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Officialfuneralworld, 304 S Main St, Sumter, SC (2026)

03/09/2026

Women’s History Month: Mortician Edition

Arlillian Kate Bushelon, LFDE, M.B.A., CFSP, CFSGM
Birmingham, AL

Kate Bushelon is a licensed funeral director in the state of Alabama and the managing director of Bushelon Funeral Home, a historic Black-owned funeral home founded in 1975 by her father, Aubrey Bushelon. Raised in the funeral business, she learned the profession directly from her father and later returned home after college to help run the family enterprise. After his passing in 2013, she stepped into a leadership role, continuing the mission of serving families with dignity and compassion during their most difficult moments.

As a respected funeral service professional, Bushelon has been active in leadership across the funeral industry. She serves as Chairman of the Board for the Alabama Funeral Directors and Morticians Association and has been involved with national organizations such as the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association and the National Funeral Directors Association. Through these roles, she helps guide policy, mentorship, and professional development for funeral directors while promoting ethical and compassionate funeral service across the profession.

Beyond funeral service, Bushelon is known for her commitment to community development in Birmingham. She launched the West End Food Truck Park in the funeral home parking lot during the COVID-19 pandemic, turning it into a weekly community gathering and scholarship initiative for local students. She is also an honors graduate of George Washington Carver High School, studied business at Clark Atlanta University, and later earned credentials in mortuary science while completing an MBA. Through business leadership, philanthropy, and service, she continues to expand her family’s legacy of community care and support.

03/09/2026

Celebrating Women’s History Month, Honoring the women that serve as funeral professionals.

03/09/2026

Honoring His Grace | Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.

Over the weekend, thousands of mourners gathered in Chicago for the homegoing services of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, held at the House of Hope, a church with a capacity of about 10,000 people. The multi-day celebration of life drew a massive crowd of supporters, faith leaders, activists, and everyday citizens who came to pay their respects. The services blended powerful preaching, emotional reflections, and uplifting gospel music, creating an atmosphere that felt both like a church revival and a national civic tribute. Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Bill Clinton were among the prominent leaders who attended and delivered remarks, honoring Jackson’s influence on American politics and the civil rights movement.

The services also featured notable musical tributes and performances that reflected Jackson’s deep ties to the Black church and gospel tradition. Artists such as Jennifer Hudson and BeBe Winans joined clergy and community leaders in honoring his life through song and testimony. Speakers and performers alternated throughout the program, sharing stories of Jackson’s activism, faith, and global impact. The gathering brought together political leaders, clergy, civil rights advocates, and celebrities, as thousands filled the church and many more watched from outside and across the country through live broadcasts.

Rev. Jesse Jackson’s life and legacy were remembered as a cornerstone of the modern civil rights movement. Over more than five decades, he fought for racial equality, economic justice, and voting rights while founding organizations such as the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and running historic presidential campaigns that expanded opportunities for minority candidates in American politics. Leaders at the service described him as a tireless voice for the marginalized and an “ambassador of hope” whose work helped shape national conversations about justice, democracy, and inclusion around the world.

03/09/2026

Women’s History Month: Mortician Edition

Dr. Carol T. Williams, CFSP, CPC, COCP
Owner, Licensed Funeral Director & Embalmer, Notary Public | Atlanta, GA

Born in South Carolina, Carol Thomas Williams is married to Carl M. Williams and resides in East Point, Georgia. She is the Executive Director for the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, Inc. Carol was an instructor at Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service and she supports her husband Carl M. Williams in their family owned and operated business, Carl M. Williams Funeral Directors, Inc. in addition to Annae Enterprises, LLC., a firm which ensures continuing education for funeral directors. Prior to working alongside her husband in the business, Carol was a teacher with the Atlanta Public Schools for twenty years where she received numerous accolades for outstanding commitment to education. Dedicated to making a difference in the lives of all children, Carol also served for ten years as the Director of Education for Day Cares within the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta.Â

