George
W.
Kephart

GEORGE WASHINGTON KEPHART was born on April 5, 1880 in Philadelphia PA to Mr. and Mrs. John Marshall Kephart. His father was a paperhanger. After attending school in Philadelphia, George W. Kephart apprenticed with Oliver Bair, then one of the most prominent morticians in Philadelphia. After serving with an infantry unit during the Spanish-American War, he subsequently attended the Eckels School of Embalming, and from 1904 through 1911 served as professor of anatomy at that institution. He had married during this time, his wife Miriam giving birth to s daughter, Marion, on December 27, 1901. Sadly, Miriam Kephart died in 1904. He remarried while teaching at Eckels. His wife Bertha L. Fabian Kephart bore a daughter, Anna Mae, on November 24, 1907.

In 1911 George W. Kephart founded a funeral home at 200 Broadway, which he operated through 1916. He entered into a partnership with Bernhard F. Schroeder in that year, the firm operating as Schroeder, Kephart & Company.

In 1917 George W. Kephart opened up a funeral home at 602 Broadway, and ran for county coroner as a Republican. When America entered World War I, George W. Kephart returned to active duty with the United States Army, and was stationed at Camp Dix.

George W. Kephart was a member of several fraternal organizations in Camden. He was a member of Camden Lodge 111, Loyal Order of Moose; Washington Camp, Patriotic Sons of America; Ottawa Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men, and the Junior Order United American Mechanics. He also was a member of the 9th Ward Republican Club. 

In September of 1918, the Spanish influenza pandemic struck the United States. George Kephart volunteered his services to embalm 18 soldiers at Camp Dix. He contracted the flu himself, and pneumonia set in.

George Kephart passed away on September 18, 1918. Funeral service were held at his home at 602 Broadway on September 20, and were reported in the Camden Post-Telegram. His widow, Bertha Kephart, remained in the funeral business, and operated the home at 602 Broadway through at least April of 1930. By the fall of 1936 she had relocated to 411 Cooper Street. 

January 27, 1913