Denbow Gasche Funeral Home Ashland Ohio

Alright, gather 'round, folks. I've got a tale to tell about a place that's been around Ashland, Ohio, longer than the town's famous maple trees. I'm talking about Denbow-Gasche Funeral Home. Now, don't go rolling your eyes, this isn't some spooky ghost story. It's more like a comedy of errors, with a dash of history, and a whole lot of small-town charm.

Back in the Day

Picture this: It's the late 1800s, Ashland is just a wee town, and our story's hero, John Denbow, is a humble carpenter. Now, you might think, 'How did he go from building birdhouses to burying bodies?' Well, let me tell you, it's all about diversification, folks. You see, back then, carpenters didn't just make furniture, they also made coffins. And when you're good at making something, people start asking you to make more of it. Before you know it, John's got a little coffin-making business on the side.

But here's where the plot thickens. One day, John's like, 'You know what? I'm tired of these bodies just rotting in the ground. Let's give them a proper send-off.' And thus, the funeral home was born. Talk about a career change, huh?

Enter the Gasches

Now, fast forward to the 1930s. Along comes Ed Gasche, a young man with a dream. He wants to be a funeral director, but there's a problem. He's got no experience, no training, and no clue what he's doing. But hey, who needs a license when you've got guts, right?

So, Ed marches into John's funeral home, asks for a job, and John, bless his heart, says, 'Sure thing, kid. Here's a mop. Clean this place up, and we'll talk.' And that, my friends, is how Ed Gasche became a funeral director. Talk about on-the-job training!

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Funeral Home Follies

Now, you might think that running a funeral home is all doom and gloom, but let me tell you, these guys had some laughs. Like the time Ed's son, Jim, was helping out. They had a body in the prep room, and Jim, being a curious kid, wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So, he sneaks in, takes one look at the body, and screams. The sound echoes through the whole place, scaring the bejesus out of everyone. Ed comes running in, thinking there's a ghost, and finds Jim laughing his head off. Talk about a close call!

And then there was the time they had a body that was, shall we say, well-preserved. They'd been storing it in the cooler for a while, waiting for the family to come claim it. But the family was taking their sweet time, and the body was starting to... let's say, ripen. So, Ed and Jim, in their infinite wisdom, decide to take the body for a little drive. They load it into the hearse, drive around town, and when they come back, the body's gone. Yep, you guessed it, some prankster had stolen it. They found it later, in a ditch, with a note saying, 'Return to sender.' I mean, who needs enemies when you've got friends like that?

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Still Standing

Today, Denbow-Gasche Funeral Home is still there, standing proud on Main Street. It's seen Ashland grow from a tiny town to a bustling city. It's seen wars, depressions, and pandemics. It's seen families come and go, and it's still going strong. And you know what? Despite all the laughter, all the tears, all the crazy stories, it's still just a family business. A family that's been helping Ashland say goodbye for over a century.

So, the next time you drive by, take a moment to appreciate the history. And if you see Jim Gasche, give him a wave. Tell him I said hi, and ask him about the time they lost the body. He'll get a kick out of it, I promise.