retired funeral director and co-founder, Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home, Colchester, Connecticut, died July 17, 2025, at age 70.

McCarthy earned his degree in mortuary science from Briarwood College and, in 1996, co-founded Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home. He enjoyed a long and rewarding career with D’Esopo Funeral Chapel in Wethersfield, Connecticut. After his retirement in 2021, he continued to lend a hand at D’Esopo.

McCarthy is survived by his wife, Janet; her two children, Alex and Robyn; and two grandchildren.

funeral director, Cawley Funeral Home, Marietta, Ohio, died July 24, 2025, at age 84.

Cawley was a graduate of the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, and he began his career working for the first Cawley family business, Cawley Funeral Home. He then went on to help his family lead a successful furniture business, Wieser & Cawley, which was in operation for more than 130 years.

Cawley believed in investing in future generations. He started the Teen Center, which later became the Marietta Kids Club, and he worked to establish a chapter of the Boys and Girls Club in Washington County.

Cawley is survived by daughters Kelli, Danielle and Cortney; four grandchildren; and sisters Janie and Betsy.

funeral director and former owner, Young Funeral Home, Lake City, Michigan, and son of funeral director and manager Richard Young, Young-Holdship Funeral Home, Lake City, Michigan, died June 24, 2025, at age 61.

He is survived by wife Anne and children Jessica, John, Rebecca and James.

funeral director, president and owner, Wiedeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Oberlin, Pennsylvania, and father of funeral director Lisa Wiedeman, died June 16, 2025, at age 79.

He received his associate degree in business administration from Temple University and continued his education at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserves.

A second-generation funeral director, Wiedeman was a member of the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association, Steelton Italian Club, former Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge #382, Train Collectors Association and Lionel Train Collectors Association. He was also a past president and member of the Dauphin County Funeral Directors Association; past chairman of the board for SecurChoice, a trust division of the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association; past board member for the former Mellon Bank; consultant for volunteer training for Hospice of Central Pennsylvania; former assistant fire chief for the Steelton Volunteer Fire Department; and life member of the Dauphin County Fireman’s Association.

Wiedeman was a member of the former St. James Roman Catholic Church, where he served on the advisory council. More recently, he was a member of Prince of Peace Roman Catholic Parish.

Wiedeman is survived by wife Patricia, daughter Lisa and grandson Cooper. 

funeral director and former owner, Mills & Mills Funeral Directors, Olympia, Washington, and Twibell’s Fern Hill Funeral Home, Aberdeen, Washington, as well as a Washington State Funeral Directors Association past president, died July 5, 2025, at age 84.

Twibell graduated from the California College of Mortuary Science. He then worked for Mills & Mills Funeral Directors and purchased the company in 1980. Through acquisitions over the next years, the company grew to include 19 other funeral homes and cemeteries in Washington, Oregon and California. In 1994, Twibell purchased Fern Hill Funeral Home, which he sold to his son in 2019. However, he continued helping with services and taking care of the lawns at Fern Hill Funeral Home.

 Twibell was honored as the Washington Funeral Director of the Year in 2005 and, in 2022, was given a lifetime achievement award for his many years of service to grieving families. He was a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Aberdeen, and he recently received the Aberdeen Rotary Lifetime Achievement Award. He maintained 55 years of perfect attendance. Twibell was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church, as well as a 50-year member and past master of Harmony Lodge, Tumwater, among other organizations.

Twibell is survived by wife Janice Shipman-Twibell, sons Keith and Paul, stepdaughter Angie Shipman, stepson James Shipman, five grandchildren, and a great-grandson. Twibell was preceded in death by his first wife, Barbara J. Twibell.

funeral director, founder and CEO, Smith & Thomas Funeral Homes, Chicago, Illinois, died June 11, 2025.

She was a Jehovah’s Witness and viewed as a trendsetter in the funeral service profession. Smith is the only woman in Illinois to have successfully operated three locations. A portion of the street on which her main location stands has been renamed Smith & Thomas Way, and two Illinois cemeteries have a Mary Smith Way on their grounds.

Smith is survived by children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

funeral director, Charles W. Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Sachse, Texas, died June 25, 2025, at age 85.

Griffin completed two years of college, including mortuary school, and had a funeral service career that spanned nearly six decades. He served in the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman for four years and was a longtime member of the Texas Funeral Directors Association.

Griffin and his wife attended the First Baptist Church of Garland, where Griffin served as a deacon and usher. He was also an active member of the Barnabas Sunday school class and Intercessory Prayer Ministry.

Griffin is survived by wife Martha, son Tracy, daughter Len, three grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

former president and chairman, Marsellus Casket Company, died June 26, 2025, at age 86.

 Marsellus enjoyed a 40-year career with the casket company that bore his family’s name. He became president in 1978 and chairman in 1993, and was the fourth generation to lead the company.

He lived and worked in Syracuse, New York, all of his life. He attended local schools, then graduated from Deerfield Academy and the University of Virginia.

After serving in the U.S. Army Intelligence Corps, he began his career with Marsellus Casket Company, known for its high-end hardwood caskets, including the President model, a mahogany casket with a high-gloss finish and pearl-colored velvet lining. Throughout his life, he enjoyed and supported volunteerism and creative philanthropy.

He served in leadership positions and as a trustee and director of local civic organizations, including the American Red Cross (both locally and nationally), Crouse Hospital (for 30 years), ESF Foundation, NYS Parks Central Region, M&T Bank Central Region, NYS State Fair, Syracuse Rotary Club (for 60 years) and former Syracuse Chamber of Commerce (for which two of his great-grandfathers, John Marsellus and Robert Dey, served as past presidents). He was recognized with a lifetime achievement award from the Casket & Funeral Supply Association.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Candace; daughter Bettina; son Derrick; and grandchildren

retired funeral director and former president, Dawson Funeral Home, East Liverpool, Ohio, and father of funeral director and current Dawson Funeral Home President Frank Dike Dawson, died June 20, 2025, at age 89.

Dawson attended Baldwin Wallace College before serving two years in the U.S. Navy. Upon his return, he began working in the family funeral business and later graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. Dawson was responsible for the expansion and renovation of the funeral home facilities as well as the Dawson Family Center.

He is survived by wife Gretchen; children Belinda, Alisa, Frank Dike, and Clifford; eight grandchildren; and twin great-grandchildren.

funeral director and former owner, former Miller-Bowersox Funeral Home, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, died June 20, 2025, at age 76.

A graduate of Millersville State Teachers College, Bowersox taught for two years, then pursued mortuary science at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. He began his career at Heller’s Funeral Home, Lewistown, Pennsylvania, then moved to Grove Funeral Home in Waynesboro. He and his wife purchased the business and later changed the name to Grove-Bowersox Funeral Home. They also went on to purchase what would become Miller Funeral Home in Greencastle and Bowersox Memorials. Bowersox retired in 2010 and sold the business to his son and daughter-in-law; however, he stayed active in the business for the remainder of his life.

Bowersox recently had been attending Five Forks Church, and was a longtime and active member of Faith United Methodist Church, where he held many leadership positions. He was a member of numerous local organizations, including Acacia Lodge #586, Zembo Shrine, Franklin County Shrine Club, Scottish Rite Valley of Williamsport Consistory, and Waynesboro Fish and Game. He also served as campaign chairman for the Franklin County United Way, and was a former member and past president of the Waynesboro Lions Club.

He is survived by wife Barbara; children Scott K. Purnell, James S. Holdermann, Jeremy A. Bowersox and Wendy A. Bowersox; and seven grandchildren.