the final resting pace.
I also prepare obituary notices and place them in desired newspapers, arrange for pallbearers and clergy, and schedule the opening and closing of the grave with the cemetery.
My goal is to carry out all of these responsibilities with discretion and compassion in order to serve all of the families in my community including our traditional Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish faiths, along with the Lebanese Maronite Catholic, Asian Indian Hindu, Asian Indian Christian, Orthodox Christian, Filipino, Muslim and Buddhist cultures. It is my honor and privilege to serve your family.”
She is married to Mayor Brian Wahler of Piscataway and together they have three children: Olivia, B.C., and Michael Casey.
Crabiel Inc. owns Crabiel Parkwest Funeral Chapel and Gowen Funeral Home LLC in New Brunswick, Gray Funeral Home in Westfield and Gray Memorial Funeral Home in Cranford.
David B. Crabiel
Founder • 1930-2008
David B. Crabiel was a proud, lifelong resident of Milltown. His passion for funeral service was only equaled by his love of public service.
David graduated from the American Academy of Embalming and Funeral Service in 1955. In 1956 he opened his first funeral home, The Crabiel Home for Funerals, in Milltown. In addition he was the founder of Crabiel Inc., which operates funeral homes in central jersey: Gray Funeral Home in Westfield, Gray Memorial Funeral Home in Cranford, Crabiel Parkwest Funeral Chapel in New Brunswick, Crabiel Memorial Funeral Home in Hightstown, and Gowen Funeral Home, LLC in New Brunswick. He was a member of the Middlesex –Somerset Funeral Directors Association.
David’s devotion to public service began in his teenage years, becoming the youngest member of the Milltown Rescue Squad. His commitment to serving the community never ceased as he was past President, and currently a 50-year member of the Milltown Lions Club. He was an honorary member of the Milltown Fire Department and Milltown Jaycees. He was a member of St. Paul’s Church, Milltown.
Dave, as he liked to be called, has also been in service as an elected official since 1960, when he became a Councilman in Milltown. He was later elected Mayor of Milltown in 1967, where he served for 11 years before being appointed to the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1978. He became Freeholder Director in 1994 – 1995 and from 1998 until his passing in 2008. While serving as Mayor of Milltown, he coined the phrase “Milltown – The Greatest Little Town in the Land”. When he became Freeholder he expanded to “Middlesex County, the Greatest County in the Land”.
He was past president of the NJ Association of Counties, and past member of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Counties. He was Honorary Chairman of the Melvin H. Motolinsky Research Foundation, Honorary Co-chair of the Middlesex. County Human Relations Commission, member of the Bd of Directors of the Cerebral Palsy Association, Keep Middlesex Moving, North Jersey Transporation Planning Commission, and on the Advisory Board of the Raritan Valley Workshop and Board of Trustees of Middlesex County College.
Dave was the recipient of numerous social and professional awards including: the prestigious Charles A. Lindbergh Transporation Award, the Israel Peace Medal from the State of Israel Bond Drive, the National Conference of the Christians and Jews Brotherhood Award, the Middlesex County American Hungarian Democratic Award and the Hungarian American Foundation Award.
His daughter Paulette continues his storied tradition of both funeral and public service embracing all cultures and religions throughout the community.
Brian C. Wahler, Jr. (BC)
Funeral Director, License No. 5347
Brian C. Wahler Jr. (BC) is a 3rd generation funeral director at The Crabiel Home for Funerals. He is the son of Paulette Crabiel Wahler, and her husband Brian C. Wahler, and the grandson of the late David B. Crabiel (founder) and Joyce (Creighton) Crabiel.
BC has called Milltown his second home for most of his life. He attended Our Lady of Lourdes School in Milltown K-8th grade. He graduated from Piscataway Township High School, where he was enrolled in the ROTC program all four years. He graduated from Middlesex County College and then Mercer County Mortuary School. He became a licensed funeral director in 2021. BC is a member of the New Jersey Funeral Directors Association and the local branch of Middlesex-Somerset County Association. He served on the Youth Advisory Board of ARC of Middlesex, an organization providing housing and helping those with developmental disabilities.
In his spare time, firefighting is Brian’s passion. He is a Firefighter for both Holmes Marshall Fire Department in Piscataway, where he is currently Captain, and Milltown Fire Department. In his senior year in high school, he joined Holmes, where he’s been a member since November of 2014. After graduating high school Brian went to Middlesex County Fire Academy to get Firefighter 1 certificate. The course was a 6-week program every day in the summer, graduating in August of 2015. He also serves on the Piscataway Water Rescue Team. He is one of five delegates from Piscataway to the NJ Fireman’s convention. Brian also came up with the annual Piscataway Fire Prevention 5k race which is held every October.
Brian enjoys serving his community through funeral service and firefighting. If he’s not at the funeral home there’s a good chance he’s at the firehouse. He is known for fighting a structure fire early in the morning and being at the Crabiel Funeral Home a couple hours later to run a funeral. Then after the workday he goes back down to the fire house to clean and repack hose that was used. BC has two siblings, his older sister Olivia, who is a secretary at the funeral home, and his younger brother Michael.
