retired funeral director and father of Kevin M. Rogers, both of Rogers’ Funeral Homes, New Lebanon, Ohio, died January 9, 2020, at age 68. Rogers earned an associate degree from Ohio State University and then attended Indiana College of Mortuary Science, joining his father in the family business. He retired in 2012, having been a licensed funeral director for 45 years. Rogers’ passion for music – he played drums, piano, percussion and harmonica, and played in several bands – was instilled in his children and grandchildren.

      He is survived by wife Rebecca; sons Justin, Jeff and Kevin; sister Dian; brother Doug; and six grandchildren, with one on the way.

funeral director and retired CEO, Downing & Lahey Mortuaries, Wichita, Kansas, died January 18, 2020, at age 87. Morris was involved in his profession both locally and nationally, serving as a past president of the Kansas Funeral Directors Association and as a past member of the Selected Independent Funeral Homes Board of Directors. He was a longtime member and past president of Crestview Country Club, a charter member of the East Wichita Rotary Club and a member of the Wichita Executives’ Association.

      He is survived by wife Marlane; children Leslie, John, Steve, Tom and Sandy; 14 grandchildren; three great-granddaughters, with one on the way; and sister Sharon.

funeral director and owner, McDowell Funeral Home, Reed City, Michigan, died November 13, 2019, at age 72. McDowell graduated from Wisconsin Institute of Mortuary Science in 1968 and was a funeral director for more than 50 years, carrying on the legacy his grandfather began in 1913. He was a member of the Michigan Funeral Directors Association.

funeral director, formerly of Arlington Memorial Funeral Home, Atlanta, Georgia, and sales representative for Royal Bond Chemicals, died February 5, 2020, at age 80.

funeral director and corporate secretary, Johnson Memorial Funeral Directors, Bessemer, Alabama, died in October 2019 at age 87. Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree from Miles College and a master’s degree in education from Alabama State University. She retired in 1992 from her teaching career, and she and husband Howard founded Johnson Memorial Funeral Directors.

      Johnson was a life member of the Alabama Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association. She was past president of the NFDMA Ladies Auxiliary and an Alabama Ladies Auxiliary member. Johnson also served as Dunbar-Abrams Alumni national treasurer, local secretary and foundation board member; National Life Member of Miles College Alumni; and past secretary of the Jefferson County Education Retirees Association.

      She is survived by children Eunice, Cassandra and Howard; and her grandchildren.

funeral director/ co-owner, Rogers Funeral Home, South Pittsburg, Tennessee, died November 25, 2019, at age 36. A graduate of John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science, Jennings spent his early career at Chattanooga Funeral Home and then managed Tate Funeral Home in Jasper for several years. In 2011, Jennings and partners Ralph Mosier and Burt Schaerer developed Hamilton Funeral Home, and in 2018, Jennings’ funeral group purchased Rogers Funeral Home, a tradition in South Pittsburg and Jasper since 1925.

      Jennings was elected and served as Town of Jasper alderman, revitalized the Jasper Lions Club and helped create its Jack-O-Lantern Jamboree in 2016, an event that continues to grow each year. He was awarded the Melvin Jones Fellowship and was recently honored as Marion County 2019 Citizen of the Year by the chamber of commerce. He was also voted Best Funeral Director and Best Funeral Home in the Marion County News several years running and honored as Best Politician and Best Civic Club President.

      Jennings is survived by wife Layne, mother and stepfather Donna and Jim, and his grandmothers and grandfather.

John David Reed Sr., 70, formerly of Webster Springs, died February 20, 2020, at Tygart Center in Fairmont, West Virginia, after a long battle following two major strokes.

He was born July 21, 1949, in Charleston and was the son of the late Bruce and Lou Williams Reed. Along with his parents, John is preceded in death by a brother, Gary Reed, and a niece, Jane Reed.

John attended Herbert Hoover High School, Morris Harvey College and Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, where he prepared for his career as a funeral director and embalmer.

John was the former owner of Dodd & Reed Funeral Home in Webster Springs and Adams-Reed Funeral Home in Cowen. He loved his profession and the Webster County community.

He enjoyed flying, motorcycling and boating. He loved his family and was proud of his children and grandchildren.

John was a member of Webster Springs First Baptist Church, Addison Lodge 116 AF&AM, Beni Kedem Shrine and Camden on Gauley 161 OES; former member of the Webster Springs ­Lions Club; past director of the Webster County Woodchopping Festival; past member and chairman of the board of Elk River Terrace Apartments; past member of the board of Webster County Memorial Hospital; former Webster County coroner; former Webster Springs Volunteer Fire Department member; past member of the board of trustees for Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science; and a past Webster Springs town councilman.

He was also past president of the West Virginia Funeral Directors Association and past president of the National Funeral Directors Association.

Left to cherish his memory is wife Alice Westfall Reed; son John David “J.D.” Reed Jr. and wife Rhonda of Santa Cruz, Bolivia; daughter Kristen Street and husband Pat of Fairmont; sister Elizabeth “Buffy” Thomas of Pinch; brother Roi Reed and wife Dianna of Lexington, Kentucky; sister in law Ellie Reed of Elkview; grandchildren Grace, Abie and Nathan Reed, and Lanae, Aubree and Violet Street; and niece Susie Reed of Hermitage, Tennessee.

funeral director, NFDA Policy Board representative from Rhode Island and president of the Rhode Island Funeral Directors Association, died January 8, 2020, at age 65. Wilson was in funeral service for 48 years; for the past 23 years, he was employed at Nardolillo Funeral Home in Cranston. Wilson was a certified funeral service practitioner and a Mason with Kiskiminetas Lodge 617 in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. He is survived by mother Evelyn and brother Randy.

funeral director and owner, Dukes-Harley Funeral Home, Orangeburg, South Carolina, died January 6, 2020, at age 86. Hutto was a graduate of Clemson College with an agricultural engineering degree. He entered the U.S. Army in 1955 and began his aviation career in 1956 at the Army’s flight school. In 1959, Hutto became one of the Army’s few fixed- and rotary-wing instrument flight examiners. In January 1961, following his military service, he joined Boeing Vertol Division in Philadelphia as a test pilot. In 1974, Hutto was awarded the Frederick L. Feinberg Award, presented to pilots of a vertical-flight aircraft who accomplished the most outstanding achievement in the preceding year; the award is on display in the Smithsonian Institute of Aviation.

In 1980, Hutto became owner of Dukes-Harley Funeral Home, where he served the community for nearly 38 years, carrying on the service of his uncles. He was very active in the South Carolina Funeral Directors Association and instrumental in the creation of South Carolina preneed law and contracts still in use today. Hutto was past president of SCFDA, the Orangeburg Rotary Club and the Orangeburg Chamber of Commerce. He was also a past NFDA Policy Board representative and committee chairman.

In addition, Hutto was a member of the Experimental Test Pilots Association and member and author of several technical papers published for the American Helicopter Society and the Aviation Board of the City of Orangeburg for more than 15 years.

He is survived by wife Vivian; sons Azel James “Jay” III, Mark and Robert; six grandchildren; five great-­grandchildren; brother David and step-daughter Pamela.

funeral director and owner of Loretto Memorial Chapel, Loretto, Tennessee, died September 19, 2019 at age 79.

 Riddle is survived by his wife, Alice, and daughters Janie and Terri Lynn, 4 sisters and 4 grandchildren.