The knowledgeable staff of Laurel Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park are passionate about providing families guidance and support during the funeral planning process as well as long after the funeral. Together, we can honor your loved one’s life while beginning your grief journey.


Emily Bearden

President & CEO

  

I am honored to follow in the footsteps of my father (the late Hugh G. Bearden II) and grandparents (the late Hugh G. Bearden and Maxine Bearden) by serving families in the DFW metroplex at their time of need. My family has a long-standing history of helping families in the area honor their loved ones through pre-need and at-need funeral services and celebrations of life. I strive to perpetuate my father's legacy of providing individuals with the support they need during their toughest times.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

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Dean Barker General Manager
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Shannon Bunch Funeral Director
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Morgan Jaramillo Funeral Director/Embalmer
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Carmen Perales Funeral Director/Provisional Embalmer
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Robert Stephens Funeral Director
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Brock Grone Funeral Director / Embalmer
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Jennifer Rankin Office Manager
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Irene Rodriguez Receptionist
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Martin Plata Family Service Counselor
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Patty Barker Preneed Specialist
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Gilbert Escamilla Funeral Assistant
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Linda Farris Funeral Assistant
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Thomas Jackson Funeral Assistant
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Lidia Keith Funeral Assistant
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Octavio Sepulveda Funeral Assistant
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Gabriela White Funeral Assistant
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Erick Thompson Embalmer
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Mirian Centeno Domestic Engineer
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Vicente Alonso Park Superintendent
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Jose Chajon Park Staff
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Luis Chajon Park Staff
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Benjamin Esequen Park Staff
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Rafael Hernandez Park Staff
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Alex Patzan Xetey Park Staff
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Juan Rodriguez Park Staff
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Teofilo Sec Park Staff
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Eliecer Xetey Park Staff

Dean Barker

General Manager
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I have been in the funeral industry for over 40 years and the highlight of my career is the opportunity to be general manager here at Laurel Oaks.  Our goal is to provide the highest of professionalism and standards expected by the families we serve. I owe all the credit to every employee and their effort for us to be successful.  I am a graduate of the University of Iowa and the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service.  I was honored to serve our country with the army during the Vietnam War at the US Mortuary in Saigon, Vietnam.  I am a member of the Rotary Club of Mesquite.  My wife, Patty, and I live in Sunnyvale and have 2 wonderful children and 4 terrific grandchildren.  I enjoy “escaping” with my piano playing and working in my yard.

Shannon Bunch

Funeral Director
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I was born and raised in Barbourville, KY where I grew up singing and playing the piano in local churches.  As I continued pursuing a music career I also worked as a funeral attendant in my hometown for several years.  While I still travels nationally as a gospel music recording artist I am currently enrolled in Amarillo College Mortuary Program where I will receive my funeral director’s certificate in 2021.  I’m honored to be an employee at Laurel Oaks Funeral Home .  I love the families we serve.  I strive each day to share God’s love and compassion to those who are experiencing the loss of a loved one. 

Morgan Jaramillo

Funeral Director/Embalmer
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Carmen Perales

Funeral Director/Provisional Embalmer
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I was born in Tampico, Tamps., Mexico and raised in Dallas, Texas. I received a bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of North Texas in 2005. I worked for a nonprofit law firm for twelve years before changing career paths. I graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in September 2020. I am a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Dallas 44 Lodge. I rediscovered my passion for helping others while working at Laurel Oaks. I love serving families in our community and being able to provide a sense of comfort during their difficult times. In my spare time, I love traveling with my husband and spending time with family, friends and our two small fur babies, Rumi and Vera.

Robert Stephens

Funeral Director
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I was born and raised in Big Spring, Texas and am now a happy resident of Fate, Texas. I graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 1985. After graduating, I spent seventeen years at Johnson Funeral Home in San Angelo, Texas. I moved to the Dallas area in 2003 with my wonderful family. My wife Cindy and I have been married for 39 years. Together, we have four children and six grandchildren. We enjoy spending time with family and friends, going to the movies, and NBA basketball - Go Spurs! Working at Laurel Oaks feels more like spending time with family than working. I love the families we serve and the people I work with. I hope to spend the rest of my career here and maybe even work part-time when retirement comes my way.

