Our History

Our History

In 1960, Frank Nation became partners with Howard M. “Buc” Pettit and eventually bought the Pettit Funeral Home in 1962. The name then changed to Frank J. Nation Funeral Home. Frank’s wife Shirley Nation received her license in 1976 and helped her husband run the family business. At the age of sixteen Frank Nation’s son, F Jay Nation Jr. began helping his family at the Funeral Home. In 1980, Jay enrolled at The Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary science and received his Funeral Director license in 1982. Jay continued to work alongside his mother and father until he purchased the business in 1989 and changed the name to Nation Funeral Home, Inc. In 1998, while teaching at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, he had asked the Dean of the school if anyone in his area was enrolled in Mortuary School. That is when he hired Heath Graff. Heath enrolled in Mortuary School in 1998 and received his license in 2001. F. Jay Nation took great pride in helping families during their time of need. Heath worked for Jay for 25 years when he eventually bought the business on August 18, 2023, now known as Graff-Nation Funeral and Cremation Services LLC. Heath continues to keep the tradition of an independently owned and operated Funeral Home providing compassionate Services to the Community and families during their time of need.