Before there were the hearses that we know today, funeral processions consisted of mourners following behind a horse-drawn carriage that carried the deceased. Last week, one funeral director in Monticello received one of these pieces of history.
The owner of the historic piece of funeral history, Bruce Van Gilder, traveled from their home in Huntington, Indiana to Monticello to present his friend with the carriage. The owner of the carriage and the recipient are friends and colleagues who have a history of working together in the funeral industry.
John Roscka, the co-owner of the Miller-Roscka Funeral Home in Monticello, began his career in the business when he started working for Gilder in 1983. Since then, the two have enjoyed a long friendship both professionally and socially.
Gilder bought the funeral carriage in 1969 and has restored several parts of it since then. But when he and his wife decided to sell the funeral home, they held on to the carriage. It spent a few years in a museum at the Indiana Funeral Directors Association and the Indiana State Museum also wants to put it on display soon.
Now, Roscka proudly displays the funeral carriage at his funeral home. He also makes it available to families who want to use it in their loved one’s funeral.
Horse carriages are great for funeral processions, but they don’t beat the comfort of today’s funeral limousines. Visit your local dealer today and see some of the latest comfort and style features on today’s limos.
