photo by: Craig Howell

The Greco family and the staff of Greco-Hertnick Funeral Home welcomed West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner to Weirton Thursday as he presented to Weirton business with induction into the West Virginia Centurion Chamber of Commerce Award. The award recognizes businesses with at least 100 years in operation.

For more than 100 years, the Greco-Hertnick Funeral Home has served residents of the Weirton area.

Thursday afternoon, the local, family-owned business was recognized by the State of West Virginia with induction into the West Virginia Centurion Chamber of Commerce, in honor of the milestone.

“West Virginia Centurions are businesses that have withstood the test of time, the test of tragedy and the numerous challenges that come with the changes in government policies and changes in technology,” exclaimed West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner, who was in Weirton to present the award to funeral home owner John Greco, his family, and his staff. “West Virginia does a great job of welcoming new businesses to our communities with open houses, media announcements and ribbon cuttings. Until now, we really haven’t made time to recognize the long-standing members of our business community.”

The Greco-Hertnick Funeral Home was founded in 1922 by John W. Hertnick. It became Greco-Hertnick Funeral Home in the 1950s, when Hertnick’s daughter, Patricia, and her husband, Charles Greco, joined the business. Their son, John, became a funeral director, and, eventually, the owner, keeping the business within the same family for three generations.

“I’m very fortunate to be in the funeral business because it’s something I truly, truly love,” Greco said, noting it’s a business he grew up around and had a part in from an early age.

Seeing the example set by his grandparents, parents, and other extended family, Greco learned the importance of hard work and community service, noting the commitment required to operate the funeral home meant someone had to be there around the clock, and the family typically didn’t get to take vacations.

In his childhood, Greco often would be tasked with cleaning ash trays, shoveling snow, and washing cars to assist the business.

“It’s been a very rewarding career for me, and we’re very honored to serve the community for more than 100 years,” Greco said.

The West Virginia Centurion Chamber of Commerce Award was established by the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office in 2019 to recognize businesses in the Mountain State which have been continuously operated for at least a century.