Cathie Meador Thomas

President

I joined the John M. Oakey & Son family after the death of my father, Smyth Meador, in 2009. Over the years, I have experienced many special times with my father at the funeral home. Like him, I am proud and honored to be a part of the John M. Oakey & Son family. I see firsthand the sincere love and compassion that our staff shares with our families and our community. Having lost both of my parents, I know the importance of having that special attention during the most difficult of times.

I was born and raised in Salem, Virginia and graduated from Andrew Lewis High School. I attended Radford University and earned my bachelor’s degree in Social Work. I am blessed with a wonderful family: my husband Jeff, daughter Meaghan, son Mitch and his wife Erica, and I am proud to say that I became a “nana” to a precious grandson, Jeffrey, this year.

We raised our family in Charlottesville, Virginia. For several years after my father’s passing, I learned quite a bit about living the life of a farmer on my parents’ cattle farm in Moneta. I currently reside at Smith Mountain Lake and in addition to spending time with my family and friends, I enjoy camping, hiking, reading, music, and golf.

It is wonderful to be back in Salem. I have many fond memories and it is so nice to be “back home”.

Dave Vanderpool

Manager/Funeral Service Licensee

Dave has served families at John M. Oakey & Son since 2002. He was born in Waynesboro, Virginia, and moved to Salem with his parents when he was just 2 weeks old. He graduated from Salem High School in 1990, earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Religion from Southern Wesleyan University in 1994, and received an ordination certificate from The Wesleyan Church in 1996. Dave served as a full-time assistant pastor for eight years. During his ministry, however, Dave pondered over his passion for funeral service that began even as a teenager. It was in 2002 that Dave began directing his compassion toward funeral service and joined the John M. Oakey & Son staff as a resident trainee. He studied mortuary science at John Tyler Community College, was awarded an Associate in Applied Science Degree with a major in Funeral Services in 2005, and received his funeral director's license in February of 2006. Dave thoroughly enjoys all aspects of funeral service and considers his involvement in it not as an occupation but as a calling. He and his wife, Kim, together have 3 beautiful children, Jillian, Dawson, and Iliana. He is a member of the Salem Kiwanis Club, the National Funeral Directors’ Association, former President of the Blue Ridge Funeral Directors Association, and current member-at-large and chaplain on the Virginia Funeral Directors Association board. Dave enjoys, camping, hiking, reading, writing, and traveling in his spare time.

Jeff Wolfe

Funeral Service Licensee

Born in Marion, Va. to Darlene and the late Jefferson D. Wolfe, Sr., Jeff grew up in funeral service as his father was employed at a local family firm. Following in his footsteps, Jeff also became employed at this same firm during his senior year of high school where his interest and desire for funeral service began. Men like his father such as Ken Sheets, Malcolm Brown, Jr., Malcolm “Mal” Brown, III, as well as others beyond planted the seeds that helped mold Jeff into the director and embalmer he is today. For that, he is forever grateful.

Jeff has a young daughter, Emma Faith Wolfe, who gave him a new meaning for life. His family circle, including his work family, has also played an especially important role as it was their support that encouraged him to follow this calling on his life. Jeff genuinely loves funeral service and the ministry in which it enables him to have. For those Jeff serves, he is thankful!

Jonathan Stilwell

Funeral Service Licensee

Jonathan joined John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home in January of 2018. A lifelong Virginia resident, Jonathan joins us from Tazewell, Virginia. A 2014 graduate of Tazewell High School, Jonathan attained his Associates of Science in Funeral Service from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Atlanta, Georgia in 2017. You’ll often find Jonathan at the keyboard of a piano or wrangling a group of people together to sing. Jonathan states often that serving our community is his greatest joy. He resides in Salem with his dogs Beau and Sophie.

Russ Teffner

Funeral Service Licensee / JMOS Director Emeritus

Russ is a native of Warren, Ohio and has been involved in funeral service since he was a young teenager. He attended Kent State University and graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, where he served as President of his graduating class. He is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in both Virginia and North Carolina. Prior to locating to the Salem area to join the John M. Oakey & Son family, he served as District Director of the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association and was active in the Hendersonville Kiwanis Club. Russ and his wife Debbie are proud parents of two fine young men, Travis and Brandon. In his spare time, Russ enjoys golf, NASCAR racing, collecting Presidential Memorabilia and spending time with family and friends. Russ is also a member of Taylor Lodge #23. He is proud to be a member of our community and in providing the superior funeral service that John M. Oakey & Son has been renown for.

Candy Long

Funeral Service Intern

Candy's bio will appear here shortly.

Sara Lewis

Funeral Service Intern

Sara's bio will appear here shortly.

Lynn Deel

Business Office Coordinator

Lynn has worked at the funeral home as the business office bookkeeper since 2004. She is a lifelong Roanoke Valley resident, graduating from Cave Spring High School in 1984 and Roanoke College in 1988. She brings with her over 19 years of customer service experience and a devotion to making sure that our customers receive the best of care and the extra help they need with financial details during a difficult time. In her spare time, she is an avid computer tinkerer and animal/pet rescue advocate. She enjoys hiking, reading, home improvement and spending time with her family.

Kaitlin Litz

Office Assistant

Kaitlin joined our staff in 2010. Her full bio will appear here shortly.

Lexie Long

Office Assistant

Debbie Neff

Receptionist

Debbie's bio will appear here shortly.

