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Darrel & Jery Bethany, Owners
Our beliefs have directed and continue to direct our lives. After the loss of both of our spouses, we were brought together in 2009, upon the passing of Jery’s mother, Faye Groseclose. Jery’s family trusted Anderson Bethany Funeral Home and Crematory with the care of her mother’s services. Numerous high recommendations on the quality and personal care were received by the family in considering this funeral home. Immediately, a higher level of commitment, integrity and personalization of the Bethany Family were obvious. Darrel and Jery were married in January of 2010. Together they have continued to improve Anderson Bethany Funeral Home and Crematory, reinvesting funds in our establishment, the community and the lives of the families we are honored to serve. As the only family owned and operated funeral home in Roswell and Chaves County, we strive to continue to give the community the newest and best funeral home in this area as a benefit in a time of need. Together we have blended 4 children, 9 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren. It is our great pleasure and honor to be of service to our team of employees and the great families of Roswell and surrounding areas.
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Jeremy Hurley, Vice President of Operations
Blessings beyond measure come in many different ways. When Jeremy made the decision to join our team, Anderson Bethany received a top executive who understands business and motivates employees. His extensive work in the field and in management has given him all the necessary talents to organize and run an operation in a structured and well thought-out manner. The forefront of Jeremy’s heart is service to families. Being born and raised in Roswell, Jeremy (the son of Darrel and Jery Bethany) and his family have returned to be a major part of our community. Jeremy is a calm and an extremely likable person. If talking business, pleasure or family needs, you will always find an open ear and a caring listener.
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Liz Zeig, 2nd Vice President of Operations
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Melaina Hernandez, Office Manager/Bookkeeper
Melaina Hernandez, or Mel, as she is affectionately known, was born in California. She moved to Roswell around age 11 and considers herself a true “Roswalien.” Mel graduated from Roswell High School. She enjoys living here and is fond of the small-town atmosphere. Mel credits her initial work in the service industry for helping her develop her professional hospitality skills. Mel loves visiting with people! And as Roswell is a popular tourist town, she has the opportunity to interact often with new people from around the world. Mel came to work at Anderson Bethany Funeral Home on a fortunate fluke. Her friend was originally offered the job but was unavailable to accept, and Mel found herself interviewing with Jeremy the following morning. She feels very blessed to have been offered the position. Mel loves her co-workers and has a wonderful rapport with all of them. She considers herself lucky to count them among her friends. Mel enjoys being useful and wears many hats at the funeral home. Her duties have evolved over the years, and she enjoys learning new skills and jumping into the work wherever she is needed. Mel adores her family and friends, and, above all else, she enjoys spending time with them. She especially enjoys the company of her sister and nephews. Mel loves participating in musical theater and is a self-proclaimed “theater nerd.” Additional hobbies include putting together puzzles, listening to fantasy and sci-fi audiobooks, and playing games on her Nintendo Switch. Mel’s love of people makes her a wonderful fit for the funeral profession. She is very social and enjoys working in a field that involves interacting with people. She states that her work has made her a better person. It has made her think deeply about life and helped her to become more patient and caring. She finds a great deal of satisfaction helping families in their time of need and treating them with compassion and kindness. At the end of the day, she is pleased to work in a profession whose cornerstone is helping others, and she enjoys interacting with and working alongside her wonderful Roswell community members.
We are so fortunate to have Mel as our office manager and bookkeeper! -
Corissa Daniels, Funeral Service Intern
Corissa was born and raised in Alamosa, CO, and graduated from Alamosa High School. In her youth, she came to Roswell often to visit her grandparents.
Corissa has served in many positions at the funeral home and has worked her way up to meeting with families. She loves to help and care for people, especially in their time of need. She enjoys interacting with the families in the community. Corissa’s love of people and service make her a natural fit for the funeral profession. She feels she has truly found her calling in life. Corissa is a certified Funeral Service Intern. In October, she will begin working towards a degree in Mortuary Science from the Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service. Once completed, she will work towards earning a license as a Funeral Service Practitioner. She is looking forward to using her education to better serve her community. As she is from Colorado, Corissa loves the outdoors and outdoor activities, including fishing, hunting, camping, and riding dirt bikes. She has recently found an interest in sports and loves watching basketball and volleyball games at the high school. Corissa enjoys playing board games and card games. She mentions that she is very competitive, but she rarely wins! Corissa loves to laugh and loves to make people laugh. She enjoys watching stand-up comedy and has a wonderful sense of humor. Corissa is an important member of our staff, and we are fortunate to work with her at Anderson Bethany Funeral Home and Crematory. -
Katie Thomson, Insurance Specialist
Katie was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ. She graduated from Xavier College Preparatory and Arizona State University with a degree in education. After 18 years as a teacher, Katie decided she was ready for a career change. She came to work for Anderson Bethany Funeral Home & Crematory as an insurance specialist.