Brock Grone

Funeral Director / Embalmer
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Hello, I'm Brock Grone and I have been affiliated with Laurel Oaks Funeral Home since 2006, and have worked in the funeral industry since 2002. I am a graduate of York College of Nebraska and Dallas Institute of Funeral Service. Laurel Oaks is an institution that provides a high quality of service for which families of loved ones can feel confident. In my spare time, I enjoy John Deere tractors and rooting on the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Go Big Red!

Jennifer Rankin

Office Manager
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I grew up in Elmo, TX and attended Wills Point schools. I currently live in Forney, TX. I enjoy working at Laurel Oaks because the staff is like family. I have 2 daughters, Jaden who attends UTA and Jersey who is a senior at North Forney High School. I enjoy spending time with my kids and traveling with my friends.

Irene Rodriguez

Receptionist
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I was born and raised here in Dallas, Texas. I am the proud daughter of a U.S. Navy veteran who served in the Korean War. In 1985, I married and now have five loving adult children and am a grandmother of eleven grandchildren and three great-granddaughters. At Laurel Oaks, I am the bilingual Funeral Home receptionist and I truly enjoy my work here very much. 

After losing my son in 2019 and my father shortly thereafter, I lost all confidence, but God has given me peace and comfort since coming here to Laurel Oaks Funeral Home, knowing I’m not alone in my pain. I look forward to contributing my best service for many years ahead, as it is an honor to serve the families and a blessing to help others in the time of the loss of a loved one - 2 Corinthians 1:3-8.

Outside of work, I enjoy peaceful quiet time with God and seek Him at my every opportunity. I also enjoy the outdoors: camping, traveling, gardening, not to mention cooking, watching football - Go Cowboys! - and, most importantly, spending time with my family.

Martin Plata

Family Service Counselor
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I was raised in Palm Springs, California and recently moved to Grand Prairie, Texas. I attended Orange County Mortuary School in Anaheim, California. I spent five years working at funeral homes in my hometown, the most recent being Wiefel's Funeral Home. I moved to Texas in early 2023 with my wonderful family. Working at Laurel Oaks has been a great experience. I love serving families and helping them memorialize their loved ones through a headstone or monument. I am looking forward to continuing to serve our community and make a difference in someone's life during their most important time of need.

Patty Barker

Preneed Specialist
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After retiring as an elementary school teacher, I have spent the last 25 years helping families with their preneed planning here at Laurel Oaks. To me, this opportunity has been so self-rewarding. Making funeral and cemetery choices in advance are some of the most important decisions we make in our lifetime and I feel so honored to be able to help families with their decision making. I am a graduate of Midwestern University in Wichita Falls, TX. My husband is Dean Barker and we live in Sunnyvale, TX. We are so blessed to have two wonderful children and four very special grandchildren.

Gilbert Escamilla

Funeral Assistant
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I was born in Dallas, Texas on January 2, 1943 as the third of seven children and have spent my life in Dallas. I graduated from North Dallas High School in 1963. After high school, I went to work in tailoring until 1973, when I changed careers and went to work with Western Electric, AT&T, and Lucent until the plant closed. I worked for Dallas ISD for sixteen years until I retired and came to work for Laurel Oaks part time. I am the proud father of five children - two boys and three girls; eleven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. I enjoy fishing, refinishing furniture, gardening, cooking, and going to the gym.

Linda Farris

Funeral Assistant
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Thomas Jackson

Funeral Assistant
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Lidia Keith

Funeral Assistant
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Octavio Sepulveda

Funeral Assistant
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Gabriela White

Funeral Assistant
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Erick Thompson

Embalmer
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Mirian Centeno

Domestic Engineer
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Vicente Alonso

Park Superintendent
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Jose Chajon

Park Staff
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Luis Chajon

Park Staff
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Benjamin Esequen

Park Staff
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Rafael Hernandez

Park Staff
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Alex Patzan Xetey

Park Staff
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Juan Rodriguez

Park Staff
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Teofilo Sec

Park Staff
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Eliecer Xetey

Park Staff
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