Board President Bob Anema (left) Presents A 20 Year Recognition Certificate To Kent Billings, Funeral Director At The Sanborn & Hartley Funeral Homes.

Current Sanborn & Hartley Funeral Home Board Members Pictured At The Spring Gathering Are, From Left, Front, Lee Reitsma, Bob Anema, Funeral Director Kent Billings; Back, Bill Treimer, Wayne Van Roekel, Steve Lux, Craig Sorensen, Rod Den Hartog. 

The O’Brien Cooperative Funeral Association held its spring gathering at Jay’s Restaurant in Sanborn on Thursday, May 11. Board members, staff and spouses acknowledged out-going board member, Tim Devitt who had represented the Sanborn area for two consecutive terms, and welcomed new member, Rod Den Hartog, who agreed to fill the vacant position.
Kent J. Billings was surprised to be the guest of honor as he was congratulated on his 20th year as funeral director for the Sanborn & Hartley Funeral Homes (the only cooperatively operated funeral homes in the state of Iowa). Kent, a graduate of Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago, IL, began serving this community in March of 2003, residing in Hartley with his wife and family. Special guests to help commemorate the occasion were his wife, Jamie and their children: Joe, Alex, and Kate; his parents, Ken and Evy Billings of Estherville; and his in-laws, Harv and Marjean Westerman of Hartley.
Board president, Bob Anema, presented Billings with a 20-Year Certificate as well as a gift from the board and staff, all in appreciation for his guidance and direction to those he has served over the years. After expressing his gratitude, Kent just shook his head and said, “It’s all gone so fast.”
Following a prayer given by President Anema, all in attendance enjoyed conversation and the delicious meals prepared for them by Lee Obermoeller and his crew at Jay’s.