The professional staff at Royer Funeral Home is committed to providing dignified, respectful and compassionate assistance to every family in their time of need. Recognizing that each family is unique, our staff personalizes assistance to provide a meaningful service to honor the life of your loved one.
Owners
Pete Royer
Owner
F.M. “Pete” Royer is the youngest son of Kenneth & Lois Royer. He grew up in Oak Grove and graduated from Oak Grove High School in 1968. Pete attended college at the University of Missouri at Columbia, graduating in 1972. He then graduated from the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science of Dallas, Texas in 1973. After serving an apprenticeship in Kansas City, and managing a funeral home in Springfield, Colorado, Pete returned to Oak Grove in 1977 and became a partner with his father. He has served as the Treasurer and Sexton of the Oak Grove Cemetery Association since 1980. Pete semi- retired in 2022 but still helps run the business. Pete is a member of the First Baptist Church of Oak Grove.
Barbara Royer
Owner - Retired
Barbara grew up in Higginsville, MO and graduated from Higginsville High School. She and Pete married on January 26, 1985. At that time, she was a widow and the co-owner of a clothing store in Oak Grove. Barbara obtained her Funeral Director’s license in 1988. She worked at the Oak Grove office for 20 years and has now retired. She and Pete have four children (two each), Holly McCullough, Jason Reynolds (1971-2019), Benjamin Royer, and Eric Royer. Barbara is a member of the First Baptist Church of Oak Grove and Beta Sigma Phi -Xi Theta Beta Sorority. Pete & Barb reside in Oak Grove.
Christopher Reynolds
Owner / Funeral Director / Embalmer
Chris is Pete & Barb’s grandson and has worked at Royer’s full time since 2011. Chris graduated from Oak Grove High School in 2008 and from Kansas City Kansas Community College in 2014, with an Associated Degree in Mortuary Science. He is a licensed Embalmer, Funeral Director, Preneed Agent, and handles all monument sales for the funeral home. In January of 2022, Chris took over the day-to-day operation of the funeral homes, and in February of 2023 he and his wife Whitney became partners in the business. They look forward to carrying on the tradition of caring for the communities they serve. Chris and Whitney have five children, Clayton, Emmerleigh, Annistyn, Delaney, and Ellisyn. They reside in Odessa. In his spare time, Chris enjoys hunting, fishing, doing yard work around his house, and cooking something up on the grill or smoker.
Location Managers
Holly McCullough
Office Manager / Secretary - Oak Grove
Holly grew up in Oak Grove and graduated from Oak Grove High School in 1986. She is Pete & Barbara’s daughter and has worked at Royer’s since 1997. She is the Office Manager and Secretary at the Oak Grove office. Holly worked at the Grain Valley office for 15 years before moving to the Oak Grove office in March 2015. She is married to Kevin and has four children, Joshua, Andrew, Robin, & Mikayla; four granddaughters, Sophie, Parker, Oaklyn, and Elowen; and four grandsons, August, Gillian, Ezekiel, and Phineas. Holly is a member of First Baptist Church of Oak Grove. She and her family reside in Oak Grove.
Peggi Nichols
Office Manager / Secretary - Grain Valley
Peggi grew up in Kansas City, MO, and graduated from Park Hill High School in 1978. She received a Certificate in Phlebotomy from MCCKC. Peggi is the Office manager and Secretary at the Grain Valley office. Peggi is Sue’s sister, and has 3 children and 4 grandchildren. She resides in Oak Grove.
Jacqulyne Osborne
Office Manager / Secretary - Independence
Jacquie graduated from Carrollton, MO High School in 1988. She is the Office Manager and Secretary at the Independence office. Jacquie and her husband, Jeff, reside in Oak Grove where they raised their 3 daughters, Leah, Delaney and Zoe. They are members of Grace United Methodist Church.
Funeral Team
Deanna Olson
Funeral Director / Embalmer
Deanna grew up in Hannibal, MO, and graduated from Mark Twain High School in Center, MO in 1993. She attended Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, IL, graduating in 2001 with an Associate Degree in Mortuary Science. Deanna is a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer. She and her husband, Eric, live in Blue Springs with their two dogs, Pascal and Hattie May.
Timothy Stone
Funeral Director / Embalmer / Pre-Need Agent
Tim grew up in Marshall, MO, and graduated from Marshall High School in 1992. He attended Kansas City Kansas Community College, graduating in 1999 with an Associate Degree in Mortuary Science. Tim began his career as a Funeral Director in 1998 and has worked at Royer’s for 8 years. He is also an Embalmer and Pre-Need Agent. Tim and his wife, Sarah, reside in Grain Valley with their children, Trevor and Keely, and their dog, Brodie.
Maranda Thompson
Funeral Director / Embalmer
Maranda grew up in Kansas City, KS, and graduated from J.C. Harmon High School in 2015. She attended Kansas City Kansas Community College, graduating in 2020 with an Associate Degree in Mortuary Science. Maranda is a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer. She resides in Kansas City, KS, with her dogs, Maddie, Chance, and Rex.
Support Staff
Whitney Reynolds
Administrative Assistant / Notary
Whitney grew up in Odessa and graduated from Odessa High School in 2008 and from Concord Career College in 2013 as a Registered Respiratory Therapist. She is an administrative assistant and helps with funerals as needed. Whitney is married to Chris.
Ashley Fulford
Community Engagement Liasson/ Aftercare Coordinator/ Funeral Director Apprentice
Ashley Fulford is our Community Engagement Liaison and Aftercare Consult. Originally from Raytown, Missouri, Ashley has had the opportunity to live in New York, California, and North Carolina before life brought her back home. While living in New York, Ashley graduated from St. John’s University with her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in Forensic Psychology and a minor in Creative Writing. Her love to serve her community has always been something that’s been a driving force in her work. Ashley served as a police officer in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina before moving back to Missouri to be close to her family. Ashley is a mom of four boys, a wife to a loving husband, and a dog-mom to her furbabies Archie and Bubs. Ashley enjoys gardening, exploring new cities, and meeting new people. It’s her passion to be able to cultivate strong, meaningful relationships with others and help them navigate difficult situations.