Family Business: Leavitts continuing 140 years of tradition at funeral homes | News, Sports, Jobs

Leavitt’s Funeral Home at 403 7th Street as it appears today. The business is commemorating its 140th anniversary. (Photo provided)

PARKERSBURG – For 140 years, Leavitt Funeral Services has focused on serving the community by caring for families.

The business, with locations in Parkersburg and Belpre, is commemorating its 140th anniversary this year.

“It’s an important historical moment for us,” said Jon Leavitt who, along with his brother Stephen, is the fifth generation of Leavitts to operate the business.

Jon Leavitt said the anniversary was important for them to recognize and commemorate with their staff and the community as the business has built relationships with many people across the area.

Stephen Leavitt said it means a lot to them that, as the fifth generation to run the business, it has allowed them to continue to serve the community their family has been a part of for so long.

In 1983, the Belpre Leavitt Funeral Home was built. (Photo provided)

“It’s important to us” he said.

The brothers are proud to be the only family-owned funeral home in the area as others have been sold to out-of-state companies and businesses.

The business was started by George Elmendorf Leavitt in 1865 as a cooperage, barrel store on New England Ridge. It eventually became a general store. Over time, people began asking him to make coffins for funerals.

The business passed through the family to George’s son, CT Leavitt, who established their first funeral home, motor hearse and more. In the early 1920s, he moved it to its current location at 403 Seventh Street. In the 1940s, the business was taken over by CT’s sons Charles, Ed and Ralph Leavitt. In 1975, Carr, son of Charles, bought the business. In March 2000, following Carr Leavitt’s death in July 1999, his sons Jon and Stephen took over the business.

Leavitt Funeral Services has been at their current location on Seventh Street for nearly 100 years.

The Leavitt Funeral Home location at 403 Seventh Street was built in 1872 by General John J. Jackson after the Civil War as the home of George Thompson, President of the Ohio River Railroad, and his wife Belle Frances Jackson Thompson, Jackson’s daughter. CT Leavitt bought the house in the 1920s and it has been the location of the business ever since. (Photo provided)

Jon said many people have told them stories of how their family has served their family over the years and generations.

“You get a lot of neat, interesting stories coming out,” he said.

Over the years, the business has constantly adapted to the changing times by bringing new innovations as customers have needed different things.

“We have continuously adapted our facilities to provide what families are looking for. Stephen said.

In recent years, the business has built a new family center where families can gather after a service to eat a meal. They have also invested in their crematorium services as cremation has become an option for more people.

Upon Carr Leavitt’s death in 1999, the business was taken over by his sons, Jon and Stephen, who run the business to this day. (Photo provided)

“Expectations have changed” Stephen said. “You need a bigger footprint to serve people now.”

In the past, the business had added a chapel, kitchen, children’s rooms and more as needed.

“We’ve had to update the facilities to give families the amenities they really want when they’re here.” Jon said adding some people could be there a few days or more depending on the services needed.

“It used to be just about securing the casket,” Stephen said. “Now it’s creating a celebration of someone’s life and putting a family through it.”

Even over the past 20 years, changes in technology have changed much of what they do and how they do it, he said.

CT passed the business to his sons Ralph, G. Edward and Charles in the 1940s and it was purchased by Carr Leavitt, son of Charles in 1975. (Photo provided)

In recent years, there has been more interest in live streaming funeral services for families with people living in different parts of the country where they don’t have to fly into the area but can still be part of the service.

“We can broadcast live where relatives can watch it from anywhere in the country.” Jon said. “We’ve had to adapt considerably for this (with audio visual equipment and including video).

“It’s about creating an experience, and technology helps us with that to create a better experience for families and truly celebrate a loved one’s life.” Stephen added. “We are always looking for the best ways to serve our families, looking at what families want and need. We always try to stay on top of that.”

More people are using video where for a few years people used pictures to evoke memories and emotions from times past.

“Now we’re in video and live streaming and bringing people together in real time.” Jon said. “Technology can now bring people here who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to.

George Elmendorf Leavitt, pictured in 1881, was the first generation owner of what would become Leavitt Funeral Service. Business in 1865 as a cooper’s, barrel shop at New England Ridge. It eventually became a general store. Over time, people began asking him to make coffins for funerals. He passed the business on to his son, CT Leavitt. (Photo provided)

“It’s about bringing family and friends together at a time like this.”

The business still does a lot of community work and supports local people and organizations in the area.

Both praised their staff for consistently serving the needs of their customers.

They have 18 full-time employees and many more who intern or work part-time. Some have been with them for 30-40 years.

“We are a very strong service-oriented business,” Stephen said. “”People should take care of people.”

Jon said they are still the only local funeral home with someone available to answer the phone and serve people at any time, day or night, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year .

“We want families to know that when they need something, they have direct access to us.” Jon said. “We’ve had people tell us they were surprised our staff turned up at midnight in costume. That’s respect and that hasn’t changed with us. These are our core values.

“A lot has changed, but the fundamentals haven’t changed in 140 years.”

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com

Under CT Leavitt, the business grew with the first funeral home location and the first motorized hearse around 1910. (Provided photo)

Under CT Leavitt, the business grew with the first funeral home location and the first motorized hearse around 1910. (Provided photo)

CT passed the business to his sons Ralph, G. Edward and Charles in the 1940s and it was purchased by Carr Leavitt, son of Charles in 1975. (Photo provided)