Our Staff – Danville, IL Funeral Home | Sunset Funeral Home & Cremation Center

Our staff is comprised of dedicated and licensed professionals with the experience to answer all your questions regarding our services. Please feel free to contact any of our staff members at any time.

Why More Families are Choosing Advance Funeral Planning:

Aunt Bea

Comfort Dog

Aunt Bea came to join the Sunset team in July of 2018 as a comfort dog-in-training. She is only 6 months old and has lots to learn, but her heart is most certainly willing to give love and comfort to those who walk through our doors who may need it. Her hobbies include chewing on her big brother Motley the yellow lab, chewing sticks, and playing fetch. Her favorite snack is Cheerios! If you have any question in regards to funerals, cremation, children and death, pre-planning, or any question that intrigues you, please feel free to drop Aunt Bea an e-mail and she will gladly reply.

AuntBea@sunsetfuneralhome.com

Rich Darby

Chief Operating Officer, Funeral Director

Rich started his career working on the grounds at Sunset Memorial Park in his teens. He later graduated from Southern Illinois University and has been a licensed funeral director for over 30 years with Sunset Funeral Homes. He most recently started a non-profit organization Operation Honor Guard. They provide financial assistance to volunteer veteran service organization honor guards. Rich lives in Danville with his lovely wife Jill, and their 2 labradoodles. He enjoys spending time with his 3 sons Ethan, Ross, and Jack and their wives, as well as the 4 greatest gifts of his life, his granddaughters; Sawyer Elise, Remington Rae, Olivia Jaimes, and Lyla Sue. Rich enjoys fishing, boating, and watching any type of racing. He is also known for being a bit of a computer nerd

Linda Darby-Dowers

Chief Executive Officer

Linda has over 33 years at Sunset Funeral Home. She lives in Danville, Illinois, with her husband Scott. In her free time Linda enjoys being outdoors, gardening, volunteering at her church, spending time with family and is very involved in the Women’s Care Clinic and several other community organizations.

Jill Darby

Marketing Content Writer

Jill started at Sunset Funeral Home in February of 2010. She grew up in the funeral service industry, as her family-owned funeral homes in the Midwest. After graduating from Miami University, Ohio in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in Business, Jill worked for a funeral product manufacturer. Her experience includes merchandising, aftercare, and cemetery operations. She is married to Rich Darby and in her free time enjoys spending time with her family, watching college basketball, and spoiling her grandchildren.

Ethan Darby

Director of Consumer Relations

Ethan represents the fourth generation of the Darby family to work in funeral service. He has been working for the family business since 2005 and began full time after graduating from Illinois State University in May of 2012. He currently resides in Danville, Illinois, with his wife, Keri and daughters, Sawyer and Olivia. He can be found watching and playing basketball and football, swimming, boating, spending time with friends and family, going to concerts, and traveling.

Keri Darby

Legacy Advisor

Keri joined the Sunset staff in March of 2014 after graduating from Eastern Illinois University. She is from Rossville, IL and currently resides in Danville, IL with her husband Ethan, daughter Sawyer and their dogs, Lou and Stella. In her spare time Keri enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her friends and family.

Jan Pasco

Legacy Advisor

Jan joined the staff at Sunset Memorial Park in April 2021. She hails originally from Catlin, IL and now resides in Danville. She has two children Sarah and Greyson and has been blessed with 5 grandchildren, Owen, Brody, Ellie, Kohltyn and Brycie. In her spare time, you will find her spending time with her grandchildren and working with flowers.

Ross Darby

Director of Plant Operations

Ross represents the fourth generation of the Darby family. Many products used for your loved ones funeral service were manufactured right here in Central, IL. Ross is in charge of the Darby Family Manufacturing facilities. He has been working for the family business since 2010 and began full time after graduating from the University of Illinois in May of 2015. He currently resides in Danville, Illinois, with his wife Austin and their daughter Remi Rae. He can also be found working on his “Honey-Do-List”, playing outside with his dog Sadie or binge watching some Netflix.

