Our History
Osborn Funeral Home was founded in 1907 by N.W. Osborn. In addition to the funeral home he also had a furniture store, carpet, sheet flooring, wallpaper, and paint store in the same building.
In 1938, Mr. Osborn brought his son, Sterling Osborn, into the business. Sterling and his father operated the business together until N.W.’s death in 1960, at which time Sterling took over full operation of the business.
In 1973 Sterling sold out of the furniture, flooring, and paint portion, and remodeled the funeral home.
In 1983 Sterling hired Thomas Hester to work in the firm as a non-licensed employee. Thomas attended mortuary school at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and received his Funeral Director and embalmers license in 1988.
Sterling passed away in 1998 at which time Thomas took over ownership of the firm. He and his wife Cheryl continue to operate the funeral home today. They have one child, Brandy Karcher.
Brandy’s husband, Kurt, graduated from St. Louis Community College in Forest Park in 2011, and received his Funeral Director and Embalmer's License in 2013. He has worked full time for the firm since receiving his license.
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Thomas Hester, Owner, Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer
Thomas Hester began working in the firm, as a non-licensed employee, in 1983. He attended mortuary school at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and received his Funeral Director and Embalmer's license in 1988.
Sterling Osborn passed away in 1998 at which time Thomas took over ownership of the firm. He and his wife, Cheryl, have one daughter, Brandy Karcher. -
Kurt A. Karcher, Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer
Kurt was raised in Mt. Vernon, and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after his graduation from Mt. Vernon Township High School. He served for five years, as a structural and hydraulic (Airframe) mechanic on F/A-18 aircraft, before returning home in 2004. In 2006, he married Brandy Hester, the daughter of Thomas and Cheryl Hester. Kurt and Brandy have twin daughters, Ella and Kaitlyn, born in 2014, and they attend Rome Grade School.
He began his career with Osborn Funeral Home in 2005, as an unlicensed funeral attendant, and earned his Illinois Funeral Director and Embalmer license in 2013, after graduating from St. Louis Community College in 2011.
For many years, Kurt has served as a member of the Village of Dix Board of Trustees, and was appointed to the office of Village President in 2019. -
Charles Burge, Funeral Attendant
