Rutledge E. "Ron" Shuler

Founder & Vice President

Ron grew up in a farming community in South Carolina.  He is an alumnus of both the University of South Carolina and Dallas Institute-Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science, where he served as Vice-President of his graduating class and received the President's Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement.

Ron began his funeral service career in Florence, SC and later moved to Darlington, where he became Vice-President and Manager of Kistler Funeral Home.  Ron and his family moved to Hendersonville in 1976, after he accepted a position of Professional Sales Consultant with Batesville Casket Company.  He has conducted several continuing education seminars for funeral directors and has served as a special instructor in the Funeral Service School at Forsyth Community College in Winston-Salem.  In 1996 he received the highest award given in sales by being inducted into the prestigious Batesville Masters Club for outstanding long-term achievement.  Additional accomplishments include the1976 National Sales Rookie of the Year (Batesville Casket Company), 1983 Outstanding Performance Award (Batesville Casket Company), and the 1991-92 President of the North Carolina Funeral Supply Sales Association.

Ron is a member of the First Baptist Church of Hendersonville where he has served as Deacon and as Co-Chairman of the bereavement committee.  Ron and Faye have two daughters, Heather Shuler Stepp and Holly Shuler Ollis, and five grandchildren.

James E. "Jimmy" Altmeyer, Jr.

President

James E. Altmeyer, Jr., President of Altmeyer Funeral Homes & Crematory, graduated from Villanova University in Philadelphia, PA, in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. In 1989 he graduated from Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science with an Associate's Degree in Mortuary Science. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus.  Jimmy and his wife, Jocelyn, have two sons, Simon Cameron and James Elijah and a daughter, Justine Virginia.

Robert H. Bittle, CFSP

General Manager & Funeral Director

Rob, an eastern North Carolina native, joined the staff in January 2008.  He is a graduate of The University of North Carolina-Greensboro, the Atlanta Institute of Music and an Honor Graduate in Funeral Service Education at Fayetteville Technical Community College.  Rob worked as a Funeral Director in Orlando, FL before coming to western North Carolina in 2006.  Prior to entering Funeral Service, Rob was a touring and recording guitarist and has performed shows with James Brown, Percy Sledge, Donna Summer, the Neville Brothers, and many others.  Rob and his wife Cristin, have three children, Holland, Caden and Sydney, and a black lab, Lily.  In his spare time, Rob enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, half marathons, triathlons, mountain and road biking, and playing music.  He is a member of Kedron Masonic Lodge A.F & A.M.

Rob served on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association.  He is currently helping to develop the State Mortuary Operations Response Taskforce (SMORT) that responds to mass casualties on a state level.

Rob has earned the prestigious Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) designation, becoming the first in Henderson County to do so.  To earn this distinction, he had to meet certification requirements related to funeral service and professional development in four well-rounded categories: Academic, Professional, Public Education and Service and Career Review.

Chae Trantham Davis

Assistant Manager & Funeral Director

Chae joined our staff in May 2008.  Like several generations of her family, she is a native and lifelong resident of Henderson County.

Chae began her career in Funeral Service while still in High School, working in the office of a local cemetery.  A 1997 graduate of West Henderson High School, she graduated from Piedmont Technical Community College, in Greenwood, SC where she earned her degree in Funeral Service in 2000.  She has been a funeral director in Hendersonville since receiving her license in 2001 and has recently become licensed in South Carolina as well.

She is a member of the Hendersonville Lion's Club and attends West Asheville Baptist Church.  Chae and her husband, Jason, live in Mills River where she serves on the Town Planning Board, and they have one son, Harrison.

Kenneth J. Brain

Funeral Director

Ken joined our staff in January 2009.  He grew up in Fairfield, CT, and received his Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management from the University of Maine at Orono.  He lived in Eureka, MO, and Indian Rocks Beach, FL, before pursuing his degree in Funeral Service at Miami-Dade College. 

He and his wife, Renee, decided to settle in the Hendersonville area after visiting his parents, Marilyn and Roy, residents of the area since 1987.  Their daughter, Hannah, was born shortly after their move to Hendersonville.  An avid cyclist, kayaker and hiker, he spends most of his free time enjoying the natural beauty unique to Western North Carolina. 

He has served the community as a funeral service professional for 20 years and feels privileged to continue that service at Shuler Funeral Home and as a member of the Hendersonville Daybreak Lions Club.

