Harold Church has served the community at Grandview Funeral Home for 46 years in 2009. Church is a native of Alleghany.

Harold Church has served 46 years at funeral home

With 46 years of serving the community at Grandview Memorial Funeral Home under his belt this year, Alleghany native Harold Church has no intention of leaving his place of employment any time soon.

"As long as I have good health and can be a help rather than a hinder, I'll be here," he promised, adding, "I've got generation after generation of family here."

Growing up in Furches, a community in Laurel Springs, Church attended school in Laurel Springs until the fifth grade, when he began attending Piney Creek School, from which he graduated.

During his school years, he befriended Franklin Sturdivant, whose father had a funeral home here in Alleghany.

"We used to run around together and on the weekends, I would be around with him," recalled Church. "Back then, we did ambulance work, I'd help him on ambulance calls and eventually helped him pick up bodies. The more I was around it, the more intrigued I became. I saw it as a real good way to serve people, and it is."

His interest in the profession translated into Church pursuing mortuary training at Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.

 

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