BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Family funeral home
changes with the times
The business of the community’s funeral needs is kept all in the family for, from left, Quinn Haisley-Wheeler, Rick Haisley, Jimmie Anne Haisley and Lee
Anne Haisley-Verdegem.
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PHOTOS BY ED DRONDOSKI
Business expands despite trend
toward corporate ownership
BY JERRY SHAW
Family and community have always played important
roles in running the Haisley Funeral and Cremation
Service. Perhaps that’s why, for more than 40 years,
the family business has served local residents despite
a growing trend toward corporate ownership.
“All of our family have a strong desire to give back to the
community,” said Rick Haisley, who with his wife, Jimmie
Anne, keeps it all in the family when guiding the lives of others
through difficult times.
Haisley is owner and director of the funeral home as well
as president of Riverview Memorial Park and Treasure Coast
Monuments. His wife joined the business after retiring six
years ago from a long career at Indian River State College.
She is co-owner and general agent.
Their daughters, who were raised and educated in the area,
are also committed to the family business. Quinn Haisley-
Wheeler is operations manager and Lee Anne Haisley-Verdegem
is office manager.
The staff of 12 includes managing partner Brian Bonar, who
is vice president of Port St. Lucie operations. The Haisley
Funeral & Cremation Service Tribute Center in Port St. Lucie
is the newest addition to the Haisley business.
The Haisley expansion of the family business bucks a
growing trend toward consolidation in the $16 billion-a-year
funeral industry, with large corporations such as SCI and
Stewart Enterprises growing their market shares yearly.
Rick started the business in 1973 with partner Claude
Hobbs, a partnership that lasted 26 years. The first build-
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