Arnold's Funeral Home

NORTH CANTON  While the industry and business model may have experienced changes during the past century, one thing that has remained the same has been the name on the sign, Arnold Funeral Home. The company turns 129 years old this year and has welcomed the fifth generation of the Arnold family to the team of professionals.John S. Arnold Jr. joined his father John L. Arnold at the family business in January. He now has the honor of becoming the fifth-generation family member to continue serving families in their hour of need. John L. Arnold said he has no plans to retire and having his son join him is part of a succession plan for the future.  "John wanted to join the business when he was in college, we had a conversation then and I told him I wanted him to accrue experience outside of the family business," John L. Arnold said. "My wife Debra and I have a daughter who is following a different career path as a third-grade teacher at the Arts Academy at Summit. Both myself and my son started working with the business when we were in our teens doing things like cleaning bathrooms, washing or driving cars."John S. Arnold spent eight years working in banking and the last three years as project manager for DeHoff Development. He said coming back to the family business is something he has been wanting to do and is happy to be a part of a business and a family with such a rich history."I’ve always been interested in working with the family business and I couldn’t be happier to be here," John L. said.Arnold Funeral Home was started in 1889 after John L. Arnold's great grandfather, John L. Arnold, purchased an undertaking and furniture business. Little did John Arnold know at the time he purchased the business that he would prepare his good friend President William McKinley for his burial in the fall of 1901.After the great grandfather retired, his sons Carl and Herman (Pete) took over the business, with Carl as president and Herman as secretary-treasurer. Carl served the bu... (Suburbanite)