Meet Our Staff - Bryan & College Station, TX

Ryan Stephens

Managing Partner / Funeral Director

Ryan was born in Warner Robins, Georgia. He is a graduate of Centenary College of Louisiana. Ryan has over 19 years experience in the funeral industry and has held various management roles within the funeral and cemetery industry. Ryan joined the Hillier team as the managing partner in June of 2019. He and his family are excited about being a part of the Bryan/College Station community.

Ryan has a passion for serving people and considers his position as a funeral director a ministry. He long served as a deacon at Second Baptist Church of Houston and was involved in many church activities. Ryan has always played an active role in the communities he served, having been a member of the Kiwanis Club and Rotary. He also served on the Board of the Lake Houston YMCA.

Ryan is happily married to his wife, Amanda and together they have three beautiful children, Maryn, Bentley and Briggs. He loves spending time with his family and anything involving his children and their many activities. Ryan is an avid sports fan who loves playing golf, hunting, fishing and coaching baseball.

Glenn Anthony Duhon Jr.

Hillier Locations Manager / Funeral Director

Glenn was born in Lafayette, Louisiana and graduated from University of Louisiana at Lafayette before moving to Bryan-College Station in 1994 to attend Graduate School at Texas A&M University. He spent 23 years in the banking and financial services industry before joining the Hillier Team in April of 2013. 

Glenn is married to Melissa Duhon and they have four children, Taylor, Kelsey, Austin, and Marybeth. They are members of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bryan. Glenn has been an active Bryan-College Station community member during the past 20 years with the City of Bryan Community Development Advisory Committee, American Red Cross, Parent-Teacher Organizations, Voices for Children (CASA), the B-CS Chamber of Commerce, the Bryan Cemetery Board, Knights of Columbus Council 11759 and the College Station Kiwanis Club. He is also a member of the National Funeral Service Honor Society. The Duhon family also host foreign exchange students in their home during the school year.  

Telephone: 1-979-450-3236

Email: glenn@hillierfh.com

Erin Mabry

Office Coordinator / Marketing Specialist

Email: erin@hillierfh.com

Rob Lamb

Pre-Need Coordinator

Rob Lamb grew up in Northwest Houston and graduated from Baylor University with a business degree in 1988. He met his wife, Janet, in the business school and they started their careers and family in Dallas/For Worth. They lived in DFW are for seventeen years and in 2010 moved near Bryan and College Station to be closer to family.
Rob has been active as a Youth and Adult Bible Study teacher, a VBS leader, deacon, and Kiwanis volunteer. He and his family are members of First Baptist Church where he plays the trumpet in the church orchestra.
Rob and Janet have two children; a daughter, Analeigh, who is attending Texas A&M's Mays Business School and a son, Alexander, who attends Stephen F. Austin University in pursuit of a business degree in Management.

Ashley Kubena

Bereavement Coordinator

Ashley was born in Houston, Texas and grew up in Rockdale, Texas. After graduation, Ashely joined the US Navy and proudly served for 4 years at Little Creek Naval Base in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  Ashley is a devoted mom to one beautiful little girl, Lyra. She is currently a resident of Caldwell, Texas, and enjoys movies and going to local parks in the Bryan & College Station areas with her daughter. Ashley has been a proud part of the Hillier Team since 2018.

Email: ashley@hillierfh.com

Hannah Yakesch

Bereavement Coordinator

Hannah was born in College Station and grew up in small town Milano, Texas, where she spent many days on the river and enjoys anything outdoors. She is part of many local support organizations in the area and enjoys every minute of it! She has truly found a place to grow, serve, and flourish since joining the Hillier Family.

Email: hannah@hillierfh.com

Rachael Green

Bereavement Coordinator

Rachael was born in England and moved to the states with her parents and twin sister when she was very young. She obtained her dual citizenship in 2010 and after graduating from Texas A&M with a Bachelor’s of Science Sociology, she worked in the hospitality industry.

Rachael found her calling at Hillier, and discovered that her passion is serving grieving families in their time of need. The love in Rachael’s life is Gypsy, her pastel calico cat. She aspires to enter mortuary school soon to further her career in grief support.

Colette McClure

Bereavement Coordinator

Ernest Upchurch

Cremation Specialists/ Chaplain

Ernest Upchurch has served with the City of Bryan Fire Department for 20 years and currently serves as Chaplain. He attended Lansing Christian College and received Ordination in June 2000 through the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ. He then received his Doctorate of Divinity in May of 2014 and is the Senior Pastor at Faith Apostolic Temple. He married his high school sweetheart, Anna. They have been married  for 42 years. Ernest’s servant’s nature and open arms attitude makes him a perfect fit with the Hillier Team.   

