Robert L. Shank Sr., of Perrysburg, Ohio, who served as NFDA president in 1990-91, died at home November 9. He was 90.

Funeral service was a lifelong calling for Shank, and he spent more than 60 years serving the families of northwest Ohio, retiring at age 85.

He was born May 27, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, to Cuthbert (“Sandy”) Shank and Ruby (Meier) Shank. He graduated from Libbey High School in 1952, and after working with his parents in his father’s grocery store, he pursued a career in funeral service, graduating from Cincinnati College of Embalming in 1956. In 1960, he married Clara (Mercer) Shank after they were set up by his father, and they had three children together.

In 1964, the Shanks were given the opportunity to purchase the Witzler Funeral Home, which had been serving the Perrysburg community since 1859. This humble beginning led to a successful career in funeral service, with the ownership of several funeral homes and cemeteries.

Shank’s service to the profession included involvement in state and national governance. In 1980, he was elected as president of the Ohio Funeral Directors Association. A decade later, he was elected NFDA president. One of his greatest honors was being sent to the 9/11 site in New York City to assist with recovery efforts.

Shank served his country in the Army Reserves. Since 1964, he was a member of Zoar Lutheran Church in Perrysburg, where he served on several committees. He also served as a member of the Perrysburg Board of Education and on the St. Luke’s Hospital Board in Maumee.

He is survived by children Tamara, Karen and Robert L. Jr.; six grandchildren; nieces and nephew; and many extended family members.

retired funeral director and founder, Menke Funeral Home, Sun City, Arizona, died August 15, 2024, at age 82. Menke graduated from Cypress College in Cypress, California, and went to work at Lundberg Mortuary in Youngtown. He founded Menke Funeral Home in 1977, remodeling an old post office. With hard work, it became the most respected funeral home in the Sun City area.

Menke was a member of the State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers, charter member of Lake-view Rotary, American Legion, Glendale Sunrise Lions Club and the Fraternal Order of Police, and he was appointed to the Critical Incident Review Board by the Department of Public Safety, where he served for seven years.

Menke is survived by children Kimberly, Jennifer, Jordan and Brittany; and five grandchildren.

funeral director, Harder Funeral Home, Brookfield, Wisconsin, died July 16, 2024, at age 43. Nienstedt attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison while apprenticing at Gunderson Funeral Home. He earned his degree in mortuary science at Milwaukee Area Technical College and worked at Schmitt and Bartelt Funeral Homes in Milwaukee. He also worked in Sheboygan at Ballhorn Chapels/Westview, in Hartford at Shimon Funeral Home and in Brookfield at Harder Funeral Home. Nienstedt was involved with the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association Lake Shore District for 10 years, where he served as district representative prior to his death. He was also a member of the Hartford Kettle Moraine and Hartford Lion’s Club, where he coordinated many successful fundraisers.

He is survived by wife Kacey, sons Mason and Liam, and brothers Andy and Matthew.

retired funeral director and past owner, Routsong Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kettering, Ohio, died July 12, 2024, at age 96. Routsong graduated from Purdue University with a degree in mechanical engineering and began his career at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, involved in the development of numerous aircraft. He was especially proud to have been part of the team that reverse-engineered enemy aircraft at the end of World War II.

Routsong joined his father in the business as a licensed funeral director and grew the company to three facilities, the second a restored historic home in Centerville and the current location in Kettering, which he designed from the ground up.

Routsong was a recipient of the James E. West Award from Miami Valley Boy Scouts of America. He was a founding member of Kettering-Oakwood Exchange Club and Lions Club of Oakwood and was affiliated with Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, Far Hills Lodge and AASR Valley of Dayton. Routsong was a member of Antioch Shrine, Arabic Club and a founding member and past president of Far Hills High 12 Club.

He is survived by wife Marylou; daughter Jane; son Thomas A. (“TR”), now owner of the funeral home; three grandchildren, two of which, Samuel and Maxwell, are also funeral directors at Routsong; and stepson Neil.

funeral director and regional operations director for Vertin Company, died August 9, 2024, at age 50. Decker graduated from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science and moved to Oakes, North Dakota, where he worked at Dahlstrom Funeral Home.

He decided to make a career change within funeral service and worked as a regional sales representative for Deaton-Kennedy to provide supplies to funeral homes until 2010, when Decker and his family relocated to Morris, Minnesota, where he resumed his calling as a funeral director at Pedersen and Starbuck funeral homes. In September 2019, Decker accepted the position of regional operations director for Vertin Company, parent company of the funeral homes.