Austin Darby

Manager, Hall of Fame Sign Shop

Austin joined the Sunset staff in October of 2014. She is from Bismarck, IL and currently resides in Danville, IL with her husband, Ross and their daughters, Remi and Lyla. Austin has her cosmetology degree from Regency Beauty Institute. In her spare time, Austin enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and fur baby Sadie. She also enjoys the outdoors and practicing cosmetology.

Drew Edwards

Director of Funeral Home & Cemetery Operations

Drew is a native of the Quad Cities, and moved to the Danville area immediately upon his graduation from Southern Illinois University in 1993. He began his funeral service career as an apprentice in 1993, and has spent his entire career with the Sunset Family. Drew is active in the Illinois Funeral Directors Association, serving as Region 2 Director, Vice President, President Elect, and proudly served as President of the Illinois Funeral Directors Association from 2016 to 2017. Drew currently resides in Cayuga, Indiana and is the proud father of three sons, Austin, Isaiah, and Owen. In his spare time, Drew enjoys golfing, playing basketball, is an avid hunter, and enjoys anything to do with the outdoors.

Tammy Hopper

Family Service Advisor

Tammy has been with Sunset Funeral Home since 1993. She and her husband, Shane reside in Danville, Illinois, where she can be found scrapbooking, doing crafts and spending time with her family and their animal companions. Tammy is also the grandma to her beautiful granddaughters, Melita and Lorelai and grandson, Patrick.

Leah Mayfield

Family Service Advisor

Leah started her new career in the new year with Sunset Funeral Home in January of 2019. She is grew up in Marion, Illinois and now lives in Rantoul, Illinois. Leah enjoys shopping, watching the Cardinals, going to auctions and spending time with her family and friends.

Ami Mann

Office Manager

Ami has been with Sunset since 1993. She has two children, Kaylie and Jakob, and they reside in Danville with their dog Bella. In her time away from the office, she enjoys spending time with her children, family and friends. Her hobbies include watching TV and movies, and reading.

Evan Baird

Family Service Advisor

In 2021, Evan joined our Sunset Funeral Home Champaign Chapel team of Family Service Advisors. He grew up in Catlin, Illinois and resides there as well. In his spare time, he enjoys driving his Lincoln Town Car and spending time with his family and friends.

Lynn Lewis

Cemetery Operations

Lynn has been with Sunset Funeral Home since 2005. She is married with two children, and resides with her husband, Mike in Collison, Illinois. In her spare hours, she enjoys reading, camping, and spending time with her grandsons Jacob, Damon, Lee and Neil and granddaughter Emma.

Cathy Christian

Administrative Assistant

Cathy has been with Sunset since 2003. She and her husband, Jeremiah, live in Georgetown. She has two wonderful children, Abigail & Clayton. She enjoys her work, but loves to be outside and working around the house. She adores her family and spends as much time as she can with them.

cathyc@sunsetfuneralhome.com

Anne Jarling

Administrative Assistant

Anne joined the Sunset team in April 2012. She currently resides in Oakwood, Illinois with her husband, Greg and two sons Conor and Gavin. On her off time she enjoys spending time with her family, beekeeping and sharing the honey and homemade beeswax lip balm with friends and family. Anne also enjoys figure skating She teaches a basic skills class to beginner figure skaters.

Brad Tucker

Licensed Funeral Director

Brad began his time at Sunset in 2007 after earning his Bachelor’s in Mortuary Science from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. He has two sons, Max and Jack. Brad enjoys all things nerd, including gaming of all kinds, comics, and Doctor Who. He also likes the outdoors and camping, movies and television, and spending time with his boys.

Jeremy Hall

Licensed Funeral Director

Jeremy joined the staff at Sunset Funeral Home in June of 2013. He along with his wife, Beth and their three children Dylann, Chelby and J.J. reside in Georgetown, IL. Jeremy is originally from Spring Valley, IL. He enjoys hunting, spending time at his kids' sporting events, taking his family for rides in their class '55 Chevy and has a passion for food.

Andrew Hajduch

Licensed Funeral Director

Andrew joined the staff at Sunset Funeral Home in August of 2015. He is from Chicago, Illinois and currently resides in Urbana, Illinois. Andrew graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in September of 2014. He enjoys traveling, photography, playing drums, live bands, and animals.