Mike Quast

Funeral Support

David Gerling

Ambassador

“Let’s look on the bright side,” something David Gerling always says. David has always had a great outlook on life and a servant’s heart, as well as being a compassionate advocate and friend to all. Born in Austin, Texas to a stay at home mom and Professional Engineer, David was taught core values that he carries with him to this day. He spent most of his teen years in Boy Scouts of America, band, playing sports, camping and developing his love for art and music. After graduating Stephen  F. Austin High School, David then went to Texas A&M University, Class of 1981, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Parks Administration and was in the Corps of Cadets – Aggie Band. During his college years, David met the love of his life, Patricia Ann Wolf, at a Girl Scout Camp in Texlake where he was working as an Assistant Camp Ranger. They went on to date for three years and married in May of 1980 and now have two amazing children, Bradley Gerling and Kellie Gerling. 
David is very involved in his community. He is involved in Knights of Columbus, Council 3205, Assembly 2041, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, College Station Noon Lions Club, Texas Amateur Athletic  Federation, Brazos County A&M Club, Texas Aggie Band Association, Texas A&M Association of Former Students and numerous other community non-profit organizations. When he is not volunteering, David enjoys working at his 30 plus year career in the Recreation/Leisure Industry, where he enjoyed going to work every day and spending extra hours providing outstanding service to those he touched.
David believes “Laughter is an essential part of a good life.” He loves making memories with friends and families. He enjoys hunting, taking vacations with family, working outside and helping people in need. He especially loves working at Hillier Funeral Home so he can help families within our community.

John Collier

Ambassador

John is proud to have served families in the Brazos Valley at Hillier since fall of 2014. John also serves as a pastor of New Beginnings, a church in Bryan. John attended Welch College in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2010, he graduated with a B.A. in Religion degree from the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary (BMATS) in Jacksonville, Texas.
John is blessed to be the husband to Catherine and father to Warner, Jacob, and Aaron. He has a wonderful family and considers more blessed than any man deserves to be. After spending twelve years in Tyler, Texas, John and his family are proud to call the Brazos Valley home.
Whether in his ministry at New Beginnings or at Hillier Funeral Home, John considers it an honor to fulfill his call to serve the families of the Bryan-College Station area.

Andrew Harvey

Ambassador

Andrew was born in Corrigon, Texas where his grandfather ran the only funeral home for more than 50 years. He attended Blinn College and also graduated from TEEX Fire School. Once completing his EMT clinicals, Andrews hopes to work for a local Fire Department.  

Freddie Galeas

Ambassador

Freddie Galeas is a native of Bryan, Texas. He attended Bryan independent school district schools graduating from Mary Catherine Harris in 2016. He currently attends Blinn College and will transfer to Mary Hardin-Baylor in the Fall of 2019. Freddie has a desire to help others and being a part on the Hillier Funeral Home family helps him to serve others.

Jared Sloan

Ambassador

Jared was born in Conroe, Texas and grew up in Huntsville and Bryan. He graduated from Bryan High School and studying music at Tarleton State University, his favorite being anything percussion. Spencer joined the Hillier team to help people in need and take every opportunity to serve. In his free time, Jared enjoys video games, DJ’ing, cooking, skate boarding, and listening to music of all types.

Spencer Phelan

Ambassador

Spencer was born in Houston, Texas and graduated from Cy-Fair High School. He moved to College Station to study economics at Texas A&M University, Class of 2021. While at A&M, Spencer joined the Hillier team to help honor the lives of those who have passed. In his free time, Spencer enjoys golf and his dog, Lady.

Erin Devine

Ambassador

Erin is a Texarkana, Texas, native who moved to Bryan in 2015.  Erin graduated Texarkana College in 1994 with an Associate Degree in Nursing, after which, she practiced as a Registered Nurse for approximately 16 years in many different areas of nursing.  Erin has two children, Zach and Jolea. She also has two fur babies who rule the household, MollyBird and Pooter. After spending several years as a stay at home mother, her heart for caring and serving people led her to pursue her Funeral Director/Mortician Licensure.  She is currently enrolled in Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service.  Erin loves to spend her time with family and friends, as well as spending time reading and binge-watching Netflix.  She loves the outdoors and mountains and dreams of one day living in Colorado, in a tiny home, while working in a career that she is passionate about – Funeral Service.

