Den Herder Funeral Home began as Crowell Funeral Home in 1912, when Charles E. Crowell came to Paulding, Ohio to start a new undertaking and furniture business. Charles Crowell began his career in the funeral business in Portland, Indiana, and Kendallville, Indiana before moving to Paulding. Charles began his undertaking and furniture business in Paulding at a location on West Perry Street, from there, he moved his business to the west side of the court house square in the building that is now Don & Perry's Furniture.

In 1925, Charles built the Crowell Funeral Home on the northwest corner of North Cherry and Jackson Streets. At this time, Charles discontinued his furniture business and concentrated solely on operating and owning the funeral home. During this era of the Crowell Funeral Home, Charles and sons, Richard W. and Kenneth G. worked alongside their father at the funeral home until Charles' death in 1946 and Kenneth's death in 1954. For the next 10 years, Richard owned and operated the Crowell Funeral Home until the funeral home was purchased in 1956 by the first generation of the Den Herder Family to be in the funeral business, John S. Den Herder. Richard Crowell passed away in 1981.

John S. Den Herder came to Paulding in 1956 from Cincinnati, Ohio where he had been a funeral director and an embalmer for 17 years at Charles A. Miller and Sons. During the next two decades John S. Den Herder continued to improve the funeral home located at the corner of Cherry and Jackson Streets with improved and dedicated ambulance service to the residents of Paulding County and many structural improvements to the funeral home. During this era, the funeral home was known as Crowell-Den Herder Funeral Home.

In 1974, the second generation of Den Herders joined the funeral home with the addition of John S. Den Herder's son, John W. (Jack) Den Herder as a funeral director and an embalmer. The name of the funeral home was changed to Den Herder Funeral Home in the late 1970s to better reflect the current management and ownership.

In 1983 John S. and John W. (Jack) recognizing the fact Paulding County had outgrown the existing funeral home facilities at the corner of Cherry and Jackson Streets, began construction of a new funeral home on Wayne Street on the west edge of Paulding. In 1985, John S. Den Herder died at the age of 65 after 45 years of service as a funeral director and an embalmer.

During the next 18 years John W. (Jack) and his mother, Lucille E. Den Herder, also a funeral director continued to run the day to day operations of the funeral home and continued to improve and expand services that are offered to the families of Paulding County.

Today John W. (Jack) continue to run the day-to-day operations of Den Herder Funeral Home. Since 1912, our heritage and dedication has provided continuous service to the families of Paulding County and the surrounding area.

Jack graduated from DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana in 1973 and from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in 1974. In that year, Jack joined his father, John S. as a funeral director and an embalmer in the day-to-day operations of the family funeral home.  He is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association and the Ohio Funeral Directors Association where he served as District #1 president for five years as well as secretary/treasurer of the district.

Lucille Den Herder graduated from Mercy School of St. Francis Xavier College, Chicago where she earned a B.S. of biology and a registered nurse license. During WW II, she was a nurse at Great Lakes Naval Hospital, Chicago serving as a Lt.jg/NC-USNR.  Lucille has been a licensed funeral director since 1962. For many years, she assisted her husband John S. with the operations of Den Herder Funeral Home and later assisting her son Jack.

Lucille continues to be a vital part of the funeral home with her clerical and bookkeeping skills. She is also a member of the National Funeral Directors Association and the Ohio Funeral Directors Association.

Mary Price has been with the Den Herder Funeral Home since 2002 as the office manager. Her daily duties include all administrative work for the funeral home as well as working visitations and funerals. Her organization and efficiency are critical to the professional operations of the funeral home. Mary is a native of Paulding County and is a familiar face to many who visit the funeral home.

Bob has been with Den Herder Funeral Home in an associate role since 1981.  He assists on funerals and visitations as well as decedent calls.  Bob has been in law enforcement for well over 30 years and employed with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office since 1984 where he is the 911 system supervisor. Bob’s assistance is crucial to the day-to-day operations of the funeral home.

Gary has been an associate of Den Herder Funeral Home since 1976.  Over the years, Gary has assisted on ambulance calls, visitations, funerals and decedent calls.

He is a graduate of Defiance College and earned his master’s degree from St. Francis University. He is a retired guidance counselor from Paulding Exempted Village Schools where he coached many sports throughout the years.