Katie has two children, and her husband is a full-time firefighter for the City of Glendale, AZ. She enjoys going to the movies with her family, attending her kids’ sporting events, and taking her dog, Piper, for long walks. Katie is happy for the opportunity to help families during a difficult time. She states that the people she assists are always grateful for her help and guidance in dealing with insurance companies. She notes that Anderson Bethany Funeral Home & Crematory is family owned and operated and provides grieving families with a calming and soothing environment. Katie feels that Anderson Bethany staff members remove the stress from a difficult situation and make it easy for the families they serve to honor their loved ones in a respectful and dignified manner. We are grateful to have Katie as our Insurance Specialist! She is an integral part of our staff. -
Scott Tays, Crematory Operator / Funeral Intern
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Nadia Contreras, Funeral Service Assistant
Employee Snapshot - Meet Nadia B. Contreras Guerra, Funeral Service Assistant
Nadia was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico. At the age of 15, she moved to California and graduated from Leuzinger High School in Hawthorne, CA. In 2009, she relocated to Roswell. Nadia has two children - one boy and one girl. Nadia first worked in the hospitality industry in Roswell. She was a stay-at-home mom for several years, and when she was ready to go back to work, she applied and was hired by Anderson Bethany Funeral Home & Crematory. Nadia has moved up the ranks to the position of Funeral Service assistant. She enjoys helping with families on services. She loves helping people during a difficult time, hearing their stories, and providing a comforting environment for families in which to honor their loved one. As a bilingual person, Nadia especially loves working with the Mexican/Hispanic families that come to the funeral home to ask questions. After the funeral or memorial service has concluded, it makes her very happy when a family thanks her for her efforts on their behalf. Nadia likes to cook, listen to music, dance, and take small trips with her family out of town. She also loves getting a good night’s sleep! We are fortunate to have Nadia on our staff and to work alongside her each day. -
Cissy Vasquez, Receptionist/Administrative Assistant to the Directors and Interns
“I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to join this group of incredible professionals in March of 2024. I find the compassion and commitment given to the many families that pass through the doors of Anderson Bethany truly inspiring. Every member of this team has a hand in helping the families with a beautiful heartfelt experience for their loved one in their time of need. I am so proud to be part of this family.” - Cissy Vasquez, Receptionist/Administrative Assistant
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Taylor Cochrane, Administrative Assistant for Obituaries
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Sariah Pacheco, Administrative Assistant for Memorial Tributes
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Ana Hernandez, Saturday Receptionist
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Carroll Caudill, Funeral Attendant
Carroll was born in Vallejo, California. When he was one year old, his doctor advised his parents to move him to a drier climate due to his asthma. His family moved to Lovington, New Mexico, where he was raised and graduated from Lovington High School.
Carroll had the desire to travel and to see the world, so he joined the Air Force three days after graduation. He was stationed in Amarillo, TX, at Amarillo Air Force Base. Despite his wanderlust, he remained in Texas for the duration of his military service from 1962 to 1966. He then moved to Riverside, CA, and attended California Baptist University. At the time, Carroll had the desire to become a Baptist preacher. Upon completion of his education, he participated in evangelistic work on the streets of Hollywood, CA, and had the profound opportunity to serve alongside Arthur Blessitt for three years. Carroll then accepted a call to become the pastor of a church in Loco Hills, New Mexico. He soon discovered that his new role involved more counseling than preaching, and, after a time, he decided that line of work wasn’t his calling in life. Never one to sit still, Carroll was ready for a new experience. One day, he and Darlene were driving past Anderson Bethany Funeral Home & Crematory in Roswell, and he felt the desire to go in and visit with the funeral home owners. He was hired on the spot as a funeral assistant. Carroll absolutely loves his work at Anderson Bethany. He has the opportunity to help with viewings and funerals, and he greatly appreciates being able to visit with families in need of comfort and support during a difficult time. Carroll loves people and feels it is his calling in life to help and encourage anyone in need. He wants the grieving families at the funeral home to feel important and loved. As he states, “I try to do everything respectfully.” We are so thankful to have Carroll as our funeral assistant! -
Kim Seyler, Funeral Attendant/Transportation Team
Kim was born in Lancaster, PA. He graduated from Perry Hall High School in Maryland. Kim attended Essex Community College and Towson State University.
