OUR TEAM

RYAN CREAN

Chief Executive Officer

Ryan was born and raised in New Westminster. The 4th generation of a 110-year-old family business, Ryan entered the Funeral Director and Embalmer Apprenticeship program in 2006, becoming a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer in 2008. Following completion of his apprenticeship, Ryan returned to Simon Fraser University to pursue a degree in Physics, completing his degree in 2014 before returning to the family business. Ryan is an active member of the Vancouver Rotary Club as well as a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 1283. Ryan is married to Jennifer Kauppila and together they have a young son Rowan. In his free time, Ryan enjoys skiing, mountain biking, reading and enjoying the outdoors. Ryan has a passion for helping the bereaved and is an advocate for bereavement education and out reach. He has worked to bring Dr. Alan Wolfelt to Vancouver, is an organizer of annual Honour a Life events and an advocate for community work that directly impacts those suffering a loss.

STEVEN COLÓN

Funeral Director at Kearney Columbia-Bowell Chapel

Steven Colón was born and raised in Manhattan, New York. When his mother moved back to Puerto Rico, he decided to join her there, where he completed his studies in Funeral Directing, Embalming and Autopsy Assisting. He worked in Puerto Rico for 6 years as a Funeral Director and Embalmer until 1999, when he moved to join his wife in Vancouver. In 2000, Steven worked with Kearney Funeral Services (Broadway & Oak location) as a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer and later at Kearney Columbia-Bowell (New Westminster location). Steven is ever mindful of the needs of all the families he serves, endeavouring to provide the best possible service with compassion and dignity, and in accordance with the wishes of loved ones. Steven is currently a parishioner of the St. Mary’s Parish in Vancouver and is an active member of the Knights of Columbus and the BCBP (Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals). Steven and his wife Belinda are loving parents to four Puerto Rican Chihuahuas that they adopted from the same canine family.

MIKE GARISTO

Pre-Need Manager at Kearney Funeral Services

Mike has been married 30+ years and is the proud father of 4 adult children and grandfather of one energetic 2 year old boy. He has spent his entire adult life in service to others, working with youth in sports, coaching at the elementary, high school and college level, providing representation support to workers as a union representative for 35 years, first as a volunteer and then as a full time union officer, helping build financial stability for families through estate planning and insurance tools as a Fraternal Benefits Specialist with the Knights of Columbus. Mike also helps seniors with affordable housing through charitable foundations, serving first as Vice President and then President for more than 10 years. The culture of care and compassion at Kearney Funeral Services allows him to continue the work he has spent his entire life doing and doing this work within a company that allows him to provide the best service to our clients - the way he would want to be treated. Mike looks forward to serving you!

NELSON PLUFF

Prearrangement Counsellor at Kearney Funeral Services

Nelson has been married for 44 years with 2 adult children and 4 grand children. He has spent his entire life in sales and service to others. He has coached at multiple levels of minor hockey from beginners to juniors. Nelson joined the Knights of Columbus in 1975 and served in many council officer positions including Grand Knight. He currently serves on the State Council as District Deputy and Financial Secretary State Trainer for BC and Yukon. Nelson is a proud member of the Kearney Funeral Services family - helping you and your family with care and compassion for your future needs.

AARON MORRISON

Operations Manager at Kearney Burnaby Chapel

Aaron was born in Vancouver, B.C., spending his formative years in Prince George before returning to Burnaby to complete his BA at Simon Fraser University. He completed his BC Provincial Apprenticeship Funeral program in 1996, working full time in the funeral profession and later becoming Manager of Vancouver Memorial Services and Crematorium in 2000 and the General Manager of Hamilton-Harron Funeral Home in 2006. In March of 2009 he joined Bell & Burnaby Funeral Chapel where he served as Manager until April 2017. Since May 2017, Aaron served as Operations Manager at Kearney Funeral Service (Columbia-Bowell Funeral Chapel, Kearney Burnaby Chapel and Kearney Cloverdale). As of May 2020, he will be located at the Kearney Burnaby Chapel where he is proud to continue his professional journey with a locally owned and independent funeral service provider.

Active in outdoor sports and music, Aaron has served or is serving on several professional boards as well as community and fraternal associations. With 30 years in the funeral profession, Aaron continues his dedication and commitment to the families that he and his colleagues serve at Kearney Funeral Services.

ANDREA RICHMOND

Operations Manager at Kearney Columbia-Bowell Chapel and Cloverdale

Andrea was born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and moved to Manchester at the age of 16. Completing both high school and university in the UK, she graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management before choosing to make Vancouver her home.

After a 15-year career in corporate accounting, Andrea transitioned to a deeply rewarding career path in Funeral Service. She graduated from the Canadian College of Funeral Service in 2015, while apprenticing at Ocean View Funeral Home. In 2016, she took on the position of Assistant Manager at Forest Lawn Funeral Home and most recently joined Kearney Funeral Services as an Operations Manager in November 2019. As of May 2020, she is responsible for the Columbia-Bowell Chapel in New Westminster and the Cloverdale location.

Having acted as a mentor to a number of Funeral Director Apprentices, Andrea has found great satisfaction in contributing to the next generation of funeral professionals. She is a proud resident of New Westminster and, in her free time, enjoys the company of family and friends, painting and photography.

ANNE PLUNKETT RUMLEY

Funeral Director and Financial Controller at Kearney Columbia-Bowell Chapel

Anne Plunkett-Rumley was born in County Cavan, Ireland. On May 1st 1987 she started working with Kearney Funeral Services. She is the Financial Controller, a Vital Statistics Registrar and a Licenced Funeral Director - this is her vocation. Working with the bereaved, she is very compassionate, caring and detailed. A parishioner at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Walnut Grove , she is very active in her parish: a CWL member, Counting Team, Hospitality and Greeting Team and an Extraordinary Minister. She enjoys her family, Church, friends, gardening and cats.