Shanon Hoag

Licensed Funeral Director

Shanon joined the staff at Sunset Funeral Home in October of 2015. He is from Fairmount, Illinois and currently resides in Danville, Illinois. His hobbies include martial arts, retro gaming and arcades, muscle cars, classic western and horror films, community projects, computers/electronics and spending time with his family.

Scott Reed

Licensed Funeral Director

Scott is a native of Sullivan, IL and a second-generation Funeral Director and Embalmer. He is a 1994 Graduate of Worsham College of Mortuary Science, in Wheeling, IL. Scott and his wife Tracie Faith reside in Danville with their son Jarrett. In addition to Jarrett, they have four other children: Arianna, Hailee, Mallory, and Grant. Scott began his career at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center in 2000, took a short break, and returned to Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center in 2015. In his free time Scott enjoys spending time in the outdoors hiking, camping, hunting and fishing.

Colton Murray

Licensed Funeral Director

Colton moved to Danville from Washington, Illinois in 2016 after graduating from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in 2015. He enjoys being outdoors hunting, fishing and spending time with his friends and his dog Remi.

Jody Buffalo

Licensed Funeral Director

Jody has been with Sunset Funeral Home since 2015. She is from Chicago, IL and currently resides in Champaign. She studied mortuary science at Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago and is also a licensed cosmetologist. In her free time, Jody enjoys traveling and cooking.

Brennan See

Licensed Funeral Director

Brennan is from Williamsport, Indiana and joined Sunset's family in 2015. She is a graduate of Vincennes University. Brennan enjoys road trips, music festivals and spending time with friends and family.

Marinna Mendoza

Licensed Funeral Director

Marinna Mendoza, also known as Mina, joined the staff at Sunset Funeral Home in 2017 following her internship through Southern Illinois University; where she received her Bachelors in Mortuary Science. She enjoys spending time with family, friends, and two dogs Bruce and Roma.

Mary Stonecipher

Horticulturist

Mary joined the staff at Sunset Memorial Park in May of 1995. She and her husband, Ron currently reside in Bismarck, Illinois with their two daughters Parker and Addison. She can be found spending time with her family, gardening, or out for a Sunday drive in their Model T. Mary is also a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener.

Lois Sutton

Horticulturist

Lois joined the staff at Sunset Memorial Park in September of 2004. She has three daughters, and currently lives in Rossville, Illinois. Her hobbies include reading, gardening and swimming. She also enjoys activities as a member of the Alvin Christian Church.

Patrick Lewis

Grounds Superintendent

Patrick has been with Sunset Memorial Park since 2006. He lives with his wife, Gail and two children in Danville, Illinois.In his spare time, Patrick enjoys bike riding, drawing, reading and movies.

Jaime Contreras

Grounds Maintenance

Jaime joined the cemetery grounds team in March of 2012. He has one child, Jaimie Contreras III. Jaimie resides and is from Danville, Illinois. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

Reverend James Blue

Funeral Attendant

Pastor Blue has been with Sunset Funeral Home since 1995. He and his wife,Christinia currently reside in Georgetown, Illinois, and have the joy of spending time with their three children, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. When not spending time with his extended family, he enjoys quiet hours reading the Bible, doing yard work and watching old westerns.

Bob McGraugh

Funeral Attendant/Director

Bob has been with Sunset Funeral Home since 2004. Bob has two daughters, three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Currently Bob lives in Danville, Illinois, and when he's not help families here at Sunset Funeral Home, you can find him fishing, golfing, or volunteering with local organizations. He also loves to travel.

Beth Georgiou

Funeral Attendant

Beth has been a member of the Sunset family since 2012. She and her husband, Tom live in Mahomet, Illinois. Beth is from Newtown, IL. She has two children, Alex and Anne. In her spare time, Beth enjoys spending time outdoors, watching sports, swimming and spending time with family and friends.

Nancy Jennings

Funeral Attendant

Tim Drake

Funeral Attendant

Brenda Smith

Funeral Attendant

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