Our dedicated staff are here to provide support, compassion, and information to help you through your journey of grief and the celebration of your loved one’s life.

Robert A. Pumphrey Funeral Homes, Inc. - Bethesda-Chevy Chase Inc.

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William A. Pumphrey Vice President/General Manager

Will Pumphrey is a licensed funeral director/mortician and also holds funeral director licenses in Virginia and Washington, D.C. and holds a Maryland insurance license. Will has been with Pumphrey's since 1996 and has been licensed since 1998. Will is the 6th generation of Pumphreys to serve the Montgomery County community. He was born and raised in Winchester, Kentucky. He is a graduate of George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester, KY, Hampden-Sydney College in Hampden-Sydney, VA and the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in Cincinnati, OH.

Will is active in the Selected Independent Funeral Homes organization, the District of Columbia Funeral Directors Association, member of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rotary Club and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the National Funeral Directors Association. Will and his daughters, Morgan and Dade, reside in Poolesville, Maryland and attend the Poolesville Baptist Church.

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David E. Perry, MBIE, CFSP Assistant Manager--Bethesda

David grew up in Rockville, MD. He graduated from Richard Montgomery High School in 1982 and started his career with Pumphrey's the following December. He graduated from Montgomery College in 1986 and from the Catonsville Community College Mortuary Science program in 1988. He received his Maryland Mortician's License shortly after graduation from mortuary school. David is a graduate and member of the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practitioners, the Funeral Ethics Association, the British Institute of Embalmers and the National Funeral Directors Association. He has two sons, Michael Dominic and Matthew David.

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Miriam Gelderman Administrative Assistant

Miriam is an administrative assistant. She works on obtaining the death certificates, entering the required information into the Vital Records Electronic System, and submitting the completed death certificates to Vital Records for registration. Miriam answer phones, assists the funeral directors with various administrative work, and assists Liz and Terri with other duties. 

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Angelette Rawls-Bannister

Angelette was born and raised in Decatur, Illinois. She was the second of three children. She graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 1982. Angelette went to Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN. She graduated from the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C. in 2001 with a degree in mortuary science. She has a son, Merv. They are both members of the People's Community Baptist Church located in Silver Spring, MD where they reside. She has been employed at Pumphrey's since 1996. She is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association and the District of Columbia Funeral Directors Association.

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Brad Smetzer

Brad Smetzer is a licensed funeral director/mortician.

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Shelby J. Kelley

Shelby J. Kelley is a licensed funeral director/mortician.

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William J. Dixon

William J. Dixon is native son of the great state of Indiana. He was born in Evansville with family in Indianapolis. He joined the Pumphrey Funeral Home staff in the fall of 2013 as a funeral assistant. He began his professional work career in the art of funeral service under the apprenticeship of the Mason family in Indiana and Kentucky. William served in the U.S. Marine Corps and participated in three combat tours, including the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq War. William served as the Marine Corps Funeral Director at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., providing direct military casualty support for Presidential, Senatorial, Congressional and all Marine Corps funeral within Arlington National Cemetery and in the National Capital Region. In October 2013, William retired from the Marine Corps with the rank of Master Sergeant with over 24 years of active duty service and awarded the Meritorious Service Medal 2nd award.

William is an active member of the NAACP Arlington Chapter in Arlington, VA., the Masonic Lodge, and the American Legion Post 60 in Laurel, MD. He enjoys volunteering to mentor local youth in the District of Columbia and in Maryland. William supports churches and worship centers by participating in their weekly services. He is an avid billiards player and a die-hard Indianapolis Colts football and Indiana Pacer basketball fan. He is the proud father of two children; son, Malachi and daughter, Daphyne. William resides in Laurel, MD.

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Terri J. Daniels

Terri was born and raised in Utah. She graduated from Snow College and Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Education. She has lived in Waldorf, Maryland since 1988 and began working at Pumphrey's in 1992 and is the secretary and responsible for accounts receivables. Terri has 2 daughters, 1 son and 1 grandson. They are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She volunteers with Girl Scouts and coaching her youngest daughter in Upward Cheerleading and Basketball. When she can find time, she enjoys reading and sewing.

