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The Arlington Memorial Gardens team members are caring and experienced professionals who understand that each family is unique and has personal requests and traditions. These requests and traditions are of the utmost importance to our entire team.
Managing Funeral Director & Celebrant
Sara Underhill is a first-generation funeral director and certified funeral Celebrant and was born and raised in Cincinnati. She attended St. Mary’s in Hyde Park for grade school, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Anderson High School. Sara graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the College of Arts and Sciences and then attended the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. She graduated from CCMS Summa Cum Laude in the Spring of 2011 and was the recipient of the Ivan P. Bowsher Award for “outstanding achievement in the combined theory and practice of Restorative Arts”, and the Ohio Funeral Directors Association’s Leadership Award. Following graduation, Sara completed her apprenticeship in Toledo and Defiance, Ohio. She spent 5 years as a licensed funeral director and embalmer in Defiance where she had the opportunity to serve for three years as the President and Treasurer of Ohio Funeral Directors Association, District One.
Sara relocated back to Cincinnati in 2016 and served families through Spring Grove Funeral Homes until 2020 when she joined The Arlington Memorial Gardens Funeral Home. Sara and her family live on the Westside of Cincinnati, in Cheviot.
Email Sara: sara.u@amgfuneralhome.com.
Managing Funeral Director & Celebrant
Funeral Director & Celebrant
Alecia joined the Arlington Memorial Gardens Funeral Home in September 2019. Although she worked in the City of Cincinnati assisting low-income families to become self-sufficient through job readiness, financial, and trade training, Alecia admits her passion has always been in the funeral industry. She often tells others that, “the greatest gift a person can give is the gift of pre-planning their final services.”
Alecia has recently served as a Cincinnati Certified Tourism Ambassador for many years as a Volunteer Usher for The Aronoff Center and Music Hall. She enjoys assisting others in obtaining comfort and pleasure in their day-to-day living. Alecia has a Bachelor of Psychology from Ashford University and an Associate of Applied Science from the Cincinnati School of Mortuary Science, class of 2014.
Alecia’s background as an ordained Elder and licensed minister in the State of Ohio has allowed her to be called upon by area churches and funeral homes to do eulogies for families who do not have a eulogist in place. Her many years of experience in administrative and event planning will allow her to prepare logistics for families that are grieving a loss.
Email Alecia: alecia.b@amgfuneralhome.com.
Funeral Director & Celebrant
Funeral Director
Hunter is a first-generation funeral director, embalmer, and certified funeral celebrant. She attended The Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, where she graduated in the spring of 2019, receiving both her Associate of Mortuary Science and Bachelor of Mortuary Science. Hunter also received the Joseph E. Crandall award from CCMS for her exemplary work in her restorative arts class.
Hunter has been in the funeral service industry since January 2020, when she started working as an apprentice Funeral Director and Embalmer for Walker Funeral Home, where she earned both licenses. She joined the Arlington Memorial Gardens Funeral Home in January 2023.
When not at Arlington, Hunter enjoys landscape painting, being outdoors, gardening, and spending time with her family.
Funeral Director
Funeral Director & Celebrant
Ashley is a first-generation funeral director, embalmer, and certified funeral celebrant. Ashley grew up in Middletown, Ohio often spending summers and weekends with her grandparents who lived in Blue Ash. She attended the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash where she graduated in 2017 with an Associate’s of Applied Science. Following her graduation, she moved to Cincinnati in January 2018 to attend the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science where she was a member of the Delta Gamma Pi sorority and served as the treasurer. She graduated from CCMS Cum Laude in the spring of 2019 receiving her Associate of Mortuary Science and Bachelors of Mortuary Science.
