Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
WARD JONATHAN P
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SERVICEMASTER CO [SVM]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chairman & CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
3250 LACEY ROAD, SUITE 600
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
11/01/2004
(Street)

DOWNERS GROVE, IL 60515-1700
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common stock $.01 par value 11/01/2004   A(1)   367,826 A $ 0 603,978 (2) D  
Common stock $.01 par value               292 (3) I 401(k) plan

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to buy) $ 10.5             01/09/2002 01/08/2011 Common Stock 1,630,000   1,630,000 (4) D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to buy) $ 13.83             02/08/2003 02/07/2009 Common Stock 425,000   425,000 (5) D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to buy) $ 13.87             02/28/2001 02/27/2007 Common Stock 3,605   3,605 (6) D  
2000 Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 9.88             03/18/2004 03/17/2013 Common Stock 172,000   172,000 (5) D  
2003 EIP Stock Appreciation Right $ 10.73             02/13/2005 02/12/2014 Common Stock 190,000   190,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
WARD JONATHAN P
3250 LACEY ROAD, SUITE 600
DOWNERS GROVE, IL 60515-1700
  X     Chairman & CEO  

Signatures

 Sandra L. Groman by power of attorney   11/03/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Shares were acquired as a restricted stock unit award, each unit representing the right to receive one share of ServiceMaster's common stock upon distribution.
(2) Direct holdings include 4,216 shares acquired through the ServiceMaster Employee Share Purchase Plan during the months of April through September 2004 and 1,507 shares acquired through the ServiceMaster Dividend Reinvestment Plan during the months of May and August 2004.
(3) Indirect holdings include 5 shares purchased through the ServiceMaster Profit Sharing and Retirement Plan during the months of April and July 2004.
(4) Exercisable as to 380,000 shares on grant date (January 9, 2001) and becomes exercisable as to an additional 250,000 shares on December 31 in each of the years 2001 through 2005.
(5) The option is exercisable in five equal annual installments beginning on the first anniversary of the date of the grant.
(6) The option was issued pursuant to the WeServeHomes.com, Inc. 2000 Option/Stock Issuance Plan and is subject to repurchase rights upon termination of employment according to the following: 25% of the shares lapse upon first anniversary of grant date and the remainder in a series of 36 successive equal monthly installments.

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