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Liz McGrath

Liz is an administrative assistant. She helps by answering our phones, assisting funeral directors with computer work, and assisting Terri with other duties.

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Andy M. Silber

Andy is proud to be a part of the funeral assistant at Pumphrey’s. He was born and raised in New Hampshire; yet he is proud to call Maryland home now. Initially he graduated from Kimball Union Academy in 1990 followed by earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Springfield College, in Springfield Massachusetts, in 1995.

When not caring for those in need at Pumphrey’s, Andy enjoys spending time teaching Spinning classes and engaging in outdoor activities.

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Tim Brown

Tim Brown handles keeping the Pumphrey vehicles and property in pristine condition. Tim also is a Certified Crematory Operator and helps run our crematorium.

Robert A. Pumphrey Funeral Homes, Inc. - Rockville

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Stephen A. Mello, Jr. Assistant Manager-Rockville

Stephen A. Mello, Jr.  was born and raised in Fall River, Massachusetts.  He is a graduate of Bishop Connolly High School and received his degree in Mortuary Science from the New England Institute at Mount Ida College in Newton, MA.  Stephen served families in Rhode Island for 19 years before relocating to Maryland to join Pumphrey Funeral Homes.  His dedication to families and funeral service is a vocation he finds very rewarding.  He resides in Rockville and enjoys dining, museums and travel in his spare time.

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Rob Karish

Rob is a licensed funeral director/mortician and also holds a funeral director license in Pennsylvania. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. Rob is a graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. He moved to Maryland in 2010 and has been employed by Pumphrey’s since then. In his free time Rob enjoys watching and playing all sports, working out, and travelling.

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Eric S. Scerbo

Eric has been living and working in Maryland as a licensed funeral director since 1996. Originally from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, he received a B.A. in Communications from the University of Pittsburgh and is a graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. While attending Pitt, Eric was an active member of the Greek system and his fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi. He has been working at Pumphrey’s since September 2012.

Eric and his partner Mark live in their completely self-renovated home in Silver Spring with their dog, Diesel. In his free time, he enjoys working with various local theatre groups as a Producer, Director, and Costume Designer.

William A. Pumphrey

Vice President/General Manager
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Will Pumphrey is a licensed funeral director/mortician and also holds funeral director licenses in Virginia and Washington, D.C. and holds a Maryland insurance license. Will has been with Pumphrey's since 1996 and has been licensed since 1998. Will is the 6th generation of Pumphreys to serve the Montgomery County community. He was born and raised in Winchester, Kentucky. He is a graduate of George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester, KY, Hampden-Sydney College in Hampden-Sydney, VA and the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in Cincinnati, OH.

Will is active in the Selected Independent Funeral Homes organization, the District of Columbia Funeral Directors Association, member of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rotary Club and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the National Funeral Directors Association. Will and his daughters, Morgan and Dade, reside in Poolesville, Maryland and attend the Poolesville Baptist Church.

David E. Perry, MBIE, CFSP

Assistant Manager--Bethesda
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David grew up in Rockville, MD. He graduated from Richard Montgomery High School in 1982 and started his career with Pumphrey's the following December. He graduated from Montgomery College in 1986 and from the Catonsville Community College Mortuary Science program in 1988. He received his Maryland Mortician's License shortly after graduation from mortuary school. David is a graduate and member of the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practitioners, the Funeral Ethics Association, the British Institute of Embalmers and the National Funeral Directors Association. He has two sons, Michael Dominic and Matthew David.

Miriam Gelderman

Administrative Assistant
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Miriam is an administrative assistant. She works on obtaining the death certificates, entering the required information into the Vital Records Electronic System, and submitting the completed death certificates to Vital Records for registration. Miriam answer phones, assists the funeral directors with various administrative work, and assists Liz and Terri with other duties. 

Angelette Rawls-Bannister

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Angelette was born and raised in Decatur, Illinois. She was the second of three children. She graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 1982. Angelette went to Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN. She graduated from the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C. in 2001 with a degree in mortuary science. She has a son, Merv. They are both members of the People's Community Baptist Church located in Silver Spring, MD where they reside. She has been employed at Pumphrey's since 1996. She is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association and the District of Columbia Funeral Directors Association.

