Lantz Funeral Home marks 90 years of serving the community
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This is a photograph of the chapel at Lantz Funeral Home in Uniontown. With a second location in Washington, the business serves Fayette, Greene and Washington counties.
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Lantz Funeral Home in Uniontown observed 90 years of serving the community in 2018.
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Aaron and Autumn Lantz are the third generation to operate Lantz Funeral Home in Uniontown.
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Muriel Lantz Baily, who retired in 2008, represented the second generation to lead Lantz Funeral Home in Uniontown.
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Carl A. Lantz founded Lantz Funeral Home in Uniontown in 1928. The business observed its 90th anniversary in 2018.
For 90 years, Lantz Funeral Home in Uniontown has been serving the community as a family-owned business.
The funeral home was founded in 1928 by Carl A. Lantz, who was succeeded by his daughter Muriel E. Lantz Bailey in 1968 until her retirement in 2008.
The business is now in the hands of a third generation as Aaron S. Lantz, Carl鈥檚 great-grandson and Muriel鈥檚 great-nephew, took over the funeral home in 2008. Aaron operates the business with his wife, Autumn.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the greatest things to know there was a legacy started for the purpose of serving people and that philosophy of serving people has been passed down through our family,鈥� said Aaron.
A native of Mount Pleasant, Carl graduated from Eckels School of Mortuary Science in Philadelphia in 1918 and worked for Clarence P. Zimmerman Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant before moving to Uniontown in 1924.
鈥淎t that time, you could run a funeral home out of your house,鈥� said Aaron. 鈥淭he funeral director would go to the house and embalm the body and bring a casket.鈥�
In 1928, Carl purchased property at 297 E. Main St. in Uniontown and established Lantz Funeral Home.
This was a time when coal dominated local industry as well as people鈥檚 lives.
鈥淧eople lived in homes owned by coal mines. They were paid with vouchers,鈥� said Aaron. 鈥淔or the first 20 years, people were paying my grandfather in food vouchers for the company store. It was a barter system.鈥�
But Carl and his wife, Mary Thomas Lantz, were able to provide for their family even during difficult times.
鈥淲hen I was young, I had to do a report on the Great Depression,鈥� said Aaron, who turned to Muriel for information. 鈥� I asked her: 鈥楾ell me about the Great Depression.鈥� She said, 鈥榃hat was that?鈥� I鈥檓 not sure what you鈥檙e talking about because we always ate and had clothes.鈥濃��
Aaron said Muriel was so young she didn鈥檛 realize that families the funeral home served made sure the Lantzes were provided for by giving them food and clothing in return for services.
The Lantz family also took care of others.
Aaron said, 鈥淚t was a great thing growing up and hearing stories that my great-grandfather did outside the service of the funeral 鈥� helping families survive.鈥�
One story was from a woman whose great-grandmother was put out of her company house. Carl put up tents for her to live in and Mary 鈥� who was known as a great cook 鈥� fed her until her family could provide housing.
Aaron said, 鈥淢y great-grandfather used to help families when the men were killed in the coal mines and from diseases. My grandfather would go to orphan鈥檚 court to make sure families were kept together. 鈥�
Taking care of the community became a way of life that is still practiced today.
Aaron said Muriel helped her church, Interfaith Assembly for Christ, in the 1970s when she gave Interfaith space in the funeral home to hold services while they were constructing the church building.
Muriel served on the Uniontown Redevelopment Authority and was a member of the Fayette Chamber of Commerce and Uniontown Business and Professional Women, among other organizations. Aaron serves on the board for the East End United Community Center.
Muriel became involved in the funeral home and earned her license in 1950. She was the only woman in her class at Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science where Aaron and Autumn also graduated.
Autumn noted, 鈥淪he was a pioneer.鈥�
鈥淎fter my father lost his sight, I was in there,鈥� said Muriel. 鈥淗e鈥檇 come in every morning and say, 鈥榃ell, how鈥檇 you make out last night?鈥� He knew everything. He was sharp and a lot of people didn鈥檛 know he lost his sight.鈥�
Muriel had full support of her father, but this was a business with few women.
鈥淚 guess people thought this wasn鈥檛 going to work,鈥� said Muriel.
But it did.
Muriel led the funeral home through changes in laws and regulations regarding funerals and burials.
鈥淭he industry evolved and funeral homes adapted,鈥� said Autumn. 鈥淎 lot of places didn鈥檛 and weren鈥檛 able to keep up.鈥�
Muriel proved both adept and innovative.
She expanded the funeral home by building a chapel that seats 200 people, a full showing room and family rooms.
鈥淢y aunt was instrumental in expanding the business to where it is now,鈥� said Aaron. 鈥淲e were primarily in Uniontown but also McClellandtown and a little bit in Connellsville. She was able to build relationships with local ministers and businesses and the community at large. She was kind, very generous with her time, her money and her business.鈥�
Autumn said, 鈥淪he took care of people. She had families who were struggling. A lot of times, she fed people. In the services, she made sure people had what they needed. That鈥檚 what she was called to do.鈥�
Aaron became involved with the business in 1983 and Autumn, who first worked in the banking industry, joined in 2007. Both are licensed funeral directors.
A Brownsville native, Autumn is a daughter of Jeffrey and Geraldine Jones. The families had known each other but Aaron and Autumn started dating after Aaron paid a visit to Cal U where he had graduated and Autumn was a student. The couple married in June 2000 and have a daughter, Jurnee, 17.
When Autumn became involved in the funeral home, Muriel was proud. Autumn remembered: 鈥淪he was as sweet as she could be.鈥�
In 2009, the funeral home suffered a fire.
鈥淚t was one of the hardest things our family had to endure,鈥� said Aaron, who noted the funeral home stayed open during a renovation that was completed in 2011.
鈥淲e were able to use parts of the building. We had local churches that came to our aid 鈥� just having that relationship definitely blessed us,鈥� Aaron said.
Looking back, the Lantzes are proud this business has remained open and in the family for nine decades. Other family members have also been part of the enterprise.
Speaking of his family, Aaron said, 鈥淲e wouldn鈥檛 be who we are if we hadn鈥檛 taken what they passed down.鈥�
The Lantzes say they emphasize relationships and feel it鈥檚 a privilege to serve the community.
鈥淲e always say we sat in the same seat when our family members died,鈥� said Aaron, who said six members of their families have died in the past two years. 鈥淲e understand the level of trust.鈥�
Autumn said, 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 know what to expect and have to deal with when you鈥檙e in shock and grieving. We take with us from every family we serve.鈥�
Aaron continued, 鈥淵ou get more gratification when someone hugs you and shakes your hand and says 鈥楾hank you.鈥� Your heart is full that in some small way you helped.鈥�
Being part of the community for 90 years, the Lantz family has a special affection for Fayette County.
鈥淚t鈥檚 our roots,鈥� said Aaron. 鈥淲e wouldn鈥檛 be anything without all the families we鈥檝e served. We鈥檙e truly grateful for their trust in us.鈥