Remembering Our Colleagues

Selected Independent Funeral Homes expresses its condolences to families within our Association who have lost loved ones.

Guy Thompson,
Chief Executive Officer of former, longtime member Thompson's Harveson & Cole Funeral Home, Fort Worth, TX, died July 18. Mr. Thompson is survived by his wife Kathleen Thompson, Secretary of the firm; children, Cindy Thompson, Teacy Bernardy, Father Tim Thompson, Martin Thompson, and Martha Thompson; fourteen grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Guy Thompson Scholarship Fund, 702 Eighth Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76104 or the Vic Thompson Memorial Fund, 8235 Douglas Avenue, Suite 720, Dallas, TX 75225. The Thompson family may be reached at Thompson's Harveson & Cole Funeral Home, 702 Eighth Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76104. Additional obituary information can be found at www.legacy.com.

Daniel C. Carroll, Raychel Carroll, Mallory Fields
Daniel C. Carroll, co-owner of Lady's Funeral Home, Inc., Kannapolis, NC, his wife, Raychel, and four-year-old granddaughter, Mallory Fields, were killed in the crash of a small plane on July 14. Mr. and Mrs. Carroll are survived by daughters, Kimberly Page and Sara Fields. Mr. Carroll also is survived by parents, Dr. Charles Carroll Jr. and Marilyn Carroll; brothers, Michael Carroll, David Carroll, Douglas Carroll and John Carroll; sisters, Cynthia Dixon and Elizabeth Kivett; and five grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Gideon's International, PO Box 52, Kannapolis, NC 28082. The Carroll family may be reached at Lady's Funeral Home, Inc., 268 N. Cannon Blvd., Kannapolis, NC 28083. Additional obituary information can be found at www.ladysfuneralhome.com.

Dorothy F. Schwartz,
mother of Tom Schwartz and wife of Bill Schwartz, both former owners of Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home, Bemidji, MN, died July 7. Mrs. Schwartz is survived by her daughter, Ann Kingry; sons, Douglas Schwartz Ephraim, Robert Schwartz, Thomas Schwartz and John "Jack" Schwartz; sister, Allene Fredrickson; brother, Robert Frandsen; eleven grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to First Lutheran Church, 900 Bemidji Avenue North, Bemidji, MN 56601; North Country Hospital Auxiliary or the American Red Cross. The family of Mrs. Schwartz may be reached at Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home, 3330 Irvine Avenue NW, Bemidji, MN 56601. Additional obituary information and online guestbook can be found at www.olsonschwartzfuneralhome.com.

Frank Miller,
NSM Executive Director from 1972-1984, died July 3. He is survived by his wife, Betty; children, Lawrence Miller, Russell Miller and Judith Dean; sister, Carolyn Blum; and two grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Camp Arcadia, P.O. Box 229, Arcadia, MI 49613. The family may be reached at P.O. Box 255, Arcadia, MI 49613. Additional obituary information.

Menlo H. Pridemore,
former owner of Hippensteel Funeral Home, Lafayette, IN, died July 1. He is survived by three children, Penelope Bell, Valerie Williams and Richard Pridemore; brother, Billy Pridemore; eleven grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild and several step-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Lafayette Christian School or Lafayette Christian Reformed Church, with Hippensteel Funeral Home, 822 N. 9th Street, Lafayette, IN 47904, entrusted with care. Obituary information can be found at www.hippensteelfuneralservice.com.

Carson B. Baker Jr.
president and treasurer of Morris-Baker Funeral Home, Inc., Johnson City, TN, died June 28. Mr. Baker is survived by his wife, Betty Baker; daughter, Harriet Baker, vice president of the firm; stepson, Dr. Tom Lee II; grandchildren, Lauren Kenny, Todd McKee, T. Preston McKee II, president of the firm, and Valerie McKee; step-grandchildren, Katherine Lee, Andrew Thomas Lee and David Lee; and seven great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Tacoma Church of God, 1005 John Exum Parkway, Johnson City, TN 37604. The family of Mr. Baker may be reached at Morris-Baker Funeral Home, Inc., 2001 E. Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, TN, 37601. Additional obituary information and a forum for sharing memories and condolences can be found at www.morrisbaker.com.

Joe R. "Buddy" Winstead,
owner of Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home, Hattiesburg, MS, died June 13. He is survived by sons, Joe T. Winstead and James K. Winstead, co-vice-presidents of the firm, and John R. Winstead; sisters, Nan Craven, Mary Ellen Howe and Gloria Sowell; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The family of Mr. Winstead may be reached at the funeral home, 205 Bay St, Hattiesburg, MS 39401. Memorial contributions may be made to U.S.M. Athletic Foundation Scholarship Fund, 118 College Drive, Box 5017, Hattiesburg, MS 39403.

Leora Klein,
secretary of Klein Funeral Homes and Memorial Parks, Tomball, TX, died May 1. Mrs. Klein is survived by her husband, Teddy Klein, president of the firm and past secretary-treasurer of Selected; children, Mark Klein, vice-president of the firm, Matthew Klein, treasurer of the firm, Margaret Cummings and Martha Davis; brother, R.A. Whatley; sister, Mary Robinson; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The family of Mrs. Klein may be reached at Klein Funeral Homes and Memorial Parks, 1400 West Main Street, Tomball, TX 77375.

Andrew Fiumano
father of Nancy Anthony, wife of Mark Anthony, co-owner of Anthony Funeral & Cremation Chapels, Rochester, NY, died May 2. Mr. Fiumano also is survived by his son, Drew Fiumano; brother, Frank Fiumano; three grandchildren and one great-grandson. Memorial contributions may be made to Carthage Area Hospital, Skilled Nursing Unit, 1001 West Street, Carthage, NY 13619 or to Christian Brothers Academy, 6245 Randall Road, Syracuse, NY 13214. Additional obituary information can be found at www.anthonychapels.com.

Terry Roberts,
former owner of Knowlton Hewins Roberts Funeral Home, Augusta, ME, died April 26. Mr. Roberts is survived by his wife, Janice; children, Lynn Roberts Reed, President of the firm, Leon Roberts, Vice President of the firm, and Valerie Starkie; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Memorial contributions may be made to the Winthrop Performing Arts Center, 17-A Highland Avenue, Winthrop, ME 04364. The family of Mr. Roberts may be reached at Knowlton Hewins Roberts Funeral Home, One Church Street, Augusta, ME, 04330. Additional obituary information can be found at www.khrfuneralhomes.com.

Florence D. "Floss" Kroeger,
retired secretary/treasurer of Kroeger Funeral Home, Logansport, IN, and step-mother of Paul Kroeger, Vice President of the firm, died April 14. Mrs. Kroeger also is survived by another step-son, Timothy Kroeger; step-daughter, Cindy Gaumer; and four grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to to the Kroeger Family Fund, c/o Cass County Community Foundation, P.O. Box 441, Logansport, IN 46947. The family of Mrs. Kroeger may be reached at Kroeger Funeral Home, 711 East Market Street, Logansport, IN 46947. Additional obituary information and a forum for leaving condolences can be found at www.kroegerfuneralhome.com.

Vincent Ruggiero Jr.,
brother of Michael Ruggiero, President of F. Ruggiero & Sons, Inc., Yonkers, NY, and Richard Ruggiero, Vice President and Secretary of the firm, died April 1, 2010. Mr. Ruggiero also is survived by his wife, Joanne Ruggiero; children, Vincent Ruggiero III, Anthony Ruggiero, Michelle Farina and Nicole Ruggiero; mother, Elvira Ruggiero; another brother, Robert Ruggiero; and three grandchildren. The family of Mr. Ruggiero may be reached at F. Ruggiero and Sons, 732 Yonkers Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10704. Additional obituary information can be found at www.ruggieroandsonsfh.com.

