2016 NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Awards: Funeral Homes Honored for Excellence in Service to Families and Communities

The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) is pleased to announce that more than 160 funeral homes have earned the 2016 Pursuit of Excellence Award. This award is presented by NFDA annually to firms that have demonstrated a commitment to raising the bar on funeral service excellence by adhering to strict ethical and professional standards and providing outstanding service to families and communities.

“We offer our congratulations to all NFDA members that earned the 2016 Pursuit of Excellence Award,” said NFDA President Bob Arrington, CCO. “The staff of these funeral homes demonstrate their commitment to the highest professional and ethical standards every single day. They have truly earned this award and we are proud to count them as members of NFDA.”

To earn an NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award, a funeral home must demonstrate proficiency in key areas of funeral service, such as compliance with state and federal regulations; providing ongoing education and professional development opportunities for staff; offering outstanding programs and resources to bereaved families; maintaining an active level of involvement in the community; participating and actively serving in the funeral service profession; and promoting funeral home services through a variety of marketing, advertising and public relations programs. Participants are also required to adhere to a Pledge of Ethical Practices.

NFDA will honor the 2016 Pursuit of Excellence Award Recipients on October 24 during the All-Star Recognition Ceremony, which will take place during the 2016 NFDA International Convention & Expo in Philadelphia.

Information about the NFDA Pursuit of Excellence program can be found by visiting www.nfda.org/pursuitofexcellence. Registration and application materials for 2017 will be available in late-October 2016.

Best of the Best Award Finalists Announced – NFDA Members to Select Winners
All Pursuit of Excellence applicants submitted an essay describing the development and execution of a program or service that had a positive impact on the families they serve or their community, qualifying them for the Best of the Best Award, which recognizes the most novel and innovative programs and services in the profession.

New for 2016, NFDA members will select the recipients of the Best of the Best Award. Members will have an opportunity to read finalists’ essays and vote for the idea they think is most worthy of the Best of the Best Award.

The three firms that earn the most votes will be named the 2016 recipients of the Best of the Best Award.
After a thorough review, the Pursuit of Excellence Committee has selected the nine finalists for the Best of the Best Award:
Geisen Funeral, Cremation & Reception Centre, Crown Point, Ind.
Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre, Madison, Ind.
Morris-Baker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Johnson City, Tenn.
Pederson Funeral & Cremation Service, Morris, Minn.
Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Traverse City, Mich.
Seaver-Brown Funeral Service, Marion, Va.
Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes and Crematory, New Castle, Del.
Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, Tenn.
Worlein Funeral Home, Austin, Minn.

Association members should visit www.nfda.org/pursuitofexcellence to read finalists’ essays and cast their vote. Voting for the Best of the Best Award closes September 12.

NFDA Hall of Excellence Inductees
NFDA-member funeral homes are inducted into the Hall of Excellence upon receiving their 10th Pursuit of Excellence Award. In recognition of their consistent display of professional and ethical excellence, six funeral homes will be inducted into the NFDA Hall of Excellence in 2015.
· Heritage Funeral Home, Nipawin, SK, Canada
· Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home, Litchfield, Minn.
· Reeves Funeral Homes Ltd., Coal City, Ill.
· Thomas McAfee Funeral Home – Northwest Chapel, Greenville, S.C.
· Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes – Downtown, Greenville, S.C.
· Wonderly Horvath Hanes Funeral Home and Crematory, Fremont, Ohio

2016 NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award Recipients
*Previously inducted into the NFDA Hall of Excellence
**First-time award recipients