Ashley has been in the funeral service industry since January 2018 when she started working as a funeral attendant for Schmidt-Dhonau-Kucner funeral home while attending CCMS. Schmidt-Dhonau-Kucner was acquired by Spring Grove Funeral Homes where Ashley served her apprenticeship. After serving her apprenticeship at Spring Grove Funeral Homes, she joined the Arlington Memorial Gardens Funeral Home in October 2020. Ashley’s passion for the funeral industry began in 2005 when her grandfather died, and she is grateful to have the opportunity to provide meaningful options and services to families.
When Ashley is not serving families, she enjoys being outdoors, kayaking, and spending time with her family, friends, and her two cats Kingston and Dixon.
Email Ashley: ashley.s@amgardens.org.
Funeral Director & Celebrant
Funeral Home Concierge
Ginny has dedicated herself to helping families with cemetery/funeral arrangements for over 14 years. After serving as a Family Care Advisor with Arlington, she has transitioned to the Arlington Funeral Home as the Administrative Assistant/Concierge. Ginny’s compassion for those grieving fuels her dedication to helping families through difficult times.
Ginny grew up in College Hill and now resides in the Eden Park area. She enjoys hiking and loves traveling to new places. She is very close to her family and enjoys getting together with them as much as possible.
Email Ginny: ginny.t@amgfuneralhome.com.
Funeral Home Concierge
Vice President of Family Care
Cindy Hargrove (formerly Cindy Maril) joined The Arlington Memorial Gardens as a member of the Family Care Team in January 2013. A native of Oklahoma, she and her family lived in Chicago for twelve years before relocating to Cincinnati. She was educated at the University of Central Oklahoma‘s School of Business and was a small business owner while living in Chicago.
Cindy’s passion and commitment to those seeking Arlington’s service arise from her brush with breast cancer at the age of forty. With both of her children in grade school, she became intimately aware of how fragile life can be. Even though she is and has been cancer free, the experience was decisively transformational, and serving as a Family Care Advisor responds to what Cindy calls “an internal impulse centered around helping others through troubled times.” She is personable, warm, and empathetic and believes she “has never met a stranger, just a friend I don’t know yet.” She lives by, or as she says – “tries to live by,” Plato’s motto: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
A horse enthusiast who competed in the art and sport of dressage for many years, Cindy loves reading, meditating, practicing yoga, exercising and “just having a good glass of wine together with good conversation.
Email Cindy: cindy.h@amgardens.org.
Vice President of Family Care
Family Care Advisor, Team Lead
Sheila has served families in the Cincinnati area for over 20 years through her passion for helping advance the planning of cemetery and funeral arrangements. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Gary Rutz, and has two beautiful children, Megan and Matthew, and their VERY spoiled Goldendoodles, Ellie and Piper. Sheila grew up in the North College Hill community but now lives in Ross Sheila, and Gary enjoys traveling, boating and spending as much time possible with family and friends.
Brimming with an infectiously positive attitude, Sheila says she believes that in life there is ALWAYS a “positive” in any “negative” situation. She can be contacted directly at Sheila.r@amgardens.org.
Family Care Advisor, Team Lead
Family Care Advisor
Lauren joined Arlington as a Family Care Advisor in February 2018. A native of Cincinnati’s west side, Lauren has always had a passion for helping others in need. As a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, she volunteered for the Cincinnati Public School system as a translator for non-English speaking students. After battling an illness for several years which kept her very limited in physical activity, Lauren found a passion for yoga and spent five weeks in Los Angeles gaining her yoga certification in 2013. She wanted to share yoga and its benefits with those, like her, who needed it the most. Lauren owned a small pet-sitting business while teaching yoga full time. She spent a year as the “Chaos Coordinator” to a former athlete and TV personality and worked as a personal assistant to a family of six. She believes that these valuable experiences encompassed all the skills she needed to thrive at The Arlington Memorial Gardens as a Family Care Advisor.
After experiencing several deaths amongst family and friends, Lauren realized the important role of a caring individual during a family’s time of need. While she enjoyed every previous job, she did not feel like she was doing her life’s work. As a member of the Arlington Team, Lauren knows she has found her purpose in serving others.
