Our Staff

Debra Crotty moved to Temple with her mother, Shirley Reed, a nurse and previous owner of Shirley's Diner in Temple, as a teenager. She graduated from Temple Beauty School as a cosmetologist in 1984. She began her funeral career doing hair for local funeral homes while working at JCPenny Hair Salon. She wanted to find a career to better support her and her daughter and decided to pursue a career in the funeral industry. Jarrah was only three at the time and they moved to Dallas for her to attend the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service. Debra graduated from Dallas Funeral Institute in 1996 as a licensed funeral director and embalmer in a very male dominant industry. Debra started her career in Dallas at Restland Funeral Home. Once she was able to move back to Temple she worked and was promoted to manager at multiple local funeral homes in Central Texas including, Harper Talasek in Temple, Sheffield Funeral Home in Temple, Heritage Funeral Home in Harker Heights, Killeen Memorial in Killeen, and Waco Memorial Funeral Home in Waco. She was a general manager for SCI/ Dignity over Crawford Bowers Funeral Home in Temple, Condra Funeral Home in Taylor, and Bartlett Funeral Home. Debra took the best qualities from them all and opened her own funeral home in 2011 with her daughter, Jarrah Crotty. Debra has a true love for children and helping others. She has been a foster parent for many years and helped many strangers back on their feet. Debra has five adopted children, Christina, Jennifer, Levi, Daxton, Kia and has raised many more. That's why Crotty Funeral Home & Cremation Services goes above and beyond for children and chooses to not make a profit on children's services. They offer beautiful personalized services at an affordable price and have made quite the name for themselves in their community.  

Jarrah Crotty Gaskins was born in Temple. She is a lifetime resident of Central Texas and the daughter of Jarrin and Debra Crotty of Belton. She attended Temple High School and graduated in 2006. Jarrah grew up in funeral homes watching her mother serve families and always knew this was what she wanted to do. After college she then went on to follow in her mother's footsteps and graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 2010.  After graduation Debra Crotty and Jarrah Crotty opened Crotty Funeral Home & Cremation Services to raise the bar for how families are served in Central Texas. Helping families in their time of grief and learning the lives their loved ones lived is something that she is very passionate about. Her families know this is more than just a job to her. Jarrah is known for planning the most unique services and many have been shown nationally. Her services are always personalized and no two are alike.  She is the current president of the South Central Texas Funeral Directors Association and was awarded Young Professional of The Year for the entire state of Texas in 2020. She was awarded by the Texas Funeral Service Association for her unselfish dedication to funeral service in 2022, and her and her mother were featured in the Nation Funeral Director Magazine in 2018. They made the cover as the only mother daughter team to start their own funeral home in the United States.  Jarrah lives in Salado with her husband,  Mike Gaskins, the owner of Central Texas Mortuary Management in Temple and Waco. He was awarded Best Embalmer in the State of Texas by the TFDA. She is the proud mother of three children, Halston, Isabella, Hazel and two cherished bonus children, Reese and Rhett. Jarrah enjoys attending Crossroads Church in Belton, spending time at the lake, and being with her family at any opportunity possible.

Melanie Parker was born in Temple. She was a graduate of Georgetown High School in 2006. Melanie always wanted to work in the funeral Industry from a very young age. She attended mortuary school at the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service and graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Funeral Service in 2012. Melanie is a licensed funeral director and embalmer. She began her career at Gabriel’s Chapel and Crematory in Georgetown. Melanie wanted to move to a smaller town for her children and fell in love with Belton. She worked as a funeral director and embalmer for Dossman Funeral Home in Belton for over eight years. She always admired how Crotty Funeral Home & Cremation Services personalized their services, were owned by a mother and daughter, and all the things they did for the community. Melanie finally found her home at Crotty Funeral Home & Cremation Services in February 2022. She loves the freedom she has to serve her families and the family atmosphere. Melanie is the wife of Benjamin Parker, Manager of Central Texas Mortuary Management. She is the proud mother of two children, Logan and Riley. Melanie lost both her parents at a very young age and finds it healing to help others through the process of honoring their loved ones.  

Charla was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma but has been in Texas most of my life. She was raised around the Texas coast in LaPorte, Texas, graduating from LaPorte High School. Charla spent several years in the restaurant industry and the IT field.  God knew his plan and path for her, when I took a part time job at a local funeral home.  After a few months she applied and was accepted to mortuary school.  Graduating in November of 1998 from Commonwealth Institute for Funeral Services ion Houston.  Her passion has allowed her to serve amazing people and have a fulfilling career and a ministry.  Serving others in the communities where she has been honored to live has enriched her life more than have words to express.  Charla spent the first part of my career in the Houston area, before moving to the Texas Hill Country area in 2008. She moved back to the coast for about six years before moving back to her beloved Texas Hill Country.  The memories shared and the lives she is honored to help memorialize each day are what makes her job so special to her.

