Thomas Hajec
Funeral Arranger and Event Planner
thajec@funeraltrust.org


Tom has been a Funeral Arranger and Event Planner for more than five years. During his tenure with us, Tom has helped hundreds of families celebrate the lives of loved ones with personalized ceremonies. Born and raised in Utica, New York, Tom is one of seven siblings but the only one to venture west of the Mississippi. After earning his B.A. degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo, he followed his wanderlust across the United States, Canada and Mexico before settling in the community of Reno. A resident since 1979, Tom met his wife, Debi, shortly thereafter and they have been married for 25 years. Blessed with three children, Noah, Katie and Bebo, they have long been committed to causes and activities involving children. Tom commits his time and energy to youth sports, such as the Y.M.C.A. basketball program where he coaches. Tom was also a program assistant at the Sun Valley Teen Center.

Our Heritage

O'Brien-Rogers & Crosby Funeral Home of Reno has been a respected name in funeral service since it's founding in 1906. The original O'Brien-Rogers Funeral Home was located at 220 West Second Street; however, in 1974, owner William Crosby built a new funeral home at it present location. At the time. this was the site of St. Luke's Lutheran Church, built in 1914. Many of the stained glass and leaded glass windows from St. Luke's are incorporated into the décor of the funeral home and to add to its historic ambience and beauty. In 1976, O'Brien-Rogers & Crosby Funeral Home was purchased by Edward B. McCaffery, Jr. of Reno who has built and acquired other funeral homes in the area since 1962.

Since 1962, Ed McCaffery’s vision of funeral service excellence has led to his expansion into other communities in Nevada and California through the construction and acquisition of new facilities. In 1986, Mr. McCaffery’s daughter, Tammy Dermody joined with him to continue this vision, creating a group of independent funeral homes known as “Walton’s Family of Funeral Homes”.

O’Brien-Rogers & Crosby Funeral Home is a Spanish style building with an adobe brick exterior and terra cotta tile roof. The interior is warm and comfortable, with two distinct chapels. The Shepherd Chapel is spacious and bright with seating for 150, plus a private family seating area. The focal point of this Chapel is a large, beautiful stained glass window of The Good Shepherd from St. Luke’s Lutheran Church which was originally located on the property. Large, leaded glass windows also from St. Luke’s adorn the west wall of the Chapel. The Dove Chapel is a more intimate Chapel, appropriate for small or private gatherings. Named the Dove Chapel for its elegant stained glass window of a dove from St. Luke’s, this Chapel can also serve as a visitation and viewing room. A large parking lot is conveniently located on the south side of the property and covered, drive-through porticos flank the east and west side of the building.

Our professional staff at O’Brien-Rogers & Crosby has helped generations of families through the most difficult times of need and it is our mission to help each family create a meaningful tribute to their loved-one. We offer all of the elements necessary to create a complete and coordinated service, including flowers and monuments. Working with our experienced staff, all details of the service can be handled from the convenience of our funeral home. We are always available to assist families at the time of need or with advanced planning arrangements.

Continuing the Tradition of Service Excellence

Following decades of growth by building a reputation for providing services of dignity and respect, Walton's Family of Funeral Homes now operate twelve funeral facilities, a cemetery, five crematories and mausoleums. These facilities serve the communities of Reno, Sparks, Carson City and Minden, Nevada and Susanville, California. Walton's Family of Funeral Homes remains independent and family-owned, with Tammy Dermody and Ed McCaffery overseeing daily operations.

Our Promise To You

Walton’s Family of Funeral Homes is committed to our community of families, “When You Need Us The Most.” Today’s culture has seen a dramatic decline in personal customer service and respect. Rather than accept and imitate what is sadly happening in so many businesses today, I am determined that we will provide the best in staff, services, facilities and merchandise in creating the most meaningful ceremonies for each and every family we are honored to serve. I am determined to do this while ensuring that our prices remain affordable. We have always believed that families, regardless of faith, social standing or circumstances, deserve unwavering respect and dignity. It is this core belief of my family that has earned Walton’s Family of Funeral Homes its reputation.

We are focused on providing quality and value, knowing that the best way to build our reputation and our business for tomorrow is to take exceptional care of the families we serve today.

Tammy Dermody,
Owner


Services of Care, Respect and Dignity

Traditional Services
Traditional funeral services are those that closely follow a pattern or tradition established by one’s cultural customs or religious beliefs. These services typically include a time for the deceased’s family to gather for a visitation and viewing period at the funeral home, many times receiving friends during this time. These services generally include a funeral at a church of our chapel with the loved-one present in a casket. A procession to a cemetery for burial or entombment follows the funeral ceremony. Traditional services are usually public ceremonies, but can be private at the family’s request.

Cremation Services
There is a growing trend to incorporate cremation into many of today’s funeral ceremonies. Cremation is an alternative to burial or entombment but should not be viewed as a service or ceremony by itself. It is important to remember that significant and healthy aspects of traditional funerals, such as viewing, visitations and having the loved-one present at a ceremony is not only possible, but encouraged when thinking about cremation. Services involving cremation can be public or private, with a service held prior to the cremation process. Many times cremation takes place before any type of ceremony. In this case, a public or private gathering is held at a church our chapel or a family home at a later time. This type of ceremony is called a Memorial Service.

The Most Important Thing To Remember About The Cremation Of Your Loved-One
We own and operate five crematories that are under the direct supervision of our Nevada State Board licensed staff – an important consideration when entrusting your loved-one to our care. Most of our competitors do not own crematories; instead they “job-out” this critical and highly sensitive duty to a third-party crematory. When selecting a funeral home, it’s important to ask if that funeral home owns and operates its own crematory. It’s also important to remember that when you entrust your loved-one to our care and custody, all aspects of the cremation process are continuously monitored through our “triple-check” system, which is administered only by our trained staff. Never does your loved-one fall into the hands of another.
To provide peace-of-mind, those who wish to may view the cremation process of their loved-one.

The Personalization of Services
Regardless of whether you choose a Traditional Service or one involving Cremation, our duty to you is to create a meaningful service that is personalized to your wants and needs and that reflects the life of your loved-one. There is a growing trend to incorporate hobbies and interests of the deceased’s life into the ceremony, honoring and celebrating the life that was lived. These services often include testimonials and stories shared by family and friends; photographs taken throughout the life of the deceased are often displayed as are elements of the person’s vocation and hobbies, such as hunting, fishing, golfing, gardening, motorcycling. These items are brought to the church or our chapel and displayed during the visitation and service to commemorate the loved-one’s life. Music that was favored by the deceased is often played during these times as well. Memorial services are often held in non-traditional settings, such as backyards, parks, golf courses, lakes, bars and lodges. Remember that any service we help you create will be arranged with the utmost care, dignity and respect.