Our Funeral Homes

Dean W. Kriner, Inc. Funeral Home Bloomsburg

Dean W. Kriner, President 



Madelyn P. Kriner-Calluso, Supervisor

On July 1, 1968 Mr. Kriner purchased the Baker Funeral Home, 246 W. Main Street, Bloomsburg, renaming it the Dean W. Kriner Funeral Home. The business had been established in 1845 as a livery and undertaking establishment by John Barclay. He also dealt in furniture and cabinetmaking.

The business was later operated by Elias Fuhrman, his son-in-law. In 1887 he sold the business to G.G. Baker and Torrence Bender who operated as Baker and Bender Undertakers. They dissolved the partnership in 1889 and G.G. Baker continued in business in Bloomsburg and Bender opened an establishment of his own in Orangeville. Mr. Baker was eventually joined in the business by his four sons, who were all funeral directors: Charles W., Robert C., Paul S., and Oren S. Oren Baker was the last of the Baker family to own the business and it was he that sold it to Mr. Kriner in 1968.

On July 30, 1982, Mr. Kriner purchased the William S. Elwell Funeral Home at 325 Market Street, Bloomsburg and moved his business to that location and the Main Street building was sold. The Elwell Funeral Home began as the James Dyke Funeral Home in 1925 and, following his death in 1958, it was purchased by Clair M. Bastian who in turn sold it to Elwell on July 1, 1967.

In April, 1986, Kriner purchased the Donald M. Wilt Funeral Home, East Street, Bloomsburg and combined it at the Market Street location. Mr. Wilt had established the business in 1950.

Roat-Kriner Funeral Home - Danville

Dean W. Kriner, Owner

In August, 1995, Mr. Kriner purchased the Frank W. Roat Funeral Home, 2 Walnut Street, Danville from Mr. Roat's widow, Mavis, who operated it since his death in December, 1981. The Roat Funeral Home was established in Danville by William Roat, great-grandfather of Frank W. Roat in 1864. William was a cabinet and furniture maker who also made coffins and entered the business in this way. It was operated by the Roat family until 1939 when it was sold to William Fermier.

Frank W. Roat opened his business in Danville in 1965 and in 1976 purchased the Fermier Funeral Home, thus combining the original Roat business with his. In October, 1996 Mr. Kriner moved the business to 1133 Bloom Road to the first building in Montour County specifically built as a funeral home.