PAGE A2
Winston-Salem Chronicle
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1988
Enterprise
BUSINESS PROFILE
No Generation Gap Here
"The funeral director is that person who orchestrates a kind of envi
ronment and atmosphere of support in a kind and gentle way that
guides through difficult times," says Jerry Gilmore III of the business
in which three generations of his family have participated. Pictured
are, top right photograph, the first generation: Frances S. Gilmore
and Jerry C. Gilmore Jr., who founded the business; bottom middle
photograph, the second generation, back row from left, Jerry C.
Gilmore III, Lavon R. Gilmore and Thomie D. Douthit, front row,
Jeanette D. Gilmore and Cynthia Douthit; bottom photograph, the
third generation, back row from left, Meka Douthit, Jerry Gilmore IV
and Monica Gilmore, front row, Mejii Douthit and Donna Gilmore.
Three generations work together
By ROBIN BARKSDALE
Chronicle Staff Writer
For most people, the topic of
funerals is something that is
approached with some apprehen
sion. But for Jerry Gilmore III, the
subject presents a welcome oppor
tunity to talk about family tradition,
an occupation he loves and three
generations of service to the Win
ston-Salem community.
"If my parents had been in
some other skilled profession, I
would have learned how to do
whatever it was that they did," said
Gilmore, the president and general
manager of the Gilmore funeral
business. "An electrician takes his
son in and teaches him the busi
ness. It's the same way in this busi
ness."
Gilmore represents his family's
second generation of funeral home
operators and recently his daughter,
Donna, became the first member of
the family's third generation to
become a licensed funeral services
director. Her licensing, she said, is
something of a dream come true.
"It's something I grew up
with," said the 21-year-old business
administration student at Winston-
Salem Slate University. "It was
something I always wanted to do
and I hope now that I will be able
to help out around the funeral
home."
The younger Gilmore contin
ues a family tradition started more
than 39 years ago when her grand
parents, Frances and Jerry Gilmore
Jr., began their business in a while,
five-room building on East Fifth
Stieet. In 1956, the Gilmores
undertook their first remodeling
project. At that fx)inl. the five-room
building was redone as a coinbina-
tH;n business facility and living
quarters. 'Ifie busiiK^ss currenily is
housed in a large facility that spans
a major portion of the 1600 block
of Liberty Street. But despite all of
the physical changes made at the
establishment, Gilmore said the
family remains dedicated to
upholding the original goals of the
founders, and he said he is ever-
mindful of their commitment to the
service which they provided.
process, the comfort and consulta
tion process and the actual funeral,
which he calls the "healing pro
cess."
"The funeral director is that
person who orchestrates a kind of
environment and atmosphere of
support in a kind and gentle way
that guides through difficult times."
"My mother was a pioneer of
sorts in this business," said
Gilmore. "There were no women to
speak of in the funeral services
business when they were starting
up."
The Gilmores' business now
boasts four female family members
who are licensed funeral services
directors. In addition to his mother
and his daughter, Gilmore’s sister,
Cynthia Douthit, is a licensed
director. She also is responsible for
financial and administrative func
tions at the funeral home.
In order to pass the North Car
olina state licensing exam, appli
cants must complete 32 hours of
college study and a one-year
apprenticeship. But the license
qualifies a director to do much
more than embalm bodies, although
Gilmore said embalming is proba
bly the most well-known function
of a funeral home.
"While embalming is an inte
gral part of the total service, it is
just a part of the whole, ’ he said.
"It's like having five fingers. You
can do without one little finger but
you can't do without all of them.
It's important that you have good
funeral services.”
In addition to the embalming
process, Gilmore's provides coun
seling services Ibr survivors and
luneral merchandise and goods.
Gilmore said the servn;es are three-
iKUc.d and include Ihe einlialming
And, Gilmore said, he loves
every minute of his job, although
the idea of handling corpses makes
the average person somewhat
squeamish. But for Gilmore it's just
a part of life.
"I've been around it since I was
3 years old," Gilmore said. "I never
learned to be afraid. None of my
kids has problems with it. It's sec
ond nature to me. I love my job. I'm
obsessed with the feeling that what
I do is a ministry as much as any
thing else. It’s my job to surmount
difficulty."
But Gilmore said he still is able
to maintain an empathy for situa
tions and for surviving families.
The possibility of contracting
communicable diseases, Gilmore
said, is not a true threat to him
because he is aware of situations
and takes necessary precautions.
But he does admit to one moment
of hesitancy not long after he got
involved in the family business.
"One of the more fearful times
was when TB (tuberculosis) was
out,” he said. "I’m not fearful now
because Tm careful. I go by the
book. I'm serious about what I do
and I’m not reckless. If it lakes me a
little longer to be careful. I'm going
U) lake the lime. I'm no more at ri.sk
than if 1 were a welder who had to
climb up on a beam or an airplane
pilot who lia.s lo lepcnd on his
instriiniciil.s."
ttomatt
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