Ronald Graeff Gives Classification Talk

On November 6, 2008, Ron Graeff delivered his classification speech at our club’s lunch meeting. Ron was born and raised in Zion, Illinois and had an older brother and a younger sister. Ron’s childhood memories include participation in scouts, sports and music. In 1975, Ron attended William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri and during his sophomore year developed an interest in becoming a funeral director/embalmer. He then worked in a funeral home to gain experience, and attended the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.

After graduation in 1976, Ron began working in the death care industry at D.W. Newcomers Sons in Kansas City. He soon met his wife Debbie and they we were married in 1979. However, after a few years, there didn’t appear to be a solid future of growth and opportunity so, with Debbie 7 months pregnant, Ron interviewed for a position with Service Corporation International. SCI is the largest owner of funeral homes and cemeteries in North American. In 1982, Ron accepted a position with SCI in Houston. Since 1982, Ron’s job has taken the family from Houston to San Antonio (where his second son, Benjamin was born), to Kansas City, and, in 1993, the Chicago area.

During his career with SCI, Ron has held a variety of positions from managing single funeral home facilities to managing funeral and cemetery operations in a six state area. In 1995, to avoid extended business travel, Ron accepted the opportunity to manage Chapel Hill Gardens Cemetery in Oakbrook Terrace, which was his first experience managing the day-to-day operations of a cemetery, but it provided great stability for a family with two boys and all of the sports and different events that are involved. Perhaps the highlight of Ron’s experience as a parent came in 2001 when his son Ben played on the Illinois Mitsubishi/McDonalds 14 yr old All Star baseball team. Ron’s family traveled with the team to Havana, Cuba to play Cuba’s 14 yr. old national team, and spent a week playing and touring the country.

Since 1998, Ron has been managing Memory Gardens Cemetery in his position with SCI. In his position, he serves families at the time of a loss, and also assists families with pre-planning and arranging for their services in the future. SCI has initiated the Homeless Veterans Burial Program, which provides full service burial at no cost in federal cemeteries. SCI is also involved in the Public Servant Program, which provides reduced and no cost services to police, fire and EMT employees. Memory Gardens is a perpetual care cemetery, which means that a portion of the fee paid is directed to a third party fund that is charged with the perpetual care of the cemetery. Cemeteries, including Memory Gardens, are utilizing their land more efficiently, through the development of community mausoleums, double depth lawn crypt sections and cremation gardens. Memory Gardens currently has approximately an 11-year supply of available spaces, without any more development. There is also approximately 10 acres of undeveloped land in the cemetery.

Ron can be reached at (847)255-1010 or Ronald.graeff@sci-us.com.