About Us

In 1919, Joseph A. “Proky” Prokopovitsh, together with his father, John, relocated from the hard coal region of Scranton, Pennsylvania, to the Steel Valley to establish the Joseph A. Prokopovitsh Funeral Home. Their first location was a modest storefront at the corner of 5th Avenue and Dickson Street in the 5th Ward of Munhall.

In those early years, visitations were held in the homes of the deceased. Around 1940, with the rapid expansion of the steel mills, the 5th Ward was transformed by industrial progress, requiring Proky to relocate the business to the corner of 9th Avenue and Dickson Street in Homestead. The establishment remained open there, providing dedicated service to families in the community until Proky’s passing in 1988. Following World War II, Proky’s son-in-law, Albert J. Savolskis, a proud Navy veteran, joined the Homestead-based family business and helped carry the tradition forward.

In 1965, the original St. Therese Church at the corner of Main and Superior Streets in Munhall was dismantled. On that sacred ground, Proky and Al built the Savolskis Funeral Chapel. Constructed upon the original foundation of the church, it became the first funeral home of its kind in the Steel Valley, designed and built from the ground up exclusively for the purpose of serving families as a funeral home.

The new facility featured modern conveniences such as handicap accessibility, wider doorways, and off-street parking - amenities that were innovative and welcoming at the time. Shortly after opening, Al was joined by his sons-in-law, David R. Wasik and William C. Glenn, and the business became known as the Savolskis-Wasik-Glenn Funeral Home.

In 1981, Dorothy Savolskis Wasik joined her grandfather, father, and husband as a licensed Funeral Director, continuing the proud family tradition. Following an expansion in September 1996, the funeral home added additional viewing and chapel space, along with a spacious coffee lounge and an expanded merchandise selection room to better serve families.

In 1988, Michael Perovich joined his in-laws, Dave and Dotty Wasik, and eventually became Supervisor - a position he faithfully held until his semi-retirement in 2025. His son, Benjamin W. Perovich, a sixth-generation funeral director, now continues the family tradition and legacy of compassionate service as Supervisor.

For over a century, the Funeral Directors of SWG have faithfully served the families of our community and are honored to occupy this sacred location. Our mission remains the same as it was in 1919: to create loving and lasting memorials that honor each life with dignity and care.

Today, our staff includes lifelong members of the Steel Valley community, Benjamin W. Perovich, Alisha M. Metz, Kyra C. Mangold-Ostovich, and Thomas B. Barefoot, who continue the fine traditions of funeral directing inspired by our founder, Joseph A. Prokopovitsh. We are here to serve you 365 days a year and are honored by the trust you place in us.