LYNDHURST, Ohio -- All businesses, no matter how long- or short-lived their history, have some sort of backstory to their founding.

In the case of Fioritto Funeral Service, 5236 Mayfield Road, its history led to a change within the funeral business in Ohio.

It was in 1950, 75 years ago, that Mario Fioritto Sr., not too far removed from his time in the service, began a funeral business from his corner home at Woodland Road and East Boulevard in Cleveland, by renting space in an existing nearby funeral home to conduct the physical aspects of his new profession.

“As he became successful doing this, other established funeral homes in the neighborhood tried to run him out of business because he didn’t have his own funeral home,” said Mario Sr.’s grandson, Bill Schneider, who now operates the

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