After completing three years of undergraduate studies at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Carol completed her studies and earned the Bachelor of Arts degree from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia. Subsequently, she received an Associate degree from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Decatur, Georgia, a Master of Arts Degree from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and a Doctoral degree in Education with a specialization in Curriculum Studies Multi Culturism from Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia. Carol has a certificate in Event and Meeting Planning from Clayton State University in Jonesboro, Georgia. She is a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer in the states of Georgia and South Carolina and has a T-7 teaching certificate in the state of Georgia.Â

A member of several professional organizations, Carol renders service and expertise to the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, Georgia Funeral Service Practitioners Association where she served as the Education and Research Director, Ninth District of the Georgia Funeral Service Practitioner Association, National Funeral Directors Association, Epsilon Nu Delta Mortuary Fraternity, Pi Sigma Eta National Morticians Fraternity, National Board of Funeral Service Certification Association, Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice (CFSP), American Board of Funeral Service (board member), Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, 100 Black Women in Funeral Service, 100 Black Women USA, Mecca Chapter, and Women For Morris Brown College.Â

While her awards are too numerous to mention, four of her most recent citations include recipient of the 2002 Delta Sigma Theta Pinnacle Award, the 2004 Woman of the Year awarded by the 100 Black Women of Funeral Service, the 2004 Mortician of the Year awarded by the Ninth District of Georgia Funeral Service Practitioner Association and the 100 Black Women of Funeral Service 2008 Women of Distinction Trailblazer Award . Carol has also been featured in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, the Atlanta Daily World Newspaper and Goodlife Magazine for her outstanding contributions to the funeral service profession. She wrote several articles that were featured in the Atlanta Daily World Newspaper and the Scope Magazine.Â

Carol is religiously affiliated with Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia where she has served as a member and chairperson of the Deaconess Board, Sunday School Teacher, director of Vacation Bible School, president of the Senior Usher Board, a member of the Uplifterâ€™s Club, and chairperson of Womenâ€™s Day.Â

A family woman, Carol has three children, Carlos, ChantÄ— (Ferrisho), and Aaron; four granddaughters, Julia Carol, Emily Jannette, Janine Renee, and Arianna Michelle; and two grandsons, Carlos, Jr. and Ferrisho, Jr.

03/05/2026

Women’s History Month: Mortician Edition

Mrs. Lori Hall-Diaz, LFD | Columbus, Ohio

WE HONOR Mrs. Lori Hall-Diaz

Mrs.Lori is a Licensed Funeral Director and Limited Lines Insurance Agent in the State of Ohio. Her passion for people motivated her to choose this career path and it’s very evident in the care and manner in which she has an affinity for families. She opened Affinity Memorial Chapel in December of 2017. She is proud to serve the families in Central Ohio and considers it a privilege to serve well.

An avid learner, Lori’s educational career path includes a B.A. in Communication from The Ohio State University, Master in Business Administration and a Master in Project Management from Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University. Additional interests and proficiency are in marketing and public relations.

Lori is an active and committed member of the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church in addition to other civic, social and professional organizations she has belonged to over the years: National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), Ohio Funeral Directors Association; National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association (NFDM&A) Buckeye State Funeral Director and Embalmer Association (BSFDEA); African-American Funeral Professionals of Central Ohio (AAFPCO) (co-founder); National Coalition of 100 Black Women Central Ohio Chapter (charter member); and her beloved Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Gamma Zeta Zeta Chapter. After one year of membership, her dedication and zeal for service and community yielded the honor of being named the State of Ohio Zeta of the Year in October 2016. She currently serves as the Co-Chair of Z-HOPE (Zetas Helping Other People) which is the community service component of the chapter. She serves as a member on several additional chapter committees.

In her leisure, she cherishes time spent with her loved ones, reading, roller skating, line dancing, traveling and navigating social media. For over 25 years, Lori has been married, blessed to be called mother by their two adult daughters . After 18 1/2 years they had their beloved family pet named, Hershey to pass. (His obituary is listed on our site). She realized in that encounter that every life is worth celebrating even our pets.

Lori lives by the words of Mark Twain: “Let us endeavor to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry so serve well."

began her journey in the funeral industry in 2007 when she served her Funeral Director’s apprenticeship under the late Mr. David Gary at Gary Memorial Chapel. Mr. Gary served as her Master Funeral Director and mentor. He was her constant barometer of service to others.

