Staff

Born in Columbus, Georgia and reared in East Alabama, Joseph is the owner of the funeral home and is a licensed Funeral Director, Embalmer, and Cremationist.

Joseph attended Lee-Scott Academy, Southern Union, Auburn University, and Jefferson State Mortuary School. Joseph is Married to Kimberly Dean, An attorney in Opelika, Alabama, they have three sons ranging in age from 20 months to 9 years. Joseph believes it is necessary to treat every family with kindness, compassion, sincerity, and respect in order to walk with them step by step in this most difficult time.

Thank you for considering Frederick-Dean Funeral Home & Crematory as your funeral service or cremation provider.

Meagan Wade Hilyer, 26, has a Bachelor’s degree in Art & Design from LaGrange College of LaGrange, Georgia. Meagan feels greatly fortunate to be given the privilege of serving each family that chooses to trust Frederick-Dean Funeral Home & Crematory with the care of their loved one and is indebted to each family for their gifts of love and wisdom. Meagan resides in Auburn, Alabama with her husband of 2 years, Trenton Hilyer, a Mechanical Engineering graduate student at Auburn University, and their former stray cat, Maya Lin.

Russell McLachlan, an apprentice funeral director, is a native of Milton, Florida and first came to the area in 1983 as a student at Auburn University. He worked part-time at the local funeral home.

Upon graduation in 1987, he was commissioned in the US Navy and left the area. After 30 years of service, Russell retired from the Navy but still teaches securities studies in an online Master’s program through Air University.

Russell returned to the funeral service out of his passion to assist and comfort families in their time of grief. He is married to his wife of 34 years, the former Kay Whitaker also of Milton, Florida. They have three sons and reside in Auburn, Alabama.

Billy L. New grew up in Wedowee, Alabama before moving to Lee County in 1969. He worked in the medical field for over 40 years prior to retiring and currently helps several days a week at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home. Bill is a proud Army Veteran, and he and his wife Lura have four sons and five grandchildren.

Thad Endicott, Pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Opelika, moved to the Auburn-Opelika area in 2012. He loves ministering to people and began working at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home in 2014 as an On-staff Minister. He has a lovely wife of 23 years and 5 wonderful children. He was born and raised in Kansas, and upon graduating from Bible College in Oklahoma, he served as an associate pastor in Birmingham for over 14 years before coming to Opelika. He enjoys the opportunity to share the gospel and assist families in their time of need.

Cara Sills grew up in Smiths Station, Alabama. She has six beautiful children in her blended family with husband Blake Sills. Cara is currently studying at Jefferson State to aquire her License in Funeral Directing. Having lost all grandparents at a young age and the recent loss of her mother, Cara is dedicated to serving and comforting familes in this time of grief.