Lake County Ohio GenWeb

Funeral Home History

Funeral homes have been serving the public in Lake County for many years. Originally, it was often the furniture maker who did the undertaking since he was also the coffin maker. When visiting hours or wakes began, they were usually at the decedent's or family member's home, often in a room called the parlor. Some homes still have two doors off the same porch, one to the living room, and one, often a bit wider, to the parlor. Later the funeral parlor came into vogue and all the services took place outside the family home.

Until the local government administered rescue squads came into use, the funeral home hearse doubled as the local ambulance.

As time went on, undertaking, which used to be a side business, became the highly specialized profession of the licensed funeral director, encompassing many aspects of after-death and family care.

As information is learned, it is intended to include historical undertakers and their parlors. Information on these homes and where their records may be would be most welcome.