Meet Our Caring Team

Morgan is originally from Montclair, New Jersey. She has a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Maryland and an associate degree in mortuary science from the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service, Inc. Morgan grew up around funeral service and felt called to this career. Prior to joining the team here, she served as a funeral director in New Jersey and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is also a Certified Celebrant. Outside of work, Morgan enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Nicole is a Sheboygan native and graduated from Sheboygan Falls High School in 2004. She knew early on in life that her calling was to serve her community during one of the most sensitive times of their lives. In 2016, Nicole graduated from Milwaukee Area Technical College with a degree in mortuary science. After serving her apprenticeship with Wittkopp Funeral & Cremation Services in Plymouth, she then joined the Ballhorn Chapels & Zimmer Westview team in January of 2018.

Family is very important to Nicole, and any of her spare time is spent with her husband and four children. She also enjoys traveling, being outdoors, and volunteering within the community. 

Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Holly now lives in Grafton. She has a bachelor’s degree in social psychology from Park University in Missouri and an associate degree in funeral service from Milwaukee Area Technical College. She is also a Certified Crematory Operator. Prior to her career as a funeral director, Holly served 8.5 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force and then continued to serve her community by working in social services.

Holly and her husband, Brian, have two grown children, Savannah and Caleb. They also have two dogs, Dottie and Pearl. Outside of work, Holly enjoys all things outdoors including biking, camping, hiking, kayaking, and traveling with her family.

Mark attended Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, and graduated from Worsham’s College of Mortuary Science in Chicago in 1977. Mark moved to the Sheboygan area in 1983 after purchasing the former Ahrens Funeral Home in Howards Grove. In 1996, he acquired the former Gerend-Habermann Funeral Home in Sheboygan. In 2003, work was completed on the new 9500 sq ft. Westview Funeral & Cremation Care Center. Ballhorn Chapels became part of the company in 2014.

Mark is a member of Pine Hills Country Club and is a Master Mason with the Sheboygan Blue Lodge #11. He is a past president of the Lakeshore Funeral Directors Association and of the Howards Grove Lions Club and Sheboygan Jay Cees. Mark is also a past president of the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association, where he continues to serve on the committee. He is past chairman of the Sheboygan County Lions Eye Bank and was on the advisory committee for the Milwaukee Eye Institute. He also is a former member of the board of directors for the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce and the Salvation Army. Mark is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church of Howards Grove LCMS and is a past board member of the Sheboygan County Chaplaincy. Mark and his wife, Debra, live in Howards Grove. He enjoys doing volunteer work on community projects, restoring vintage cars, and gardening.

Mary was born and raised in Wausau, Wisconsin. She attended Wausau East High School and has a bachelor’s degree in English with a Certificate of Ethics from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. She is a Certified Crematory Operator and is currently pursuing a mortuary science degree through Des Moines Area Community College. Mary has always had a passion for helping others and previously worked in social services and advocacy. 

Becky was born and raised in the Manitowoc/Two Rivers area. She has two children, Alex (Ashley) and Allison, and two grandsons, Aidan and Akari. She also has two dogs named Sadie and Max and a cat named Oliver Leonard. Becky has her Funeral Director Apprenticeship License in addition to being the Office Manager. She truly enjoys helping families.  

Outside of work, Becky likes to spend time with her family and go to the gym.

Tracy has worked in the customer service and accounts receivable and payable fields most of her adult life after graduating from high school. Along with training and learning skills on the job, she has completed classes in Microsoft Word and Excel at UW Sheboygan College. She has been working at Ballhorn Chapels since January 2005.

In 1997, Tracy married Todd, and they have a daughter who lives in California. Tracy and Todd spend most summers camping and traveling to different campgrounds in Wisconsin, enjoying the outdoors with family and friends. Tracy likes to stay active with various activities such as running, working out at a local gym, and playing volleyball. She is also interested in gardening.

Samantha was born in Sheboygan and grew up in Oostburg. She moved to Plymouth in 2007 and graduated from Plymouth High School in 2010. Samantha went to Moraine Park Technical College in Fond Du Lac and graduated with her associate degree in criminal justice. She enjoys helping families at the funeral home.

In 2017, Samantha married her husband, Cody, and moved to Howards Grove. They have three children and a dog named Remi. Samantha enjoys going to the dirt track races with her family, camping, playing darts, playing volleyball, and watching her kids play sports.

After twelve years of serving in local schools as a special educator, Angela’s servant leader approach, paired with a passion to educate and usher families through an inevitable time of need, complement her role as an Advanced Funeral Planner.  She is honored to come alongside families curating meaningful funeral plans as a way to care for their loved ones in their future loss.

