Audrey Thacker, chief financial officer and vice president of Thacker Caskets, has retired. She began her involvement with the company in 1959 when she and Carl C. Thacker, founder of Old Dominion Casket Company (later renamed Thacker Caskets), married.

No stranger to the industry, she met Carl through her work at Casket Shells Inc. and began working with him following their marriage. In 1981, Carl died and Audrey found herself at the helm of Thacker Caskets with her son, Carl “C.J.” Thacker, who had just graduated from high school. At the time, Audrey was the only female owner of a casket company in an industry dominated by men. Undeterred, she prospered with her son by her side. Once called the “Matriarch of the Industry” by American Funeral Director, Audrey’s impact has been astronomical, and Thacker Caskets is now the third-largest funeral supply company in the country and the largest family-owned funeral supply company.

C.J. Thacker, CEO, is thankful for the opportunity to build a business with his mother: “Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a part of the family business, and we went through some very difficult times together with the loss of my father. To be able to persevere and expand and grow Thacker Caskets with my mother, and then with my children, is something I will be forever grateful for. I am very fortunate to have all three of my children working within the business, and I know my mom had a big influence on their decision…”

Said Danielle Thacker, executive vice president of sales and marketing: “My grandmother showed an incredible amount of fortitude in taking the helm in the late 1970s and early 80s as the only female owner of a casket company. Having three girls myself, I can only hope my girls grow up to be as strong, bold and courageous as their great-grandmother. Her commitment to the industry has been longstanding, but her bittersweet retirement is well deserved.”

Justin Thacker, director of operations, fondly recalls the lessons he learned working with his grandmother: “Audrey has always been an inspiration to me in both my personal and business life. Throughout her career, she has dedicated herself to the success of the business and, more importantly, to the customers we serve. As I have grown in the business, she afforded me the opportunity to make my own decisions, which has helped me immensely. No other woman in the industry has accomplished what Audrey has, and she made it happen with hard work and dedication to every facet of the business.”

Said Sara Thacker, director of operations and information technology: “My grandmother is a businessperson through and through, and that was clear from my first summer working. …Her persistence and grit to get the job done, and done correctly, is paramount. Although I do not think she realized it, those qualities were essential for all the challenges and hurdles she had to overcome over the years.”

Audrey’s retirement is bittersweet for Thacker Caskets, which is saddened to lose her expertise, knowledge and wisdom. She plans to continue to visit company headquarters in Monrovia, Maryland, and will stay up to date on internal happenings. thackercaskets.com