Philip J. Zehms

Director of Operations

Phil has been in Funeral Service since 1998 and has had a variety of experiences in Pre-Arranged and Immediate Need Funeral and Cemetery Services including burial and cremation services as well as Pet Services. In all areas Phil focuses on tailoring the services to meet the families financial and service needs. His favorite part of funeral service is getting to meet so many interesting people and helping them create services that reflect a life well lived.

Phil earned two bachelor degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia (Go Tigers!!) and is a licensed Funeral Director in both Ohio and Missouri. Phil is a Certified Funeral Celebrant, he earned his cremation certification from the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) and Matthews Cremation; and is a member of other professional organizations including the Associated Cemeteries of Missouri (ACM); where he serves as Secretary, National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) and the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA); graduating from the ICCFA University in 2018 and is a past member of the Pet Loss Professional Alliance (PLPA).

Phil is originally from the St. Louis, Missouri area. He moved to Kansas City in 2014; he is an avid volunteer spending a great deal of time with the Gladstone Rotary Club, serving as the Club President 2017-2018; an active member of both the Smithville and the Northland Chambers of commerce, the Northland Breakfast Club; and a variety of other activities during the year. He especially enjoys using his skills as an Emcee to enhance any event. When he is not working or volunteering, Phil enjoys reading, running and playing golf.

Bridget Anaya

General Manager

Bridget has been in funeral service as a managing funeral director and embalmer in the Kansas City area since 1996.  A native of Coon Rapids, Iowa, she graduated from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, in 1994 with a degree in Accounting, and is also a 1995 graduate of the Mortuary Science program at KCKCC.   She has been married to her husband, John, since 2000 and they make their home in Shawnee with their two cats.  In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hiking, exercising, traveling, and volunteering.

Bridget is passionate about helping others in their time of need and recognizes the importance of making every service meaningful.  

John Frownfelter

Funeral Director

John Frownfelter started with D.W.Newcomer's Sons Overland Park Chapel in January of 1985 as a funeral director and embalmer. He worked at that location for 15 years and then became the General Manager of D.W. Newcomer's Sons Johnson County Funeral Chapel and Memorial Gardens along with Oaklawn Memorial Gardens and Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens. He was over the daily operations of the funeral home and cemeteries for 5 years and then promoted to Director of Operations and held that position for the next 10 years until the company sold in 2014. John is excited to be back home to where his career started over 30 years ago in serving the families in the Johnson County Community. John grew up in Marquette Kansas and has lived in Overland Park for over 30 years. He is an active member of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, on the board of Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Vice President of CLAN Investment Group and volunteers for the Save House. 

Bennie Smith

Funeral Director

Born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas, living in Johnson County the past 32 years serving families in Olathe and more recent Overland Park, Kansas.

Occupation background:

·         Funeral Director/Embalmer

·         Career began in Kansas City, Kansas

·         40 years in funeral service, 31 in Olathe, Kansas

·         Managed funeral homes 33 years

Civic:

Member of St. Pius X in Mission, Kansas

Member of Overland Park, Masonic Lodge

Member of Scottish Rite Bodies of Northeast Kansas

Member and 2018 Potentate Abdallah Shriners

Member and Past President of Olathe Noon Optimist

Former Member of Board of Zoning Appeals, City of Olathe

Former Member of the Planning Commission, City of Olathe

Charter Member, Past President and “Paul Harris Fellow” of Olathe Santa Fe Trail Rotary Club

Past Chairman of the Board of the Olathe Area Chamber of Commerce

·         “Spirit Award” Recipient

·         Past Chairman of the Leadership Olathe Program

Jim Dalton

Funeral Director

Jim has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer since the early 80’s and after practicing in the industry for several years, he was called into ministry and moved to Memphis, Tennessee to study ministry at Harding Graduate School of Religion.  Jim then began working as an associate minister in south Kansas City in 1990 and served in that role for 25 years.  In 2015 he was called back into funeral service and has enjoyed being in a position to continue serving the needs of people.  Jim grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and loves to connect with people on a personal level.  He is also fascinated by the innovations which have taken place over the years technologically and tries to incorporate those innovations into his life.  Jim enjoys listening to podcasts, reading books that encourage him to live life more fully, exercising and walking since moving to the Brookside area of Kansas City in 2018.

Carina Berthusen

Office Manager

Carina is an Iowa native who has called Johnson County home since 1991.  She stumbled into the funeral industry in 2001 and fell in love with the business of helping families through difficult times.  She has worked on the administrative side of the business for 15 years and has enjoyed assisting families even though most of her efforts are unbeknownst to the families we serve.

She has two grown sons,one who resides in the area and the other in Austin, TX. In her spare time she enjoys, rooting for the Royals, Chiefs and Sporting KC, spending time with family, gardening, repurposing and reading.  