· Abels & French-Hand Funeral Homes, Grundy Center, Iowa
· Adair Funeral Homes Inc.*, Tucson, Ariz.
· A.H. Peters Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe*, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.
· A.H. Peters Funeral Home, Warren, Mich.
· A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors*, Troy, Mich.
· Anderson & Sons Mortuary, American Fork, Utah
· Anderson-Burris Funeral Home & Crematory, Enid, Okla.
· Arlington Memorial Chapels Inc., Manila. Philippines
· Arnett & Steele Funeral Home Inc.*, Pineville, Ky.
· Arrington Funeral Directors, Jackson, Tenn.
· Baird Funeral Home*, Troy, Ohio
· Ballard-Durand Funeral & Cremation Services, White Plains, N.Y.
· Baskerville Funeral Home, Wilmington, Ill.
· Bass Funeral Home, Gordonsville, Tenn.
· Bates Family Funeral Home, De Kalb, Texas
· Brandon G. Thompson Funeral Home, Hammond, La.
· Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick, N.J.
· Butler Funeral Home, Bolivar, Mo.
· Caldwell & Cowan Funeral Home*, Covington, Ga.
· Cannon Cleveland Funeral Directors, McDonough, Ga.
· Carlson Funeral Service Inc.*, Rhinelander, Wis.
· Carmon Community Funeral Homes*, Windsor, Conn.
· Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral and Cremation Service Inc.*, Alliance, Ohio
· Chambers & James Funeral, Pet & Cremation Services, Wellsburg, W.Va.
· Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes Inc.**, Albion, N.Y.
· Copeland Funeral Service Inc., Beaufort, S.C.
· Cozean Memorial Chapel & Crematory*, Farmington, Mo.
· Cozine Memorial Group*, Wichita, Kan.
· C.R. Lyons & Sons Funeral Directors, Danvers, Mass.
· Crowe’s Funeral Homes Inc., Jamaica, N.Y.
· Dalin-Hantge Funeral Chapel, Winthrop, Minn.
· David C. Brown Funeral Home*, Belleville, Mich.
· Davis Funeral Home LLC*, Nashua, N.H.
· Deiters Funeral Home & Crematory, Washington, Ill.
· D’Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel*, East Hartford, Conn.
· D’Esopo Funeral Chapel*, Wethersfield, Conn.
· Dobratz-Hantge Funeral Chapel*, Hutchinson, Minn.
· Duksa Family Funeral Home, Newington Memorial, Newington, Conn.
· Duksa Family Funeral Homes – Burritt Hill, New Britain, Conn.
· Dwayne R. Spence Funeral Homes*, Pickerington, Ohio
· E. Blake Collins Funeral Homes, Wilkes Barre, Penn.
· Ellers Mortuary**, Kokomo, Ind.
· Emerald Hills Funeral Home and Memorial Park**, Kennedale, Texas
· Emmanuel Johnson Funeral Home Inc., Philadelphia, Penn.
· Falco Caruso & Leonard Funeral Home, Camden, N.J.
· Falco Caruso & Leonard Funeral Home, Pennsauken, N.J.
· Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home P.A.*, Easton, Md.
· Finch & Finch Funeral and Cremation Service**, Altavista, Va.
· French Funeral Home*, Brazil, Ind.
· Funeraria Hernandez, Pennsauken, N.J.
· Funeraria La Esperanza, Medellin, Colombia
· Funeraria San Vicente S.A., Medellin, Colombia
· Gamble Funeral Service*, Savannah. Ga.
· Gardinier Funeral Home Inc., Franklin, Penn.
· Geisen Funeral, Cremation & Reception Centre, Crown Point, Ind.
· Geisen-Carlisle Funeral and Cremation Service, Michigan City, Ind.
· G.H. Herrmann Funeral Homes, Indianapolis, Ind.
· Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes*, Lansing, Mich.
· Gunderson Funeral & Cremation Care*, Madison, Wis.
· Haley Funeral Directors, Southfield, MI**, Southfield, Mich.
· Harry J. Will Funeral Home, Livonia, Mich.
· Heath Funeral Chapel, Lakeland, Fla.
· Henderson Funeral Home & Crematory*, Pekin, Ill.
· Heritage Funeral and Cremation – Indian Trail Chapel, Indian Trail, N.C.
· Heritage Funeral Home, Nipawin, SK, Canada
· Herman-Taylor Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
· Holman-Howe Funeral Home, Lebanon, Mo.
· Howard K. Hill Funeral Services, New Haven, Conn.
· Huff Funeral Home & Cremation Services Inc., Franklin, Penn.
· Hughes Family Tribute Center, Dallas, Texas
· Hughes-Hantge Funeral Chapel Hector, Minn.
· Iles Funeral Homes – Dunn’s Chapel**, Des Moines, Iowa
· Inglesby & Sons Funeral Home, Pennsauken, N.J.
· J. Garcia Lopez**, Mexico City, Mexico (award status pending)
· James Funeral Home & Northlake Memorial Gardens, Huntersville, N.C.
· Jennings-Calvey Funeral and Cremation Services Inc., Clarks Summit, Penn.
· Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home, Litchfield. Minn.
· Jones & Son Funeral Home, Richton, Miss.
· Jones-Wynn Funeral Homes & Crematory*, Douglasville, Ga.
· Jones-Wynn Funeral Homes & Crematory*, Villa Rica, Ga.
· Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home*, Breckenridge, Minn.
· Karrer-Simpson Funeral Home, Port Huron, Mich.
· Kerrville Funeral Home*, Kerrville, Texas
