A legacy of honoring life and preserving the past

By Sherry Larson

People’s Defender

It’s the 175th anniversary of the Lafferty Funeral Home in West Union. Six generations strong – “One family – in one location for 175 years, you don’t hear that very often,” said Elaine Lafferty, wife of fifthth generation undertaker and Funeral Director John T. Lafferty, and curator of The William Lafferty Memorial Funeral and Carriage Collection.

The museum, housed next door to the Lafferty Funeral Home holds cherished memorabilia to commemorate the longevity of the family business as the oldest single-family funeral business in Ohio. The exhibit was established in memory of John T. and Richard Lafferty’s father, James William, who passed away in 1987. On display are multiple hearses from each generation, an embalmer’s buggy, Adams County’s first motorized ambulance, old articles and photographs, a collection of old ledgers dating back to the 1880s, caskets, body baskets, and other fascinating relics.

James Lafferty, a wool carter by trade, came to Ohio with his wife and several children 11 years after Ohio became a state. Absalom, one of his sons, built one of the first homes in downtown West Union. It was in that home that Absalom’s son, William Voris “W.V.” would start the burial business.

The business started with W.V. in 1848, the infamous year of the cholera epidemic, causing numerous deaths in the area. W.V. was a cabinetmaker and a casket maker. Elaine Lafferty explained, “Most undertaking businesses back then started with cabinetry.” As there was more demand for coffin building, W.V.’s uncle Joseph West Lafferty “Wesley,” a well-known figure in West Union, advised that W.V. enhance his services with the burial business.

Since schools weren’t available for undertaking at the time and embalming was yet to be the norm, the profession differed from what it is today. Most undertakers were notified of a death and sent to a residence to retrieve the body. John T. explained that the Civil War brought on the necessity for embalming as families wanted their loved one’s bodies shipped home. W.V. did learn the embalming science though he had no formal training or education.

Except for W.V., the Laffertys all attended school for embalming or Funeral Director licensing, but W.V. was the sole cabinetmaker. John T., his brother Richard (who owned the Lafferty Funeral Home in Peebles for over 30 years), their father William and their grandfather Latour attended embalming school in Cincinnati. Latour’s father and William Voris Lafferty’s son Theodore graduated in the late 1800s from the Oriental School of Embalming. John T. and Elaine’s sons, John R. and Jayson, are licensed funeral directors. Jayson also holds an embalming license, making him and John R. the sixth generation of Laffertys in the funeral business. When John T. retired, his sons took the helm. About ten years ago, Jayson stepped away, and John R. now owns the Lafferty Funeral Home.

John R. became a licensed funeral director in 1990 but worked for his Dad three years prior. One of John R.’s most daunting experiences was working in the funeral industry during the COVID-19 epidemic. He said, “The funeral industry went into turmoil.”

John T. was born in the funeral home and grew up there. He and Elaine share quite a history – since first grade. Elaine chuckled and said, “I thought he was awfully cute.” She shared that their families were friends and knew one another from way back.

John T. and Elaine both graduated from Ohio State University, where he attended for two years and then continued his education, graduating in 1962 from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. However, he started in the business when he was 16 making ambulance runs.

After a long courtship, John T. and Elaine wed in 1963. They didn’t move into the funeral home residence straight away, but when his parents moved from the home, John T., Elaine, and their children John R., Jayson, and Liz went to stay for a couple of weeks, or so Elaine thought. They laugh as Elaine reflects, “Well, 22 years later,” maybe a little longer than expected.

Elaine and John T. shared life and business stories through the years. Elaine tells the story of being a young bride and John T. asking her to style hair for a deceased female. She was initially nervous, and John T. encouraged her, saying, “If that were your grandmother, wouldn’t you want her to look nice?” She couldn’t argue with that. She would serve as a hairstylist for many years, taking pride in her work.

The Lafferty Funeral Home is a respected business in the community. Each generation offered compassionate and caring service. Of her husband, Elaine said, “John had such a skill with families. He was so kind.” As far back as the originator, W.V. Lafferty, folks have shared positive reflections. One newspaper clipping reported at the time of W.V.’s death, “He was generous in his business matter and buried everybody when called on, whether they had the money to pay “fer” it or not.”

The Lafferty family has footprinted Adams County. The museum exhibits their past and the practice of funeral homes from days gone by. Theirs’ is a fascinating journey—the Lafferty legacy – 175 years of honoring lives and comforting families in the most challenging times.