2015 NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Awards: Funeral Homes Honored for Excellence in Service to Families and Communities

Funeral Industry News Funeral Industry Press Releases August 24, 2015
NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Awards
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2015 NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Awards: Funeral Homes Honored for Excellence in Service to Families and Communities

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) is pleased to announce that 155 funeral homes have earned the 2015 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 2015 Pursuit of Excellence Award,” said NFDA President Robert Moore, IV, CFSP, CCO. “These funeral homes are committed to exceeding families’ expectations every day and represent the very best in our profession. 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 2015 Pursuit of Excellence Award Recipients on October 19 during the All-Star Recognition Ceremony, which will take place during the 2015 NFDA International Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana.

 

Information about the NFDA Pursuit of Excellence program can be found by visiting www.nfda.org/pursuitofexcellence. Registration and application materials for 2016 will be available in October 2015.

 

Best of the Best Award Recipients

In addition to receiving the 2015 NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award, four funeral homes earned the Best of the Best Award, which recognizes the development and execution of an innovative program or service that had a positive impact on the families and communities they serve.

  • Anderson-Burris Funeral Home & Crematory, Enid, Oklahoma
  • DeMoney-Grimes, A “Life Story” Funeral Home, Columbia City, Indiana
  • Holman-Howe Funeral Home, Lebanon, Missouri
  • Morrissett Funeral & Cremation Service, North Chesterfield, Virginia

 

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, nine funeral homes will be inducted into the NFDA Hall of Excellence in 2015.

  • Branch Funeral Home, Smithtown, New York
  • Caldwell & Cowan Funeral Home Inc., Covington, Georgia
  • Gamble Funeral Service Inc., Savannah, Georgia
  • Olson Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Sheboygan, Wisconsin
  • Roller-Crouch Funeral Home, Batesville, Arkansas
  • Roller-Daniel Funeral Home, Searcy, Arkansas
  • Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke Funeral Home, Alliance, Ohio
  • Weeks’ Enumclaw Funeral Home, Enumclaw, Washington
  • Weeks’ Funeral Home, Buckley, Washington

 