Scott was born and raised in the Sheboygan area and graduated from Sheboygan North in 1981. He has two children: Derek and Madeline. Scott has been a telephone technician for O & W Communications since 1988. His work in funeral service began in 2016 as a Funeral Assistant. In 2019, he received his license as a funeral apprentice.

With a huge heart, Scott is always willing to help family, friends, and anyone who could use a helping hand. His compassion and kindness carry over to funeral service, ensuring that all families have what they need and feel cared for. Scott resides in Elkhart Lake and is an active member of the Elkhart Lake Fire Department. In his spare time, he enjoys doing almost anything outdoors such as hunting, fishing, kayaking, and taking walks along the water. Scott is also an avid photographer and enjoys finding the beauty in the small things each and every day.  

Julian is a longtime resident of the Sheboygan area. In 1958, he began his broadcasting career with WHBL in Sheboygan. He also owned and operated Central Photo Company for a brief period in the 1970s and was manager of the Louise Sills Commercial Photography Division before purchasing Central Photo from the Sills Corporation. In 2000, Julian retired from radio broadcasting when he sold his radio stations, WKTS/WXER in Sheboygan and WGBM in Green Bay. He served as Secretary for the Sheboygan Downtown Association and was on the Sheboygan Area United Way Board of Directors. Julian currently serves as the Technical Director for the Weill Center for the Performing Arts in Sheboygan. He and his wife, Jane, recently moved from their retirement home at Pigeon Lake in Manitowoc County to Howards Grove.

Steve’s hometown is Sheboygan. He attended Sheboygan North High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Lakeland University. Steve is involved at the Sheboygan County Warming Center and enjoys gardening and woodworking. He has one son, Nikolai.

Ken was born and raised in Sheboygan, where he attended school at Sheboygan North and graduated in 1976. Ken went to UW-Sheboygan and then to UW Milwaukee. In 1983, he married Brenda Duessing, and they have two wonderful children, Amber and Aaron, both of Sheboygan. Besides helping as a Funeral Assistant, Ken also is an independent agent for a logistics company, works as a Karaoke Host/DJ for Top Shelf DJs & Karaoke, and is President of the Sheboygan County Warming Shelter for the Homeless in Sheboygan County. Ken enjoys shooting darts in the winter and playing golf in the summer. He started working for Ballhorn Chapels/Zimmer Westview in May of 2018. 

Doug previously lived in Sheboygan and attended UW-Sheboygan, earning an Associate of Science degree. He worked for the Kohler Company as a staff analyst and a designer in the Power Systems Group. He currently holds one patent for an original design. In January 2018, Doug retired after 42 years with the company and began to search for a part-time job. His strong faith in the Lord gave him a desire to serve families during one of their most difficult times, so he joined Zimmer Funeral Homes in March of 2019.

Doug has three sons, and he lost his first wife of 32 years, Margie, to cancer in 2013. He married Nancy Fritz in 2018 and now resides in West Bend. Doug is very involved at Bethlehem Lutheran Church as a member of the Board of Elders, an usher, and a communion assistant. He also volunteers for Sheboygan Area Lutheran High School, helping with cross country meets, working in the cash room for the annual auction, and assisting the basketball program as a scorekeeper. His hobbies are bowling, biking, and home remodeling. 

John has three children and eight grandchildren, and he truly enjoys spending time with his family. He tries to attend as many of his grandchildren's activities as possible. John retired from Hexion Chemical in 2014 and is keeping busy in his retirement. He is an active member of his church, Zion ECC, in Sheboygan and is Secretary of Treasury for the Howards Grove Lions Club.  

Rob is on the maintenance team for Zimmer Westview/Ballhorn Chapels. He was born and raised in Sheboygan, and he has two children, Robert III (Bobby) and Victoria (Tori). Rob enjoys spending his free time with his children and doing woodworking projects. In 1999, he established Perl Home Improvements. 

Mike has a BA in Religious Studies from Cardinal Stritch University and an MA in Christian Community Leadership from Regis University. Mike was ordained a Deacon in the Catholic Church in 1994 and currently serves at St. John XXIII in Port Washington. He has worked the majority of his career in various ministries in the Church, most notably as the Parish Director pastoring/leading St. Peter Claver Church in Sheboygan for ten and a half years. Mike retired from church administration in 2019 after three years as Pastoral Coordinator at St. John XXIII. 

In his retirement, Mike has served as a Funeral Assistant since February 2020. His experience with grieving families and his compassionate nature makes him well-suited for assisting our funeral directors, families, and guests. 

Mike is married to his wife, Kathy, who is a retired second-grade teacher from St. John the Baptist School in Plymouth. They have a home in Sheboygan. Their son, Ryan, is married to Beth, and they have two children. Mike likes to run and has completed several half marathons and two full marathons. He also plays trombone in the Sheboygan Pops Concert Band. 

