Our Staff

Our staff is comprised of dedicated and licensed professionals with the experience to answer all your questions regarding our services. Please feel free to contact any of our staff members at any time.

Debra Crotty

Owner/Funeral Director/Embalmer/ Cosmetologist

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 dominate 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 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

Owner/Funeral Director/Prearrangement Counselor

Jarrah Crotty Gaskins was born in Temple. She is a life time 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 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

Funeral Director/ Embalmer

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.

Tony Arline

Funeral Director Apprentice/ Funeral Service Attendant

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.

Christine Vobornik

Office Manager

Christine Vobornik was raised mostly in Los Fresnos, Texas. She was a military wife for more than 23 years and raised two fantastic sons. After both of her sons joined the Army and left home, she decided to move from Virginia back here to Texas to help care for her mother, whose health was declining and be near her sister. Christine previously worked at Harper-Talasek in Killeen for 3 years as an Office Administrator. There she was able to show her talents when it came to computers, software and organizational skills. Her heart desired to find a more purposeful career when in September 2021 she received an interview request from Crotty Funeral Home & Cremation Services for an Office Manager position. Christine accepted the position and the new challenges with great enthusiasm. Having held many different positions over the last 36 years, she believes her heart has finally found purpose and is glad to call Crotty Funeral Home her home.

Chris Renteria Epler

Funeral Service Attendant

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. Chis 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's and has amazing work ethic.

Lindsey Byrd

Pre Planning Specialist and Family Service Counselor

Lindsey Byrd is the daughter of David Mitcham and Lisa Myhre. She was born in Temple and graduated from Academy High School. Lindsey began her career in helping families in senior care for many years. She worked for the Wellington Rehabilitation Center, Weston Inn Rehabilitation, and Capital Home Health. Helping families through their last moments was something she has always been passionate about. Lindsey decided to take a leap of faith and join Crotty Funeral Home & Cremation Services in hopes of feeling the same fulfillment she received in senior care. Lindsey has now found her true passion and has been with Crotty Funeral Home & Cremation Services for over two years. She spends her days helping families prepare their own services to remove the burden from their families. Through passion and hard work she is now the top Pre Planning Specialist in Bell County. She is the mother of two amazing children, Kiley and Kelton. Lindsey enjoys spending her days watching her children play in their various sports.

H.K. Ballard

Family Service Counselor and Chaplian

H.K. Ballard serves the Troy Church of Christ Troy, as minister. H.K. lives in Temple with his wife, Jan of over 46 years. Presently H.K. serves Lifeline Chaplaincy and Kindred Hospice 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. He has served as minister in the Church of Christ in Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Jan and H.K. have six children, and 8 grand children, living in California, Colorado, Indiana, Texas and Wisconsin.

Libby Crotty

Certified Grief Therapy Dog

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 went 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 Crotty

Therapy Dog In Training

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

In this section

Visit www.prepaidfunerals.texas.gov for information relating to the purchase of pre-need funeral contracts including descriptions of the trust and insurance funding options available under state law.