History & Staff

William A. Bacarella, Funeral Director

Bill Bacarella was born in Monroe in 1963. He has been a lifelong resident of Monroe County. He and wife Amy reside in Monroe with their 3 children, Maranda, Olivia and Ian.

In 1981 he graduated from Monroe Catholic Central High School and in 1985 from Monroe County Community College. He is a 1986 graduate of Wayne State University Department of Mortuary Science.

In 1982 Bill began working at the Earle Little Funeral Home, and in 1986 he became a Board Certified Funeral Director in Michigan.

In 1992 Bill acquired the funeral Home from Richard P. Cavanaugh.

Bill is a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, National Funeral Directors Association, and Michigan Funeral Directors Association, which he served as past president of district #2. Bill currently serves on the board at Monroe Center for Healthy Aging. Bill is active in the Monroe Community and enjoys the services he can provide for the families. His hard work and dedication is one of his great attributes while serving families at their time of need. He enjoys playing golf and is a MHSAA certified basketball official.

To contact Bill you can email him at [email protected]

Jeffrey C. Rupp, Funeral Director

Jeffrey C. Rupp joined the Bacarella Funeral Home staff on May 28, 2019. He was born in 1961 and is a lifelong resident of Monroe. Jeff and his wife, Marlena, reside in Raisinville Township and have two children, Ryan (Chelsea) and Jessica (Zachary) and three grandchildren, Hazel Mae, Madison Kaymarie and Levi Charles.
Jeff attended Monroe High School, graduating with the class of 1980. He earned an associate degree from Monroe County Community College and graduated from Wayne State University Department of Mortuary Science in 1984, where he served as class Vice-President. Jeff is a fifth generation funeral director and is a member of Michigan Funeral Directors Association, where he served as past President of District 2, and the National Funeral Directors Association. He is also a member of St. Michael Catholic Church and Monroe Council 1266 Knights of Columbus and its charitable Goodfellow's program. Jeff has also been active in local hospice and grief support organizations.
Jeff prioritized God and family in his life and enjoys deer hunting, camping, spending time at his cabin in northern Michigan and spending time with his family and friends. He is also Commodore of the North Chapter of the Sunken Sail Yacht Club.
Jeff has been a pillar in the community for grieving families for more than forty years and he is excited and thankful to continue to serve families as he always has, with the utmost dignity and respect.
To Contact Jeff you can email him at [email protected]

Deanna M. Maurice, Funeral Director

Dee joined the staff of Bacarella Funeral Home in June 2020 and brings with her over 20 years of experience assisting families in Monroe and the surrounding communities. She was born in Monroe and is a third-generation funeral director. She has remained a lifelong resident of Monroe and is the daughter of Bill and Lou (Crutchfield) Maurice. Dee and her husband Allen Bruck, reside in Raisinville Township with their two sons, Alex and Zachary. As a family they are active with Boy Scout Troop 502, where Dee also serves as the Committee Treasurer. They are also members of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.
Dee is a 1991 graduate of Jefferson High School, attended Monroe County Community College and in 1994 obtained a Bachelor of Science in Mortuary Science from Wayne State University. She looks forward to providing diligent care to the families in her hometown.
To contact Dee you can email her at [email protected]

Delanie N. Shippey, Resident Trainee

Delanie Shippey joined the staff of Bacarella Funeral Home in November 2022 as a college student and a professional support staff employee, learning technique and professional skills to care for families in the Monroe community.
Delanie studied Mortuary Science at Wayne State University and graduated in August 2023. She joined the staff as a full time Resident Trainee while completing the requirements to obtain her Mortuary Science license.
Delanie graduated from Airport High School in 2019 and was a member of National Honor Society and Upward Bound, two organizations that embrace community involvement and volunteerism.
Delanie is the daughter of Dan Shippey and Jennifer Jones. She has two brothers; Dane & Jaxen. She resides in Monroe with her significant other, Tyler, and her pet cats. In her personal time she enjoys gardening, reading, photography, and attending auto shows.
She is a very kind loving person with an energetic personality. With her enthusiasm and passion, she is a great addition to the funeral home staff.

Ron L. Jackson, Professional Support Staff Member

Ron L Jackson, Professional Support Staff Member, moved to Monroe in 1974 at the time of his marriage to his wife Brenda. The couple have lived in Monroe ever since. They are extremely proud of their two adult daughters, Jennifer (Chris) Brown and Kelli (Frank) Giarmo. As well as their five grandchildren: Austin, Griffin, Jackson, Kennedy and Kendall.
In 2008 Ron retired from the Ford Motor Company after 34 years of service. However, beginning in 1979, he started working part-time with the Earle Little Funeral Home, receiving his apprentice licenses in 1983.
He has enjoyed this line of work and since retirement has become a full time support staff here at Bacarella Funeral Home.
A year after graduating from high school, Ron was drafted by the U.S.Army and served two years. Not long after being discharged, he enrolled at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. While there, he renewed his friendship with his now wife, Brenda, who also attended as a student.
Ron and Brenda are extremely active in their church, Stewart Road Church Of God. Ron has been the Family Enrichment Night Director for the past 36 years. Brenda serves as the Pastoral Care Pastor.
In his spare time, Ron is an avid softball player and enjoys a round of golf. Mostly, he loves spending time with his family and supporting his three super-active grandsons and two beautiful granddaughters in all their activities.