Lori has had experience working at other local firms prior to realizing her dream in 2017 of owning her own funeral establishment. Lori believes that being in the funeral industry is indeed a ministry and a true calling. She is humbled and honored to own AFFINITY MEMORIAL CHAPEL “The Finest in Service.” She looks forward to being able to servewell the AFFINITY way to those who entrust their loved ones into Affinity's care.

Affinity was birthed out of a need to grow a firm that desired to go "Beyond the Funeral" and be a pillar by adding community engagement and outreach opportunities.

03/04/2026

Women’s History Month: Mortician Edition

Mrs. Audrey Y. Howard-Harris, LFDE | Oklahoma City

Audrey Y. Howard-Harris is the founder, CEO, and a licensed funeral director and embalmer of Howard-Harris Funeral Services, a funeral home with locations in Lawton and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She plays a leadership role in the business, helping guide the operations and service offerings of the funeral home.
She is licensed as a Funeral Director and Embalmer and has built the firm’s reputation alongside her late husband (Joe Harris), serving families with personalized funeral services and community support.

03/04/2026

The civil rights icon and Greenville, South Carolina native was brought home on March 2, 2026, for a historic lying-in-state at the South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia, a rare honor for someone who was not an elected official. His American-flag-draped casket arrived in a solemn procession and was placed under the Capitol’s rotunda, where thousands of South Carolinians lined up for hours to pay their respects. The day’s events began with “Lift Every Voice and Sing” echoing through the Statehouse, and flags flying at half-mast as a horse-drawn caisson and honor guard set the tone for a deeply emotional homecoming. Jackson’s life and legacy — from his early protests against segregation, through his civil rights leadership alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., to his two presidential campaigns and decades of advocacy for voting rights and economic justice — were reflected on by mourners and political figures alike.

Before the public visitation began, a ceremony featured a host of notable voices paying tribute. U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn spoke of his lifelong friendship with Jackson and how his activism helped shape opportunities for future generations, while friends and allies like former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young and other Carolina leaders joined in honoring Jackson’s impact. Figures such as Judge Greg Mathis, longtime colleague James Felder, and a range of South Carolina legislators and community advocates reflected on Jackson’s commitment to justice and encouraged attendees to carry forward his work. Additional memorial events are planned in Chicago, including a large celebration of his life, as the nation continues to honor the legacy of one of its most influential civil rights leaders.

03/04/2026

Women’s History Month: Mortician Edition

Dr. Kimberly D Kelsey, LFDE | North Carolina

In September 1994, Kimberly Kelsey became a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer, proudly carrying on her father's legacy, as the NC Board of Funeral Service reissued her father’s license number after his passing in July 1994. As the Board Chair and CEO at Noble and Kelsey, she leads with dedication and a heartfelt commitment to excellence.

Kimberly is the youngest of five siblings and a proud graduate of Salisbury High School. She holds a BA in business administration with a concentration in management from Winston-Salem State University, an AAS in funeral service from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service, an MBA in finance from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a PhD in business administration from the University of Phoenix. Her academic journey is a testament to her passion for learning and professional growth.

Outside of her professional life, Dr. Kelsey enjoys quality time with her daughter, Adrianna, and her grand dog, Mr. K. She loves staying connected with family and friends and has a knack for exploring the latest technology gadgets.

Dr. Kelsey served as the President of the Western District Funeral Directors and Morticians Association of NC, Inc. from September 2018 – September 2024. She is also a very active member of the FDMA of NC, Inc. and the NFDMA. In January 2023, she was honored with an appointment by Governor Roy Cooper to serve a three-year term on the NC Board of Funeral Service.

An active member of the Salisbury Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Kimberly is also involved with the Salisbury-Rowan WSSU National Alumni Association and the NAACP. Her vibrant presence in the community and her unwavering commitment to service make her a standout leader and an inspiration to many.

On October 20, 2025, Dr. Kelsey transitioned to her heavenly home, leaving a life impact of legacy wisdom, and great memories that will be cherished forever by so many who’s been touched by her life.