Brad Smetzer

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Brad Smetzer is a licensed funeral director/mortician.

Shelby J. Kelley

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Shelby J. Kelley is a licensed funeral director/mortician.

William J. Dixon

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William J. Dixon is native son of the great state of Indiana. He was born in Evansville with family in Indianapolis. He joined the Pumphrey Funeral Home staff in the fall of 2013 as a funeral assistant. He began his professional work career in the art of funeral service under the apprenticeship of the Mason family in Indiana and Kentucky. William served in the U.S. Marine Corps and participated in three combat tours, including the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq War. William served as the Marine Corps Funeral Director at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., providing direct military casualty support for Presidential, Senatorial, Congressional and all Marine Corps funeral within Arlington National Cemetery and in the National Capital Region. In October 2013, William retired from the Marine Corps with the rank of Master Sergeant with over 24 years of active duty service and awarded the Meritorious Service Medal 2nd award.

William is an active member of the NAACP Arlington Chapter in Arlington, VA., the Masonic Lodge, and the American Legion Post 60 in Laurel, MD. He enjoys volunteering to mentor local youth in the District of Columbia and in Maryland. William supports churches and worship centers by participating in their weekly services. He is an avid billiards player and a die-hard Indianapolis Colts football and Indiana Pacer basketball fan. He is the proud father of two children; son, Malachi and daughter, Daphyne. William resides in Laurel, MD.

Terri J. Daniels

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Terri was born and raised in Utah. She graduated from Snow College and Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Education. She has lived in Waldorf, Maryland since 1988 and began working at Pumphrey's in 1992 and is the secretary and responsible for accounts receivables. Terri has 2 daughters, 1 son and 1 grandson. They are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She volunteers with Girl Scouts and coaching her youngest daughter in Upward Cheerleading and Basketball. When she can find time, she enjoys reading and sewing.

Liz McGrath

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Liz is an administrative assistant. She helps by answering our phones, assisting funeral directors with computer work, and assisting Terri with other duties.

Andy M. Silber

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Andy is proud to be a part of the funeral assistant at Pumphrey’s. He was born and raised in New Hampshire; yet he is proud to call Maryland home now. Initially he graduated from Kimball Union Academy in 1990 followed by earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Springfield College, in Springfield Massachusetts, in 1995.

When not caring for those in need at Pumphrey’s, Andy enjoys spending time teaching Spinning classes and engaging in outdoor activities.

Tim Brown

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Tim Brown handles keeping the Pumphrey vehicles and property in pristine condition. Tim also is a Certified Crematory Operator and helps run our crematorium.

Stephen A. Mello, Jr.

Assistant Manager-Rockville
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Stephen A. Mello, Jr.  was born and raised in Fall River, Massachusetts.  He is a graduate of Bishop Connolly High School and received his degree in Mortuary Science from the New England Institute at Mount Ida College in Newton, MA.  Stephen served families in Rhode Island for 19 years before relocating to Maryland to join Pumphrey Funeral Homes.  His dedication to families and funeral service is a vocation he finds very rewarding.  He resides in Rockville and enjoys dining, museums and travel in his spare time.

Rob Karish

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Rob is a licensed funeral director/mortician and also holds a funeral director license in Pennsylvania. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. Rob is a graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. He moved to Maryland in 2010 and has been employed by Pumphrey’s since then. In his free time Rob enjoys watching and playing all sports, working out, and travelling.

Eric S. Scerbo

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Eric has been living and working in Maryland as a licensed funeral director since 1996. Originally from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, he received a B.A. in Communications from the University of Pittsburgh and is a graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. While attending Pitt, Eric was an active member of the Greek system and his fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi. He has been working at Pumphrey’s since September 2012.

Eric and his partner Mark live in their completely self-renovated home in Silver Spring with their dog, Diesel. In his free time, he enjoys working with various local theatre groups as a Producer, Director, and Costume Designer.