Decker is survived by wife Deb, daughter Riley, son Durgin, one grandson and a grandchild on the way.

retired funeral director, founder and owner, James Crowder Funeral Home, La Marque, Texas, died August 4, 2024, at age 94. Crowder attended Landig Mortuary College in Houston and worked at Malloy & Son Funeral Home in Galveston as an ambulance driver, funeral director and assistant manager. With his first wife, Ann, they grew the business together, expanding across Galveston County with locations in La Marque and Dickinson. After Ann’s death, Crowder and three of his sons expanded once more to Webster before he retired in 2003.

Crowder received the Distinguished Service Award from the La Marque Junior Chamber of Commerce. After serving as chamber president, he was elected mayor of La Marque. His tenure as mayor led him to his next endeavor as La Marque City councilman, where he received the Outstanding Leadership Award from La Marque Chamber of Commerce and began his bid for his second term as mayor. He was again recognized for outstanding citizenship by Knights of Columbus. Crowder served as president of the Rotary Club and continued to participate in several civic organizations. In 1993, Crowder made another bid for political office and was elected mayor of Tiki Island. He has been a member of the board of directors of Gulf National Bank (now Texas First Bank) since 1983.

Crowder is survived by second wife Betty; sons John, James Jr. and Walter; stepson Erik; 15 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

retired funeral director; father of Randy Schoedinger; brother of Ohio Funeral Directors Association Past President David Schoedinger; uncle of Michael Schoedinger, OFDA immediate past president; and Kevin Schoedinger, all of Schoedinger Funeral & Cremation Service (six Ohio locations), died June 26, 2024, at age 83.

Schoedinger attended Ohio State University and graduated from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. He began his career at Schoedinger and, alongside father John, uncle Robert and brother David, grew the family business. Today, it is led by the sixth generation of the family – son Randy and nephews Michael and Kevin. He was a proud founder of OMNI, a group of funeral professionals from around the country.

Schoedinger served on numerous charitable and civic boards. He was a current member and past president of Columbus Kiwanis Club and past president/chairman of Columbus Day, the Upper Arlington Bicentennial Parade Committee and the Soap Box Derby. He served on the boards of Creative Living and Rosemont School for Girls and volunteered annually for Charity Newsies. He was a member of The City Club, where he was a past president, and a former member of The Young Men’s Business Club.

Schoedinger is survived by wife Joyce; children Laurie, Randy and Scott; eight grandchildren; and brothers David and Steven.

funeral director, Krestridge Funeral Home, Levelland, Texas, died June 23, 2024, at age 63. In 2014, Pence retired from WRR Radio and moved to west Texas to begin her second career in funeral service. She graduated from Dallas Institute of Funeral Service. She is survived by sister Marilyn and brother Steve

funeral director and co-owner, Branchburg Funeral Home, Branchburg, New Jersey; son of funeral director, owner and manager Anna Louise Bongiovi, Bongiovi Funeral Home Raritan, New Jersey; and brother of Jason Papavero, funeral director, co-owner and manager, Branchburg Funeral Home, died June 22, 2024, at age 58.

Papavero obtained his mortuary science degree from American Academy McAllister Institute in New York. Licensed in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, he served his community alongside his brother. Papavero served as president of the Middlesex and Somerset Counties Funeral Directors Association and on the New Jersey State Board of Mortuary Science. He was a member of the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association and NFDA.

He was a past member of Branchburg Rotary Club and member of the Somerville Elks and Knights of Columbus.

Papavero is survived by mother Anna Louise; children Alexis, Serena and Nicholas; brother Jason; and stepmother Carmen.

funeral director, son of firm owner Jean A. Moore and brother of funeral director Jared A. Moore, all of McCoy-Moore Funeral Homes, Bidwell, Ohio, died June 23, 2024, at age 57. Moore graduated from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science and worked in the family business. He also owned Evans-Moore Realty, Gallipolis, Ohio, and was a former owner of Evans-Moore Insurance.

Moore was an active member of Gallia County Chamber of Commerce, Vinton Masonic Lodge 131, Gallipolis Shrine Club, Gallipolis Elks Lodge 107, Gallipolis H.O.G. Club, Gallia County Gun Club and Third Sunday Investment Club.

Moore is survived by wife Sarah, son Owen, daughter Leia, mother Jean and brother Jared.