Carl E. Kirby-Gaines Jr.
Licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer
Carl E. Kirby-Gaines Jr.
Licensed Funeral
Director & Chief Embalmer/Care Center
Carl Gaines Jr “CJ”, born in Cleveland, Ohio is
the youngest of the third generation at the Gaines Funeral Home. Since the age
of 9, he has had a passion for the funeral industry. Being the only son of
Former Vice President Carl E. Kirby-Gaines Sr., and current Chief Finance
Officer Renee Kirby, Carl Jr., spent a majority of his childhood at the funeral
home doing whatever he could to learn the funeral industry from those who would
take the time to teach him.
Carl Jr, attended grade school at Holy Name Elementary
School in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood, after school, Carl would
dash to the funeral home where he would do his homework at the top of the
staircase overlooking the main funeral chapel where he could do his homework
while watching the mourners enter the funeral home to celebrate the life of
their loved ones. His passion for the funeral business would lead Carl Jr., to
ask his father is purchase his first black suit so that he accompany him on
funerals as well as train him to be Junior Greeter during evening visitations
and weekend funerals. Friday evening CJ would be found working viewings downstairs
until his Grandmother, Former Owner and Co-Founder Rosa Gaines would call down
to the evening receptionist to have him sent upstairs to prepare for bed so he
could report for work Saturday morning. The Gaines Funeral Home was a 24hr
funeral home that kept someone in the funeral home 24 hours a day, CJ would
often sneak downstairs to accompany the evening staff with nightly duties and
found his way in the care center to observe the evening mortician performing
his duties.
Saturday morning he would wake up and prepare
for funerals, once he would be completed, he would stop at his grandmother’s
room for her uniform inspection. He would then then stop to see his
grandfather, Founder William A. Gaines for his uniform inspection, due to a
stroke in the late 1990’s Mr. Gaines was unable to speak, but he would nod at
CJ and stick his thumb up to CJ to let him know he was good to go before
reporting for funeral duty.
After his time there, he furthered his education
by enrolling at Bowling Green State University. His studies there come to
completion and he moved back home to Cleveland where to enrolled at Cleveland
State University where he completed his Pre-Mortuary Science Requirements. Soon
after, his completion of his studies at Cleveland State, he moved to
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he enrolled at Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary
Science. Carl Jr is the only son of the former president Carl Kirby Gaines.
Carl (CJ) has the honor of completing the work that his father started and will
continue to follow in the footsteps that Carl Sr. has set.
Carl graduated in 2015 an Associates in
Specialized Technology as well as Associates in Specialized Business in
addition to being certified as a Crematory Operator by The Cremation
Association of North America.
In 2016, Carl graduated from Point Park
University with his Bachelors of Science in Funeral Services
In May of 2017, Carl fulfilled the requirements
mandated by Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors for The Funeral
Director/Embalmer Apprentice Program.
In March of 2018, Carl was granted his license
to practice both Funeral Directing and Embalming.
Carl is a member of St. Agnes Our Lady of Fatima
Catholic Church.
Carl is also a member of:
Ohio Embalmers Association
Ohio Funeral Directors Association
National Funeral Directors Association
National Funeral Directors and Morticians
Association
Ecclesiastes Lodge #120, Free and Accepted
Masons, Prince Hall Affiliated
Bezaleel Consistory #15, Ancient Accepted
Scottish Rite, Northern Jurisdiction
El Hasa Temple #28, A.E.A.O.N.M.S
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. - Cleveland
Alumni Chapter
Nu Phi Zeta Fraternity Inc., National Vice
President - 2020-2024
Knights of Columbus, Cleveland Council #733
Telephone: 1-216-641-4802
Email: