Our Story
Learn our story, from the beginning and into the future.
Ever since we opened our gates we have approached life (and death) differently. While some just see the end of a loved one’s life as a time for grief and mourning, we prefer to think of it as a time for reflection, appreciation and even celebration. This is evident in everything we do, from the way we conduct our services to the amenities we choose to offer. We are not a burial ground. We are a close knit community dedicated to honoring, sharing and preserving the amazing and inspirational stories that are life.

Auble Funeral Home began in 1907 when Harvey "H.C." Auble brought his furniture business from Lodi, OH to Orrville, OH. In the "old days" furniture stores built their own furniture, including caskets, which led to "Undertaking".
Our furniture/funeral business opened in what is now the Johnson Hardware building in downtown Orrville. In 1912 the business moved to the new L.O.O.F. building which is where the Orrville Municipal building now stands. In 1920 H.C.'s son, Perry E. Auble, joined his father and in 1924 the business moved to the corner of Market and Vine Streets where the Kropf, Wagner, Hohenberger& Lutz law offices now exist.

The furniture business was sold in 1933 and in 1949 H.C. sold his interest to Elmo Hooley. In 1959 Auble-Hooley Funeral Home constructed a new funeral home at 512 East Oak Street where the business is currently located.
In 1964 third generation, Alan C. Auble, joined the business following the sudden death of Mr. Hooley. During this time the funeral home began a modern ambulance company as we had already been operating an invalid coach service. In 1972, Nevin C. Nussbaum joined the firm as a Funeral Director and Emergency Medical Technician.
In 1990 the fourth generation, Mark A. Auble, joined the family business as a Funeral Director and Paramedic and in 1996 the ambulance company became the first in Wayne County to offer an Advanced Life Support (ALS) level. In 1999 we added a wheelchair van to our transportation services.

Today Auble Funeral Home remains an independently owned family business dedicated to the people we serve and the community we live in.
Whether it's "Advance Funeral Planning", At-Need Funeral Services, Monuments , or Cremation Services, we remain ready to serve your family's needs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Gillman Funeral Home was founded in 1912 by the late Alton L. Ebert and was known as the Ebert Funeral Home located on South Main Street in Rittman.
In 1948 Karl L. Gillman, who had been associated with Mr. Ebert since 1925, purchased the funeral home and it became Gillman Funeral Home. Upon Karl Gillman's death, his sons, Robert L. Gillman and Richard K. Gillman, assumed ownership and operation of Gillman Funeral Home.
In 1974 the new Gillman Funeral Home was constructed at its present location at 360 West Sunset Drive in Rittman.

In 2014, Alice and Robert Gillman sold the business to family friends, Alan and Mark Auble, the third and forth generation of the Auble Funeral Home family business. Kelly Gillman-Thomas, Alice and Robert's daughter, was retained to manage the Auble-Gillman Funeral Home in Rittman.
Learn the legacy.
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Original store in Lodi, Ohio, in 1906.
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Founder, H.C. Auble, circa 1920.
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Inside view of the first Orrville store in the I.O.O.F. building (Now City Hall).
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Outside the original Orrville store in the I.O.O.F. building (Now City Hall).
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Vern Halteman on the first furniture delivery wagon.
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Inside view of the second Orrville store (now Johnson Hardware).
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Al Auble, circa 1964, third generation.
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Al & Perry Auble show off their new 1970 hearse.
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Elmo Hooley co-owned the business in the late 50's and early 60's.
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Catholic Recessional.
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Al Auble, circa 1970's.
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Perry Auble at work in his later years.
Who We Are
Meet our staff. Members of the local community make everything that happens possible.
Together, we make this place amazing.

Alan was born and raised in Orrville. He graduated from Orrville High School in 1960 and received a BS from Kent State University in 1964. He received an associate degree in Mortuary Science from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in 1965 and joined the family business as a third generation funeral director and EMT.
Al lives in Orrville with his wife Suzy (Maus) Auble. He is an active member of the Trinity United Methodist Church and the Orrville Exchange Club.

Mark was born and raised in Orrville. He graduated from Orrville High School in 1985 and received a BS from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1989. He received an associate degree in Mortuary Science from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in 1990 and joined the family business as a forth generation funeral director and paramedic.
Mark lives in Orrville with his wife, Tammy, and children, Connor, Sarah, and Samuel. He is a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and the Orrville Rotary Club. Mark is active in the Orrville Area Boys and Girls Club, the Wayne County Community Foundation, and many other community organizations.

Nevin is a graduate of Dalton High School with a degree in Mortuary Science from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.
In 1972, Nevin joined the firm as a Funeral Director and Emergency Medical Technician.
Nevin lives in Orrville with his wife Kathy (Horst) Nussbaum.

Kelly was born and raised in Rittman. She graduated from Rittman High School in 1989 and received a BA from Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio in 1993. She received her funeral directing license in 2007 through an apprenticeship with her father, Robert Gillman, and joined the family business, Gillman Funeral Home, as a third generation funeral director. In 2014 Gillman Funeral Home was purchased by the Auble family and Kelly became the managing director of Auble-Gillman Funeral Home.
Kelly lives in Rittman with her husband, Andy, and children, Taylor and Kaitlyn.

Jordan was born and raised in Wadsworth. He graduated from Wadsworth High School in 2004 and received a BS in Mortuary Science from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in 2010. He joined Auble-Gillman Funeral Home in 2014 as a funeral director and embalmer.
Jordan lives in Rittman and is an active member of Northside Christian Church in Wadsworth.
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