Alice M. W. Pridemore,
wife of Menlo Pridemore, former owner of Hippensteel Funeral Home, Inc., Lafayette, IN, died March 22, 2010. Mrs. Pridemore also is survived by two daughters, Janice Johnson and Holly Blagg; two stepdaughters, Penny Bell and Jane Williams; and a stepson, Richard Pridemore, former husband of the firm's current owner, Donna Pridemore. Survivors also include two grandsons, Greg Johnson and Steve Johnson; step-grandson, Scott Pridemore, Manager of Crematory Operations for the firm, and thirteen other step-grandchildren. Additional obituary information and a place to share condolences can be found at www.hippensteelfuneralservice.com.

Kenneth D. Kilpatrick,
Co-Owner of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes, West Monroe, LA, and former member of the National Selected Morticians Board of Directors (1979-1982), died March 14, 2010. He is survived by his wife, Anne Kilpatrick; children, K.D. Kilpatrick Jr., Paula Kilpatrick Kirk, Richard Barham Kilpatrick and Melanie Kilpatrick Jarrell Willets; brother, Tex R. Kilpatrick, Chairman-CEO of the firm; sister, Johnnie Nell “Sis” Gorton; thirteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Additional obituary information and guestbook can be found at http://kilpatrick.lifefiles.com.

David C. Murchison,
former legal council to National Selected Morticians, died February 28, 2010, in Easton, MD. He was a founding partner of the Washington, D.C. law firm Howrey, Simon, Baker and Murchison (now known as Howrey) in 1956. The firm became one of the country's leading antitrust firms. Additional obituary information and guest book are available at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/washingtonpost/obituary.aspx?n=david-c-murchison&pid=140626796.

Loretta Hagan
died February 18, 2010. Mrs. Hagan is mother of Joan Keohane, whose husband, Edward Keohane, is Chairman of Keohane Funeral Home, Quincy, MA, and Past President of Selected Independent Funeral Homes. Mrs. Hagan also is survived by other daughters, Irene McEvoy and Janice Grappi; son, William Hagan; grandchildren, Dennis and John Keohane, Co-Presidents of the firm, Joe Keohane, Kristin Nelson, Tim, Dave and Carolyn McEvoy, Dan, Mark and Christina Grappi and Michael Hagan; and ten great-grandchildren.Additional obituary information can be found at www.keohane.com.

Sue Van Orsdel,
Vice-President of Van Orsdel Family Funeral Chapels, Miami, FL, mother of Donald Van Orsdel, President of the firm, and Carol Van Orsdel-Salgado, Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer, died February 11, 2010. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clifford D. Van Orsdel, member of the National Selected Morticians Board of Directors, 1953-1956. Mrs. Van Orsdel also is survived by children, Vicki, Judy, Linda, Jim and Pam; and 15 grandchildren. Donald's wife, Maria, is Assistant Vice President of the firm, and their daughter, Crystal, is a graphic designer at the firm.

Edythe C. Blackburn,
mother of Michael Blackburn, President of Callahan-Edfast Mortuary, Inc., Grand Junction, CO, and Gary Blackburn, funeral director at the firm, died February 9, 2010. Mrs. Blackburn also is survived by her husband, Harold Blackburn; seven grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and several other family members. Additional obituary information and a forum for leaving condolences can be found at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net.

John T. "Jack" Horan,
Vice President of Horan & McConaty Funeral Service/Cremation, Aurora, CO, died February 5, 2010, after a long illness. He is survived by his wife, Valerie; and two sons, John Horan, President and CEO of the firm and a member of the Board of Directors of Selected Independent Funeral Homes, and Michael Horan. He also is survived by two daughters, Deborah Griffin and Kathleen Scaggs, 11 grandchildren and numerous other family members. Memorials may be made to the HeartLight Center which serves people who are grieving.

Dr. Robert T. Woodburn II,
father of Wendy Dimitri, Director of Membership for Selected Independent Funeral Homes, died January 21, 2010. Dr. Woodburn also is survived by his son, Dr. Robert T. Woodburn III; the mother of his children, Evelyn Woodburn; two sisters and three grandchildren.

