Staff
At Abels Funeral Homes and French-Hand Funeral Home, we are honored to have earned the trust and confidence placed in us by those that we serve. We pledge to offer respectful and dignified professional service, service that a family should expect, service that a family deserves. From the time the first phone call is received, throughout the service and beyond, each staff member at our funeral home contributes in an important way.
David D. Hilsabeck
 Licensed Funeral Director
David Hilsabeck has been serving bereaved families in Marshall and Hardin Counties ever since choosing funeral directing as a career in 1995. Dave was raised just a few miles from Eldora on a farm near Liscomb, and has been in central Iowa his entire life. Dave understands central Iowa values of family and community and strives to provide meaningful personalized services to all he serves.
In 1980 Dave married his high school sweetheart, Carol Hoppenworth, and they have two children Staci and Kyle. Carol is a Sr. Human Resources Generalist at Fisher Controls in Marshalltown where she has been employed for 35+ years. Carol also assists at the funeral home.
Dave and Carol are members of the Steamboat Rock Baptist Church and Pine Lake Country Club. Dave is a member of the Eldora Lions Club, the National Funeral Directors Association, and the Iowa Funeral Directors Association.
William and Rebecca Camp
 Licensed Funeral Directors
Bill was born and raised in the Chicago area. He attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and later transferred to Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, IL, graduating in 1997. He completed his apprenticeship at Donnellan Family Funeral Services in Skokie, IL and stayed with the firm as a licensed funeral director for 11 years. Recently, he earned his Bachelor's of Science degree in Management from National-Louis University in Chicago.
Rebecca was born and raised in Waterloo, Iowa and graduated from Waterloo West High School. She received her Associate of Arts degree from Hawkeye Community College in 2004. Rebecca attended Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, IL where she obtained her Associate of Applied Science degree. She completed her apprenticeship in Skokie, IL where she met and married her husband, Bill Camp. She later transferred to a funeral home in Highland Park, IL where she worked as a licensed funeral director. Together, Bill and Rebecca share a career they both love.
When the opportunity arose to move back to the Waterloo area, Rebecca and Bill were very excited to join the communities of Grundy Center and Wellsburg. They look forward to becoming involved in community activities. Rebecca and her husband feel honored to be able to serve the communities of Eldora, Dike and Reinbeck, in addition to Wellsburg and Grundy Center. They reside in Grundy Center with their daughter Sydney and their yellow lab Ozzy. Bill and Rebecca are members of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center. They are also members of the National Funeral Directors Association and the Iowa Funeral Directors Association.
Dave and Terry Hemann
 Licensed Funeral Director/Family Services Counselor
Dave and Terry have been an important part of the staff at Abels Funeral Homes since 2007 when the opportunity became available to relocate to Reinbeck and to work together at the funeral homes.
Dave grew up on a farm near Osage, and he attended and graduated from Osage Community High School. After graduation he worked for Wallace Computer Services in Osage. With the encouragement of his family after twenty-seven years in the printing business, Dave made a career change and graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, Illinois.
Terry was born and raised in Osage as well and she attended and graduated from Osage Community High School. Terry assists Dave at the funeral home and very much enjoys serving families who wish to plan ahead.
Dave and Terry have two daughters, Amanda and Brittany, who are both Registered Nurses in Iowa. Amanda is married to Andy Muller and they have four children, Alex, Maddie, Grace and Abby.
Dave and Terry are members of Saint Gabriel Catholic Church in Reinbeck and The Oak Leaf Country Club in Reinbeck. Dave is a member of the Iowa Funeral Director's Association, the National Funeral Director's Association, the Iowa Firemen's Association, The Masonic Lodge 394 and the El Kahir Shriners. They enjoy golfing and spending time with family and friends.
Robyn Plocher
 Aftercare Specialist
Robyn joined the staff of Abels & French-Hand Funeral Homes in May 2009. Born and raised in Iowa, Robyn's father was a pastor and her mother an advocate for Asian orphans during the tumultuous 1960's and '70's. This background provided Robyn with an introduction to the realities of death and loss at an early age.
Robyn attended Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa where she studied Religion and Psychology. She received her Master of Divinity from Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana and is an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church. She has worked as a chaplain and bereavement coordinator in hospice and hospital settings. She is also the Founding Director of Ricks' House of Hope for Grieving and Traumatized Children in Bettendorf, Iowa.
Robyn sees herself as one who listens to the sacred stories of others and helps them to re-connect with those things in their lives that offer comfort, hope and affirmation. Robyn is available to you as an extension of the assistance you have already received from the funeral home staff and the support you may be receiving from family, friends or pastor. Robyn can connect you to resources to assist you in understanding the grief process, direct you toward appropriate community resources and assist you in finding help for the business you need to care for following the death of a loved one.
Larry and Grace Kadolph
 Funeral Service Assistants
Larry has been helping at the funeral home since 1997. He is a lifelong resident of the Eldora area and graduated from the Owasa High School in 1953. He spent two years in the United States Army. Larry worked for Farm Service for 30 years before retiring in 1998. Larry has been a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church his entire life. Larry is married to Grace who also helps at the funeral home. Larry & Grace have been married 31 years. Grace is from Humboldt, Minnesota and has worked for United Suppliers in Eldora for 31 years and hopes to retire in a couple of years. Larry and Grace both enjoy working with people and try to help comfort in a time of sadness. Larry and Grace have seven living children and two deceased children.