Kim served with the United States Army Intelligence (ASA), which is the military branch of the NSA. Now retired from Mercedes Benz, Kim enjoys riding motorcycles, shooting guns, and flying model airplanes. Kim enjoys participating in his duties as a funeral attendant at Anderson Bethany Funeral Home’s chapel and at various churches throughout Roswell. He also enjoys transporting flowers to the cemetery and to other funeral locations. His goal is to provide kind, cheerful, and empathetic service to all the grieving friends and family members served by Anderson Bethany Funeral Home & Crematory during their time of need. Kim is a wonderful addition to our staff, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to work alongside him each day. -
Matt Morales, Transportation Team
Matt was born and raised in Roswell and graduated from Roswell High School. At the age of 19, he had the opportunity to begin working for the City of Roswell at South Park Cemetery. Matt was hired full time the following year. By this October, he will have been employed at the cemetery for 21 years, and he has worked in the position of supervisor for the last 3 years.
Nearly three years ago Matt began working at the funeral home as a part of the transportation team. Matt enjoys his career at South Park Cemetery because it is a peaceful and tranquil place to work. He also enjoys his employment at Anderson Bethany Funeral Home, as he is pleased to have the opportunity to help his fellow community members and assist in taking care of families. Matt married his high school sweetheart, Michelle, and they have three children together. At this phase of his life, Matt states that his hobbies include being involved in any and all of his children’s school and extracurricular activities. Matt is proud to be born and raised in Roswell, and he loves his community. He is a member of the Roswell Elks Lodge. As an important part of our transportation team, we are pleased to work alongside Matt at Anderson Bethany Funeral Home & Crematory. -
Brandon Perry, Transportation Team
Brandon was born and raised in Roswell and graduated from Roswell High School in 1996. After graduation, he attended New Mexico State University for two years, and the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in Dallas, TX, for a year-and-a-half.
Brandon lived in Phoenix, AZ, for 13 years. Upon his return to Roswell, he decided it was time to get back into the funeral profession. Brandon has been working with Anderson Bethany Funeral Home on a part-time basis for almost 6 years. Brandon’s hobbies include golfing, fishing, and traveling. He is engaged to Storrie Morris, and they are planning on a wedding in 2025. Brandon has two children, Max (17), who attends New Mexico Military Institute, and Meredeth (15), who attends Indianola High School in Iowa. Storrie has three children, Sage (23), Seth (19), and Sadie (16). Brandon notes that working in the funeral profession is very rewarding. He enjoys being able to help families during a difficult time and guide them through the process of losing a loved one. He is committed to serving his community and helping those in need. -
Paul Crow, Transportation Team
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Dominic Soto, Courier/Funeral Attendant
Dominic was born in California and moved to New Mexico when he was around five years old. He attended and graduated from Roswell High School.
Upon graduation, Dominic opted to take a gap year. He later interviewed with Anderson Bethany Funeral Home & Crematory, and this past July, he began working as a courier and a funeral attendant. Dominic assists in setting up funeral services, passes out service folders, handles tech support by playing music and videos at services, delivers flowers to the service locations and to the families’ homes, and runs errands as needed. Dominic wanted to have the experience of working in a busy funeral home to learn what is involved in the day-to-day operations. He enjoys interacting with his co-workers and mentions that they are a great group of people. He appreciates the opportunity to help families during a difficult time. Dominic states that he may decide to return to school in the future, but at this point, he is still weighing his options and is enjoying learning more about the funeral profession. Dominic likes to play basketball with his friends, watch sports, and play video games. He enjoys eating Mexican food and spending time with his family and friends. We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with Dominic at Anderson Bethany Funeral Home & Crematory. -
Venesia I. Briseño, Housekeeping and Facilities/ Funeral Attendant