· Kilpatrick Funeral Home*, West Monroe, La.
· Kimble Funeral Home, Junction, Texas
· Lakeshore Memorial Services, a Dignity Memorial Provider**, Holland, Mich.
· Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home Inc., Hamburg, N.Y.
· Lentz Funeral Home, Algona, Iowa
· Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home**, Stamford, Conn.
· Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, Athens, Ga.
· Martin Funeral Cremation & Tribute Services – Fairgrove*, Fairgrove, Mich.
· Martin Funeral Cremation & Tribute Services – Mt. Morris*, Mount Morris, Mich.
· Martin Funeral Cremation & Tribute Services – Vassar*, Vassar, Mich.
· Martin Funeral Cremation & Tribute Services**, Grand Blanc, Mich.
· Memorial Funeral Home*, Edinburg, Texas
· Memorial Funeral Home*, San Juan, Texas
· Mercer-Adams Funeral Service, Bethany, Okla.
· Miller-Carlin Funeral Home, Saint Cloud, Minn.
· Milward Funeral Directors*, Lexington, Ky.
· Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre, Madison, Ind.
· Morris-Baker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Johnson City, Tenn.
· Morrissett Funeral & Cremation Service, North Chesterfield, Va.
· Myers Mortuary – Brigham City*, Brigham City, Utah
· Myers Mortuary of Layton*, Layton, Utah
· Myers Mortuary of Roy*, Roy, Utah
· Myers Ogden Mortuary*, Ogden, Utah
· Newcomer Funeral Home and Crematory**, Moraine, Ohio
· Newhard Funeral Homes, Inc. – Bartholomew Funeral Home**, Valparaiso, Ind.
· O’Brien Funeral Home – Brick, Brick, N.J.
· O’Brien Funeral Home – Wall, Wall Township, N.J.
· Oceanside Memorial Home, Lake Como, N.J.
· Ochiltree Funeral Service & Aftercare*, Winterset, Iowa
· O’Guinn Family Funeral Homes* , Clio, Mich.
· Old Bridge Funeral Home, Old Bridge, N.J.
· Oliverie Funeral Home, Manchester, N.J.
· Olson Funeral Home & Cremation Service*, Sheboygan, Wis.
· Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home, Inc.*, East Pittsburgh, Penn.
· Paul-McBride Funeral Chapel, Norwood, Minn.
· Pedersen Funeral & Cremation Service, Morris, Minn.
· Peterson-O’Donnell Funeral Home**, Danvers, Mass.
· Pixley Funeral Home*, Rochester, Mich.
· Pray Funeral Home*, Charlotte, Mich.
· Radney Funeral Home, Alexander City, Ala.
· Ransford Collon Funeral Home, Caro, Mich.
· Reeves Funeral Homes, Ltd., Coal City, Ill.
· Reflection Pointe Funeral & Cremation Services**, Wichita, Kan.
· Reichmuth Funeral Home, Elkhorn, Neb.
· Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services*, Traverse City, Mich.
· Roller Funeral Home**, Paris, Ark.
· Roller Funeral Home*, Mountain Home, Ark.
· Roller-Chenal Funeral Home*, Little Rock, Ark.
· Roller-Coffman-Crouch Funeral Home**, Mountain View, Ark.
· Roller-Cox Funeral Home, Clarksville, Ark.
· Roller-Daniel Funeral Home*, Searcy, Ark.
· Roller-McNutt Funeral Home*, Conway, Ark.
· Roller-McNutt Funeral Home, Clinton, Ark.
· Roller-Owens Funeral Home, North Little Rock, Ark.
· Seaver-Brown Funeral Service, Marion, Va.
· Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke Funeral Home*, Alliance, Ohio
· Shaughnessey Banks Funeral Home, Fairfield, Conn.
· Smith Family Funeral Homes, North Little Rock, Ark.
· Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes and Crematory, New Castle, Del.
· St. Peter Memorial Chapels, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines
· Sunset Funeral Home, Danville, Ill.
· Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, Tenn.
· Thomas McAfee Funeral Home – Northwest Chapel, Greenville, S.C.
· Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Southeast Chapel, Simpsonville, S.C.
· Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes – Downtown, Greenville, S.C.
· Titus Funeral Home**, Warsaw, Ind.
· Trimble Funeral Home & Crematory**, Moline, Ill.
· Twiford Funeral Home*, Elizabeth City, N.C.
· Waitt Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Morganville, N.J.
· Walker Brothers Funeral Home, Spencerport, N.Y.
· Watson-Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory**, Galesburg, Ill.
· Weeks’ Enumclaw Funeral Home*, Enumclaw, Wash.
· Weeks’ Funeral Home*, Buckley, Wash.
· Wieting Family Funeral Home, Chilton, Wis.
· Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Home – Utica*, Utica, Mich.
· Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Home*, Royal Oak, Mich.
· Wonderly Horvath Hanes Funeral Home and Crematory, Fremont, Ohio
· Worlein Funeral Home, Austin, Minn.

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving 19,700 individual members who represent more than 10,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.