JOHN A. PROKO of Kenosha, WI died November 1, 2026 at the age of 96. A licensed funeral director and embalmer for more than seven decades, he spent nine years at Borgwardt Funeral Home in West Allis before founding Proko Funeral Home in Kenosha in 1962. Proko graduated from the Wisconsin Institute of Mortuary Science in 1953.
GEORGE BOOM JR of Sioux Falls, SD died October 22, 2026 at the age of 100. A licensed funeral director for 76 years, Boom began his career at Banton Funeral Home in Sioux Falls. In 1964, with help from his father, father-in-law and son David, he purchased a house on the east end of town. In 1983, Boom partnered with...
SHELDON HENRY WEAVER of Woodbury, PA died October 19, 2026 at the age of 66. A second-generation funeral director, he owned and operated Carn-Weaver Funeral Home, Altoona Area Crematory and Weaver Funeral Home. After his father’s passing in 1999, he worked alongside his mother at S. Gerald Weaver Funeral Home in Woodbury, assuming sole ownership in 2016 and retiring in...
LILLIE “LILANNE” FEGGINS-BOONE of South Hill, VA died October 10, 2026 at the age of 73. A licensed funeral director and mortician, Feggins-Boone completed her apprenticeship under the guidance of her father, the late Deacon George Washington Feggins, at Feggins Funeral Home, where she later became a partner. Following her father’s death, she became president and owner of the firm....
ISAIH JONES of Chicago, IL died October 9, 2026 at the age of 97. He was the oldest African American licensed funeral director and embalmer in the Chicago area and served as founder and president of Jones Funeral Home, LLC, for six decades. A 1956 graduate of the Worsham College of Mortuary Science, Jones received honors from the Funeral Service...
ROBERT FRANKLIN MAYHEW of Jackson, OH died October 6, 2026 at the age of 82. He was the former owner and operator of Mayhew Funeral Home, now known as Mayhew-Brown Funeral Home. A graduate of the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, he was a member of the Ohio Funeral Directors Association.
ALAN B. GROSSETT of Mineral Point, WI, formerly of Elkville, IL died October 2, 2026 at the age of 68. A graduate of Worsham College of Mortuary Science, he served as a funeral director at Searby Funeral Home and several other funeral homes in the Chicagoland area.
RICHARD BRYANT HIGHTOWER SR of Bremen, GA died September 27, 2026 at the age of 89. A licensed funeral director and embalmer since 1958, he began his career at Hightower Funeral Home, working alongside his parents, the late Herschel Bryant “H.B.” and Ruby Hightower. In 1972, Richard purchased Hightower Funeral Homes in Bremen and Martin & Hightower Funeral Home in...
JOSEPH N. “JOEY” HUTCHISON JR of Detroit, MI died September 24, 2026 at the age of 65. He served as vice president of operations at Hutchison Funeral Home, founded by his father in 1979. A graduate of the mortuary science program at the University of the District of Columbia, he was also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
ERIC KEVIN “RICKY” WORTH SR of Macedonia, SC died September 24, 2026 at the age of 69. A licensed funeral director and embalmer, he founded Worth Monument Company. He graduated from the Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service.