2024 Pursuit of Excellence Award honorees will be recognized during the NFDA International Convention & Expo
Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) proudly recognizes the exceptional achievements of funeral businesses across the globe with the 2024 Pursuit of Excellence Award, celebrating their unwavering commitment to service excellence. For more than four decades, NFDA has presented this award to funeral homes around the world that have demonstrated a commitment to raising the bar on funeral service excellence by adhering to strict ethical and professional standards and providing outstanding service to families and communities.
These outstanding funeral homes will be honored during the prestigious All-Star Recognition Ceremony, scheduled for Monday, October 21 at 4 p.m. at the NFDA International Convention & Expo (October 20-23 in New Orleans, Louisiana).
To earn an NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award, a funeral home must demonstrate proficiency in key areas of funeral service, including compliance with state and federal regulations; staff participation in ongoing education and professional development; offering outstanding programs and resources to bereaved families; maintaining an active level of involvement in the community; active participation in and service to the funeral service profession; and promoting funeral home services through a variety of marketing, advertising and public relations programs. Participants are also required to adhere to a Pledge of Ethical Practices.
“This year’s Pursuit of Excellence honorees stand out as an extraordinary group of funeral service professionals. They not only serve grieving families with the utmost dignity and compassion but also actively engage in making meaningful contributions to their communities,” said NFDA Director of Public Relations Jessica Koth, who oversees the Pursuit of Excellence Award program. “The Pursuit of Excellence Task Force was deeply impressed by the quality and creativity of this year’s entries. We commend these firms for their unwavering commitment to providing exceptional service, and we are honored to have them as a part of the NFDA family.”
Information about the NFDA Pursuit of Excellence program can be found by visiting NFDA.org/PursuitOfExcellence. Registration and application materials for 2025 will be available in mid-October 2024.
Richard Myers Pinnacle Award
Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre of Madison, Indiana, has achieved the highest distinction in funeral service, earning the Richard Myers Pinnacle Award, highlighting their unparalleled dedication to the Jefferson County community.
Pursuit of Excellence entries include an essay detailing a program or service that positively impacted their community. To recognize funeral homes that develop an extraordinary program or service, as described in their essay, that far surpasses the definition of funeral service excellence, NFDA established the Richard Myers Pinnacle Award. This award is conferred at the discretion of the Pursuit of Excellence Task Force and only when it encounters a remarkable example of excellence in the profession. The award is named in honor of the founder of the Pursuit of Excellence Award NFDA Past President Richard Myers of Utah.
Jefferson County, Indiana, is a small community of only 20,000 people. Between 2021 and 2023, the community experienced 17 deaths by suicide and 31 deaths due to overdose – staggering numbers for this small, close-knit community.
Morgan and Nay Funeral Centre took an active role in bringing awareness to this issue and offering educational resources and support to the citizens of Jefferson County.
As of June 30, 2024, there were no deaths by suicide in Jefferson County and only two deaths due to overdose.
Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre is only the fourth funeral home to be honored since the Richard Myers Pinnacle Award was established in 2018. Previous winners include Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes & Crematory in New Castle, Delaware (2018), Arrington Funeral Directors in Jackson, Tennessee (2021) and Holman-Howe Funeral Homes in Lebanon, Missouri.
Best of the Best Award Recipients
The Best of the Best Award, which is determined after a thorough review by the Pursuit of Excellence Task Force, recognizes the most novel and innovative programs and services in the profession as described in the essays submitted as part of a funeral home’s Pursuit of Excellence entry.
Among the distinguished Pursuit of Excellence honorees, three funeral homes have risen above with innovative programs that set a new benchmark for service and community impact. These 2024 Best of the Best Award recipients have demonstrated not just excellence, but extraordinary creativity and compassion in their approach to funeral service.
