Sometimes a tragedy can change the entire course of a man’s life. That happened during the Dayton flood of 1913 to Carl T. Routsong, then a rural mailman. He stood at a window in the main post office and watched as the floodwaters washed away his horse and buggy. Without them, Carl could not keep his mail route. Fortunately, his brother-in-law, George Bradford, who had recently started Bradford and Gustin Funeral Home, was in need of extra help. In 1918, when Mr. Gustin retired, Carl entered into a partnership with George Bradford and the firm was founded.