funeral director and owner, Reser Funeral Home, Warsaw, Missouri, died May 1, 2024, at age 75. Miller attended Central Missouri State College and Kentucky School of Mortuary Science. He began his career in funeral service working for his father-in-law, John Reser, and became a partner in Reser Funeral Home.

Miller and his wife purchased Fred Davis & Son Funeral Home in Lincoln and the remainder of Reser Funeral Home in Warsaw upon John Reser’s retirement. Miller also served as the Benton County coroner for 28 years.

He served in the Jaycees, Optimist Club, Shawnee Masonic Lodge #653 AF&AM, Benton County Scottish Rite, Kansas City Valley of the Scottish Rite, Ararat Shrine Temple, Ararat Ole Cars and Warsaw Shrine Club. He also served many years on the Lincoln, Fristoe and Shawnee cemetery boards and was a 50-year member of the Missouri Funeral Directors Association and a former board member of the Missouri Funeral Trust.

Miller is survived by wife Shawn, sons Jimmy and Weston, and six grandchildren.

funeral director and owner, Hayes Funeral Home, Hitchcock, Texas, died April 12, 2024, at age 88. Hayes began his career in funeral service when he opened Hayes Funeral Home in 1972. The early days of his funeral business included an ambulance service, as was then common. At the end of his life and with more than 50 years in the funeral industry, his business had also expanded to include Hayes Grace Memorial Park Cemetery, as well as a crematorium.

Hayes was a member of many organizations, including past president of Eagle Mountain Lions Club and Hitchcock Lions Club; Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, where he was named Man of the Year; Hitchcock Chamber of Commerce; Santa Fe Flying Club; Santa Fe Historical Foundation; National and Texas Rifle associations; former vice president of Santa Fe Friends of the Library; member of Texas First Bank Board of Directors; and past president of Santa Fe ISD School Board.

Hayes is survived by children Allen (funeral director at Hayes Funeral Home), Edward and Cynthia; his grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

funeral director and owner, Covington Funeral Home, West Atco, New Jersey, died May 4, 2024, at age 56. Covington attended Philadelphia Institute of Art and Design, where he majored in architectural design. He moved to the Virgin Islands and worked as an architect until 1995 when Hurricane Irene destroyed his business. Relocating to New Jersey and pursuing his childhood dream, he enrolled in Mercer County Community College to become a funeral director.

Covington was an apprentice at Greenidge Funeral Home in Atlantic City and stayed on once licensed. He then became manager of Tunsil Funeral Home in Palmyra. In 2009, he founded Covington Funeral Home and forged a reputation for being an excellent mortician.

Covington served as president of the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association (2015-16) and was a NFDA Policy Board representative for New Jersey; president of West Jersey Funeral Directors Association (2009-11); member of NFDA, the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association and Garden State Funeral Directors Association; and a lifetime member of the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice.

Covington is survived by wife Laurie, son Orlando III, mother Anna, sister Yevette and brother Edwin.

funeral director and owner, Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes, Youngstown, Ohio, died April 10, 2024, at age 60. Reardon graduated from Xavier University and later from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, where he served as a class officer.

In 1987, Reardon began his professional career as a funeral director at Higgins Funeral Homes. The Reardon name was added in 1999 when he and his wife and business partner became the proprietors. Together with their son, Terrance, they own funeral homes in Austintown, Canfield, Poland, North Jackson and Salem. In addition, they assimilated the professional services of the Fabrizio and Fortunato funeral homes.

Reardon was a past NFDA Board of Directors at-large representative and a member of the NFDA Executive Board, as well as a member and past president of the Ohio Funeral Directors Association, and chairman of the OFDA Master Trust Committee.

Reardon served as president of the Cardinal Mooney High School Alumni Association and was a current member of the school’s board of directors. Reardon also took part in numerous career days and was a frequent classroom speaker in studying life and death issues. He was awarded Alumni of the Year in 2004.

Reardon was a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Mahoning Valley Gaelic Society, where he previously served as president. In recognition of his contributions to the preservation of Irish heritage and culture, Reardon was awarded Gael of the Year in 1996 and Ancient Order of Hibernians Irishman of the Year in 2024. He was also a member of Knights of Columbus and the Canfield Rotary Club, where he previously served as president.