ATHENA THEODORAKAKIS

Operations Manager at Kearney Funeral Services in Vancouver

Athena grew up in Burnaby and eventually moved to Whistler to enjoy the mountains and outdoors. She spent nine years working in the hospitality and tourism industry before discovering her calling into Funeral Service. Her career as Funeral Director/Embalmer started in 2005 at Forest Lawn Funeral Home then moving to Manager of Ocean View Funeral Home. She joined the Kearney family in 2016 and is currently the Operations Manager of Kearney Funeral Services in Vancouver. Athena also serves as Chair of the Education and Apprenticeship Committee with the BC Funeral Association. She feels privileged to serve families during a time of need. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, watching Liverpool FC, Irish dancing and travelling.

CASEY STRYNADKA

Funeral Director at Kearney Columbia-Bowell Chapel

Casey started her career in the Funeral Service profession as a Funeral Attendant in 2015. At that time, she was enrolled as a Foundation Student with the Canadian College of Funeral Services. Upon completion of her first year of schooling, Casey accepted a Funeral Director position at Hamilton-Harron Funeral Home, where she graduated from CCFS with both her Funeral Director and Embalming License. Shortly after being fully licensed, Casey moved into the preparation department. Casey has come back to her Funeral Director roots and, in March 2020, she joined the Kearney family as Funeral Director at the Columbia-Bowell Chapel in New Westminster.

CHRISTINA KOH

Funeral Director at Kearney Funeral Services in Vancouver

Christina Koh was born in Singapore and has travelled extensively. She graduated from high school and college in Melbourne, Australia. After immigrating to Canada, she worked in long term facilities providing care for elderly residents. It has always been her desire to help families during a time of need, so she went back to school with the Canadian College of Funeral Services where she obtained her Funeral Director and Embalmer license. Christina Koh is a loving mother to two beautiful children. She is caring and compassionate. She has a gift of languages - she is fluent in Cantonese/Mandarin/Teochew/Taiwanese and can speak some Tagalog. When not working at the funeral home, Christina enjoys spending time vacationing with her husband and two kids, cooking and cycling. She is also a member of the hospital union group. Christina is a member of the team at Kearney Funeral Services at our Vancouver location.

LINDSAY NEILSON

Apprentice Funeral Director at Kearney Funeral Services in Vancouver

Lindsay joined the Kearney Funeral Services team in 2017 and is a recent graduate of the Embalmer & Funeral Director program from the Canadian College of Funeral Services.

In her free time, Lindsay will likely be found outside, playing softball, cycling or exploring our beautiful west coast trails.

MATT BUSBY KAISER

Funeral Director at Kearney Funeral Services in Vancouver

In his five year career in the Funeral Profession, Matt served as Funeral Director at Ocean View Funeral Home and, most recently, as Embalmer at Forest Lawn in Burnaby. Matt graduated from the Canadian College of Funeral Services in 2017, licensed as a Funeral Director and Embalmer. He joined the Kearney family in May 2020.

In his free time, Matt is an avid runner and a volunteer with “Rescue a Boxer”. He has helped save hundreds of Boxer breed dogs over a twelve-year span.

Matt is currently serving families at Kearney’s Vancouver location.

MICHAEL CREAN

President at Kearney Funeral Services

Michael Crean is the President and CEO of Kearney Funeral Services Ltd. He has been a resident of New Westminster for more than 30 years where he has been an active presence in the local community. In his professional life, Mike has been leading his locally owned family business for more than 35 years. He is a former board member of FSABC, the Independent Funeral Service Association and the Provincial Government Funeral Trade Advisory Committee. Mike has been a passionate advocate for health care issues for decades, as a founding member of the SFHR board and Community Health Council in New Westminster. Since that time, he has served at the highest levels on the boards of the Catholic Health Association of BC and Saint Mary’s Hospital. In addition, he was a founding board member of the Denominational Health Association. Most recently, he was chair of the Providence Health Care Society in Vancouver. Mike has also been involved for many years with Rotary. He is the former chair of World Community Service for Rotary District 5040 and was a member of the Canadian Rotary Committee for International Development. Most recently, Mike completed his 15th trip in twenty years to Africa – two to Zimbabwe and thirteen to Uganda – where he worked to implement Rotary Projects, setting up hearing testing centres and operating equipment. Mike finds time to indulge in his hobbies: playing drums in two working bands, sailing, travelling, skiing, cycling, hiking and playing broomball, squash and racquetball.

ALYCIA BECK

Apprentice Funeral Director

With 2020 being a year of unprecedented change, Alycia recently made the decision to leave behind her career managing luxury estates and hotels to pursue her passion of helping people. Experiencing compassion, professionalism and kindness with Kearney Funeral Services for her grandparent’s services, Alycia felt compelled to give back to the company that assisted her own family, during their time of need. Recently employed by Kearney Funeral Services Vancouver and enrolled as an apprentice in the Embalmer & Funeral Director program from the Canadian College of Funeral Services, Alycia is looking forward to this new chapter. Alycia’s empathetic and positive nature, combined with her attention to detail and drive for excellence make her a welcomed addition to the Kearney Team.

SAMUEL LI

Funeral Director

Born and raised in England, Samuel came to Canada in the 90’s and worked for various airlines before joining the funeral profession as a part time driver in 2001. He graduated as a Funeral Director in 2004 with the Western School of Funeral Service.

In his tenure, he accumulated a wide range of experience from arrangements to service directing, having served families from all over the Lower Mainland. In his pastime, he likes to take walks and has an interest in aviation.