Page 99 - Best Chapter Spring 2017

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a partner, George High. In 1912, George Rohde family business is an opportunity not many people
bought out High and pursued the business on are privileged to do. I loved the fact that we had a
his own. One of his first—and perhaps the most family business and could carry on the tradition and
lasting—decisions he made was to move the business follow in my family’s footsteps.”
to Mt. Lookout Square, where Rohde & Son
Funeral Home became the first design-build funeral Rohde initially joined the company in 1975, when
home in Cincinnati. The building was created to he was a sophomore at Xavier University. He knew
encompass a family’s every need for funeral services, that the lifestyle that came with running a business
helping ease the planning of an often-emotional wasn’t always easy, but it was a lifestyle he wanted
process. With 107 years of experience underway, for his future. Rohde committed to the business
Rohde 8c Son is now one of Eastern Cincinnati’s from the start, even living on the second floor of
most dependable names for funeral services. the Mt. Lookout building, which has an apartment,

offices, and a funeral arrangement room, for more
As a young man, Steve Rohde always knew we than five years.
wanted to continue the family’s business.

“At that time, our business operated differently

“I loved all aspects of the business. There are a lot because of communications,” Rohde said. “Someone
of hats you put on in this line of work. From taking had to be at the building 24 hours a day, seven days a
the first call, to caring for the deceased, meeting week to answer calls from families.”
the family, coordinating funeral details and the
participation in directing the funeral itself. Then, you When a loved one passes away, one of the first
have the business side of maintaining the property calls a family will make is to the funeral home to
and facilities, developing the employees and staff, arrange for the deceased body to be picked up and
while keeping the costs affordable for every single cared for. When Rohde first joined the business,
family we serve. Plus, carrying on a generational the convenience of emails and cell phones was not

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