The History of the
Brough-Getts Funeral Home
In 1811 John Brough and his family settled in Miamisburg, Ohio after moving here from Pennsylvania. They
original established a cabinet shop, which also built an occasionally needed coffin. Their residence and business was located
at the current location of Our Lady of Good Hope Church at Third St. and Central Ave. In 1865 The Brough family purchased
the land where the funeral home is currently located and built the original portion of that home along with a two story furniture
manufacturing facility.
The house was primarily used as a residence for the Brough family until shortly after the 1913 flood when
funerals began to be held less often in the home of the deceased. Their furniture and cabinet manufacturing business slowly
took on the form of a typical undertaking establishment of that era. By the end of WWI The Broughs were fully involved in
the funeral business as well as furniture manufacturing and retail furniture sales in the adjacent buildings to the funeral
home.
In all, there were seven generations of the Brough family which passed the torch of continuous service in
the Miamisburg, Montgomery County community. In the late 1970s the Broughs closed the furniture business, but continued on
faithfully to operate the funeral home.
In 1986 Joe and Jeri Getts purchased the funeral home and continued the tradition of personalized service
to the residents of Miamisburg and the surrounding area. Joe, a licensed funeral director, embalmer and ordained minister,
is a life long resident of Montgomery County, and his wife Jeri was raised in Miamisburg, the daughter of Jerry & Marylin
(Lightcap) Patrick. The two met while attending Dayton Christian High School. They were married in 1979 and raised their two
daughters, Kristen and Jayma in Miamisburg, while living in the residence above the funeral home.
In 1993 the funeral home was honored by the City of Miamisburg for being the oldest continuously running
business not only in Miamisburg, but in the entire Montgomery County area. The firm also has the oldest existing phone number
ever issued in Montgomery County. This unique history and tradition of personalized family service remains firmly in tact
as Joe and Jeris daughter and son-in-law join the operation of the family business. Brian and Kristen Wesche joined the firm
in December 2003, making their residence above the funeral home and overseeing management of the business.
Brian, a native of Northwest Ohio, is currently serving his internship as a funeral director while managing
the day to day administrative activities of the business. His wife Kristen, Joe and Jeris daughter, recently completed her
certification as a funeral service aftercare provider and will assist in such capacities with the business. Both Brian and
Kristen hold Bachelor degrees from The Ohio State University and are both using their education and management skills in the
perpetuation of the family owned funeral home.