Our Staff

John was born and raised in Wheeling, WV.  He represents the fourth generation funeral director in his family.  He attended West Virginia University and West Liberty State College and graduated from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. John holds a funeral director's license in West Virginia, Ohio, and North Carolina and is past president of the West Virginia Funeral Directors Assoc.  He also belongs to several organizations and study groups around the country that focus on the welfare of the funeral industry.  He is a member the North Mecklenburg Rotary Club, where he served as president 2016 - 2017, Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce, North Carolina Funeral Directors Assoc., Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, and the 2016 recipient of the Robert T. Cashion "Business Person of the Year" Award. In September 2021 John was honored to be elected to the board of directors of Selected Independent Funeral Homes, the largest independent funeral organization in the country.  He then served as Chairman of the Board, 2023-2024.

He is married to Claudia Wisbon Kepner and they have two children, Krystal  Schoepke and her husband Michael of Cornelius, and Jonathan Kepner and his wife Lindsey Baxter Kepner of Cornelius, who represents the fifth generation of funeral service in the Kepner family.  John is the proud grandfather of Theodore "Theo" John Schoepke, Kashton "Kash" Lee Kepner and Cori Jean Kepner.

Claudia was raised in Pittsburgh, PA and received her undergraduate education from West Liberty State College.   She is married to John Kepner and they have two children, daughter, Krystal  Schoepke and her husband Michael and son Jonathan Kepner and his wife Lindsey of both of Cornelius. She is very grateful that both of her children and their families live so close, especially her three grandchildren, Theo, Kash and Cori Jean.  Claudia worked in the Real Estate business for over 20 years and is proud to be working at the funeral home. She and John are members of the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church and care deeply about the community and are happy and proud the serve the Lake Norman area.

Jonathan was born and raised in Wheeling, West Virginia. He is the son of John and Claudia Kepner.  He graduated from The Linsly School, West Virginia University and Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. Jonathan represents the fifth generation of funeral service in the Kepner family.  

In 2018 he married Lindsey Baxter, and they now reside in Mooresville, NC with their son, Kashton Lee; daughter, Cori Jean and dogs, Mo and Chance.  He enjoys working out, entrepreneurial business adventures, sports, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. 

Lindsey was born in Dothan, Alabama and raised in the small town of Malone, Florida. She is a graduate of St. Petersburg College of Funeral Service in Florida and is a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer. In 2015 she joined Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home as a funeral director and Pre-arrangement specialist. 

In 2018 she married Jonathan Kepner and together they have a little boy named, Kashton Lee Kepner and a little girl named, Cori Jean Kepner.

 In her spare time she enjoys outdoor activities, reading, crafts, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends. 

Erin Sturgill is a native of northern Ohio and resides in Lincoln County. She earned her Bachelors degree from The Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in 2001 and is a licensed funeral director and embalmer as well as a certified grief coach.  Erin joined the Raymer-Kepner team in 2018 and is grateful to care for the families who find themselves in need of our services.

Erin's greatest blessing is being the mother of her four wonderful children. In her down time, she loves serving her church family in numerous capacities, enjoys taking harp lessons, and is a potter. One of her most rewarding accomplishments is hosting retreats for mothers who have lost young adult children. 

Brianna was born in Calhoun, Georgia, and moved with her family to North Carolina in 2005. She graduated from Fayetteville Technical Community College with her Associates in Funeral Service Education and is a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer. Brianna comes from a family with a rich history in funeral service, with several relatives having served as funeral directors and embalmers.

Brianna began her career in funeral service in 2021. After obtaining her license, she established her own trade embalming service. She is passionate about serving families with dignity and compassion during their time of need. Brianna joined the Raymer-Kepner team in 2026.

In December 2024, Brianna married her husband, Derrick Smith. Together, they have two cats, Monty and Winston, whom Brianna describes as “the lights of her life!” In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, practicing jiu-jitsu with her husband, watching a good movie, and listening to true crime podcasts.

Madison is a Funeral Service Apprentice who graduated from Fayetteville Technical Community College with her Associate's in Funeral Service in 2024. Born in Charlotte, NC and raised in Lincolnton, NC, she is passionate about serving families with compassion and care during their time of need. 

Outside of work, Madison enjoys traveling to new places, spending quality time with her son Jack, and hanging out with her friends. She also loves spending time cuddled up with her dog, Dozer, and cat, Binky, while reading a good book. 

Heather is a native of Lincoln County, growing up in West Lincoln. She takes great pride in operating the Raymer-Kepner crematory and providing the highest level of care to those we serve. 

Heather began her career  in the funeral service industry working as a shift manager for a local transportation service. She joined the Raymer-Kepner team in 2025.

Outside of work, Heather enjoys the outdoors, hiking, fishing, riding four wheelers, attending local race tracks, taking trips to the mountains, and restoring her classic Camaro.

Brad is a Funeral Director Apprentice who is currently attending Fayetteville Technical Community College to be a Licensed Funeral Director. Brad is also a licensed life insurance agent in the state of NC and currently serves as the Pre-Need Specialist. 

He earned his Bachelors Degree from The University of South Carolina in 2018 and is a veteran of The United States Navy. Born and raised in Greenwood, SC, he is passionate about serving families with the utmost compassion and care during their time of need.

Outside of work, Brad enjoys sports, cooking, the beach, and his Lego collection. He also loves spending time with his family and his two miniature dachshunds, Barnaby and Pearl.

Enrique (Ricky) Rojas is a native of Bogotá Colombia, he lived in Stamford CT before moving to North Carolina.  He moved here after retiring from Pitney Bowes, a company he enjoyed working at for 28 years. 

Ricky is an avid golfer; he enjoys playing at least twice a week.  He also enjoys spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He worked part time at Birkdale Golf Course for 17 years, and for the last two years has worked at The Northstone Country Club. An active member at St. Mark’s Catholic Church for 19 years, Ricky is a Lead Usher and part of the church Bereavement group. 

Rod Bratton is a dedicated funeral assistant at Raymer-Kepner who is actively involved in his community. 

In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and pickleball and was previously a Penn State football player. He is also a former church elder and works at the NorthStone Country Club. With a passion for staying active and engaged, Rod is a valued community member.

Larry was born and raised in North Mecklenburg County and has lived here his entire life. He has been married to Janet Cox Horton for nearly 50 years and she is also a native of North Mecklenburg County.

They have two adult children, Andrew Horton, and Anna Drury and her husband AJ, who have two sons, Bryce and Jackson, and all reside in Cornelius, NC. 

Larry has been a member of Mount Zion United Methodist Church for more than forty-five years.

Nathan is originally from Indiana and currently resides in Cornelius with his wife Kathy. They have been married for 54 years and have one son, Alton, who is married to Heather. Nathan and Kathy have one granddaughter, Peyton. 

Nathan graduated from the Indiana College of Mortuary Science and has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer since 1978.

Outside of work, Nathan enjoys traveling, playing golf, and volunteering at the Cain Center for the Arts as well as NC Feed in Mooresville.