When not at Arlington, Lauren enjoys teaching yoga at Modo Yoga, stand-up paddle boarding, and spending time with her dogs, Teddy and Zach. Email Lauren: lauren.c@amgardens.org.
Family Care Advisor
Family Care Advisor
Heather has been with The Arlington Memorial Gardens since 2014 in an administrative role. However, she joined the Family Care Advisor team in 2022 and is looking forward to helping families with preplanning their cemetery and funeral needs and helping those families that have experienced a loss make final arrangements for their loved one. The knowledge she has from her past role at Arlington will certainly help to serve the families she meets.
Originally from the West Side of Cincinnati and growing up mostly in Fairfield, Heather started her career in the travel industry with an airline and then a corporate travel agency at Procter & Gamble. During this time, she moved to White Oak to be a stay-at-home mom, volunteer for various non-profits and raise her 3 fantastic kids: Benjamin, Caleigh & Morgan.
When the kids started leaving the nest, Heather came to Arlington and found a love for the funeral & cemetery business. Helping people has always been a passion of hers and she is looking forward to helping our Arlington families in a different capacity.
Heather tries always to remember – “Before you judge someone, walk a mile in their shoes.” We all have difficulties in our lives and you never know what someone else is going through, so always be kind!
Email Heather: heather.j@amgardens.org.
Family Care Advisor
Family Care Advisor
Stephanie Phelps joined Arlington Memorial Gardens as a member of the Family Care Team in February of 2023. She is a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and went to the University of Kentucky where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics. Stephanie and her daughter reside in Florence, Kentucky.
Stephanie has tenure not only on the cemetery side, but also in the funeral industry. She possesses a strong sense of personal integrity and a drive to help others. Perhaps more than anything, she loves spending time engrossed in meaningful conversation and is and is a firm believer that kind-heartedness is not what you do, but who you are.
Stephanie can be reached at Stephanie.P@amgardens.org
Family Care Advisor
Family Care Advisor
Marcia is a lifelong Westsider and is proud of it! She has raised four amazing sons who have grown into fine young men and enjoys spending as much time with them as possible. Marcia loves to work in her garden, sit out on the deck in the morning with a cup of coffee, and look at the fruits of her labor. Over the years, as an active volunteer at church, school, and in the community, Marcia said “I saw how important it was just to let someone know how much you care. I believe we never know the struggles and hardships faced by those we encounter every day, and there needs to be more caring in our world. Something as simple as a smile or a thank you can bring light into someone’s darkest days.”
A church choir member and cantor for many years going back to high school, Marcia helped plan and then sang at countless funeral services, including her parents. “An only child, I was so grateful for the gift my parents gave me of pre-planning their cemetery and funeral services so that I could focus on myself and my family at the time of such a tremendous loss.” She says the best part of any job she’s ever had has been creating deep and lasting connections with those she serves. Being able to do that every day as part of the Arlington Memorial Gardens family allows her to have a career that she is truly passionate about.
Email Marcia: marcia.r@amgardens.org.
Family Care Advisor
Family Care Advisor
Amy Thie became a member of the Arlington team after nearly a decade of experience in the hospitality industry and over a year of experience serving families at other local cemeteries. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Amy studied in Mexico for a year before attending and graduating from the University of Cincinnati, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish. Residing in North College Hill with her husband and children, she considers herself a “connoisseur of Cincinnati parks and playgrounds.” She’s likely enjoying outdoor activities with her family when she’s not serving others at Arlington.
Amy empathically guides families through their funeral and cemetery journeys while emphasizing information and transparency. She states that “Whenever I meet with a family, my goal is always the same: enhance their understanding of the planning process while providing a warm, competent, safe, and comfortable experience.”
Amy believes that she has found her passion and that her experiences at Arlington continue to deepen her gratitude for life and for other people.