Bobby has lived in Sheboygan for thirteen years. During that time, he worked as a personal care worker for ten years and at another local funeral home for four years. He also has experience working in cleaning at several local businesses.

Bobby enjoys doing volunteer work at the local food pantry. His faith as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is important to him, and he considers his work to be an example of those values.  

Jim was born and raised in Sheboygan. After graduating from Sheboygan South High, he joined the Army and served both stateside and in Germany. Upon leaving active duty, Jim joined the active reserves and spent another seven years in the military.

Jim and his wife, Melody, have two adult daughters, Sarah and Jessica. He spent the majority of his working years in the information technology field. He retired from Thrivent Financial, where he managed all of the corporate data centers and the staff that supported them.

As a long-time member of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Sheboygan, Jim enjoys singing in the Chancel Choir and Men’s Choir.

Curt is a native of Sheboygan Falls and graduated from Sheboygan Falls High School. In 1984, he moved to the West Coast. While in California, he furthered his education, obtained his life insurance license, and worked for a major insurance company. He then went on to work as an Administrative Assistant and Sexton at Rolling Hills United Methodist Church. 

Recently returning to his hometown, Curt joined the funeral home staff in 2021 and attends Fountain Park United Methodist Church. He enjoys spending time with his family, being outdoors, and cooking German food. Curt is proud to be a part of serving families in their time of need.  

Carl is originally from Johnsonville, Wisconsin. He graduated from Plymouth High School and attended Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, earning his license to practice barbering in 1972. Carl was a barber in Appleton and Sheboygan for seven years. He operated Laack's Ballroom with family members until January 2022 and worked at Sheboygan Falls Post Office, retiring in 2015. He is honored to serve families at the funeral home.

Outside of work, Carl likes to travel, and he also enjoys camping, hunting, golfing, snowshoeing, and a variety of other outdoor activities. Carl leads the Carl Laack Band and was voted Band Leader of the Year by the Wisconsin Orchestra Leaders Association. He is a member of Sheboygan Elks Lodge 299 and the Johnsonville Rod & Gun Club. He is a past President of Howards Grove Lions Club, volunteers at Sheboygan Community Café, and is active at Saron United Church of Christ, having served in various offices. Carl and his wife, Joan, have been married for nearly 50 years and have two sons.

Nikolai’s hometown is Sheboygan. He attended Sheboygan Falls High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Wisconsin Platteville. He enjoys fishing and playing tabletop games with friends.

Curt is originally from Sheboygan Falls and graduated from Sheboygan Falls High School in 1980. He moved to Sheboygan in 2022. Curt and his wife, Dawn, have two sons, Mitchell and Michael, and one daughter, Maria. Curt chose this position because he can relate to what others are going through and wants to help make a difference.

Outside of work, Curt enjoys spending time with family and friends, driving Harley-Davidson motorcycles, being outdoors, and traveling. He also likes to collect, work on, and drive classic cars. He is a member of Holy Name of Jesus Parish and attends weekly Bible study. Curt volunteers whenever possible, and he awards college and dance scholarships in memory of their daughter, Maria.

A resident of Sheboygan, Steve is a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer. He served 22 years of active duty and is a veteran of Operation Desert Shield. Steve is an alumnus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin. He worked as a Safety Specialist for Oneida Casino in Green Bay for several years.

Steve has been married to his wife, Cindy, for over 45 years. They have three children, eleven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Steve and Cindy are members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Howards Grove. They enjoy camping, spending time with family, and helping others.

Steve is a member of several community organizations. He is the Esteemed Lecturing Knight of the Sheboygan Elks Lodge #299, a life member of Sheboygan VFW Post 9156, a member of the Plymouth American Legion Post 243, and the chair of the Unclaimed Veteran Cremated Remains Task Force for the Wisconsin American Legion. Steve is also the founder and author of “The Final Bridge.”

Dave Hameister is an east-side Sheboygan native who graduated from North High School in 1972. He served the country as a Navy Seabee for 9 years before starting his career as a Licensed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Dave worked for Sertich, and then Orange Cross Ambulance for 17 years. His duties as a first responder were emergency care, medical doctor assistant, and patient transport.

Dave has proudly worked in the Kohler company for 52 years and also had a passion for photography. Hameister Photography, his business for over 30 years, was a premier photography studio for senior portraits, family portraits, and weddings. Dave has been married for over 50 years to his wife, Diane—together they enjoy their home in Elkhart Lake.

Donald was born and raised in Johnsonville. He graduated from Plymouth High School in 1976 and studied at LTC. He was a firefighter and First Responder with the Plymouth Fire Department. Donald is married to Bonnie. He has four children and four grandchildren.