James “Jim” William Stough, age 62 of Austin, Minnesota, passed away peacefully Sunday, February 24, 2019 at Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester, Saint Marys Campus surrounded by his loving family. Jim was born on June 6, 1956, in Jackson, Minnesota, to Roger and Shirley (Bechtel) Stough. He was baptized on July 6, 1956 and confirmed on May 24, 1970. He grew up and attended school in Estherville, Iowa, graduating from Estherville High School in 1974 and then attending Iowa Lakes Community College. Jim was employed at Pizza Hut as a store manager for five years before working for his father at Estherville Millworks.  On May 8, 1982, Jim married Terri Groninger at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sherburn, Minnesota, the same church in which his parents were married. Together they raised two children, son Brian and daughter Kelsey. Jim went on to attend Worsham College of Mortuary Science located in the Chicago, Illinois area, graduating in 1985 with a degree in Mortuary Science. He served his internship and continued to work at Henry-Olson-Fuhrman Funeral Home in Estherville, Iowa until 1989 when he went to work at Olson Funeral Home, which served several communities in the Fairmont area.  In July 2000, Jim started working at Worlein Funeral Home. He was a licensed funeral director in both the states of Minnesota and Iowa.  Jim was also a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice. He served the Austin community with involvement in the Austin Noon Lions, Austin Chamber of Commerce, serving as an Ambassador, a volunteer for the Freedom Festival parade, and on the 100 Club.  He was a member of the Austin Country Club and St. John’s Lutheran Church. In his free time, he enjoyed Green Bay Packer football, Hawkeye sports, sprint car races, golf, trips to Las Vegas, sampling craft beers, and spending time with his family. Jim will be remembered as a big presence who gave his all to his work and family. He will be dearly missed.

Survivors include his wife, Terri Stough of Austin, Minnesota; son, Brian (Kate Hansen) Stough of Minocqua, Wisconsin; daughter, Kelsey Stough of Bloomington, Minnesota; father, Roger (Joyce) Stough of Webster City, Iowa; one sister, Becky (Dave) Hoss of Pipestone, Minnesota; brother-in-law, Jim (Pam) Groninger of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; sisters-in-law, Kelly (Jeff) Kennedy of Henderson, Nevada, Connie Groninger of North Mankato, Minnesota; nieces, nephews, and a host of relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Shirley in 1988; his grandparents; and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Gerald “Joe” and Sylvia Groninger.

Michael R. St. Pierre, 71, passed away peacefully with his family on Thursday afternoon, December 6, 2018. He was a long time Greenwood resident. 

He was born on July 12, 1947 in Indianapolis, IN to Robert R. St. Pierre and Gaile (Cousins) St. Pierre. He married Betty Wilhoit on January 14, 1967 in Blowing Rock, NC. She survives. Survivors include one daughter, Michelle R. St. Pierre of Indianapolis; Paul C. (Kristin) St. Pierre of Greenwood; one granddaughter, Courtenay St. Pierre of Indianapolis; two grandsons, Avery and Ryan St. Pierre; one great grandson, Aleric Anderson; and one great granddaughter, Aeyra Anderson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and one brother, Steven Ross St. Pierre.

Michael attended Milligan College, Butler University, and East Tennessee State University. Graduate education included the Indiana College of Mortuary Science, National Foundation of Funeral Service School of Management, Northwestern University, and Indiana University, Graduate School of Business. He was a member of Alpha Phi Omega, Pi Sigma Eta, Delta Sigma Pi, and Tau Kappa Epsilon. He was a co-owner of the Indiana College of Mortuary Science in the late 1970's.

He was an Eagle Scout, which he earned in 1964 and the one award he held closest to his heart. Scouting was very dear to him his entire life, and he displayed it in every part of it. As a youth, he was the 1964 Firecrafter Chief and member of the Order of the Arrow. As an adult scouter, he was presented the prestigious honor of the Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award, Silver Antelope Award, and numerous other honors. His leadership included serving many committees, but most especially as President and Executive Board Member of the Area Central Region, Council Commissioner, Past District Chairman, Past Cubmaster, and Past Firecrafter Council Committee Chairman. He was a member of Troop 266, and he attended every National Scout Jamboree from 1989-2013. At these Jamborees, he was a cook and part of the "Greenwood Gourmets", which were some of the best times of his life.