Email Amy: amy.t@amgardens.org
Family Care Advisor
Funeral Director Apprentice
Molly joined the Arlington Memorial Gardens team in February of 2022. She is currently serving as an apprentice to gain her license as a funeral director and embalmer. Molly grew up in Milford, OH with her three sisters and a brother. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash in 2019 with an Associate’s of Applied Science. During this time, she met her husband who she happily married in 2021. In December of 2022, she graduated Summa Cum Laude at the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science with a Bachelors in Mortuary Science. During her time at CCMS, she was a member of the Delta Gamma Pi Sorority. She received the Dr. A.J. Nunnamaker Award for Highest Scholastic Standing and Exemplary Student Citizenship. She is appreciative for the opportunity to help service families and learn more about the funeral industry.
When Molly is not at Arlington, she enjoys painting, drawing, gardening, and spending time with her family, friends, husband, and Jack Russell, Nellie.
Funeral Director Apprentice
Funeral Home Support
Raye Ann Cosby, a life-long resident of Cincinnati, has worked in various positions during her work life but proudly enjoyed a 25-year career at Procter & Gamble before her retirement in 2002.
Following retirement, Raye Ann transitioned to work in death care at several Cincinnati-based funeral homes in various capacities, including Office Manager and Public Relations Manager. Her desire to serve families has been a driving passion after experiencing personal losses and surviving serious health journeys herself. Assisting and being there for others during their loss, pain, and grief is her way of serving and giving back. She has learned from many of what she considers the best death care providers, including the late Reverend Donald H. Jordan, Sr., Founder & Owner of Thompson, Hall, and Jordan Funeral Homes.
As one who believes in constant development and growth, Raye Ann is excited to be a member of The Arlington Funeral Home team.
Funeral Home Support
Comfort & Therapy Support
Teddy is Arlington’s favorite employee. Born February 26, 2019, he was adopted by Arlington Memorial Gardens on April 26, 2019. Teddy is a Goldendoodle. Teddy’s official name is Teddy Bear although he is known as Teddy around the office. His favorite activities are spending time with coworkers and Arlington families as well as waiting for human food to drop on the floor. He is available to the public most days. He spends his evening and weekends with his human mom, Lauren. Email Teddy: teddy@amgardens.org.
Follow Teddy on Instagram and Facebook: @teddy.the.therapy.dog
Comfort & Therapy Support
A seasoned group of professionals, the Leadership Team is responsible for the organization’s daily operations, including the care and maintenance of the grounds, the coordination and management of funeral services, family care, customer relations, marketing, sales and the financial soundness of the company.
President and CEO
Dan Applegate has been with Arlington since 2001 initially serving as Vice President of Family Care until 2002 when the Board of Trustees appointed him as President. He currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer, trustee of the Arlington Cemetery Association’s Board, President of the Arlington Funeral Home, and Chairman of the Arlington Funeral Home Board of Directors.
Applegate served as secretary/treasurer of the Ohio Cemetery Association for several terms and one term as president. He has served a term on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission and is a member of the International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association (ICCFA). He has earned the designation as a Certified Cremation Specialist through the Cremation Association of North America (CANA). He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Colerain Chamber of Commerce.
President and CEO
Senior Vice President
Ann Meyer has been with The Arlington Memorial Gardens since 1980 serving in various positions. She has watched and assisted in the development of the grounds and services as Arlington transitioned into the Tri-State’s best full-service cemetery, funeral home and celebration of life center.
Ann is currently serving a 3-year term as a Commissioner on the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission. The nine-person commission operates under Ohio’s Department of Commerce and is charged with resolving disputes between cemeteries and consumers or referring cases to the Ohio Attorney General for possible violations of the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act or a local prosecutor for possible violations of certain cemetery laws.
Ann grew up in Springfield Township where she attended Finneytown High School and is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration. In her spare time, she enjoys following the Reds and the Bengals as well as traveling, cooking for groups of people and listening to music.