Aylie Hood

Ambassador

Angela Greenlee

Ambassador

Angela was born and raised in Yukon, Oklahoma, and attended Southern Nazarene University.  She received her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education in 2006, and has been teaching ever since.  She has known she wanted to be a teacher since she was in high school.  Helping people has been one of her lifelong passions.  When she is not teaching music at a local school district, she can be found quilting, singing, or helping others as an Ambassador at Hillier Funeral Home.  She is married and enjoys raising her two sons.

Anita Kapchinski

Ambassador

A Bryan native, Anita married Karl Kapchinski and settled in College Station in 1980.  She is well known throughout the community for her singing, especially at area churches, and she regularly performs the National Anthem at many events in the area.   Although she has served many Hillier families over the years singing for funerals, Anita formally joined the Hillier team in May of 2010 as Office Manager.  In 2013, Anita returned to her roots, accepting a full time teaching position as Music Teacher for St. Joseph Elementary School.  She now serves Hillier as an ambassador and continues to sing for many Hillier services.
Anita and her husband Karl, Outreach Athletic Trainer for Methodist Hospital in Houston, are the proud parents of Kris and wife Jessica, Kyle and wife Meredith, and Kevin and wife Amanda; and grandparents of four grandchildren, Jennifer Renae, Lena Rose, and identical twin grandsons Kade Louis and Kristpher Brandt.  When they are not attending sporting events or playing with their grandchildren, Anita and Karl love traveling and spending time at their lake house, Kap’s Hut.
Anita enjoys volunteering in areas where she feels she is needed, and she especially enjoys preparing meals for families coping with terminal illness.  She has worked in music ministry at many area churches over the past 35+ years including St. Joseph, St. Anthony, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Mary, currently serving St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Mary’s in College Station as song leader. She also is a member of the Austin Diocesan Choir, providing music for special celebrations within the diocese.

Kellie Gerling

Ambassador

Kellie is a College Station native.  Her hobbies are shopping, cooking, and doing art/crafts projects as well as country-western dancing.  She is proud to say that she is a Texas Longhorn Fan!  Hook’em Horns!!!

Jose Noriega

Ambassador

Jose grew up in Brownsville and attended Brownsville High School.  He and his family moved to Bryan in 1996.  Jose works in the construction business, but he also takes great pride in cleaning and maintaining Hillier Funeral Home.  He also enjoys helping families during visitations and funeral services.

Jose and his wife Isabel have three children, Yesenia, Joe Louis, and Keilah.  They are very involved in their church, Ministerio de Restauracion, Eben-Ezer in Bryan, where they volunteer many hours in community service.  Jose and his family enjoy traveling and attending school events with their children.  
Jose finds it very rewarding to serve Hillier families.

Melissa Wood

Ambassador

Melissa Wood is hard-working woman of God with a huge heart for children. Melissa lives in college station and also attends blinn college.  She believes that kindness and compassion are the most important characters of people and wishes to share this with everyone, especially the children she watches for Hillier funeral home. Melissa loves helping families with childcare during a very difficult time and hopes to continue helping families in the future.

Frances DeGelia

Ambassador

Jeanette Rico

Ambassador

Jeanette was born and raised in Bryan, TX. She graduated from Sam Houston State University and is employed full time for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in the Adoption program. She also volunteers with Traditions Hospice and has been providing patient companionship for over a year to a very sweet lady. She has two children, one of which is actively serving in the United States Navy.  Jeanette enjoys traveling, exercising and spending time with family.

Mike Ruesink

Ambassador

Jason Bone

Ambassador

Jason started at Hillier in March of 2014. He was born right here in Bryan, and has lived here all his life. Since graduating from Bryan High in 2012, Jason has gone on to get his Firefighter/Paramedic certifications and is currently employed with College Station Fire Department.  

Ryan Ficklen

Ambassador

Ryan was born on March 28, 1999 in Houston, Tx. He was raised by his father Dr. David Ficklen and mother Teri Ficklen in Huntsville, Tx. While in Huntsville, Ryan graduated from Alpha Omega Academy in the fall of 2017. In the same year Ryan received his license as an EMT from Blinn College in Bryan, where he is currently enrolled as a Nursing student. Ryan plans to one day become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. According to Ryan, being a part of the Hillier team allows him to fulfill his calling to help people in their times of need.

Dan Castillo

Ambassador

Frank W. Cox III

Ambassador