100121-st-john-funeral-home

A Bit of History - Part II

kenzie@stjohnfh.com (Kenzie St John) — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 19:13:18 GMT

"Do you remember?
Uh huh!
Well if you remember
Wonderful!

Well Dearie, you're much older than I
What? Hey, wait a minute,
Honey, I just got a long memory that's all. "

Going back to the last post, here are a couple of interesting thoughts...

Remember, when the wake took place in the family home there was no air-conditioning. The Funeral Director would bring fans as needed to circulate the air. Also, in the summer, it was often necessary to drape the open casket with cheesecloth to prevent flies, etc. Sounds awful I know, but it worked.

Wakes back then and for many years after last two full days. The hours being 1 pm to 9 pm or so....quite long.

In the old ethnic neighborhoods, like the buckeye road community, many folks had no car. Most of the men worked in factories and the women were mothers or homemakers. So to attend a wake, they simply walked. On the day of the service the Funeral Director would look for transportation with someone with a car.

Another interesting option would be to have a limousine available for which a passenger was charged $1.50 . It might seem odd but there was a need back then.

People seemed to be much closer and compassionate back then. Some would walk a mile or more to a wake and pay their respects.

Then there were those who had cars and they would line the street by the home. Not much different should a funeral home be used. Most funeral homes had no parking lot.

Getting back to limousines, most services required one for family and one for pall bearers. Not quite as common today in many respects. People have larger vehicles, so why rent one?

Pallbearers were either friends or member of a lodge, not family members. They were provided with cloth gloves to wear and then placed on the casket at the cemetery.

Well, as we have moved on to become modern funeral homes, it has been a blessing in disguise. It gives family a chance for some privacy and to relax. Funeral Homes now provide space and comfort with assistance from Funeral Director and staff-- arranging flowers and providing seating for guests. A home, it was near impossible.

More to remember of the first half of the 20th century and on. I'll get back to you.

"I hope I remember"

Chuck St. John

A Bit of History - Part 1

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 18:15:37 GMT

"Dearie, life was cheery. In the good old days gone by. Do you remember? Uh huh! Well if you remember. Wonderful! Well Dearie, you're much older than I. What? Hey, wait a minute, Honey, I just got a long memory that's all.

-Bing Crosby

Remembering how funeral service was provided at the beginning of the 20th century might not be remembered by many reading this blog post, if any ----- but you will find it interesting.

There were very few funeral homes as we know of them today, at the turn of the century. Most funeral directors simple had an office, an embalming room, a few caskets to show, extra space if needed, and the stable housing horses and carriages.

In 1913, my grandfather opened an office at 9105 Buckeye Road in Cleveland, Ohio, and then moved to 2844 Woodhill Road. Finally, in 1930, built a large home at 2934 East Blvd. This was used as our family home and as a funeral home for visitation, a wake.

Previously, all wakes took place in the home of the deceased, as small as it may have been. The funeral director had portable equipment for proper and dignified presentation; drapery (scaret) with overhead lamp, torcher lamps, candelabra, kneeler and catafalque. The deceased was transferred to the home by horse and carriage, with casket, and all was respectfully set up in the parlor. On the day of the funeral, the deceased was transferred to a church or simply to the cemetery.

Most of the wake periods were two full days. A purple wreath was obtained from a local florist. For us, this was Orban's Fruit and Flowers on Buckeye Road. The wreath was hung on the entrance door of the home recognizing the death.

More interesting facts of the past in the next blog post. Do you remember?

Chuck St. John

Four Generations

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 15:11:50 GMT

Four Generations

In the year 1893, Andrew, a 20 year old Slovak immigrant, came from Kosiće, Slovakia to America to find a better life for himself and his wife (and later, their nine children).

He began the funeral business in 1913, in the old Buckeye Road neighborhood, a business which now covers four generations.

109 years later, the St. John Funeral Home is one of the oldest businesses in Ohio still owned and operated by the same family.

Originally from the Slovak-Hungarian Buckeye Road Community, the St. Johns expanded to Bedford in 1959 and then to Bainbridge Township in Geauga County in 2014.

The generations now operating the business are part of a larger family, the young and the old. No, not all are in the business, but all are very supportive.

This being said, we love our ministry of funeral service. We are fair, honest and transparent. We serve all faiths, ethnicities and races with utmost respect. We wish to be helpful during a significant time of need.