He is survived by wife Judy; children John, Terrance, Bailey and Delaney; two granddaughters; two sisters; and two brothers.

retired funeral director, Anton B. Urban Funeral Home, Ambler, Pennsylvania, died January 28, 2024, at age 92. Urban graduated from Drexel University with a bachelor’s degree in home economics, and also from Eckels College of Mortuary Science. She continued assisting families until her retirement in 2018.

Urban served on the board of the former Visiting Nurses Association of Ambler, the Lioness Club of Ambler and the American Legion Auxiliary. She also volunteered with Ambler Ambulance Association as a dispatcher.

She is survived by son Peter (Skip) and her in-laws, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

funeral director, Barr-Price Funeral Homes, Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina, died March 19, 2024, at age 80. Killingsworth obtained his mortuary science degree from Kentucky School of Mortuary Science, after which he returned to South Carolina, working at Whitaker Funeral Home, Dunbar Funeral Home and Shives Funeral Home. He retired from Shives Funeral Home in 2011 and then began an association with Barr-Price Funeral Homes as a funeral director and embalmer.

Killingsworth served on the advisory board of Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, was a Cub Scout master for five years and served on the Eagle Scout Advisory Board. He was a member of Lexington Masonic Lodge 152.

He is survived by wife Carolyn, daughter Brandi, four grandchildren and sister Adeline.

funeral director and former owner, Burrier-Queen Funeral Home & Crematory, Sykesville, Maryland, died April 1, 2024, at age 83. Queen had been in the funeral profession for more than 60 years, having worked at Davis-Weaver Funeral Home in West Virginia as a teenager. After moving to Maryland, he worked for Tickner Funeral Home, Ruck Funeral Homes and Loring Byers Funeral Home, where he later became owner. He then purchased what is now Burrier-Queen Funeral Home & Crematory.

Queen was a past member of Selected Independent Funeral Homes, the Maryland State Funeral Directors Association, the Tri-County Funeral Directors Association and the Cremation Association of North America. He was an honorary member of Liberty Road Volunteer Fire Company, Winfield Community Volunteer Fire Company and the Taylorsville-Winfield Lions Club.

Queen is survived by sister Wilma.

funeral director and owner, Briggs Funeral Homes, Denton and Candor, North Carolina, died March 25, 2024, at age 84. Briggs earned his bachelor’s degree in business from High Point College. He was licensed by the State Board of Embalmers & Funeral Directors in 1965 and operated one of the largest family-owned funeral home businesses in North Carolina. He also owned Rex Furniture, the last remaining furniture store and funeral home combination in North Carolina.

Briggs is a past president of the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association and a former member and past president of the North Carolina Board of Funeral Service. He was also a former NFDA Policy Board representative, NFDA spokesperson and member of other board committees from 1999-2003.

Active in the civic, political and religious life of Davidson County throughout his life, Briggs served as a director and chairman of First Bancorp for 39 years. He was a member of Denton Lions Club and served as a past district governor of Lions International. He was also a longtime member of Lexington Kiwanis Club and served 20 years, including 12 as chairman, on the Davidson County Board of Education. In October 2012, North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue awarded Briggs the “Order of the Long Leaf Pine,” the state’s highest civilian award, for his service to North Carolina.

He is survived by wife Joan, son Daniel, daughter Jodie and four grandchildren.

retired funeral director, Verheyden Funeral Home, Grosse Pointe, Michigan, died March 18, 2024, at age 83. Barthel earned both a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in mortuary science from Wayne State University. He was retired from the U.S. Coast Guard as a lieutenant junior grade.

He is survived by daughters Darcia and Lisa, son Theodore III, three grandsons, brother David and former wife Cynthia.

retired funeral director, Bennett Funeral Home, Mechanicsville, Virginia, died January 16, 2024, at age 70. As a young worker, Wilkins worked with his father, delivered oil and worked for the Virginia Department of Transportation. Later, he worked at Sanford-Price Funeral Home in Montross carving and shaping monuments. In 1985, Wilkins was hired by Sanford-Price Funeral Home to not only work on monuments but to serve an apprenticeship, and he began his studies in funeral service. Wilkins cared for local families and assisted those needing monuments until he retired in 2019. In retirement, he managed B.W. White Funeral Home in Aylett.

He is survived by wife Gail; children Brenda, Gerald and Cheryl; six grandchildren; one great-grandchild; three brothers; and a sister.