The most amusing story about the Herson Funeral Home involves M.J. & Jane when they were young and aspiring skaters. As story has it, shortly after the addition was built on the funeral home, the young M.J. realized that the iced flat roof of the funeral home would make an excellent skating rink. However, Matt Herson did not find it very amusing especially when he was carrying a casket, after a service, out of the front doors of the funeral home to only look up and see his children making “figure eights” on the roof. M.J. eventually became well known for his prowess skating abilities and eventually he skated for the Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies starring Peggy Fleming. We like to believe that he got his humble start right here at the Herson Funeral Home.
Matt and Helen raised their family in the funeral home and eventually M.J. took over the business after his father died on August 15, 1976. Matt Herson will always be remembered for being a “gentleman funeral director.” For the forty years he practiced in Ithaca he treated all the families he served with respect and dignity no matter what their race, creed, color or orientation. He established the foundation for the standards in our funeral services today.
In 2000, M.J. Herson sold the building to Greg Myer who became the current owner of the funeral home. Shortly after that, David R. Penepent became the manager of the business. David is building on the traditions established by the Herson family in the past. To this day, David makes arrangement in front of the fire place with Matt and Helen pictures looking over his shoulders. David and his wife Susan together live in the apartment above the funeral home with their three children, Philip, Regina and Carrie… oh yes, and their Labrador named Spirit.
During the 1930's and until the mid 1950's funeral homes were not used for funerals and calling hours as we know it today. In fact, before World War II, it was a common practice to have a three to five day visitation in the deceased's home. The funeral director would come into the home with his embalming and funeral service equipment and set a viewing room up in the front parlor of most homes. He would usually embalm and prepare the body right in the home. People would come in and out of the home to pay their respect to the deceased and to the family. In fact, the custom of presenting the family with food when a family member dies dates back to the early practice of home visitations. Due to the large number of people who would come, the family would usually provide food to their guest before they would return home. Friends and neighbors would take turns providing this food for the family during this period of time.
