Our Staff
Our staff's commitment to you
Our staff is committed to providing support, compassion, information, and direction as needed to all members of our community, their families, and friends who are dealing with loss and grief.
Jacob’s work in the funeral profession began at age 16, at a small-town funeral home in northwest Iowa, where he washed cars, cleaned, and did lawn care. One day, the owner (his mentor, Dan Ciha) took him to buy a suit, dress shirt and tie, so Jacob could help with visitations and services, putting him on the path to becoming a funeral director and funeral home owner. He can’t believe that was 30 years ago!
Jacob says, “From the moment of the first call, I am 100% focused on helping a family face the worst day of their life. As one of the owners, I love developing new ways to serve families, finding the careful balance between technology and the importance of personal service in our work. I also get to share my vision with an amazing team of professionals.”
He believes it’s crucial to gain an appreciation of what a family has been through in the days, months, or even years before the death occurred, to help them visualize what goodbye looks like for them while embracing their family traditions.
Jacob has lived in Iowa his entire life, and now with funeral homes in both urban and rural areas, he enjoys meeting those they care for and care about. Jacob serves the funeral profession as President-Elect for the Iowa Funeral Directors Association. “It is a true privilege to represent funeral directors, working in collaboration with colleagues from around the state,” he says.
Jacob values doing his part to help with issues in the community, and his involvement with the Rotary Club of Linn County is one avenue for this. The club focuses on projects of food insecurity and homelessness.
Jacob is married, and lives in southeast Cedar Rapids, centrally located between the two Stewart Baxter locations. There you’ll find him tending to his houseplants, feeding the birds, and relaxing on the deck.