Photo Provided Jerry Fiutem and Kathy Fiutem, from left, share a moment with Jarrett Wilson after being recognized for the loyalty as employees of Wilson Funeral Homes.

BROOKSIDE — Loyalty. It’s a word you really don’t hear that often in this present day and age — especially when it comes to employees. Well, the word still exists as do two local individuals who have remained faithful and who have gone “light years” beyond the call of duty for their employer: Wilson Funeral Homes. Those two people are Jerry and Kathy Fiutem.

Jarrett and Jason Wilson, owners of Wilson Funeral Homes, announced that Jerry was recently promoted as the new Senior Funeral Director/General Manager for all of the Wilson Funeral Homes locations — Brookside, Dillonvale, Tiltonsville and Mingo Junction. Jerry will be responsible for everyday business at all of these facilities, as well as serving as coordinator for funeral arrangements.

Jerry and Kathy Fiutem have a combined total of 78 years of service working in the funeral home industry, and most of those years were with Wilson’s. Jerry recalled when he worked at the original Wilson Funeral Home location on Lincoln Avenue in Bridgeport, next to the present day Wilson Furniture.

“Those businesses worked hand-in-hand and were co-dependent on each other in that era,” Jerry said.

Jarrett Wilson commented about Jerry and Kathy’s long-standing relationship with the “Wilson Funeral Home Family.”

“Dedication is the key word to explain both Jerry and Kathy Fiutem’s affiliation with our organization,” he said. “They have both been honest, caring and genuine with every single family who buried a loved one through Wilson Funeral Homes. Both of these outstanding employees have treated our business like their very own.

“This has always been a place where families can grieve and heal through the support of people like Jerry and Kathy,” he concluded.

As previously mentioned, Jerry has memories of working in high school at both the Wilson Funeral and Wilson Furniture locations.

“I remember working with Allan Ketzell (who has been retired from the Wilson organization since April 2017 after 40 years of service). We ran an ambulance service out of the funeral home, delivered oxygen to homebound individuals and answered the phones,” he explained. “We sometimes just hung around in case someone stopped by to pay their funeral bill!

“We had great memories during those days and I was proud — and still am honored — to work for the Wilson family.”

Jerry knew he wanted to be involved in the funeral industry since eighth grade.

“I remember talking with Ed Yurczak at the St. Joseph’s Grade School Career Day and decided at that time that I was going to be a funeral director,” Jerry said. “When I graduated from high school, I went on to the University of Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, graduated and served my apprenticeship with Charles A. Wilson in 1974 for a one-year period.”

Jerry’s father, Albert “Fuzz” Fiutem, worked at Wheeling Steel and his mother, Martha, worked at Nickle’s Bakery and was a housewife.

Kathy Fiutem went to high school with Jerry in Bridgeport, and they have been married for 26 years. Kathy works as a lady attendant at Wilson Funeral Homes and works directly with Jerry in meeting with families and arranging funerals as well as doing hair and make-up.

“Jerry and I have seen things change in the industry over the years,” Kathy said. “We still both believe in the ‘closure’ a funeral visitation and service brings to the families of the deceased. Some want to have their loved ones cremated; and others want the visitation and service. We have always abided by their wishes, and both of us take this personal by keeping the real values current.

“Many times families of the deceased who are making the funeral arrangements will come in grieving and go out laughing,” Jerry said. “That’s my job to comfort them and bring up the good memories during this difficult time. For that reason alone is why I wanted to be in this profession, and I definitely made the right choice.”

Jerry and Kathy live in Colerain and have a son, Damon Wukeson, 44; and a grandson, Gavin Wukeson, 17.

“Jason and I have not deviated from the tradition and focus of what Wilson Funeral Homes has stood for over the past 118 years. We needed to especially re-focus the efforts of keeping this tradition as strong as ever since our dad’s (Charlie Wilson) passing in April 2013. The unexpected loss put both of us in a ‘new’ situation, and we would hope that sound decisions such as promoting an exceptional person like Jerry and appreciating the loyalty shown from employees such as Kathy would have made our father proud,” Jarrett Wilson explained.