2015 NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award Recipients

*Previously inducted into the NFDA Hall of Excellence

**First-time award recipients

  • A.H. Peters Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan*
  • A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors, Troy, Michigan*
  • A.S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory, Decatur, Georgia.*
  • Abels & French-Hand Funeral Homes, Grundy Center, Iowa
  • Adair Funeral Homes Inc., Tucson, Arizona*
  • Anderson & Sons Mortuary, American Fork, Utah
  • Anderson-Burris Funeral Home & Crematory, Enid, Oklahoma
  • Arlington Memorial Chapels Inc., Manila, Philippines
  • Arnett & Steele Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Pineville, Kentucky*
  • Arrington Funeral Directors. Jackson, Tennessee
  • Baird Funeral Home, Troy, Ohio*
  • Ballard-Durand Funeral & Cremation Services, White Plains, New York
  • Baskerville Funeral Home, Coal City, Illinois
  • Bass Funeral Home Inc., Gordonsville, Tennessee
  • Bates Family Funeral Home, De Kalb, Texas
  • Bayliff & Son Funeral Home Inc., Cridersville, Ohio
  • Branch Funeral Home, Smithtown, New York
  • Brandon G. Thompson Funeral Home, Hammond, Louisiana
  • Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick, New Jersey
  • Burritt Hill Funeral Home, New Britain, Connecticut
  • Butler Funeral Home, Bolivar, Missouri
  • C.R. Lyons & Sons Funeral Directors, Danvers, Massachusetts
  • Caldwell & Cowan Funeral Home Inc., Covington, Georgia
  • Cannon Cleveland Funeral Directors, McDonough, Georgia
  • Carlson Funeral Service Inc., Rhinelander, Wisconsin*
  • Carmon Community Funeral Homes, Windsor, Connecticut*
  • Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral and Cremation Service Inc., Alliance, Ohio*
  • Chambers and James Funeral, Pet & Cremation Services, Wellsburg, West Virginia**
  • Copeland Funeral Service Inc., Beaufort, South Carolina
  • Cozean Memorial Chapel & Crematory, Farmington, Missouri*
  • Cozine Memorial Group, Wichita, Kansas*
  • Crowe’s Funeral Home Inc., Jamaica, New York
  • David C. Brown Funeral Home, Belleville, Michigan*
  • Davis Funeral Home LLC, Nashua, New Hampshire*
  • Deiters Funeral Home and Crematory, Washington, Illinois
  • DeMoney-Grimes, A “Life Story” Funeral Home, Columbia City, Indiana*
  • D’Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel, East Hartford, Connecticut*
  • D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, Wethersfield, Connecticut*
  • Dobratz-Hantge Funeral Chapel of Hutchinson, Hutchinson, Minnesota*
  • Dwayne R. Spence Funeral Homes, Pickerington, Ohio*
  • E. Blake Collins Funeral Home, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania
  • Emmanuel Johnson Funeral Home Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Falco Caruso & Leonard Funeral Home, Camden, New Jersey**
  • Falco Caruso & Leonard Funeral Home, Pennsauken, New Jersey
  • Freitas Rupracht Funeral Home, Yerington, Nevada
  • French Funeral Home, Brazil, Indiana*
  • Funeraria Hernandez, Pennsauken, New Jersey**
  • Funeraria La Esperanza, Medellin, Colombia**
  • G.H. Herrmann Funeral Homes, Indianapolis, Indiana**
  • Gamble Funeral Service Inc., Savannah, Georgia
  • Gardinier Funeral Home Inc., Franklin, Pennsylvania
  • Geisen-Carlisle Funeral & Cremation Services, Michigan City, Indiana
  • Gorsline-Runciman Funeral Homes, Lansing, Michigan*
  • Gunderson Funeral & Cremation Care, Madison, Wisconsin*
  • Harry J. Will Funeral Home, Livonia, Michigan**
  • Heath Funeral Chapel, Lakeland, Florida
  • Henderson Funeral Home & Crematory, Pekin, Illinois*
  • Heritage Funeral & Cremation Service, Indian Trail Chapel, Indian Trail, North Carolina
  • Heritage Funeral Home, Nipawin, SK, Canada
  • Heritage Funeral Home & Crematory, Spokane, Washington*
  • Herman-Taylor Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
  • Holman-Howe Funeral Home, Lebanon, Missouri
  • Howard K. Hill Funeral Services, New Haven, Connecticut
  • Hughes Family Tribute Center, Dallas, Texas**
  • Hughes-Hantge Funeral Chapel of Hector, Hector, Minnesota
  • Inglesby & Sons Funeral Home, Pennsauken, New Jersey
  • Jennings-Calvey Funeral and Cremation Services Inc., Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania**
  • Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home, Litchfield, Minnesota
  • Jones and Son Funeral Home, Richton, Mississippi
  • Jones-Wynn Funeral Homes & Crematory, Douglasville, Georgia*
  • Jones-Wynn Funeral Homes & Crematory, Villa Rica, Georgia*
  • Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home, Breckenridge, Minnesota*
  • Karrer-Simpson Funeral Home, Port Huron, Michigan**
  • Kerrville Funeral Home, Kerrville, Texas*
  • Kilpatrick Funeral Homes, West Monroe, Louisiana*
  • Kimble Funeral Home, Junction, Texas
  • Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home Inc., Hamburg, New York
  • Lentz Funeral Home, Algona, Iowa
  • Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, Athens, Georgia
  • Marrocco Memorial Chapel, Clifton, New Jersey
  • Martin Funeral, Cremation, and Tribute Services, Mount Morris, Michigan*
  • Martin Funeral, Cremation and Tribute Services – Fairgrove, Mount Morris, Michigan*
  • Martin Funeral, Cremation and Tribute Services – Vassar, Vassar, Michigan*
  • Memorial Funeral Home – Edinburg, Edinburg, Texas*
  • Memorial Funeral Home – San Juan, San Juan, Texas*
  • Mercer-Adams Funeral Service, Bethany, Oklahoma
  • Meredith-Clark Funeral Home, Cremation & Personalization Center, Morgantown, Indiana**
  • Merkle Funeral Service, Monroe, Michigan
  • Milward Funeral Directors, Lexington, Kentucky*
  • Moore’s Home for Funerals, Wayne, New Jersey
  • Morgan & Nay Funeral Center, Madison, Indiana
  • Morris-Baker Funeral Home, Johnson City, Tennessee**
  • Morrissett Funeral & Cremation Service, North Chesterfield, Virginia
  • Mountain View Memorial, Cottonwood Heights, Utah
  • Murray Memorial Mortuary, Salt Lake City, Utah*
  • Myers Mortuary, Brigham City, Utah*
  • Myers Mortuary, Ogden, Utah*
  • Myers Mortuary of Layton, Layton, Utah*
  • Myers Mortuary – Roy, Roy, Utah*
  • Newington Memorial Funeral Home, Newington, Connecticut*
  • O’Brien Funeral Home, Brick, New Jersey
  • O’Brien Funeral Home, Wall Township, New Jersey
  • O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services, Kearney, Nebraska
  • Oceanside Memorial Home, Lake Como, New Jersey
  • Ochiltree Funeral Service & Aftercare, Winterset, Iowa*
  • Old Bridge Funeral Home, Old Bridge, New Jersey
  • Oliverie Funeral Home, Manchester, New Jersey
  • Olson Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Sheboygan, Wisconsin
  • Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home, East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania*
  • Paul-McBride Funeral Chapel of Norwood Young America, Norwood, Minnesota
  • Pixley Funeral Home, Rochester, Michigan*
  • Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte, Michigan*
  • Radney Funeral Home, Alexander City, Alabama
  • Ransford Collon Funeral Home, Caro, Michigan
  • Reeves Funeral Homes, Ltd., Coal City, Illinois
  • Reichmuth Funeral Home, Elkhorn, Nebraska
  • Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Traverse City, Michigan*
  • Robertaccio Funeral Home Inc., Patchogue, New York*
  • Roller Funeral Home, Mountain Home, Arkansas*
  • Roller Funeral Home, North Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Roller-Chenal Funeral Home, Little Rock, Arkansas*
  • Roller-Cox Funeral Home, Clarksville, Arkansas**
  • Roller-Crouch Funeral Home, Batesville, Arkansas
  • Roller-Daniel Funeral Home, Searcy, Arkansas
  • Roller-McNutt Funeral Home – Clinton, Clinton, Arkansas**
  • Roller-McNutt Funeral Home, Conway, Arkansas*
  • Routsong Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kettering, Ohio*
  • Seaver Brown Funeral Service and Crematory, Marion, Virginia**
  • Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke Funeral Home, Alliance, Ohio
  • Shaughnessey Banks Funeral Home, Fairfield, Connecticut
  • Smith-North Little Rock Funeral Home, North Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Spencer Family Funeral Home, Athens, Michigan*
  • Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes & Crematory, New Castle, Delaware**
  • St. Peter Chapels, Manila, Philippines
  • Staab Polk Memorial Home/Cremation Services of Central Illinois, Chatham, Illinois*
  • Sunset Funeral Home, Danville, Illinois**
  • Tetrick Funeral Home. Elizabethton, Tennessee
  • Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Downtown, Greenville, South Carolina
  • Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Northwest, Greenville, South Carolina
  • Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Southeast, Simpsonville, South Carolina
  • Tom M. Wages Funeral Service LLC – Lawrenceville Chapel, Lawrenceville, Georgia
  • Tom M. Wages Funeral Service LLC – Snellville Chapel, Snellville, Georgia
  • Twiford Funeral Home, Elizabeth City, North Carolina*
  • Valley View Memorial Park and Funeral Home, West Valley City, Utah
  • Wages & Sons Funeral Homes and Crematories, Lawrenceville, Georgia**
  • Waid Funeral Home, Merrill, Wisconsin
  • Waitt Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Morganville, New Jersey
  • Wappner Funeral Directors, Mansfield, Ohio*
  • Weeks’ Enumclaw Funeral Home, Enumclaw, Washington
  • Weeks’ Funeral Home, Buckley, Washington
  • Wieting Family Funeral Homes Inc., Chilton, Wisconsin
  • Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Home, Royal Oak, Michigan*
  • Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Home, Utica, Utica, Michigan*
  • Wonderly Horvath Hanes Funeral Home and Crematory, Fremont, Ohio
  • Worlein Funeral Home, Austin, Minnesota

 

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 39 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.