She is an animal lover and the momma of three four legged kids, Lucy (Shih Tzu) and brother and sister golden retrievers, Finn and Olive.  She loves her family; her husband, Terry Owens; parents, Charles and Nancy Harger who reside in Burnet, Texas; sister and brother-in-law, Rachel Harger and Steve Bratteng, who reside in Austin.  In her free time, she enjoys, spending time with her family, scuba diving, golfing, bowling and being outdoors.

Tony Arline grew up in Virginia. He joined the United States Army in 1991. Over his military career he was stationed all over the United States, Asia, Germany, Korea, and served four tours in Iraq.  He served for over twenty two years and honorably retired.  He has been with Crotty Funeral Home & Cremation Services for over five years. Crotty is the contracted funeral home with Ft. Hood Military Base and he found his passion in being able to still work side by side with fellow soldiers. Tony enjoys having a career that allows him to honor veterans. He is currently attending school to become a funeral director. Tony is the proud father of Tonisha, Tony Jr., and his bonus son, Billy. He is married to Katrina Arline, who is still currently actively serving. Tony enjoys Dallas Cowboy football and spending time with his family. 

Rosa L Hernandez is the 7th child of the late Fred, Jr & San Juana Martinez.  She is native American of Mexican descent born and raised in Bell County.  Rosa graduated from Little River Academy and is an  alumni of Temple Jr College. Her degree is in Allied Health – Medical Record and documentation, She chose this because of her life story. Her faith, family,and friends are the most important things in her life.  She values relationships, the gift of life, and freedom of choice.  

Rosa learned hard work from living on the farm working side by side with her parents and siblings. She learned the art of hospitality from her mother and the gift of giving from her father.  She witnessed the selflessness of her father helping his family, friends, and even strangers in many ways.    

Rosa has served in healthcare for forty two years – her service started with Veterans, then long-term care, home care and hospice. Which showed her the value and how precious life is and the importance of having our final wishes documented. Helping others with this process gave her purpose. 

Her father died suddenly when he was only 58 of a massive stroke on the day her mom had a major surgery. She witnessed him wave to his family and then hours later he was gone.  Her mother didn’t get to attend his funeral and her grieving never stopped. Her dad did not have any plans in place and her family was left to handle all his funeral planning.  She saw first hand what happens without having affairs in order and the stress and burden it places on your family.    

Fast forward to today; Rosa is truly grateful for the opportunity to serve and provide the education and information you need to make your wishes known and in pre-planning funerals and cremation services to save your loved ones from guessing what your wishes would be during a very sad time for them.  

She witnessed the love and compassion Crotty Funeral Home & Cremation Services has for the families they serve and the community. She was asked by the Crottys to help better serve their Hispanic clients and help Central Texas become educated and prepared for the unimaginable. Rosa is proud to be helping her community alongside the Crotty’s.

 Rosa can also host seminars on the importance of pre-planning, living wills,medicaid,   OOH-DNR’s, Durable Power of Attorney’s, and much more to make sure you leave your family with a final gift of love. 

Chris Renteria Epler was born in San Antonio. He moved to Ft. Hood in 2005 when his father was stationed there. Most of Chris's life he has worked in construction. Chris has always has admired the funeral industry and hoped Crotty Funeral Home & Cremation Services would give him a shot. Chris has found his home at Crotty. He loves having a job with purpose and being able to help families through the hardest times of their lives. Chris is a proud husband and father of three amazing kids. He enjoys taking trips with his family. Chris has become a true asset to the Crotty and has amazing work ethic. 

H.K. Ballard served as minister for almost fifty years in Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Wisconsin. He retired from serving in the ministry for churches in December 2021. H.K. lives in Temple with his wife, Jan. They celebrate their fifty-third wedding anniversary in January 2024. Presently H.K. serves Lifeline Chaplaincy and the Love of Christ food bank as a volunteer. He attended Fort Worth Christian High School, Lubbock Christian College, and Abilene Christian University, and the Brown Trail School of Preaching in Hurst, Texas. Jan and H.K. have six children, and 8 grandchildren, living in California, Colorado, Indiana, Texas and Wisconsin. The summer of 2024 they are expecting their fourth great grandchild.

Libby is a Certified Therapy Dog that is available by request for families, services, and the community at Crotty Funeral Home. The Crottys were even present for her birth and have gone through every training class with her. Libby loves children and often appears at local schools and community events. Libby is now five years old. She is a Goldendoodle which makes her hypoallergenic and shed free. She has attended training at Sit Means Sit in Belton and as certified through the Go Team Therapy organization. Libby loves spending her time off at the lake swimming, eating foods she shouldn't, doing anything for someone just to pet her, and being lazy. You can follow Libby on her Instagram and Facebook page @ Libby_the_funeraldoodle

Triton is Libby's nephew. He is 6 months old and attending training to soon be able to serve families as his aunt Libby currently does. His littermates were adopted by all the funeral directors who helped in the Uvalde tragedy alongside Jarrah.  His brothers and sisters will be serving at funeral homes all over Texas.