Sarah Tessnair

Funeral Director

Sarah joined our staff in May of 2006.  She became a Licensed Funeral Director in July of 2009 after receiving a Funeral Director diploma from Fayetteville Technical Community College.  She graduated from Olympic High School in Charlotte, NC in 2002 and was married in September of 2007 to Terry Tessnair.  The two currently reside in the Saluda community.  

In her spare time, Sarah enjoys playing with her pets, rummaging through thrift stores, traveling, and visiting family.  She also enjoys photography, photo editing, website design and computer graphics.

Joyce Loftin

Office Manager

Joyce, a native of Lincolnton, NC, joined the staff in August 2001.  She received her BA in English from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and MA in Education from Western Carolina University.  Joyce taught English for 31 years at East Henderson High School and is a member of the Alpha Lambda chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma.  She enjoys traveling, seeing movies, and spending time with her family and friends.  She attends Bethel Wesleyan Church. 

Joshua J. Moniz

Funeral Service Apprentice

Joshua Moniz joined our staff in March 2010. He graduated from Hendersonville High School in 2009, and is attending Fayetteville Technical Community College to receive his degree in Funeral Service. Born in Naples, Florida, Joshua has enjoyed life in Hendersonville with his family since 1998. He has been a violinist for twelve years and is continuing to play with orchestras and musicians locally and nationally. Joshua is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and is currently learning French.  In his spare time, Joshua enjoys family, friends, cars, and dancing. He plays with the worship team at First Baptist Church of Hendersonville.

Joe Graham

Funeral Service Assistant

Joe joined our staff in August of 2005.  A lifelong resident of Henderson County, he retired from Sears and Roebuck in 1999, after being employed there for 33 years.  He served in the Army during Vietnam.  Joe sings bass in Herb's Gospel Quartet.  He and his wife, Nancy, have one son, Dennis, and are members of Gethsemane Baptist Church.

Terry Tessnair

Funeral Service Assistant

Terry joined our staff in July 2008.  A native of Spindale, he moved to Saluda in 2006.  He is also employed as a Garden Center department manager for Wal-Mart.  He enjoys playing basketball and spending time with family in his spare time. 

Roger Mehrtens

Funeral Service Assistant

Roger joined our staff in January 2009.  Originally from Long Island, NY, he moved to Hendersonville in 1996.  Roger is a graduate of St. Johns University and served in the US Army.  Before retiring, he was employed in the publishing industry as a Services Director.  A member of Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, he is a Past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus.  In his spare time, Roger enjoys playing softball.  Roger and his wife Leona live in the Etowah Community.

David Clay

Dave joined our staff in October 2009.  He moved to the area from San Diego and enjoys playing softball and other outdoor activities.

Peggy Rogers

Peggy, a lifelong Edneyville resident, joined our staff in February 2010.   She attended Edneyville High School.  She was married to the late Jimmy Rogers, who served as Assistant Fire Chief of the Hendersonville Fire Department.  She is a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church and attends Mud Creek Baptist Church.  She is a member of the Red Cross and volunteers at the Elizabeth House. 

In her spare time she enjoys embroidery, crocheting, and woodworking and is famous for her cooking, especially Greek Salad and Red Velvet Cake.  Peggy has three children, Deborah Jones, Rebecca Causey, and Jimmy Rogers, Jr.; nine grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.  She has been serving the community in Funeral Service since she was 17 years old. 

Arthur Whiteside

Arthur, a lifelong resident of Henderson County, retired from the Henderson County Fire Marshal Office in 2003 as Assistant Fire Marshal.  Prior to that he was employed with the Hendersonville Fire Department as a Fireman and Fire Inspector for eleven years.  Arthur is a graduate of Edneyville High School and A-B Technical College in Machine Shop.  He is a lifetime member of the Blue Ridge Fire Department, currently serving on the Board of Directors as Vice-President.  Arthur served in as a Sergeant in the US Army Signal Corps in Butzbach, Germany.  He is a member of Mud Creek Baptist Church and sings in the church choir.  He enjoys reading, woodworking and camping.  Arthur and his wife Brenda have a son Steve; a daughter Rhonda; and a granddaughter Kaitlyn who attends Hendersonville High School.

Cristin Bittle

Cristin joined our staff in 2008 as a Spanish interpreter. She lived in Madrid, Spain as an exchange student and is fluent in Castillian Spanish. She is glad to assist any families in need of her translation skills. Cristin is a Graduate student and will begin student teaching at Fletcher Elementary School in Fall, 2010. In her spare time, Cristin is actively involved with the Hendersonville Little Theatre and enjoys running, biking, swimming and reading.