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.

retired funeral director and owner, St. John Funeral Home, Bedford, Ohio, died February 28, 2024, at age 93. St. John received a bachelor’s degree in English from John Carroll University and then served in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant in Greenland. Working for many years in the family funeral business, he was a member of the Bedford School Board for several decades and officiated high school sports for 50-plus years. In later life, St. John obtained a bachelor’s degree in geology from Cleveland State University and taught adult education courses in geology and archeology at Cuyahoga Community College. He is survived by children Kathleen and Gregory, three grandchildren, a great-granddaughter and a brother.

funeral director and president, Warford Mortuary, Amarillo, Texas, died March 3, 2024, at age 73. Overstreet completed his funeral service education at Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service in Houston. He was a longtime member of the Texas Funeral Directors Association and served on its Legislative Committee. Initially pursuing ­premedical undergraduate study, he later switched to a major in sociology. Believing that preparation in the social sciences and the study of law would empower him to “change the world,” Overstreet received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from what is now Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston. He was first assistant district attorney in the 47th Judicial District of Amarillo. In 1990, Judge Overstreet became the first African American elected to a statewide office in Texas since Reconstruction. He served on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, authoring more than 500 opinions.

Following his time on the Court of Appeals, Overstreet practiced law in various Texas cities and later served again as a judge. He then returned to TSU, where he served as director of the Legal Clinic and as Distinguished Visiting Professor of Evidence and Criminal Procedure. Overstreet was a frequent lecturer and public speaker, and he taught scores of continuing education seminars statewide and nationally.

Overstreet is survived by wife Carla, daughter Elizabeth, son West and three grandchildren.

retired funeral director, owner and operator, Gillman Funeral Home, Rittman, Ohio, died March 2, 2024, at age 86. Gillman graduated from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science and, with his brother, assumed ownership and operation of the funeral home. In 1974, the new Gillman Funeral Home was constructed at its present location. After retiring in 2003, he continued to help with services for several years. Gillman also ran Rittman’s ambulance service for many years with his brother. Gillman was an active member of Rittman Rotary Club and served on the Chippewa Valley Bank Board of Directors, the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store Board and as a Habitat volunteer. He is survived by daughters Joan and Jennifer, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and his sister.

funeral director and owner, Haase-Lockwood Funeral Homes & Crematory, Elkhorn, Wisconsin, died February 29, 2024, at age 66. Lockwood graduated from mortuary science school and was licensed in 1980. In 1983, he opened the doors of Lockwood Funeral Home in Elkhorn and began building his business with the support of his cousin, Tom Jacobs; they later become a combined owner/operator of funeral homes in Elkhorn, Twin Lakes and Genoa City. Lockwood was a former supervisor of the Town of Geneva, sat for a time on the Walworth County Board of Supervisors and most recently was a trustee for St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. He is survived by wife Mary; children Alex, Daniel, Andrew and Megan; and six grandchildren.

Donald O. Folsom, funeral director, Folsom Funeral Service, Dedham, Massachusetts, died March 2, 2024, at age 90. Folsom served his country with the U.S. Army during the Korean War; he was stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he served as an operating room specialist. Upon his honorable discharge, Folsom attended the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and graduated from New England Institute of Applied Funeral Arts and Sciences in 1958. He worked as a funeral director in his family’s business, Folsom Funeral Service, and would spend the next 30 years proudly serving his community. Folsom was elected a member of the Dedham Board of Health in the 1980s and was a proud member of Constellation Lodge A.F.&F.M. He was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow after being a 30-year member and past president of Rotary Club of Dedham. Upon moving to Keene, New Hampshire, in 1988, Folsom became affiliated with Fletcher Funeral Home and later Cournoyer Funeral Home. He is survived by children David Folsom, Deborah Folsom, Mark Goodell, Kim Goodell and Scott Goodell; plus many grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

funeral director, Mason & Sons Funeral Home, Madisonville, Kentucky, died February 6, 2024, at age 71.