Dana Fouss gets ready to take the 1957 Cadillac Coupe De Ville (owned by Leavitt Funeral Services and Crematory) for a ride.

BELPRE — A longtime director at Leavitt Funeral Home and Crematory Services has a passion and love for antique automobiles and the stories they carry, including the 1957 Cadillac owned by the funeral home.

“It’s just something I’ve always loved,” Dana Fouss said. “Even as a kid, I was infatuated with old cars and antiques. I guess you could say I’m a time traveler.”

Fouss has spent more than 40 years serving families in the Belpre area. Along the way he became the caretaker of a small, but meaningful piece of local history, a two-tone light-blue 1957 Cadillac Sedan de Ville that reflects his personal interests and the funeral home’s legacy.

The Cadillac entered the funeral home’s care in the late 1990s during the tenure of Carr Leavitt, fourth-generation owner of Leavitt Funeral Services and Crematory.

Fouss was instrumental in getting the car.

Looks good just sitting there. The antique 1957 Cadillac Sedan de Ville is lovingly cared for by Dana Fouss at Leavitt Funeral Services.

“For what we could buy it for, it was a very good investment,” he said.

Fouss said the car was purchased new from Hupp-Wharton Cadillac in 1957. He doesn’t know who the original owner was, but the vehicle has had maybe three, no more than four owners in nearly 70 years.

Still showing fewer than 70,000 miles, little was done in the restoration, Fouss said. Most of the interior is original, he said.

The four-door Cadillac has become a recognizable piece of history and occasionally appears in parades, special events, and milestone moments.

“It’s suitable for a family car or a lead car,” Fouss said. “We’ve used it for special occasions.”

The chrome-heavy front grille of the 1957 Cadillac.

The tradition continues under the leadership of Jon Leavitt and Stephen Leavitt, fifth-generation owners of the family business.

“We’re proud to carry on the tradition,” Jon Leavitt said. “That car represents not just our history, but the care and attention that Dana has given to it over the years.”

Stephen Leavitt said Fouss remains central to preserving that legacy.

“Dana has been the driving force behind keeping that car in the condition it’s in,” he said. “We fully support him in continuing to maintain it and preserve it for future generations.”

Caring for the Cadillac and other historic vehicles tied to the funeral home has been a personal responsibility for Fouss.

The Sedan de Ville name plate on the 1957 Cadillac at Leavitt Funeral Services where the antique vehicle is cared for by Dana Fouss, a funeral director.

“You don’t go to them and say, ‘Here’s the bill,'” he said. “You just do it.”

That approach dates back to his early years working alongside Carr Leavitt.

“The deal was, whatever you need to do, you don’t have to ask — you just do it,” Fouss said.

His role as caretaker extends beyond the Cadillac. Leavitt Funeral Services still owns an antique horse-drawn hearse, a piece of history that Fouss keeps a watchful eye on, ensuring it remains preserved for future generations.

Over the years, that same dedication led him to restore a rare 1925 motor hearse and bring historic vehicles back into working condition for parades and special community events.

Fouss’s interest in antiques extends far beyond the funeral home. His personal collection includes a 1908 Brush, a rare, single-cylinder automobile, and a fully restored 1954 Packard convertible, one of less than 800 produced.

“I painted it, did everything,” he said of the restoration.

Over time, he has bought and restored and sometimes sold other vehicles, always guided by the same principle.

“I wouldn’t own it if I couldn’t drive it,” he said.

Fouss’s path into funeral service began shortly after graduating high school in 1973. What started as a temporary job quickly became a lifelong career.

“I was going to college, just needed some money,” he said. “But I stayed.”

After completing mortuary school, he returned to the area and helped open the Belpre location in 1983, a move that proved pivotal to the funeral home’s success.

“We thought if we did 50 to 55 funerals a year, we’d be happy,” he said. “Now we do 150 to 170.”

Decades later, his ties to the community remain strong.

“At this stage, I probably know 98% of the people we serve,” he said.

Whether restoring a century-old automobile or helping a family through loss, Fouss sees a common thread in his life’s work: honoring what came before.

“I love history and preservation,” he said. “That’s what’s kept me around.”

Even as he looks toward eventually stepping back, one thing is certain, he won’t be stepping away from the cars.

“As long as I can, I’ll take care of it,” he said.