Criss Brothers History

Criss Brothers

The name of Criss has been identified with funeral work here in the Newark area since 1894 when E.C. Criss, a native of Coshocton County, founded the business in May 1894 in Frazeysburg. He continued there for six months when he and his brother, David, formed a partnership and engaged in the funeral and undertaking business in Hanover on November 1, 1894. They remained there for eight years until purchasing the Newark firm of Orlando Boner and moved their business to Newark. They opened on April 1, 1902, on East Main Street in the room east of the Hotel Warden. Thus began Criss Brothers Undertakers in Newark. Criss Brothers remains one of the most prominent funeral businesses and the oldest in continuous years in business in the city.

The History Continues

In more than 110 years of operation in Newark, the business has occupied five locations. From the second location at 32 South 3rd Street near the Public Square, the business moved to 35 West Main Street where it occupied part of the Sears, Roebuck and Co. building. The business remained there for several years until the building of a new funeral home at 131 West Main Street, the first exclusive funeral home in Newark, which was completed in October 1921.

Following the death of David S. Criss, July 8, 1934, his interests were taken over by Joseph H. Criss and Richard V. Criss, sons of E.C. Criss, who had been associated with the business.

In 1937, the West Main Street place of business was remodeled and the chapel enlarged to give ample space for the new pipe organ which was installed by the Moorehouse, Bowman and Brandt Co. of Pittsburgh, PA and Columbus, OH.

The site for a new funeral home was acquired in May 1950 when Joseph H. Criss and Richard V. Criss purchased the old Kibler home at 9th and Granville Streets from the heirs of the late Mrs. Kate Kibler. Late in the summer the building was razed and the new structure was started in October of that years.

During the building of the new funeral home on Granville Street, a deal was closed March 19, 1952, in which the Newark Salvation Army acquired the West Main Street building from Criss Brothers, and located there prior to the opening of the new home of the business on May 19, 1952. The building is currently occupied by the Licking County Players.

Elijah C. Criss, who was engaged in the funeral business in Newark and vicinity for more than half a century, lived to see the completion of one of the largest funeral homes in the state at that time which bore his name. He died at the age of 82 on March 19, 1953.

Joseph H. Criss and Richard V. Criss continued in the funeral business in Newark. Joseph passed away on December 29, 1965 and Richard Criss continued in the business until July of 1988 when he sold Criss Brothers Funeral Home to Gary and Paula Kirkpatrick. Richard V. Criss died November 2, 1993.

The Criss-Kirkpatrick Funeral Home operated as such until February of 2000 when the Schoedinger family of Columbus purchased the funeral home. At that time, the funeral home was renamed Criss-Schoedinger Funeral Home.

On January 1, 2014, the Schoedinger family took on two local partners, Richard "Rick" Hoskinson, owner-operator of Hoskinson Funeral & Cremation Service in Kirkersville, Hebron and Thornville, and Jon H. Wagner, manager at Criss-Kirkpatrick and then Criss-Schoedinger for 19 years. The name of the funeral home now reflects the local ownership, Criss Wagner Hoskinson Funeral & Cremation Service.

According to Elijah Criss, courteous treatment, reasonable prices and painstaking and conscientious methods were features that have made the business a success. These values are at the heart of the Criss Wagner Hoskinson Funeral & Cremation Service that is in operation today.