The Pursuit of Excellence Task Force noted a number of programs and services that were very well-executed and yielded positive results for the community served by the funeral home. The Task Force recognizes these funeral homes with a Certificate of Honorable Mention:
NFDA Hall of Excellence Inductees
Nine NFDA-member funeral homes have earned their 10th Pursuit of Excellence Award and have been inducted into the Hall of Excellence in 2024. This honor is reserved for those funeral homes that actively demonstrate a consistent commitment to professional and ethical standards.
Three funeral homes have achieved milestones in their participation in the Pursuit of Excellence Award program in 2024. NFDA salutes the following funeral homes for their ongoing commitment to excellence:
2024 NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award Recipients
A Sacred Choice Funeral Home, Houston, Texas
A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors, Troy, Michigan; A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors, Troy, Michigan; A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors, Royal Oak, Michigan
Alderson-Ford Funeral Homes, Inc., Cheshire, Connecticut; Alderson-Ford Funeral Homes, Inc., Waterbury, Connecticut; Alderson-Ford Funeral Homes, Inc., Naugatuck, Connecticut
Ang Chin Moh Funeral Directors Pte. Ltd., Singapore
Arlington Memorial Chapels, Inc., Quezon City, Philippines
Arrington Funeral Directors & Crematory, Jackson, Tennessee
Bailey Family Funeral Homes, Wallingford, Connecticut; Bailey Family Funeral Homes, Plainville, Connecticut; Bailey Family Funeral Homes, Southbury, Connecticut
Bayliff & Son Funeral Home, Cridersville, Ohio
Bradbury Memorial Center, Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Brandon G. Thompson Funeral Home, Hammond, Louisiana; Brandon G. Thompson Funeral Home, Ponchatoula, Louisiana; Brandon G. Thompson Funeral Home, Denham Springs, Louisiana
Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick, New Jersey; Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels, East Brunswick, New Jersey
Caldwell & Cowan Funeral Home, Covington, Georgia
Capillas Señoriales Casa de Homenajes, Merida, Mexico
Carmon Community Funeral Homes, Windsor, Connecticut; Carmon Community Funeral Homes, Avon, Connecticut; Carmon Community Funeral Homes, Granby, Connecticut; Carmon Community Funeral Homes, Vernon, Connecticut; Carmon Community Funeral Homes, Suffield, Connecticut; Carmon Community Funeral Homes, South Windsor, Connecticut; Carmon Community Funeral Homes, Hartford, Connecticut
Clement L. Pantalone Funeral Home, Inc., Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Copeland Funeral Service, Beaufort, South Carolina
Cornerstone Funeral Services & Cremations, Birmingham, Alabama
Cozean Memorial Chapel and Crematory, Farmington, Missouri
C.R. Lyons & Sons Funeral Directors, Danvers, Massachusetts
Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory, Colville, Washington; Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory, Chewelah, Washington
David C. Brown Funeral Home, Belleville, Michigan
Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Newington Memorial, Newington, Connecticut; Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Burritt Hill, New Britain, Connecticut
Dwayne R. Spence Funeral Homes and Crematory, Canal Winchester, Ohio; Dwayne R. Spence Funeral Homes and Crematory, Pickerington, Ohio
Empresa Vila - Crematório e Centro Funerário São José, Natal, RN, Brazil
Falco, Caruso & Leonard Funeral Homes, Pennsauken, New Jersey; Falco, Caruso & Leonard Funeral Homes, Camden, New Jersey
Finch & Finch, Inc. Funeral & Cremation Service, Altavista, Virginia; Finch & Finch, Inc. Funeral & Cremation Service, Gladys, Virginia
French Funerals and Cremations, Albuquerque, New Mexico; French Funerals and Cremations - West Side Chapel, Albuquerque, New Mexico; French Funerals and Cremations, Rio Rancho, New Mexico; French Funerals and Cremations - Lomas Chapel, Albuquerque, New Mexico; French Funerals and Cremations - Wyoming Chapel, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Funeraria Jaramillo, Loja, Ecuador
Funeraria San Vicente S.A., Medellin, Colombia
Funeza Servicios Funerarios, Mexico City, Mexico; Funeza Azcapotzalo, Mexico City, Mexico; Funeza C7 Nezahualcoytl, Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico; Funeza La Raza, Mexico City, Mexico; Funeza Los Reyes, Los Reyes Acaquilpan, Mexico; Funeza Zaragoza, Mexico City, Mexico
Gamble Funeral Service, Savannah, Georgia
Grace Funeral Home & St. Lazarus of Bethany Memorial Garden, Covington, Louisiana
