RICHARD VAUGHAN “DICK” BIBBER
Mar 8, 2023
RICHARD VAUGHAN “DICK” BIBBER of Kennebunk, ME died March 8, 2023 at the age of 83. A funeral director, he was the CEO of Bibber Memorial Chapels. A graduate of the New England Institute of Mortuary Science, Bibber served as a past president of the Maine Funeral Directors Association, member of the National Funeral Directors Association and served as...
JOHN LABRANCHE
Mar 7, 2023
JOHN LABRANCHE of Escanaba, MI died March 7, 2023. A retired funeral director, he joined his father, Alfred “Fred” LaBranche in the family business, Allo Funeral Home. He was a past president of the Delta County Funeral Directors Association and a member of the Upper Peninsula Funeral Directors Association.
J. BRUCE BAKER
Mar 3, 2023
J. BRUCE BAKER of Danville, IN died March 3, 2023 at the age of 72. A third-generation funeral director, he formerly owned and operated Baker Funeral Home, which was founded in 1923. Baker graduated from the Indiana College of Mortuary Science in 1976.
MICHAEL D. RHONEY
Mar 3, 2023
MICHAEL D. RHONEY of Lewiston, NY died March 3, 2023 at the age of 80. He was a funeral director in his family’s business, the Rhoney Funeral Home in 1965 and went on to become president from 2001 until his retirement in 2011. A graduate of the McAllister School of Mortuary Science, he served as president and a long...
NORRIS “PUG” C. CROMES
Mar 3, 2023
NORRIS “PUG” C. CROMES of Sidney, OH died March 3, 2023 at the age of 103. In 1945 he began working at Cromes Funeral Home, which was established by his father in 1937. Upon the passing of his father, Pug worked alongside his brother, Lloyd to own and operate the business, until their retirement, at which time their children...
HALL WADE SHEFFIELD
Mar 2, 2023
HALL WADE SHEFFIELD of Temple, TX died March 2, 2023 at the age of 85. A licensed funeral director and mortician for sixty-six years, he worked for Pace Funeral Home in 1957 before managing Harper Talasek Funeral Home for sixteen years. In 1979 Sheffield opened the Sheffield Funeral Home in Temple. He also owned and operated Sheffield Funeral Home...
ROBERT L. “BOB” WALTRIP
Feb 27, 2023
ROBERT L. “BOB” WALTRIP of Houston, TX died February 27, 2023 at the age of 92. A third-generation funeral director, he directed daily operations for his family’s firm, Heights Funeral Home. Waltrip later acquired two additional funeral homes and continued to purchase and develop funeral home and cemetery operations across the United States throughout the late fifties and sixties....
LAURA BARROW-BRYANT
Feb 25, 2023
LAURA BARROW-BRYANT of Morehead City, NC died February 25, 2023 at the age of 85. In 1965, upon the death of her late husband, Shadrach Hugh Barrow, Jr., she took over ownership of Barrow’s Funeral Home. Barrow-Bryant operated it for over forty-five years. She earned her funeral directors license from the North Carolina Board of Mortuary Science.
CHARLES “CHUCK” THOMAS LEMMONS
Feb 25, 2023
CHARLES “CHUCK” THOMAS LEMMONS of Paragould, AR died February 25, 2023 at the age of 47. A licensed funeral director for several years, he was a sales representative for Messenger, LLC.
F. “TOM” EARL CLAXTON
Feb 24, 2023
F. “TOM” EARL CLAXTON of Silver Spring, MD died February 24, 2023 at the age of 82. He and his family built Gate of Heaven Cemetery and directed cemetery operations for the Archdiocese of Washington. During his lifelong career in the cemetery and funeral business, Claxton worked for Service Corporation International, Montgomery Vault and Stewart Enterprises. He was president...