Meet our Directors

		Brad Billings Licensed Funeral Director "Since 1950, the Billings family has served the greater Elkhart community in a number of care giving capacities. Today at Billings Funeral Home, our vision for our future is to continue to build lasting relationships with our customers. My favorite part of my job is meeting with families. It is humbling to hear them tell us that we’ve done a great job, because it means we are living our vision. I feel great coming to work every day. From the smallest detail to the most extravagant, I like to involve families in the process and educate them on the variety of services we offer. I want Billings to be known for being fair, honest, and having a can-do attitude of serving families. There is nothing that we won’t do to go the extra mile in providing service and taking care of things. These are the advantages of coming to us. We provide the best service because we treat you as we would our own family."
		Beryl Billings Office Manager "As a member of the Billings family, I consider it a privilege to serve our community and customers by providing services that are unique in this area. It is important to me that we be sincere and compassionate to each person who walks through our door. Above all, you are treated like family. When you come to Billings you will find people who genuinely care and who welcome you into “our” home. Your loved one’s uniqueness and personality is celebrated in death, as in life. Our goal is to exceed your expectations by taking care of the many details and ensuring that everything runs smoothly. Whether you are coming to us at your time of need or for advance planning, we do not attempt to oversell services. We focus on integrity and establishing a level of trust and comfort that is exceptional, while offering reasonable prices for the celebration of you or your loved one’s life in a unique and personalized manner."
		Jo Johnston Licensed Funeral Director "What Billings does is more than just a business. First and foremost we care about families. I am a regular person who is blessed to be in a position to serve. I am open, caring, and compassionate, and like to give hope to families who are concerned about the cost of a service or the presentation of their loved one. I am always captured by the beauty and dignity of each person’s life. Funeral homes must adapt to changes yet face the realities of death, and Billings does so by providing a menu of services with a variety of options and prices with a no-pressure approach. Regardless of your faith or religion, level of income, or heritage; you will be surprised at how easy and achievable a personalized service can be. These are some of the reasons I feel that Billings provides the best customer care in the area. We consider you as our own family and will meet you at whatever level you are to celebrate your loved one’s life in a way that is unique to him or her."
		Toni Frank Family Service Advisor "I have always considered working in a funeral home as more of a calling than a career. I welcomed the opportunity to be a Family Service Advisor because I love people and it allows me to help others with difficult choices. It is very fulfilling to know that those I help with pre-arrangements are easing tough decisions for their family members and finding peace of mind for themselves. I want every family I counsel to be educated by the pre-planning process and to feel relieved that they have lifted an emotional and financial burden from their loved ones. Preplanning is a wise and responsible decision, just like retirement or estate planning. I believe life is not what you leave behind or what is engraved on a stone monument. It’s the memories woven into the lives of others. At Billings, those memories are embraced by celebrating and commemorating ones life and journey."
		Sherrie Leonard After Care Specialist As the Aftercare Specialist, I feel privileged to be able to reach out to families about two weeks after a funeral or memorial service. Billings Funeral Home is anxious to show each family that we continue to think of them and want to provide additional assistance after a service. During a personal visit, I am able to provide grief support materials to families, determine if there are needs we might fulfill, and answer any questions they might have. The aftercare program allows me to support families after their loss and educate families on the additional services Billings provides. Comments from families help us evaluate how our services, facilities and staff can continue to serve families better. I am proud to be affiliated with Billings Funeral Home where serving families during a time of need includes aftercare support and assistance. Our aftercare program is a very unique and special service.
		Melanie Fabian Funeral Director Intern Melanie Fabian, fresh out of Ivy Tech from its East Chicago campus, serves our funeral home in the capacity of Funeral Director Intern. This required year of hands-on training includes experience in all areas: preparing case reports, death certificates, burial permits, and veteran certificates, holding on-call status, embalming, visitation planning, church hosting, cemetery duties, as well as driving the coach to and from death calls accompanied by one of our three Funeral Directors. She first became interested in pursuing a career in the funeral business when she saw a television program on the History Channel focusing on cremation. With a grandfather employed at Ivy Tech in the Gary region, she was able to gather pertinent information about the new two year program and enroll upon high school graduation. Melanie’s apprenticeship began after passing her National Boards with the ultimate goal of passing State Boards to one day receive her Director’s License. We feel fortunate to have this enthusiastic, smart-as-a-whip graduate providing such competency in all director areas of our family run business.
		Tony Cinelli Funeral Associate Tony Cinelli, an Elkhart fireman of 25 years and native to this city, graciously joins our staff during the Indian days of summer 2008. Brad Billings says of his long-time friend, “Tony’s compassion for others will serve him well as an associate in our company.” Mr. Cinelli knows first-hand what people go through when dealing with a loss of a loved one; he sadly lost both parents and a sister, stating, “God took care of me all these years, now I have the chance to be there for others.” In the past, he worked at Billings part-time and has since decided to return in a full-time position. His roll includes what he loves to do – talk to people. He’ll lend that important listening ear when family members reminisce about good times, funny times, and joyful milestones as they honor the memory of their loved one. “Billings Funeral Home is sensitive to the family through respect and care of the deceased (even when family isn’t around), and the employees are a close-knit group all on the same page when it comes to service,” states Tony. He knows not all funeral homes are alike. He believes Billings Funeral Home to be very special.