Barbara A. Hackman,
owner of Hackman Family Funeral Homes, Sturgis, MI, died January 7, 2010. Mrs. Hackman is survived by her sons, Greg Hackman, President of the firm, and Steve Hackman, Treasurer of the firm; three sisters; one brother and three grandchildren.

Lucy Ann G. Taylor,
Chairman of Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory, Owensboro, KY, died January 4, 2010. Mrs. Taylor is survived by two sons, Glenn P. Taylor, President of the firm and Immediate Past-President of Selected Independent Funeral Homes, and his wife, Camilla, and David P. Taylor and his wife, Marilyn; foster son Richard Stringer and his wife, Kazco; grandchildren, Christy Taylor Chaney and her husband, Travis, Glenn P. Taylor, Jr. and his wife, Rachael, Katherine Taylor and William B. Taylor; and three great-grandchildren. Mrs. Taylor was preceded in death by her husband, Ira Taylor Jr., former president of the firm.

Judith C. Ralph,
Owner of T.M. Ralph Funeral Homes, Plantation, Florida, died December 22, 2009. Mrs. Ralph is survived by her husband, Thomas M. Ralph; daughters Judith M. Day, Patricia Jo Ralph and Kathleen S. Ralph; son Thomas H. Ralph; brothers Henry W. Johnson and James P. Johnson; and four grandchildren.

Svend-Erik Baltzer,
co-founder of Taastrup Bedemandsforretning, Taastrup, Denmark, died December 3, 2009. He is survived by his wife, Birgit Baltzer, owner of the firm, and their daughter, Jossie.

Robert P. Shackelford Jr.,
former President of The Shackelford Corporation, Savannah, TN, died November 23, 2009. Mr. Shackelford served as the Secretary-Treasurer of National Selected Morticians, 1985-86. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bobbie Jo, and is survived by their two children; Lisa Shackelford Thomas, President of the firm, and Robert Shackelford III, Secretary; and four grandchildren, Robert Joseph Thomas, Kathryne Thomas Guinn, Preston Shackelford and Autumn Shackelford.

John J. Rezac Jr.,
former funeral director at Lonsdale Funeral Home, now White Funeral Home, Lonsdale, MN, died October 18. He is survived by his wife, Eileen; sons, Richard and Randall Rezac; grandchildren, Jacob, Lucas, Kristine, Diana, Jade and Paula; and sister Elsie Bastyr.

Dale S. McCaw,
Director of McCaw Funeral Service, Ltd., Lloydminster, AB, died October 17, 2009. He is survived by his wife, Dana; children, Joel, Tessa, Brett and Cara McCaw; father, David McCaw, President of the firm; brothers, Glenn, Secretary-Treasurer of the firm, and Reg, Mark and Kurt McCaw; and step-brother Doug Baynton.

David L. Ferris,
father of David W. Ferris, President of Ferris Funeral Home, Simcoe, ON, died October 3, 2009. He also is survived by his wife, Jean, and several nieces and nephews.

Jean Marie Mack,
Vice President of Mack Funeral Home, Inc., Robertsdale, AL, died September 29, 2009. She is survived by a son, Huey Mack Jr., President of the firm; daughter-in-law, Sherri Mack, Secretary-Treasurer of the firm; and daughter, Linda Mack.

Ann M. Doran-Forauer,
great-grandmother of Wendy Dimitri, Director of Membership for Selected Independent Funeral Homes, died September 26, 2009. Mrs. Doran-Forauer also is survived by her sisters, Marge Dewey and Olga Ready; five grandchildren and eight other great-grandchildren.

Robert G. Sellers,
President of Sellers Funeral Home, Inc., Chambersburg, PA, died September 13, 2009. He is survived by his sons, Robert Sellers Jr. and William Sellers, supervisor at the firm; daughters, Roberta Sellers and Betsy Steinbrink; sister, Helen Gillan; daughter-in-law, Kristin Sellers, secretary at the firm; and three grandchildren.