Last Rites for Walter Frey Funeral Home

Last Thursday, D-Day – in Lorain, that means Demolition Day – finally came for the former Walter Frey Funeral Home on West Erie.

(It was kind of sneaky that the usual tell-tale fence around the property indicating eminent destruction never appeared before the take-down started.)

The demolition is kind of sad. The house was both a link to the past, as the residence of George Wickens, as well as the home of a well-known funeral business that we all probably visited at some time in our lives.

But in case someone in the far-off future ever wonders what was once there (on what will surely still be a vacant lot), here’s an ample sample of images of it from down through the years. 

Undated postcard from when the house was George Wickens’ residence

1945

1947

1958

2010

2012

2014

Back in the middle of January 2021, I decided I’d better grab a few shots of the building while it was still standing. 

These shots (below) are from the eve of the demolition.

And here are a few Steaming Rubble® shots from Thursday. The weather was appropriately grim and depressing for the start of the demolition.

By Friday, the sun was out again – but the building wasn’t quite down all the way.

I drove by on Saturday and, by George (Wickens), part of the building was still standing (below). It looked like that on Sunday too.