Glenn and Elinor Hinders
 Funeral Service Assistants
Glenn and Elinor have been with the funeral home since 2000. Glenn was born and raised near Ackley. He is a United States Marine Corps veteran and a graduate of Buena Vista College and Truman State University. He was a high school counselor for 35 years; the last 27 were in Eldora and Eldora-New Providence Schools. He retired in 1993 and remains active at St. Paul Lutheran Church, in the Eldora Lions, the American Legion, and Dollars for Scholars. He enjoys golf and bowling.
Elinor was born and raised near Wellsburg and attended Ellsworth Community College. She was an Optometric Assistant for 35 years for Dr. C.G. Gould and Dr. Dan Dye in Eldora. Since retirement she remains an active member at St. Paul Lutheran Church, and serves as secretary of both the Board of Dorothy's Senior Center and the Hardin-Marshall Mental Health Board. She also volunteers at the Eldora Public Library and enjoys quilting, playing bridge and golf. Glenn and Elinor have three children, Teresa of Cedar Falls and Keith and Steve of Eldora. They are grandparents to five wonderful grandchildren.
Harry Dole
 Funeral Assistant
Harry has been a Funeral Assistant with the Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home since April of 1998. He is a lifelong resident of the area. Harry was raised near Eldora, and graduated from Hubbard High School. He has lived in Grundy Center for 37+ years. Harry served the community schools for 29 years, as a teacher, a coach, and an administrator.
He is a charter member of the Grundy Center Kiwannis Club, and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and American Legion. Harry is a member of the Sacred Hearth Catholic Church. He serves on the Board of Trustees for Grundy Center Municipal Light and Power Company and the Communications Utility.
Harry and his wife Jean have four children, Lisa of Philadelphia, Joe of Morton, Illinois, Jeff of West Des Moines, and Kerri of Iowa City. They also have six grandchildren. Harry enjoys spending time with family, attending school and community functions, and fishing and golfing.
Al Miller
 Funeral Assistant
Al joined the staff at Abels and French-Hand Funeral Homes in 2004. He is a lifetime resident of Grundy Center, graduating from Grundy Center High School in 1962. Al retired as Maintenance Superintendent from the Grundy County Secondary Road Department, having served the county for 37 ½ years. He is married to Grundy Center native, Carol Abels. Carol is employed as office manager at the Grundy County Engineer's office.
Al is a life member of Amvet Post #17. He is a member of the Bethany Presbyterian Church, having served as Trustee. When not working, Al enjoys gardening and yard work in the summer, and in the winter he enjoys watching basketball and football.
Mike Lovell
 Funeral Assistant
Mike joined the staff at Abels and French-Hand Funeral Homes in 2005. He and his wife Karen farm west of Reinbeck. For many years, Mike was a teacher at the high school and middle school levels. He also coached in the high school and middle schools in the area. Mike continues to substitute teach part-time.
Mike and Karen have three adult children, Paul, Paula, and Kerry.
Jake Hemmen
 Funeral Assistant
Jake joined the staff at Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home in June, 2007. Jake and his wife Wava, have lived in Grundy Center for the past 48 years. He grew up and graduated from Ackley High School in 1957. After graduation he served 2 years in the Army, stationed in Giessen, Germany. He was employed by Simpson Furniture in Cedar Falls and later employed by Frederick Furniture in Grundy Center as a floor mechanic and salesman for 17 years. In 1992 he chose to become an employee of Grundy Mutual Insurance in Grundy Center and later became the Manager of the Company, retiring from that position on December 31, 2007.
Jake is a member of the Colfax Center Presbyterian church, rural Holland, and has served both as a Deacon and Elder. He is a member of the Grundy Center Kiwanis, and enjoys being involved in community activities.
Jake and Wava have one daughter, Staci Cardamon, son in law, Joe Cardamon, two grandchildren, Anna and Joey who attend the Ankeny school system in Ankeny, Iowa. Grandpa and Grandma enjoy attending their grandchildren's many extra-curricular activities.
Stan Granzow
 Funeral Assistant
Stan joined the staff at Abels Funeral Homes in 2004. He graduated from Eldora High School and earned an Associate of Arts degree from Ellsworth College in Iowa Falls, Iowa. He has been farming West of Eldora since 1964, the same year that he married his wife, Neva. They have three children, nine grandchildren, and three great-granddaughters.
Stan and Neva are members of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Eldora where Stan has served many offices, including the Board of Stewardship. He is a past director of the Hardin County Fair Board, Hardin County Cattlemen’s Association, Pine Lake Country Club, and the Gravediggers Investment Club. He enjoys golfing, bowling, and following the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Al and Deb Johnson
 Funeral Assistants
Both Al and Deb are lifelong residents of Eldora and graduates of Eldora High School. For the past 30 years, Al has worked for Hy-Vee Food Stores. He is an avid golfer, and is a member of Pine Lake Country Club. Al enjoys walking around Pine Lake, officiating basketball and watching Hawkeye sports. As a member of the Steamboat Rock Baptist Church, Al serves as chairman of the greeter team and the nominating committee and leads a small group with his wife, Deb.
Deb retired after 35 years of teaching, mostly in the BCLUW School District. She now substitutes, works at an elementary after school program, and does custom sewing. Deb is also active in the Hardin County Historical Society, Cecilians, and volunteers at the Grand theater in Eldora. She serves on the Iowa Valley Community College Board of Directors, and in various roles at church. Deb enjoys walking and Hawkeye sports, as well as reading and quilting.
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