Grupo Gayosso, Mexico City, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Morelia, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Col. Villa Insurgentes, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Naucalpan de Juárez, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Aguascalientes, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Naucalpan, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Acapulco, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Aguascalientes, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Torreon, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Guadalajara, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Monterrey, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Guadalajara, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Mexico City, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Cuernavaca, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Tijuana, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Mexico City, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Leon, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Irapuato, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Mexico City, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Mexicali, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Leon, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Mexicali, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Morelia, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Torreon, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Reynosa, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Tijuana, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Tlalnepantla de Ba, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Mexico City, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Mexicali, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Tijuana, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Torreon, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Monterrey, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Torreon, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Irapuato, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Gomez Palacio, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Aguascalientes, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Gomez Palacio, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Mexico City, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Tijuana, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Col. Las Fuentes, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Reynosa, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Zapopan, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Aguascalientes, Mexico; Grupo Gayosso, Acapulco, Mexico
Hantge-McBride-Hughes Funeral Chapels, Hutchinson, Minnesota
Heath Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Lakeland, Florida
Heckart Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Sedalia, Missouri
H.E. Turner & Co., Inc., Batavia, New York; H.E. Turner & Co., Inc., Batavia, New York; H.E. Turner & Co., Inc., Oakfield, New York; H.E. Turner & Co., Inc., Perry, New York; H.E. Turner & Co., Inc., Batavia, New York; H.E. Turner & Co., Inc., Bergen, New York; H.E. Turner & Co., Inc., Attica, New York; H.E. Turner & Co., Inc., Warsaw, New York
Hightower Family Funeral Homes, Carrollton, Georgia; Hightower Family Funeral Homes, Bremen, Georgia; Hightower Family Funeral Homes, Douglasville, Georgia
Holman-Howe Funeral Homes, Lebanon, Missouri
Howard K. Hill Funeral Services, New Haven, Connecticut; Howard K. Hill Funeral Services, Hartford, Connecticut; Howard K. Hill Funeral Services, Bloomfield, Connecticut
Hughes Family Tribute Center, Dallas, Texas
James Funeral Home & Northlake Memorial Gardens, Huntersville, North Carolina
Jardim da Saudade Assistência LTDA, Curitiba, Brazil
Jefferson Memorial Cemetery, Funeral Home, Crematory & Arboretum, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jennings-Calvey Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania; Scranton Area Cremation Care, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania
Johnston & Williams Funeral Home, Ellensburg, Washington; Johnston & Williams Funeral Home, Cle Elum, Washington
Jones and Son Funeral Home, Richton, Mississippi; Jones and Son Funeral Home, Beaumont, Mississippi; Jones and Son Funeral Home, Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Jones and Son Funeral Home, Moselle, Mississipi
Jones-Wynn Funeral Homes & Crematory, Villa Rica, Georgia; Jones-Wynn Funeral Homes & Crematory, Douglasville, Georgia