03/02/2026

Honoring His Life & Legacy | Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

Jesse Jackson, born October 8, 1941, in Greenville, SC, is a prominent civil rights activist, Baptist minister, and motivational speaker who rose to national prominence working alongside Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement. As a young leader in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Jackson played an active role in organizing marches, advocating for economic justice, and promoting nonviolent protest. After King’s assassination, he founded Rainbow PUSH Coalition to advance social justice, equal rights, and political empowerment for marginalized communities. A two-time U.S. presidential candidate in the 1980s, Jackson helped expand voter participation and inspired generations through his messages of hope, unity, and equality, leaving a lasting legacy as a champion for civil rights and social change.

03/01/2026

Black History Highlights: Mortician Edition

Leevy’s Funeral Home | Columbia, SC

Back in 1930 when Mr. and Mrs. I. S. (Mary) Leevy, both born in Kershaw County and educated at Hampton Institute, moved to Columbia and became pioneers in business and community building. In 1930, they opened an Esso gas station, the first Black-owned gas station in South Carolina, at a time when Jim Crow segregation barred African Americans from many white-owned businesses. This early enterprise was so important that it was listed in The Negro Motorist Green Book, a guide to safe Black-friendly businesses, from 1950 through 1955—symbolizing both economic opportunity and safe passage for Black travelers. In 1932 the couple saw a need in their community and established Leevy’s Funeral Home to provide dignified, affordable funeral services to Black families who previously had limited options under segregation.

Under Isaac Samuel Leevy’s leadership, the business evolved into more than a funeral service. Leevy was a prominent community leader and political activist, helping found the Columbia NAACP and advocating for Black education, voting rights, and civic engagement in South Carolina during the mid-20th century. In 1951 the original station site was redeveloped into a purpose-built funeral home on Taylor Street, serving as a community hub for organizing and public life, including assisting with voter registration education during segregation. The family legacy continued with their grandson, I. S. Leevy Johnson, who not only expanded the funeral home but also became one of the first Black men elected to the South Carolina General Assembly since Reconstruction and later an influential lawyer and community leader.

Throughout its history, Leevy’s Funeral Home has been a trusted institution for life’s most solemn occasions and major civic moments. It has hosted celebrated services for prominent leaders such as Rev. Clementa Pinckney, the Charleston pastor and state senator slain in the 2015 Emanuel AME tragedy, with processions beginning at Leevy’s on the way to public commemorations. More recently, in early 2026, Leevy’s coordinated and hosted memorial services for Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Jr., the legendary civil rights leader, including viewings and processions in his native South Carolina, underscoring the home’s ongoing role in honoring leadership and community legacy.

Overall, Leevy’s story reflects the resilience, entrepreneurship, and civic commitment of African Americans in South Carolina—from breaking economic barriers to creating enduring institutions of care, dignity, and remember.

02/28/2026

Black History Highlights: Mortician Edition

Hanley-Shelton Funeral Home | Atlanta, GA

Hanley’s Bell Street Funeral Home founded by the late Jesse Howard Hanley, who entered the undertaking business in 1917 with his brother William as the Hanley Undertaking Company, initially operating on Edgewood Avenue before purchasing the building at 21 Bell Street in 1929 and establishing the Bell Street location as a cornerstone funeral service for Atlanta’s African American community. The building itself was constructed around 1915 and had been used by Black fraternal organizations before Hanley’s purchase. After Jesse Hanley’s death in 1948, management passed to his cousin Hillman Hanley, Sr. and long-time associate Gladys Willingham, and later to Hillman Hanley Jr. and his wife Doris, continuing the family-centered operation through much of the 20th century. From its early days, the funeral home was noted for serving people regardless of their financial means, offering not just funerals but ambulance services, community support, and in some cases acting as a trustee for estates. Hanley’s commitment to community extended beyond business into civic participation and support for local churches and charities.