Lana Green

Administrator

Lana is a Missouri native, but has called Kansas her home since 1989. She has two grown children, Amy and Ryan, and two grandsons that she loves spending time with whenever possible.

She previously has worked as an administrative assistant at SPEAKS MEMORIAL CHAPEL in Independence, Missouri before relocating to the Kansas side.  She enjoyed her people contact she had with families and is one reason she has returned to the funeral industry.

Lana retired from the dental industry in 2017.  After spending almost a year off, she decided she wanted to resume her career again in the funeral business and has enjoyed being back since that time.

Her interests include friends, shopping, reading, dining out and relaxing.  

Greta Harrison

Family Service Manager

Greta Harrison is the Family Service Manager for Johnson County Chapel and Memorial Gardens. Greta has been serving families as an Advanced Planning Specialist and Cemetery Director for many years, as she comes from a family of funeral and cemetery service providers.

Greta has worked in both the public and private sector for highly esteemed companies, training teams to provide the highest level of service and care to the families they assist. She uses her ‘can-do’ attitude, encouraging presence and positive energy to encourage others to work tirelessly towards excellence. Being the best in the industry to help and attend families is a life’s work.

Originally from the southeast, Greta moved to the Kansas City area in the fall of 2019.  Ties to her former home are strong, and as a graduate of the University of Kentucky, she still roots for the Big Blue Nation.

In her free time, Greta enjoys many things, but most of all traveling to Florida to spend time with family and friends.  

Patricia Schonacher

Family Service Specialist

Pat graduated from Loyola University of the South with a BA in Business Administration. She received the outstanding award for the female student in the School of Business in her Senior year. 

Pat married Bill Schonacher the year after her graduation. Once her children were born, she went back to school to work on her Master’s Degree in Education in Counseling.

Once she completed schooling, she has had a varied career. She has taught in high school, technical level, Johnson County Community College and has administrated a Federal Grant for the sheriff of Orleans Parish in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Pat joined the Family Service Counselors in February of 1990. She has enjoyed a long and fulfilling career assisting families in the Preneed Division as well as in the cemetery at Johnson County Memorial Gardens. While serving families, Pat has earned the highest award as Certified Service Professional on numerous occasions.

Pat has many interests. She loves her family, as well as the care of her home and flower garden. Pat belongs to three bridge groups and has many friends. Pat is a member of Cure’ of Ars Catholic Church and belongs to several groups within the Church.

Elaine Levine

Family Service Counselor

Elaine joined the Signature Group after working as a non-profit Executive Director for 21 years in businesses that either held space in cemeteries, or privately owned them. Needless to say that equates to many funerals. She prides herself on helping families to find the perfect placement at the end of life in a caring compassionate manner.

As a trained Stephen Minister she is dedicated to treating everyone she meets with kindness, and works to ease the pain of loss with a gentle smile, a warm hug or just by listening. She enjoys working with pre-need families where in a relaxed atmosphere we can plan and honor your wishes for the future.

Elaine is married to her husband, Terry they have two daughters and 5 grandchildren and a Himalayan cat named Coco-Blu. 

Kim Reiter

Family Service Counselor

When you think about all the possible careers in the world, very few would choose to become a Family Service Advisor for a Funeral Home, but somewhere along my journey, I truly believe this is my life’s calling.  After all, I’ve always had a passion for helping others.

In addition to my role as a Family Service Advisor, I am also the Director of Community Relations for Olathe Trading Post & Pawn.  In that capacity, I enjoy the responsibility of conceiving, planning, organizing, promoting and hosting all the store’s marketing events, as well as working in the store’s Jewelry Department.  As if that wasn’t enough, I’ve also been a WW (formerly Weight Watchers) Coach for the last 17 years helping people improve their health and quality of life through weight loss and healthy lifestyle changes.

When I’m not at work, I enjoy spending time with my husband, Steve.  Any chance to get together with our three children and their families, Christopher, Dylan, Lauren and her husband, Brian, and our Grand dog, Kristofferson, is always a special treat.    

Jerry Wettengel

Family Service Director

Jerry is an accomplished Insurance Executive with over a decade of experience in insurance operations, people management, project management, business development, and sales.  It was an easy transition to a Family Service Director to be able to help families with pre-planned funeral and cemetery policies.  Jerry has been in the Funeral Industry for over four years and has received several awards and recognition for helping families.  He enjoys the quiet small-town life of Lecompton KS where he calls home.  When not at work, he enjoys spending time with his family, coaching youth sports, wheeling off-road in his wife’s jeep and putting miles on his Harley Davidson.