Senior Vice President
Vice President of Family Care
Cindy Hargrove (formerly Cindy Maril) joined The Arlington Memorial Gardens as a member of the Family Care Team in January 2013. A native of Oklahoma, she and her family lived in Chicago for twelve years before relocating to Cincinnati. She was educated at the University of Central Oklahoma‘s School of Business and was a small business owner while living in Chicago.
Cindy’s passion and commitment to those seeking Arlington’s service arise from her brush with breast cancer at the age of forty. With both of her children in grade school, she became intimately aware of how fragile life can be. Even though she is and has been cancer free, the experience was decisively transformational, and serving as a Family Care Advisor responds to what Cindy calls “an internal impulse centered around helping others through troubled times.” She is personable, warm, and empathetic and believes she “has never met a stranger, just a friend I don’t know yet.” She lives by, or as she says – “tries to live by,” Plato’s motto: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
A horse enthusiast who competed in the art and sport of dressage for many years, Cindy loves reading, meditating, practicing yoga, exercising and “just having a good glass of wine together with good conversation.
Email Cindy: cindy.h@amgardens.org.
Vice President of Family Care
Managing Funeral Director & Celebrant
Sara Underhill is a first-generation funeral director and certified funeral Celebrant and was born and raised in Cincinnati. She attended St. Mary’s in Hyde Park for grade school, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Anderson High School. Sara graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the College of Arts and Sciences and then attended the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. She graduated from CCMS Summa Cum Laude in the Spring of 2011 and was the recipient of the Ivan P. Bowsher Award for “outstanding achievement in the combined theory and practice of Restorative Arts”, and the Ohio Funeral Directors Association’s Leadership Award. Following graduation, Sara completed her apprenticeship in Toledo and Defiance, Ohio. She spent 5 years as a licensed funeral director and embalmer in Defiance where she had the opportunity to serve for three years as the President and Treasurer of Ohio Funeral Directors Association, District One.
Sara relocated back to Cincinnati in 2016 and served families through Spring Grove Funeral Homes until 2020 when she joined The Arlington Memorial Gardens Funeral Home. Sara and her family live on the Westside of Cincinnati, in Cheviot.
Email Sara: sara.u@amgfuneralhome.com.
Managing Funeral Director & Celebrant
Director of Customer Experience
Lisa McClain joined Arlington in 2014 as an Administrative Team Member after years in a Customer Service position. She is currently the Director of Customer Experience which includes planning and overseeing the Community Events held on the Arlington Campus as well as participating in events throughout the Tri-State area. Lisa works across the entire Arlington organization to ensure that families and visitors experience excellence in their interactions with Arlington.
Lisa is a member of the International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association (ICCFA) and has graduated from the four-year University Program as a Certified Crematory Administrator, Certified Cremation Arranger, and Certified Crematory Operator. She has also earned the designation as a Certified Cremation Specialist through the Cremation Association of North America (CANA).
Lisa knew she had found her second “home” when she came to Arlington and is grateful for the opportunity to support our families and visitors in any way she can.
Director of Customer Experience
Superintendent of Interment Services and Grounds
Jim began his career in death care in 1995 at St. Stephen’s Cemetery in Hamilton, initially as a member of the grounds team working as a string trimmer, mower operator, assisting with committal service set-ups and most other maintenance tasks that are commonly associated with cemetery maintenance work. Very quickly, his interest and abilities converged, and he became a back-hoe operator. In May of 2000, Jim joined the Arlington team as the primary back-hoe operator where he led the Interment Team for well over 900 burials per year. In 2014, Jim became the Grounds Superintendent, which continues to present new challenges and opportunities but “he enjoys coming to work every day.” With the opening of the funeral home in 2020, Jim became a Certified Cremation Operator. He enjoys working at Arlington and states that he looks forward to the next chapter of his Arlington career!
Superintendent of Interment Services and Grounds
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