Our Staff

Eugene Wagner

Funeral Director

Eugene and his wife, Lois, are natives of Detroit and were high school sweethearts. Of their five children, two have become the third generation in funeral service. Their older son, Kevin, like his father and his grandfather, went into business for himself the day he received his funeral director license, and like his father, started his career as an embalming specialist. Kevin and his family now own a funeral home in Roscommon, Michigan. Middle child, Elizabeth Findlay and her family, have now joined Eugene and Lois in the day to day operation of both the Cassopolis and Three Oaks chapels. 

Eugene has amassed over 50 years of experience as a licensed funeral director. A graduate of Wayne State University, he is a charter member of the Michigan Embalmers Society, a founding member and past president of the Independent Funeral Directors of Indiana, and a rostered clergy (Emeritus) in the Lutheran Church.

Eugene recently served as President of the Michigan Funeral Directors Association (MFDA), the oldest professional funeral organization in the nation, representing roughly 1200 funeral directors serving 500 funeral homes statewide - three-quarters of all licensed mortuary science establishments in Michigan. He is the third funeral director from Cassopolis to be elected to this position. The first was J.J. Fischer in 1919 and the second was Thomas Connelly in 1971.

Eugene holds several earned professional designations, including as a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner, a Certified Crematory Operator, a Certified Pre-need Counselor, and a Certified Michigan Funeral Professional.  He was most recently elected to the position of Secretary of the Michigan Funeral Service Foundation.

The Wagners returned to their home state of Michigan in 2010 when they purchased their funeral home in Cassopolis and they have been active members of the community ever since. Eugene has served the community in several capacities, including service on the Cass Area Utility Authority and Cassopolis / Vandalia Chamber of Commerce, and the Cassopolis Village Council. He currently serves as Secretary/Treasurer of Stone Lake Woods, (Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly).  Eugene and Lois are active members of Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Cassopolis.

In 2015 the Wagners purchased the funeral home in Three Oaks, returning both locations to ownership by the same family.

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Elizabeth Wagner Findlay

Funeral Director

Elizabeth Wagner Findlay is the middle child of Eugene and Lois Wagner.  Always “Elizabeth” to her parents, “Ellie” to her husband, Michael, sometimes “Beth,” but never, ever “Liz,” and, of course, “Mom” to her children.  She was born in Milwaukee, grew up in Indiana and Alabama (with a brief stay with her older sister in Italy during junior high), back to Indiana, and now she and her family have joined her parents in Michigan.

            Elizabeth knew early on that she wanted to pursue a career in funeral service.  She and her brother, Kevin, also a licensed funeral director and owner of his own funeral home in Roscommon, Michigan, are the third generation of the Wagner Family to serve as funeral directors.

            Her grandfather, Loren A. Wagner, at the time the youngest man in Michigan to receive both funeral director and embalmer licenses, began his career in his native Detroit, Michigan.  Displaying the same  independence as her grandfather, Elizabeth is already beginning to assume the duties of chief operating officer of the family’s two funeral homes.

            Licensed in both Michigan and Indiana, she brings with her a strong sense of service and a keen awareness of meeting the needs of families in our care.  Her ability to organize almost anything (including her father) helps keep our focus where it belongs – on serving each family.   

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Arvid Northrop

Funeral Director

Arvid has served as a licensed funeral director across the State of Michigan for over twenty years and had previously co-owned a funeral home in Howell, Michigan. Just as importantly, throughout those years he spent time in advanced funeral planning and helping people tell their story. 

Before coming to funeral service, Arvid spent seven years in the ministry.  This spiritual connection is still a driving force in his service to families in their time of need.

After spending much of his career toward the east side of the state, he has come home to be near family in our local area.  Arvid is passionate about helping each family find their unique way to start healing.

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