Nancy Klamm

Family Service Counselor

Born a native to Kansas, Nancy grew up in the Northland and moved to Durango, Colorado after a couple of years at Mizzou.  Nancy has a varied background ranging from owning restaurants to working in the traditional corporate arena.  Nancy has a Masters of Organizational Leadership obtained from Southern New Hampshire University. She spent 15 years in the New England area, raising her children in Maine. 

In 2013, Nancy returned to KC to help her aging parents. Throughout this process she became focused on end of life care and knowledgeable about challenges families face during their later years.   When a counselor position became available at Johnson County Memorial Chapel, it was a natural transition to begin working in this industry to help other families navigate this journey.  

Miranda Walker

Care Center Manager

Miranda Walker graduated from Kansas City Kansas Community College, with a degree in Mortuary Science in 2017. Miranda has been a licensed cosmetologist since August 2003. She worked as a Makeup Artist, until deciding to further her education in 2011.

Born and raised in Emporia, Kansas she relocated to Pleasant Hill, Missouri twelve years ago, with her husband and two children. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, and friends. Her hobbies include camping; kayaking, traveling and watching her children participate in sports. 

Edwin Donelson

Embalmer

Ed has been a licensed funeral director since 1996, and has worked exclusively in the care center since 2000. Ed and his wife Linda grew up in a small western Kansas
Community just this side of the Colorado, Kansas state line. They married in 1978, and have two adult sons, two teenage grandsons, three dogs , a cat and a rabbit.
Ed enjoys spending time with his wife and family, reading in his spare time and cooking. He understands and respects the trust families place in him to care for and prepare their loved ones, and is honor bound to that sacred trust. 

Ryan Risner

Embalmer and Assistant Funeral Director

Ryan first entered the funeral industry as a driver for Service Corporation International and First Call.  His passion for helping families grew as well as his interests in embalming and restorative art.  In 2019, he graduated from Kansas City Kansas Community College after completing their Mortuary Science Program.  He obtained his Missouri Funeral Director License and Crematory Operator Certification while working for Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory in Saint Joseph, Missouri.  Ryan is happy to be back at Johnson County Funeral Chapel where he served his practicum and looks forward to continuing his career assisting families in need.

Mark Snavely

Superintendent

Mark has been with Johnson County Memorial Gardens since August 2011. He is a Kansas City native and a graduate from NW Missouri State University with a degree in horticulture. He has worked in the grounds maintenance industry for 35 years. Hillcrest C.C., KCMO and Arbormasters Tree and Landscape, Shawnee Kansas, serves as book ends to his 20yr stay as the Grounds Maintenance Superintendent with Quivira Falls Community Association, Overland Park.

Lee Rogers

Grounds Leader

Lee was born in Kansas City, MO in 1984 and is a graduate of Independence Academy. He joined the Terrace Park Team in February of 2015 with over ten years’ experience in cemetery maintenance. He transferred to Longview Cemetery in 2018 and promoted to Grounds Leader at Johnson County Memorial Gardens in 2021.

He loves the Kansas City Chiefs, outdoor activities—especially camping and fishing—and spending time with his family. Lee enjoys the relationships he has made with those who visit the cemetery, building supportive relationships with his co-workers and being able to work outside. Lee and his longtime girlfriend, Sara, live in independence with their beloved rescue dog, Peanut.

Raymond Cowley

Grounds Maintenance

Raymond Cowley joined Johnson County Memorial Gardens in 2012 as part of the cemetery service qualified staff. Ray’s hard work and dedication to Johnson County has been noticed by the continued upkeep of the grounds. His primary position is lawn maintenance. 
Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, Ray graduated from Southwest High School. He has two children, ages 18 and 17 that continue to keep him busy. When Ray has downtime, he enjoys spending time with his extended family in the area, barbequing, bird watching, river rafting, camping, detailing vehicles and tuned in to a Chiefs or Royals game. He also appreciates a great game of pool or bowling and relaxing with a fishing pole in hand. Ray volunteers some of his time working with RBI Baseball.

Reece Buster

Grounds Maintenance

Kay Lopez

Former Manager, Overland Park Chapel ~ Funeral Ambassador ~ Organist

Kay has worked at the Overland Park Chapel since 1970 and when the Johnson County Funeral Chapel was built in 1996, she worked at both locations. Kay started her career as an administrator but became a funeral director soon after . She was appointed manager of the Overland Park Chapel in 1982 and also managed the Johnson County Funeral Chapel when it opened in 1996. Kay retired from these positions in 2002 and now works part time helping on church and chapel funerals and plays the keyboard for services when needed. She is the organist at Prairie Baptist Church where she has been on staff for 45 years.

Kay has lived in the Kansas City area since middle school and graduated from Shawnee-Mission North, she then attended Emporia State University where she met her husband, Lindo. They were married for 53 years and he passed away last year. Lindo and Kay have two children, Donna Sosna and her husband Dennis and Brian Lopez and his wife Debbie. They also have two grandchildren Jennifer and David. 