Situated in the historic Sweet Auburn district — long regarded as the commercial and cultural heart of Black Atlanta — Hanley’s Bell Street Funeral Home played an important role socially at times when segregation barred African Americans from many mainstream services. It handled some of the most significant funerals in Black Atlanta’s history, including pioneering African American boxer Tiger Flowers in the 1920s and, most famously, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after his assassination in 1968. King’s remains were brought back to Atlanta and managed, in part, through arrangements made at Hanley’s Bell Street Funeral Home before services were held at Ebenezer Baptist Church and Morehouse College, parts of a massive mourning and civil rights-era event that drew tens of thousands of attendees. While co-direction of King’s funeral involved funeral professionals beyond Atlanta as well, Hanley’s participation places the business squarely in the network of institutions that supported the movement’s leaders and commemorated their legacies.

Although the original Hanley’s Bell Street Funeral Home closed in the 1990s as the funeral industry and urban economic patterns shifted, its historical footprint remains significant in the story of African American enterprise and community life in Atlanta. The business generated generational wealth for the Hanley family and employees, with instructions in Jesse Hanley’s will to share profits with long-serving staff — an early form of wealth distribution within a Black-owned business. Its rich archival records, preserved at institutions like Emory University’s Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, continue to be a resource for scholars of Atlanta history and Black entrepreneurship. Today, the legacy of Hanley’s Bell Street and similar institutions is remembered as part of Atlanta’s broader civil rights heritage; preservation efforts within Sweet Auburn and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site highlight the role of Black business institutions in creating economic and cultural foundations that supported the struggle for equality and community cohesion well into the 21st century.

After decades of impactful service rooted in the historic legacy of Hanley’s Bell Street Funeral Home in Atlanta, parts of that tradition have lived on through the transition of funeral service work into a new chapter in northwest Georgia. Today, Hanley‑Shelton Funeral Directors in Marietta, Georgia operates as a continuation of that commitment to dignified funerary care, connecting the deep heritage of Black-owned funeral service with present-day needs in the community. While it is a distinct establishment from the original Bell Street location, Hanley-Shelton carries forward a spirit of personal service, comprehensive funeral and memorial arrangements, and community support that echoes the original Hanley family’s dedication to serving families during life’s most important rites of passage.

02/27/2026

Black History Highlights: Mortician Edition

R. S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home | Memphis, TN

R. S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home has been one of the most historic African-American–owned funeral institutions in the United States, with a story that goes back to 1914 when founder Robert Stevenson Lewis Sr. opened the business at Beale and Fourth Street in downtown Memphis. From the very beginning, it was more than just a funeral home—it was a pillar of Black enterprise and civic life during the era of segregation. Lewis Sr. even owned the Negro League Memphis Red Sox and built a stadium so Black athletes could play, while the funeral home itself sometimes housed visiting Black teams who were barred from white hotels. That type of

community-first approach defined the early years of the business and made the Lewis family respected leaders in Memphis’ African-American community.
The Lewis family legacy continued through the founder’s sons, Clarence Lewis and Robert Lewis Jr., who expanded both the business and its civic influence. Robert Lewis Jr. advocated for major civil rights and community improvements in Memphis, including helping secure the hiring of the city’s first African-American firefighters in 1955 and working to establish T.O. Fuller State Park, one of the first state parks open to Black citizens. The funeral home also quietly served many influential families and figures, including the family of Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights leader Benjamin Hooks, and other prominent Memphis leaders and clergy such as Mother Louise Dowdy Patterson and well-known Black Memphis families. One little-known fact is that when Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis in 1968, the Lewis brothers worked for over 13 hours restoring and preparing his body for an open-casket viewing—doing the service free of charge for the family and community because they felt it was their duty to honor him properly.

Today, although ownership has transitioned to the Burroughs family, the funeral home still operates with the same family-centered philosophy that the Lewis family built over a century ago. It remains one of the oldest continuously operating Black funeral homes in Memphis and continues serving generations of families with dignity and community commitment. The business has expanded locations, modernized services, and still handles funerals for notable Memphis residents and civil rights figures, continuing its legacy of service that began in the early 1900s. Through its long history—supporting civil rights, serving influential Black families, and preserving dignity in death—R. S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home stands as a powerful symbol of Black entrepreneurship, community leadership, and generational legacy in Memphis.

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