Considered to be a pillar in the business community, Gaines Funeral Home continues to set a precedence for Black-owned businesses. Combining 89 years of providing great service with 58 years of performing a high standard of work, George “Toby” Gaines and Dwight Law have announced the collaboration of their businesses, Gaines Funeral Home and the House of Law Funeral Home.

With both businesses targeting the same segment of the population, Gaines and Law say by working together they can operate with a higher degree of efficiency and management.

A JOINT VENTURE—Combining more than 140 years of experience, George “Toby” Gaines, left, and Dwight Law shake hands as they prepare to consolidate their funeral home businesses.

“Looking at the future of the funeral industry and the state of the economy in the Black community, questioning how we can service people the way they so richly deserve, working together is the best solution,” said Law.

“The time has come to take the Gaines Funeral Home in a new direction,” said Gaines. Considering himself a man of faith, he said he prayed long and hard to be shown the way to go. “I talked to other funeral directors but felt Dwight saw my vision. He understands how two long-standing firms can combine their talents. His facility is compatible and age contemporary and his quality of work is at the standard I want to be associated with. This is the direction God has sent me.”  

No longer operating from the 220 Auburn St. location, but continuing to utilize the same telephone number, Gaines points out that the House of Law’s 9406 Frankstown Ave. site will enhance the caliber of Gaines funeral service in a facility providing competent staff, with amenities and parking patrons expect from a funeral service provider.

Working with 12 full and part-time staff, the funeral home consist of three viewing parlors, a spacious lobby and sitting room, a contemporary casket room inclusive of a video casket selection, an extensive volt and urn selection, and three sets of silver and black Hurst and limousines. Embalming is also conducted in house.

Gaines Funeral Home was established in 1919 by Toby’s father the late George W. Gaines, a Suffolk, Va. native who graduated from Exkel’s College of Mortuary Science with high honors at the age of 15.  The original funeral home was located on Fifth Avenue; it later moved to Penn Avenue.  In 1925, the business relocated to Homestead and, in 1933, moved to Auburn Street in Lincoln-Larimer (the original site of Mt. Ararat Baptist Church).

The Gaines family has worked to transform the mortuary business in the Pittsburgh area, by helping to establish the city’s first school of mortuary science and organizing the local Independent Funeral Director’s Association of Western Pennsylvania.  Law and Gaines confirm that many of the funeral directors of the area have received training throughout the years at the Gaines facility. The elder Gaines, his wife Julia and son have all played a role in the success of the business.

The Percy E. Law Funeral Home was founded by Dwight’s parents Percy and Thelma Law in his grandparent’s Donora, living room in 1950. The family has operated five funeral homes throughout Western Pennsylvania. Owned and operated by Percy, his brother Donald, nephew Scott and in 1982, Dwight, businesses were located in Donora, Brownsville, Wilkinsburg and Erie. In 1994, elder Law his wife and son opened the second Percy E. Law Jr. establishment in Wilkinsburg. In 2004 Dwight and his wife, Chandra Sanders-Law established the first African-American Funeral Home in Penn Hills, The House of Law, Inc. Law and Gaines serve as co-funeral directors and Chandra is the office manager.

With family backgrounds in the funeral business, Gaines and Law have mutual admiration and respect for each other. Both are thankful to their parents for laying the foundation for the business and strive to keep the tradition of providing efficient, quality and professional service.

Due to an increase in business and an expanding workforce, future plans for the joint venture are to build a new facility in the eastern suburbs.