BENJAMIN G. “PAPA G” GARLAND
Oct 11, 2023
BENJAMIN G. “PAPA G” GARLAND of Albany, NY died October 11, 2023 at the age of 85. A licensed funeral director, he began working alongside his uncle, James Clifford Garland, founder of Garland Brothers Funeral Home in 1965. Benjamin became owner of the Albany and Syracuse firms in 1969 and continued to operate them until 2019, when he took...
CHARLES AUCLAIR
Oct 5, 2023
CHARLES AUCLAIR of Fall River, MA died October 5, 2023 at the age of 81. He dedicated his entire life to the funeral industry, having served as a second-generation funeral director at the Auclair Funeral Home, which was founded by his parents, Albert and Alice Auclair. In 1967, upon the death his father, Charles assumed operation of the business...
AUSTIN AUGUSTUS LAYNE JR
Oct 1, 2023
AUSTIN AUGUSTUS LAYNE JR of Jennings, MO died October 1, 2023 at the age of 87. A funeral director and embalmer for over 30 years, he established the Austin A. Layne Mortuary, Inc in 1979 after working for the Wade Funeral Home in St. Louis. Layne Jr earned his associated degree in applied science from the School of Mortuary...
CHARLIE RUYLE
Sep 28, 2023
CHARLIE RUYLE of Morrisonville, IL died September 28, 2023 at the age of 80. He began his career in the funeral profession assisting his local funeral home with funerals and their ambulance service. Ruyle eventually accepted his first full-time position selling burial clothing and sundries. He sold caskets for several local companies, most recently Matthews International Funeral Solutions. Ruyle also assisted...
TOBY MICHAEL DAY
Sep 27, 2023
TOBY MICHAEL DAY of Moores Hill, IN died September 27, 2023 at the age of 49. Due to health issues in 2016 Toby left a twenty-two-year career in collision repair and began his second career in deathcare. After earning associate degrees at both Ivy Tech Community College and the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, Toby served his funeral director...
DON L. BROWN
Sep 23, 2023
DON L. BROWN of Hicksville, OH died September 23, 2023 at the age of 89. A retired funeral director, he had previously worked at Perkins and Reeb Funeral Home in Hicksville, OH and Carpenter Funeral Home in Corning, NY. In 1974, Brown and his wife, Kathryn started Brown Funeral Home in Hicksville and continued to own and operate it...
WILLIAM E MANKER JR
Sep 22, 2023
WILLIAM E. MANKER JR of Miami, FL died September 22, 2023 at the age of 91. A master embalmer and mortician, he founded Manker Funeral Home in 1959 and had mentored and trained countless professionals throughout his career.
LEO J. MURPHY
Sep 22, 2023
LEO J. MURPHY of Augusta, ME died September 22, 2023 at the age of 95. A funeral director since 1946, he had been employed by the J. Paul Kelleher Funeral Home in Millinocket for over 12 years, moving to Augusta in 1959 to accept employment at Plummer Funeral Home, purchasing the firm in 1962. A 1948 graduate of the...
TY J. DIERKES
Sep 21, 2023
TY J. DIERKES of Zanesville, OH died September 21, 2023 at the age of 60. A long-time funeral director, he started working for the Bolin Funeral Home in 1987. Dierkes became a partner of the Bolin-Dierkes Funeral Home in 2004 and sole owner in 2018. A 1985 graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, he was a member...
ADAM J. ROSSI JR
Sep 20, 2023
ADAM J. ROSSI JR of Canton, OH died September 20, 2023 at the age of 96. A licensed funeral director and embalmer, he worked alongside his father, Adam, Sr at the Rossi Funeral Home in Canton. Rossi Jr and his brother, Marion Rossi eventually took over ownership of the firm, having operated it together for over fifty years. He...