Michael retired as Chairman of the Board of Wilson St. Pierre Funeral Service and Crematory in 2016. Mike was proud to be a fifth generation Funeral Director, starting at a young age and worked alongside his father, brother, son, and daughter over his career. He was very proud to have helped enable many young Funeral Directors to grow, and some to own their businesses throughout the State of Indiana over his career.

Michael holds professional licenses in Indiana and Tennessee and is a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) and a Charter and Life member of the Academy of Funeral Service Practitioners.

He was also proud to be involved in the creation of the National Research and Information Center that was associated with the National Foundation of Funeral Service. He was the only living person to be President of five national associations in his profession.

Most notably, he was President of the Associated Funeral Directors International in 1980, and President of the Alumni Association of the National Foundation of Funeral Service School of Management in 1977. In 1991-92, he served as President of National Selected Morticians (now Selected Independent Funeral Homes). He is a Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Foundation of Funeral Service, serving in 1995 and 1996. He served as President of the National Funeral Directors Association in 2007-2008, and was a member of its Heritage Club. He also served as representative to the American Board of Funeral Service Education for nine years.

He was President of the Indiana Funeral Directors Association in 1984, and was an Isaac Ball Fellow of the Indiana Funeral Directors Education Foundation. He enjoyed his time serving on various committees, and was integral in forming the Preneed Act, which formed the laws of governance for preplanned funerals in the State of Indiana.

Michael served as President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Johnson County Community Foundation for ten years. He also served as Treasurer of the Indiana Masonic Home Foundation at Compass Park Board of Directors.

He was Past President and Secretary of the Johnson County Sheriff's Merit Board, having served for over seventeen years. He was an Elder of the Greenwood Presbyterian Church; Past President of the Greenwood Rotary Club and the club's first Paul Harris Fellow.

Michael was proud to be a member and past Worshipful Master of Mystic Tie Masonic Lodge #398 F. & A.M; and Past Potentate of the Murat Shrine in 1999. At Murat, he was a part of the Dramatic Cast, 500 Club, Press Corps, Arab Patrol, Chanters, Mini-Mystics, the Johnson Count Shrine Club and honorary member of Shrine Clubs across the world. Other Masonic memberships include Greenwood Masonic Lodge #514 F. & A.M ., Century Lodge #764 F. & A.M., honorary member of Calvin Prather Lodge #717 F. & A.M.; and Greenwood Order of the Eastern Star #390.

He was Past Commander-In-Chief of the Indiana Consistory of the Indianapolis Valley of the Scottish Rite; Deputy Representative to the Valley 2002-2018; and was a named a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33 ̊, and member of the Supreme Council of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in 1995; Past President of the Thirty-Third Association; and member of the Greenwood York Rite bodies; Indiana College Masonic Societas Rosicruciana; and Emeritus Member, Red Cross of Constantine.

He was cited as a Doctor of Humane Letters, Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science; honorable Order of the Kentucky Colonels; and created a Sagamore of the Wabash in 1999 by Governor Frank O'Bannon.

You may find his obituary and online condolence book here. 

former owner, Kennedy Funeral Home, Marietta, Oklahoma, died February 27, 2016, at age 70. As a funeral home manager and owner, Kennedy had more than 35 years of experience. He attended East Central University in Ada and graduated from Dallas Institute Gupton-Jones College in September 1966. Throughout his career, Kennedy managed funeral homes in Ada and Hugo and owned funeral homes in Okmulgee, Bristow, Wetumka, Ardmore and Marietta; he retired in October 2000. He served eight years on the Oklahoma State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, with three terms as president; four years on the Bank of Love County Board of Directors; and on the Love County Chamber of Commerce Board of directors for four years. Kennedy served in the U.S. Army as a sergeant in the 1st Infantry Division, also known as the "Big Red One," from 1967-69, with one year of Graves Registration in Vietnam, for which he was awarded three Army Commendation Medals, three Bronze Stars, two Vietnam Service Medals, one Vietnam Air Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. He is survived by wife Sue; children Tara, Amber and Travis; and seven grandchildren.