Randy Gleason

Funeral Service Ambassador

Randy has been a lifelong resident of Salem . He attended Salem schools and graduated from Fork Union Military Academy in 1970, and earned a B A degree in English from the Virginia Military Institute in 1974. Randy served in the U. S. Army Reserves for many years. Randy began working at John M. Oakey & Son in February 2010 after a long career in the cemetery business. During his career in the cemetery business, Randy served as President of the Virginia Cemetery Association, President of the Southern Cemetery and Funeral Association and is a Past Chairman of the Cemetery Board in Richmond , VA. Randy will be working with families in the Aftercare program. Randy is married to Martha McDearmon and he has three children. He is a member of the Salem Baptist Church and the Salem Kiwanis Club. He enjoys hiking, fishing, reading and spending time with his family.

Regina Meredith

Care Coordinator

Regina is a former English teacher, Special Education teacher, and school counselor. During her career she worked in Carroll, Roanoke, and Montgomery counties before retiring from Salem High School in June 2018. She enjoys reading, crafting, cooking, and traveling. On warm days she loves the outdoors. She enjoys meeting and serving families as the Aftercare Coordinator and is happy to back in the Salem community.

Lexy Kantrowitz

Roanoke College Student Intern

Steve Bolton

Service Attendant

Steve was born and raised in Botetourt County, and graduated from Lord Botetourt High School. After attending Virginia Western Community College, he worked in his family business, Fincastle Motor Company, until it closed in 1994. He then worked at Dominion Dodge until he retired in 2012. He enjoys Virginia Tech sports and tinkering with his corvette. He is married to his lovely wife, Laura.

Laura Bolton

Visitation Attendant

Laura was born and raised in Roanoke. She graduated from Cave Spring High School. For college, she graduated from Longwood College and later got her Masters Degree from Virginia Tech. She retired from teaching at Salem High School. She attends St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and enjoys volunteering at the Clothes Closet at her church. She’s married to Steve Bolton who also works at John M. Oakey & Son. She loves all of her co-workers at JMOS and also loves greeting families when they come in to visit.

Richard Carr

Service Attendant

Corwin Casey

Service Attendant

Kelley Clark

Visitation Attendant

Kelley's bio will appear here shortly.

Rev. Tom Clark

Chaplain / Service Attendant

Tom's bio will appear here shortly.

Dan Faris

Service Attendant

Susan Gardner

Visitation Attendant

Susan's bio will appear here shortly.

David Gibson

Service Attendant

David was born on the funeral home’s property back in 1967. He went to Glenvar and Salem High Schools and graduated in 1979. He then joined the United States Navy and served close to 25 years. He retired from the Navy in 2003, and moved back to Salem. He has worked at various places in the Roanoke Valley. He joined the JMO staff in 2014, but has been associated with funeral service his entire life because his dad worked at John M. Oakey & Son and then Lotz in Salem for 50 years.

Joyce Harvey

Visitation Attendant

Linda Johnson

Visitation Attendant

Linda has worked part-time at the funeral home since 2003. She feels that being a part of the John M. Oakey & Son family has given her the opportunity to serve the people of the community in a caring and compassionate manner. Linda was born in Tazewell County and has been a resident of the Roanoke Valley since 1972. She has served on the staff of several area churches. Linda lives in Salem and is blessed with two daughters and three grandsons.

Rev. Roy Kanode

Chaplain / Service Attendant

Roy's bio will appear here shortly.

Preston Lewis

Service Attendant

Sonny McNeill

Service Attendant

Sonny's bio will appear here shortly.

Rev. Ben Mewald

Chaplain / Service Attendant

Ben's bio will appear here shortly.

Rev. Steve Parker

Chaplain / Service Attendant

Steve's bio will appear here shortly.

Nora Parsons

Visitation Attendant

Nora's bio will appear here shortly.

Jim Pruitt

Visitation Attendant

Jim came to work at the funeral home in January 2003 and hopes to be working here after retirement. He enjoys talking to family and friends during visitations. In his words, “You get an idea of what the person was like…and people who come from another state are amazed at our city and funeral home. Here, we show compassion and concern, and people like that…at a time of loss, they need that.” Jim has been employed by the City of Salem Police Department for 16 years. He was born May 28, 1966 in Jacksonville , N.C. , home to a military base, the sixth of ten children. In 1984, he graduated from Glenvar High School . He has 3 daughters: Nina, a rising senior at Glenvar; Debra, who went to Heaven and Ashley, a rising freshman at Glenvar. He enjoys collecting antique farm equipment, anything John Deer and coffee mugs.

June Robinette

Visitation Attendant

June Robinette has worked part time for John M. Oakey and Son for over fourteen years. She is a member of West Salem Baptist Church and works for the City of Salem Schools as a bus driver with over twenty four years service. June enjoys spending time with her family and her twelve grandchildren. She brings a high degree of caring and comfort to the families she serves here at the funeral home.

Euna Spence

Visitation Attendant

Euna has been with John M Oakey & Son since February, 2016. She is married to Sherwood Spence, a retired pastor. They owned/ operated Spence's Christian Book Store in Roanoke for over twenty-seven years and Spence's Wedding Chapel in Roanoke and Salem.

Euna retired from Lewis Gale Medical Center in Salem, in the ER as registrar.

Euna and her husband live in Salem and have two sons, a daughter-in-law, two granddaughters, one grandson and another grandson who is in heaven. They also have a great grandson.

Euna's passion is to help people who are hurting and being a part of John M Oakey & Son gives her the opportunity to serve in that capacity.

Ron Vanderpool

Service Attendant

Ron's bio will appear here shortly.

Susie Vanderpool

Visitation Attendant

Susie's bio will appear here shortly.

Rev. Don Woodard

Chaplain / Service Attendant

Don's bio will appear here shortly.