Recipient LaTonya Nabors first encountered death while working at a nursing home at the age of 17.After her patient died, she was honored with the privilege of preparing her so the family could view her.
It was in that moment where Nabors felt she wasn’t doing this just for the family but most of all she wanted her patient to look her best. Seeing that the small tasks that she had done for her patient made the family so happy. Nabors knew her job meant something and was proud to be a part of an industry that teaches everyone to consider those around them and to cherish life.
“I truly believe some careers are chosen; however for me, this profession of funeral service chose me, and I’m thankful that I can be a help to those in need,” said LaTonya.
Donor: Range Funeral Homes
In 1953 Oscar Range became a certified funeral director and opened the Range Funeral Home in Miami, FL. Oscar died unexpectedly of a heart attack in 1960. Mary Athalie Range then enrolled in the New England Institute of Anatomy and Embalming to obtain her funeral director certification so that she could operate the family business, which now includes three locations. She served as an advisor and role model for the founding of the 100 Black Women of Funeral Service where she served as a life board member. Honored for her leadership in the organization and presented as a Living Legend of Funeral Service, Athalie was the inspiration for the M. Athalie Range Leadership Award. Her son N. Patrick Range, a licensed funeral director, established the M. Athalie Range Leadership Scholarship for the most outstanding graduating mortuary science senior who exemplified the highest standards of excellence as a student.
Donor: Cynthia Allen
A resident of Rochester, NY, Cynthia Allen graduated from the historic Simmons Funeral Institute, where she obtained her funeral director and embalming licenses. Throughout her studies, Allen was a recipient of various scholarship awards and knows the importance of receiving in times of need as a reward for hard work and good grades. As an officer of the 100 Black Women of Funeral Service, Allen was eager to help mentor, network and help students achieve their goals and through the late Elizabeth Hemphill Memorial Scholarship, which she established in memory of her mother who died in 2014, Allen is able to provide financial assistance to deserving mortuary students.
Donor: The Dodge Company
Since 1893 when A. Johnson Dodge founded the Dodge Company, their goal has been to help embalmers and funeral directors do the best work they can do. They have done that by providing embalming training in the field, first with traveling instructors and now through representatives who are licensed embalmers, a technical help line, the Dodge Magazine, and phenomenal technical seminars.
Dodge is constantly working to develop new chemicals, new instruments, new embalming machines, and most recently, increasingly formaldehyde free products. A fourth-generation family business, the Dodge Company is in the capable hands of two fantastic women leaders, Debbie and Kristie Dodge, who assist striving mortuary student with a yearly donation to the 100 Black Women of Funeral Service organization.