History & Staff

James W. Tunie was raised, along with his six siblings, In the then thriving steel capitol of the world, Homestead, Pennsylvania. His parents, the late Rev. Edgar Price and Effie D.Tunie were close friends of the late George W. Gaines, a prominent Pittsburgher and proprietor of the Gaines Funeral Home located In the East Liberty section of the city. In the summer of 1941. a fourteen year old James Tunie went to work for Mr. Gaines. That was the beginning of a relationship which would last a lifetime. He lived at the funeral home and that invaluable and most impressionable four year on call work experience exposed him, from the ground up, to every aspect of the funeral business. After graduating from Westinghouse High School In 1945, he answered the call to duty and served in the United States Army. Upon his discharge he returned to his parents home and using his G.I. Bill's benefits, enrolled at The Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science (PIMS) graduating in the Class of 1948. With no immediate openings available within the local minority establishments, he worked as a laborer for four years at the Hays Brick Yard. In 1953, he accepted a position with the Frances A. Keith Funeral Home in McKeesport. Pennsylvania. While serving his apprenticeship there he married longtime sweetheart, Evelyn Hawkins. This union would produce five children: James, Jr., Terri. Linda, Tamara, Stacey, and the later adoption of daughter, Michelle. In 1956, James became a Licensed Funeral Director, and in 1960, established the James W. Tunie Funeral Home In Homestead, Pennsylvania; a modest operation with a volunteer staff of dedicated family and supportive friends. With his encouragement and support his wife, Evelyn, attended PIMS graduating in the Class of 1968 and eventually receiving her LF.D. After a number of moves (all within the core service area of Homestead) The Tunie Funeral Home, Inc. is now located at 218 E. 11th Avenue: James W. Tunie, Jr., CEO; James W, Tunie, Sr., L.F.D-Supervisor; and Ronald W. Jenkins. L.F.D.-Manager. James W. Tunie, Sr. Is celebrating 52 years of continuous funeral service, His decades of dignified service and compassion to all have earned him the respect of his peers and the gratitude of the generations of families that he has so faithfully served. He is the proud grandfather of 10.

My professional journey began at a historically Black college, Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, Alabama where I attended after graduating from John A. Brashear High School in 1981. I joined the Pittsburgh Police Department and remained there until retiring in 2004. During those years I saw so much carnage that I decided to make a career change. I became a licensed funeral director in 2005 after graduating from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. My goal was to help families in one of their greatest times of need and I took a strong interest in restorative art. I take pride in providing families with comfort as my goal is to make their loved one look as they did whenever possible. I am currently enjoying the most rewarding aspect of my career, as I am working at Tunie Funeral Home Inc., and a clinical embalming instructor at PIMS, instructing new students the art of embalming.