Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home | Serving Central Oregon






Meet Our Team:
Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home
Dana O. Fritz
Funeral Director/Embalmer

Funeral Service has always been a calling for me, even as a young child, it is the only thing that I ever wanted to do.  I learned early on of the meaning and tradition of bringing families together to honor their loved ones.

I grew up in a small town in Minnesota.  After graduation I attended the University of Minnesota where I graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Mortuary Science.  Following graduation I had the opportunity of working in both the small family owned funeral home as well as a large firm setting.  Though my heart has always been in funeral service I wanted to find more ways to help families during their great loss and I found that in donation services.  I was privileged to watch families see beyond their grief and give to others through both whole body and organ and tissue donation.  I was honored to lead a team in recoveries for transplantations.  Donation services was one of the most rewarding things I have done, however, funeral service is my passion.  In February of 2008 I relocated to Bend where I began managing a funeral home and crematory.  I recently joined the Daniel Family Group and am very excited about this new career opportunity and look forward to becoming more active in my new community.

In my free time, I enjoy participating in any sport that involves water, watching movies, spending time with friends, and more than anything, the warmth of family.


Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home
Carl Michael Keating
First Responder/Cemetery Sexton

Carl became part of our team in early 2002.  He started his duties as the Deschutes Memorial Garden and Chapel Cemetarian, handling the details of burials and so much more.  He is now in charge of all cemeteries in our area except the city owned Pilot Butte Cemetery.  His sensitivity to people in need has proven to be so powerful, folks started to ask that Carl be sent to their homes to lend support at that all important - time of death.  His presence is calming – He is our first responder.

Carl grew up in Corvallis and attended Corvallis High School (class of 1982). He then moved to Bend from Lebanon Oregon in 2001. Carl has 7 children and 3 grandchildren.

Carl enjoys hunting with his boys throughout Oregon, and although busy, Carl likes decking out his home (The Doll House) for Halloween. In his spare time, he takes time for fishing and camping at every opportunity.


Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home
Richard Van Deusen
Funeral Director/Embalmer

Dick is a native Oregonian and a graduate of Oregon State University, (B.S. Degree). He is also a graduate of San Francisco College of Mortuary Science, (A.S. Degree).  He returned to Central Oregon 13 years ago.  Dick has worked as a licensed mortician in Idaho, California, and Oregon.  He is also a licensed pre-need funeral plan provider and serves our community in this capacity at Niswonger Reynolds.

Working for many years in a family owned and operated mortuary in San Francisco, Dick finally decided to find the good life in Bend, Oregon.  He is a member of the Elks lodge and attends the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.  Dick and his wife have 5 grown children, and enjoy their 7 grandchildren as often as they can.


Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home
Glenda Downs
Administrative Assistant, Part-time

Glenda started to work for Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds at Niswonger-Reynolds as a teenager in the 1960s.  She started as the organist, flower car and pallbearer driver.  "Funerals have changed tremendously in that time period – there are so many options that families have today that were not even considered 40 years ago," Glenda observes.

She attended Oregon State University on a music scholarship and attended Central Oregon Community College, where she received her Accounting Certificate.  Glenda worked as an Accounting Assistant, an Accounts Analyst and an Accounting Coordinator, before retiring in 2001.

"Four years into retirement, I realized that there was more that I wanted and needed to do with my life and career.  So after a few months, I applied and was granted a Funeral Director Apprentice License.  I’ve so enjoyed my years with Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home.  Every one of our families is treated with the utmost care, respect and honor – and every one of our families is treated with the same loving hand."

In addition to her work at Niswonger-Reynolds, she also directs the Chancel Choir of the United Methodist Church.  Glenda says, "I’m able to do two things that I hold dear – work in music and work with people!".

Glenda is married to Tom, who is the longest practicing funeral director (30 years) in Central Oregon.  They have a blended family of five children, seven grandchildren, one sweet Shih Tzu puppy, Emmy, and their home is always abuzz with activity.  "We are truly blessed with work we love, family who we love and love us – Life is Good.".


Caroline Ertz
Bookkeeper

Caroline's duties include accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll and taxes.

She earned her BA from Franklin & Marshall College.  Caroline has been a bookkeeper for over 20 years in environments ranging from an Architecture Firm to a Veterinary Hospital, joining Niswonger Reynolds through Dawna and Jerome in April, 2004.

She and her husband Greg fell in love with Bend while here on vacation in 1999.  "We moved here in 2001 to escape the east coast and never looked back.  Our children – Lily and Jared - have four legs and fur and share our love of this beautiful part of the country.  We enjoy hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.  I still find myself coming home from local shopping, looking at the mountains and can’t believe we really live here.  I love the juniper scented air, especially after it rains."


Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home
Pat Wibel
Administrative Assistant

Patricia Ann (Pat) Wibel has been with Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home, Bend since 2002 as an administrative assistant supporting the funeral directors with the clerical work, using her calligraphy skills when requested and serving the families as needed.  She currently is semi-retired and supports office staff using her office skills and experience.

Pat, her husband, Mike and 3 children Jennifer, Mike and Julie moved to Bend from Lynwood, California in 1975.  Pat and her husband have been active at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and community volunteers during those years.  This year they will celebrate their 42nd wedding anniversary.

Her husband opened an auto parts store which specialized in foreign car parts.  Pat supported her husband in the business by waiting counter and keeping the books.  When the store closed after eleven years, she worked at COCC for several years and then worked at the original Century 21 office for twelve years before joining Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home.

Pat's main interests are spending time with her husband, children, five grandchildren and her little dog, Billy, reading, gardening and doing the various arts and crafts skills she has learned.


Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home
Jerome and Dawna Daniel
Principals

Jerome and Dawna Daniel are passionate about maintaining a standard of excellence in Funeral Service for our High Desert Communities, including Christmas Valley, Fort Rock, La Pine, Gilchrist, Bend, Sisters and Redmond.

Jerome is a 4th generation Funeral Director and Embalmer, whose great grand father started one of the first "Funeral Parlors" in Minnesota.  Dawna has been working as a Funeral Director since 1993.

Jerome attended the University of Minnesota and graduated from San Francisco College of Mortuary Science.  Dawna earned her BS in Family and Consumer Studies from the University of Utah.

Jerome is currently serving on the Oregon Funeral Directors Association Board, a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church a member of the Bend Elks and a past member and Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary.  Dawna is currently a member of Quota of Central Oregon and both are members of the local Chamber of Commerce and contribute to many local charities and organizations.  They have been principals, owners and operators of 9 mortuaries, 5 cemeteries and 4 crematoriums over the span of their careers.

They have been blessed with 3 children and believe that family, immediate and extended, are the most treasured thing in life.  They feel privileged to live and work in Bend where they enjoy all the outdoor activities that Bend has to offer, especially snow and water sports.


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