Bev (Stein) Pierce, Office Manager - Retired

Bev (Stein) Pierce is a life long resident of Monroe, Michigan and the daughter of the late Vincent and Bonnie Stein. Bev has three brothers, two sisters and one daughter, Erikka (Alex) Thelier. In 2019 Bev was blessed with her first grandson, Jack Vincent who was named after her father. Then in 2022 she was blessed with another grandson, Luke James who was named after Erikka's father. These boys have brought great love to her life and grandma life suits her wonderfully! Above everything, Bev puts family first. Bev is a 1978 graduate of Monroe High School and attended Monroe County Community College taking many classes in the business and journalism field.
In 1982, Bev hired in at The First District Court of Monroe as a deputy court clerk. In 2003, Bev was promoted as supervisor of the traffic division of the South County Court in Erie, Michigan, where she retired from in May 2010.
Bev accepted a deputy court clerk position with The 25th District Court in Lincoln Park in November 2010 and continued working in their civil division until 2013. Based on her knowledge and experience with the District Court Judicial System, Bev then became a avid employee helping them with the organization merge, joining Ecorse and River Rouge Court system with the 25th District Court.
In November 2013, Bev changed her career path and joined the staff of Bacarella Funeral Home as office manager. With Bev's outgoing personality and the love of people, this new phase of career choice has given her much compassion with assisting families at their most difficult time.
Bev is a very enthusiast person who loves spending time with her family and friends, traveling and enjoying life and its opportunities.
Bev retired in January 2024. We wish her the best of luck as she starts this new chapter in her life.

Brenda Gray, Cosmetologist

Biography coming soon.

Phyllis Gillispie, Professional Support Staff Member

Biography coming soon.

David Lambert, Professional Support Staff Member

David Lambert, Professional Support Staff Member was born and raised in Monroe. He attended Zion Lutheran School and graduated from Monroe High School in 1969. After high school, David began working at General Motors until his retirement in 2002.
In 1974, he married his wife Mary and they raised three children, Jacqueline, Shaun and Bill. David and Mary have been blessed with twin granddaughters, Gabriella and Serra that are his pride and joy.
One of David's greatest accomplishment was when his son's began playing football, they were unable to hear the coach and quarterback because they are hearing impaired and wore hearing aids. David was able to create a way for the hearing aids to be secured in the helmet without any feedback.
David's tinkering with the helmets created a method for them to play and enjoy football. This method also has allowed hearing impaired students to play today. Because of this, Shawn was named all region in defense.
David has worked in the funeral business since 2006 and is a great asset to the staff of Bacarella Funeral Home.
Today, David spends his free time enjoying his family, golfing and fishing.

Sal Benisatto

Debi Wrobel, Professional Support Staff

Debi joined our staff in December 2021 as a Professional Support Staff Member. She loves greeting people and helping to make family members feel welcome and comfortable.

A lifelong resident of Monroe County, Debi now resides in Newport with her husband Mike. She is one of ten siblings born to Frank and Joan Gessner. Debi and Mike have a daughter and son-n-law, Andrea and Jonathon Hale, and a son and daughter-in-law, Frank and Tonya Wrobel. They also have three beautiful granddaughters, Shea Fox and Kinsley and Addison Hale.

After graduating from Monroe High School, Debi served the First District Court for the County of Monroe for thirty years and retired as a data processing supervisor.

Family and home are important to Debi. She enjoys being with Mike at home in Newport and at their vacation home in Saint Helen as well as helping him with his work at the Flat Rock Elks. Debi also loves being outside doing yard work, relaxing on the deck with a good book and playing with her grandchildren.

Betsy Rios, Professional Support Staff

Betsy was born in Detroit, but has been a lifelong resident of Monroe. She graduated from Monroe High School in 1988. She went on to graduate from Monroe County Community College in 1992. She also attended Michigan College of Beauty and became a manicurist and stylist. She practiced her skills for nearly 20 years.
Betsy is married to her husband and high school sweetheart, Julian Rios. They have one son, Martin who is married to their daughter-in-law Kimberlee, who has given them two beautiful grandchildren, Ezra and Magnolia.
Betsy and her family attend St. John the Baptist Catholic Church here in Monroe. She sings in the choir and cantors for 9:00 a.m. mass. She and her family were also members of St. Joseph Catholic Church before it closed in 2014.
Betsy loves spending time with her family. She enjoys homemaking, watercolor painting, singing, reading and drinking coffee while catching up with her sisters and friends.
Betsy has been with Bacarella Funeral Home since September 2022.

Ian A. Bacarella, Professional Support Staff

Ian was born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1999. He has been a lifelong resident of Monroe County. He resides with his father, Bill, his mother, Amy, and his sisters, Olivia and Maranda.
He graduated from Hudson High School in 2018 and 2022 from the University of Toledo. He graduated from the University of Toledo’s Department with a Communications degree and a marketing minor.
Ian began working for the funeral home in 2016 and has been striving to do his best. He works as a support staff member and on Bacarella Funeral Home’s strategic marketing plans. His hobbies include spending time with family, helping animals in need, playing video games, and watching movies and television.

Rosie Bacarella, Certified Therapy Dog

Rosie, a female, Newfoundland, was fostered and eventually adopted by the Bacarella family in December of 2018 from Monroe County Animal Control after being found in a field in Newport, Michigan, when she was just ten weeks old. After a year and a half of training, she was certified as a Therapy Dog through Therapy Dog International (TDI) in June of 2019.
She and her mom/handler, Amy Bacarella, visit local nursing homes, senior centers, schools, Paula’s House, Monroe County Courthouse and wherever else she may be needed.
Rosie is available to help comfort families during their loved one’s visitation and/or funeral at Bacarella Funeral Home by request.