Chandra Gerald Jennings - Sacred Funeral Home–Dallas, TX

  A native of Dallas, TX, Chandra Gerald Jennings graduated from the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science in 1981 as a licensed funeral director and embalmer. Upon graduation, Chandra completed her training at Cedar Crest Funeral Home, under the supervision of Walter and Lorraine Wilson, where it turned into a 30 year span. After the closing of Cedar Crest Funeral Home in 2005, Chandra and her husband, Dedrick founded Sacred Funeral Home on February 1, 2006. Chandra’s funeral home sponsors several community appreciation events throughout the year such as: implementing an annual scholarship in horror of her father, the late Pastor C. Gerald; founding and sponsoring Sacred Funeral Home’s Annual Christmas Angel Tree for the Glendale Heights community; and donating and volunteering at 1^st Saturday’s Food Pantry of Glendale Heights.

  At a young age, Chandra decided she wanted to be passionately involved in the funeral business, helping families cope with death and preparing loved ones for final viewing. At the church where her father was pastor, Chandra had a disabled friend who lived a very brief life. At the funeral, Chandra peered into the casket at her friend after pleading with her father to take her. “At that very moment I looked at her, I knew that life’s journey would take me to a place where I had to console families and prepare them for releasing their loved ones. Death is not something that frightens me; it is beautiful, if one dies belonging to Christ.”
 

Paula A. Porter - Heritage Memorial Funeral Home–Corpus Christi, TX

  Paula A. Porter was born in Corpus Christ, TX. She graduated with honors from the Commonwealth College of Funeral Service. While attending Commonwealth, Paula worked as an intern for Paradise Funeral Home in Houston, TX. She later became a funeral director, embalmer and general manager at Unity Chapel Funeral Home in Corpus Christi. After 8 years with Unity, she began working as a director and embalmer for both Seaside Funeral Home and Memory Gardens Funeral Home and Cemetery. Paula is currently serving as the chief operating officer and chief embalmer at Heritage Memorial Funeral Home, located in Corpus Christi and Kingsville. In December 2013, Paula received her Cremator Operator’s license. Paula is member of the Epsilon Nu Delta Mortuary Fraternity, National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, the Alamo Directors of San Antonio, and the 100 Black Women of Funeral Service.

  As a young teenager, she was fascinated with being a mortician. When her father would go to work, she would get dropped off at Jackson-Flowers Funeral Home. While there, Mattie Flowers took time out of her busy schedule to mentor and train her in the mortuary business. With 25 years of experience in the business, the community rewards her by complimenting her on how well she and her staff perform services for their loved ones. Her philosophy is “let the works I’ve done speak for me.”