Kemp Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Southfield, Michigan
Kerrville Funeral Home, Kerrville, Texas; Kimble Funeral Home, Junction, Texas; Krestridge Funeral Home, Levelland, Texas
Krause Funeral Home, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Krause Funeral Home, Brookfield, Wisconsin; Krause Funeral Home (Brown Deer Road), Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Krause Funeral Home, New Berlin, Wisconsin
Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home & Cemeteries, New Orleans, Louisiana
Lakeshore Memorial Services, Holland, Michigan
Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., Hamburg, New York; Lakeside Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., West Seneca, New York
Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Homes, Stamford, Connecticut; Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Homes, Greenwich, Connecticut; Spadaccino and Leo P. Gallagher & Son Community Funeral Home, Monroe, Connecticut
Lord and Stephens Funeral Homes, Athens, Georgia; Lord and Stephens Funeral Homes, Danielsville, Georgia; Lord and Stephens Funeral Homes, Watkinsville, Georgia
Macz Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Centralia, Illinois; Macz Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Patoka, Illinois; Macz Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Sandoval, Illinois; Macz Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Odin, Illinois
Martin Funeral Home, Mount Morris, Michigan; Detroit Cremation Society, Grand Blanc, Michigan
Memorial Cemitério e Crematório Ltda., Passo Fundo, Brazil
Memorial Funeral Home - Edinburg, Edinburg, Texas
Memorial Funeral Home - San Juan, San Juan, Texas
Mercer-Adams Funeral Service, Bethany, Oklahoma
Miles Funeral Home, Holden, Massachusetts; Kelly Cremation & Funeral Care, Worcester, Massachusetts; Miles-Sterling Funeral Home, Sterling, Massachusetts
Milward Funeral Directors, Lexington, Kentucky; Milward Funeral Directors - Man O' War, Lexington, Kentucky; Milward Funeral Directors - Southland, Lexington, Kentucky
Mitchell Family Cremations & Funerals, Inc., Albion, New York; Mitchell Family Cremations & Funerals, Inc., Middleport, New York; Mitchell Family Cremations & Funerals, Inc., Holley, New York; Mitchell Family Cremations & Funerals, Inc., Gasport, New York
Mitchell Family Funeral Home, Marshalltown, Iowa
Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland
Moments Funeral Home, Lucedale, Mississippi; Moments Funeral Home, Leakesville, Mississippi
Morada da Paz, Parnamirim, Brazil
Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre, Madison, Indiana
Morris-Baker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Johnson City, Tennessee
Myers Mortuary - Ogden, Ogden, Utah; Myers Mortuary - Layton, Layton, Utah; Myers Mortuary - Brigham City, Brigham City, Utah; Myers Mortuary - Roy, Roy, Utah
Nie Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan; Nie Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., Ypsilanti, Michigan; Nie Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan
Oliverie Funeral Home, Manchester, New Jersey; Oliverie Funeral Home, Jackson, New Jersey
Paradise Memorial Funeral and Cremation Services, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Leon L. Williamson Funeral and Cremation Services, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc., East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc., Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania
PinesFuneral, Carthage, North Carolina; PinesFuneral, Robbins, North Carolina; PinesFuneral, Carthage, North Carolina
Pixley Funeral Home, Rochester, Michigan; Pixley Funeral Home - John Desmond Chapel, Auburn Hills, Michigan
Pollock-Randall Funeral Home, Port Huron, Michigan; Karrer-Simpson Funeral Home, Port Huron, Michigan; Marysville Funeral Home, Marysville, Michigan
Posey Funeral Directors, North Augusta, South Carolina
Pray Funeral Home, Inc., Charlotte, Michigan
Primaveras, Guarulhos, Brazil
Proko Funeral Home & Crematory, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Radney Funeral Home, Inc, Alexander City, Alabama; Langley Funeral Home, Camp Hill, Alabama
Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Coal City, Illinois; Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Gardner, Illinois; Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Morris, Illinois; Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Wilmington, Illinois
Return Home, Auburn Hills, Washington
Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Traverse City, Michigan
Robinson Funeral Home & Crematory - Downtown, Easley, South Carolina; Robinson Funeral Home & Crematory - Powdersville Road, Easley, South Carolina; Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home & Cremations, Central-Clemson Commons, South Carolina
Roller Funeral Homes, Little Rock, Arkansas; Roller Burns Funeral Home, Yellville, Arkansas; Roller Funeral Home, Mountain Home, Arkansas; Roller Funeral Homes, Paris, Arkansas; Roller-Alcoa Funeral Home, Benton, Arkansas; Roller-Christeson Funeral Home, Harrison, Arkansas; Roller-Citizens Funeral Home, West Memphis, Arkansas; Roller-Citizens Funeral Home, Marianna, Arkansas; Roller-Citizens Funeral Home, West Helena, Arkansas; Roller-Coffman Funeral Home, Mountain View, Arkansas; Roller-Coffman Funeral Home, Marshall, Arkansas; Roller-Cox Funeral Home, Clarksville, Arkansas; Roller-Crouch Funeral Home, Batesville, Arkansas; Roller-Daniel Funeral Home, Searcy, Arkansas; Roller-Drummond Funeral Home Southwest, Little Rock, Arkansas; Roller-England Funeral Home, England, Arkansas; Roller-Farmers Union Funeral Home, Jonesboro, Arkansas; Roller-McNutt Funeral Home, Clinton, Arkansas; Roller-McNutt Funeral Home, Conway, Arkansas; Roller-McNutt Funeral Home-Greenbrier, Greenbrier, Arkansas; Roller-Owens Funeral Home, North Little Rock, Arkansas; Roller-Swift Funeral Home, Osceola, Arkansas
Señoriales Corporacion de Servicio, Guatemala, Guatemala
Smith Family Funeral Homes, North Little Rock, Arkansas; Smith Family Funeral Homes, Glenwood, Arkansas; Smith Family Funeral Homes, Hot Springs, Arkansas; Smith Family Funeral Homes, Little Rock, Arkansas; Smith Family Funeral Homes, Sherwood, Arkansas; Smith Family Funeral Homes, Benton, Arkansas; Smith Family Funeral Homes, Arkadelphia, Arkansas; Smith Family Funeral Homes, Beebe, Arkansas
Soxman Funeral Homes, Ltd., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes and Crematory, New Castle, Delaware; Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes and Crematory, Delaware City, Delaware; Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes and Crematory, Newark, Delaware; Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes and Crematory, Middletown, Delaware
St. Peter Chapels, Quezon City, Philippines
Tetrick Funeral Services, Johnson City, Tennessee; Oakley-Cook Funeral Home, Bristol, Tennessee
Thomas McAfee Funeral Home - Downtown, Greenville, South Carolina; Thomas McAfee Funeral Home - Northwest Chapel, Greenville, South Carolina; Thomas McAfee Funeral Home - Southeast, Simpsonville, South Carolina
Thorson-Popp Funeral and Cremation Services, Viroqua, Wisconsin
Twiford Funeral Homes, LLC & Albemarle Crematorium, Elizabeth City, North Carolina; Twiford Funeral Homes, LLC & Albemarle Crematorium, Manteo, North Carolina
Waitt Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Morganville, New Jersey; Bedle Funeral Home - Matawan, Matawan, New Jersey; Huber-Moore Funeral Home, Bordentown, New Jersey; Inglesby & Sons Funeral Home, Pennsauken, New Jersey; M. William Murphy Inc, Ewing, New Jersey; Mathis Funeral Home, Medford, New Jersey; Moore Funeral Home, Browns Mills, New Jersey; Old Bridge Funeral Home, Old Bridge, New Jersey
Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary, Salt Lake City, Utah; Valley View Memorial Park and Funeral Home, West Valley City, Utah; Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park South Valley, Riverton, Utah
Watson Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory, Galesburg, Illinois
Weeks' Funeral Home, Buckley, Washington; Columbia Funeral Home, Seattle, Washington; Edline-Yahn & Covington Funeral Chapel, Kent, Washington; Haven of Rest Funeral Home Memorial Park & Crematory, Gig Harbor, Washington; Newell-Hoerling's Mortuary Inc, Centralia, Washington; Weeks' Dryer Mortuary, Tacoma, Washington; Weeks' Enumclaw Funeral Home, Enumclaw, Washington
Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Home, Royal Oak, Michigan; Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Home, Utica, Michigan
Best of the Best Award Recipients
2024 NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award Recipients
Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Coal City, Illinois; Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Gardner, Illinois; Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Morris, Illinois; Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory, Wilmington, Illinois
Watson Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory, Galesburg, Illinois