Kay loves working in the funeral industry and enjoys helping people in their time of need. It has been a very rewarding career for Kay and she plans to continue doing this for a long time!

Ann Corcoran

Funeral Ambassador

Ann was born in Kansas City in 1942, the oldest of nine children. She is the matriarch of her huge, ever growing, family. She is a Registered Nurse and started her nursing career in 1962, being a hospital nurse, a staff RN and a Nursing Supervisor until 1980. She then worked as a Medical Disability Case Manager with Workers Compensation Insurance Company from 1980-2009 when she retired. When Ann has downtime, she will tell you that she enjoys sleeping, shopping, yoga and travel; all in that order.
In 2009, Ann joined the team, part time, at Johnson County Funeral Chapel & Memorial Gardens. She truly enjoys being part of the company and industry. Ann has an understanding that every situation is unique and special, she takes great pride in helping others in their time of need.

Tom O'Rourke

Ambassador

Tom, a Cleveland, Ohio native, has been with Johnson County Memorial Chapel & Garden a little over 2 years, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from John Carroll University in University Hts., Ohio. After college, he was a teacher and Varsity Basketball coach, first at the elementary school, then the high school level, also assisting at the Varsity & Freshman levels for football and baseball.  His basketball teams won 213 games over 13 seasons, a winning percentage of 86.2%. In 1969, he joined the Allstate Insurance Co. as a Mgmt. Trainee. Moving up the ranks, he received several promotions involving relocations to Indianapolis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and back to KC, now as the Regional Underwriting Mgr., handling 5 states.  In 1979, he entered the Residential Real Estate industry as an agent.  After 4 years, and being a multi-million dollar producer, he became the Sales Manager at Summerson-Burrows Realtors.  In 1989, he joined the J.D. Reece Co. Realtors as a Manager/Broker, ultimately reaching the position of Sr. Vice President, a position he held as the company merged with J.C. Nichols to form Reece/Nichols Realtors.  He was a state Director, served as President of the Johnson County Board of Realtors, as well as President of its Multiple Listing Service, and received the "Realtor of the Year" award in 1997.  He retired in 2010.  Tom and his wife Jan, who will be married 50 years next June, have 2 grown, married daughters, and 5 year old identical twin grandaughters. He loves golf, sports, and his church, Cure of Ars Catholic Church.

Kenne Kuttler

Ambassador

Kenne Kuttler is a retired executive of The Kansas City Star who is now honored to help families celebrate the lives of their loved ones. 

Along with serving families as an Ambassador, Kenne is a Licensed Assistant Funeral Director, Certified Funeral Celebrant, and community liaison.

A Shawnee Mission North High School graduate, Kenne earned a Journalism degree from University of Kansas, and a master’s degree in Religion from Park University.   

Kenne enjoys playing with the Mission Bells bell choir at the Community of Christ Church where she is a minister.

Emma Thayer

Ambassador

Emma was born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas.  She now resides with her husband of 35 years, Bill, in Lansing, Kansas.  Emma has three grown daughters and 3 grandsons.  Emma has worked in office administration, accounting, the health field as a pharmacy tech and helped start a grant funded after school program for elementary children.  She has been a stay at home wife, mom and Memaw for 9 years and enjoys working as an ambassador here at Johnson County Funeral Chapel.  Emma also works at her local quilt store in her spare time.   Emma enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, quilting, embroidery and volunteering with her local quilt guild.  

Bernita Bush

Ambassador

Kim Sivils

Ambassador

Kim has lived in the Johnson County area since childhood, graduating from Shawnee Mission West High School, then attending Johnson County Community College.  Her love of music began at a young age and has continued until today.  She has enjoyed a career of performing as a jazz pianist at numerous restaurants and jazz clubs in the Kansas City area.

Due to her own life experiences, Kim has long had the desire to offer understanding and support to others dealing with the pain of loss.  She is extremely happy to now be serving as a Funeral Ambassador.  She finds much reward in offering simple kindness and attention to those attending services.

Kim is mom to two grown children, and one very cute little dog.  Her favorite hobby is crocheting colorful hats for children that are donated to charity during the holidays.

Russ Ewy

Ambassador

Russ is a native Kansan with roots in Wichita. He moved to Kansas City while the Royals were preparing to win their first World Series and joined Johnson County Funeral Chapel while the Royals were celebrating their second. Russ views his opportunity to serve families as a personal ministry. Russ’ background consists of 30 years in the marketing and public relations world. He “retired” to focus on real estate and mortgage interests. He loves to travel, and much of it on two wheels (bicycles and motorcycles).