Our staff is comprised of dedicated and licensed professionals with the experience to answer all your questions regarding our services. Please feel free to contact any of our staff members at any time.
Director
John-Michael “J.M.” Jones has been a Director with Gray Funeral Directors of Westfield and Cranford, since February of 2010. J.M. began his career in funeral service in 1979 as a high school junior growing up in Punta Gorda, FL, where he worked for a classmate’s family funeral home. He graduated with a BA degree from the University of Florida, Gainesville in 1984, then enrolled in mortuary science school in Miami, graduating cum laude with a degree in Funeral Service Education in 1986 from Miami-Dade College.
J.M. began a 20 year career with the Kraeer Funeral Home group, based in Pompano Beach, FL, where he managed the firm’s Coral Springs, FL and Boca Raton, FL locations. In 1991, he earned a Masters degree in Business Administration, from Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, while working his way up to General Manager of the firm’s 13 funeral homes. In 2000 he was appointed regional manager of the Southeast Florida Market of The Loewen Group,Inc, which was the firm’s parent company. J.M. oversaw the firm’s 24 funeral home, cemetery, and crematory properties and operations from Jupiter,FL down to Key West, FL. In 2003, he helped transition the market into the newly reorganized company, which became the Alderwoods Group, based in Toronto, CN. J.M. was elected District Director for the Florida Funeral Directors Association, representing the Fort Lauderdale area. He was later nominated to the Executive Committee, and served as the association’s Secretary/Treasurer. J.M. was appointed to the association’s Legislative Committee, which wrote a proposal to amend the State of Florida statutes to combine both of the state’s Board of Funeral Directing, and the Board of Cemeteries, into one regulatory board. This was mandated by then Governor Jeb Bush, in his effort to streamline state government. The proposal was later enacted into legislation and became law.
After the untimely death of J.M.’s first wife Staci Cummings Jones, in 2004 from cancer, J.M. left funeral service in 2006, to raise their three children. Having taught school as an adjunct professor of funeral service management and law, at the former mortuary science school at Lynn University, Boca Raton, J.M. had a desire to teach history, his favorite subject. He enrolled into the transition to teaching program at Bethel College in suburban South Bend, IN, where he and the children had previously moved to. He taught economics, history, and government in local high schools there.
J.M has been a funeral director with Gray's since February 1, 2010. He is married to the lovely Jennifer Ann (nee Torres), who grew up in Westfield and Mountainside, where they now live. They are members of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, where J.M. is a Lector, and member of the Brothers in Christ Mens Ministry. He currently serves as Deputy Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus Msgr. Henry J. Waterson Council #1711, Westfield, and is the Faithful Scribe of the Knights of Columbus Watchung Assembly 4th Degree. J.M is the President and a Charter Member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Westfield. His daughter Christina recently received her Masters in Science degree in Nursing from Columbia University, New York. J.M.'s son Matthew is an incoming Freshmen at the Citadel Military College, Charleston, SC, and son Mark is finishing his Freshman year at Governor Livingston High School, Berkeley Heights, where he is a member of the Highlanders Ice Hockey team.
Telephone: 1-908-233-0143
Email: grayfdir@gmail.com
Manager / Funeral Director
William A. Doyle is a
funeral director with Gray Funeral Homes with more than 55 years of service
. With more than 65 years of experience,
young William decided he wanted to be a funeral director since his formative
years as a 7th grader. While visiting a friend’s house for lunch,
Bill heard his friend’s father, who was a funeral director, remark on how nice
the checks were that they had received that week “for three days work.” That
set in motion what would later become his life’s vocation. He would soon find out
that it wasn’t just ”three days work”, but 365 days work, and being available
24/7 including weekends, and holidays.
Born in Newark on December 8th, 1929, to the late
James and Elizabeth Fox Doyle, Bill has a sister ,Claire Doyle Smith, and a
brother, the late James Doyle. He was raised in Newark, where he attended Blessed
Sacrament School, St. Joseph’s School, and St. Benedict’s Prep School. Upon
graduation, in 1947, he began a three year internship with the James F. Caffrey
& Son Funeral Home in Newark. It was during this time that a funeral
director friend, Andy Flood, set him up on a blind date, with the lovely Alice
Vermilyea. Soon after, world events changed Bill’s plans. The Korean War broke
out, and mortuary science school would have to wait, as Bill enlisted in the
U.S. Navy. He was sent to the Naval Hospital Corps. School in Bainbridge, MD,
where he was trained as a medic. Before he was sent oversees to Japan and
Korea, he and Alice, his soul mate, were married, February 2, 1952 in Saint
Mary’s Abby Church, Newark. Medics were in high demand on the ground, so the
Navy transferred Bill into the US Marines, 1st Division in Korea. He would remain
there for a year and a half. After his tour there, he was transferred to the Naval Hospital in Japan. He
agreed to an overseas extension in Japan, where he was later joined by his
young bride, Alice and their first child, Carol, with their second child Bill
Jr. “on the way.” They lived in Japan until Bill’s duty ended in December 1955.
With the war over, and Bill’s service to his country having
ended, it was time to get back to his life’s work i.e. having lots of kids, and
working long hours as a funeral director. Bill completed his studies at the
McAllister School of Mortuary Science, New York City and passed his state board
exams to become a licensed funeral director and embalmer in New Jersey. He was
eventually able to find a full time position with the former Weatherhead
Funeral Home in Orange. He later worked at Arthur K. Brown, in Montclair, and
Haeberle & Barth in Irvington and Union. In 1958, Bill learned that Mr.
Fred H.Gray Sr. was looking for a funeral director for his Westfield and
Cranford funeral homes. He accepted what was then a generous offer, and never
looked back. In 1966 Gray’s would become part of the Crabiel group of funeral
homes. David B. Crabiel, founder, and president, would later name Bill to
positions of manager, and executive director of Gray’s. Bill has served his
community and profession well over his many years of service. Having been
active with many civic groups such as the Lions, the Knights of Columbus, and the
board of the Westfield Senior Housing, Bill has also served in various
committees and positions with the New Jersey State Funeral Directors
Association, and the Union County Funeral Directors Association.
He is a committed supporter of religious missions work and
US military veterans groups. He and Alice’s love for each other have produced
eight children: Carol Ann Dinsmore (Robert), William A. Jr. (Claudia), James K.
(Linda), Kathleen Dinsmore, Timothy, Thomas (Rose), Patrick, and Mark
(Veronica). There are now 13 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren. Where
it stops no one knows!
Telephone: 1-908-233-0143
Email: grayfdir@aol.com
Funeral Director / Manager
Dale Schoustra has been with Gray Funeral Homes since June of 1988
as a funeral director, and became Manager of Gray Memorial in 1993.
Dale started his interest in funeral service at age seventeen
while in Eastern Christian High School in North Haledon, New Jersey. He
started out as a parking attendant at a local funeral home in Bergen
County. As he got involved in other aspects of the business, he was
encouraged by his employer and his parents to look at a career in funeral
service. Following his calling for his life work, he followed that
path by going to Bergen Community College, and then on to American
Academy Mc Allister Institute Of Funeral Service in New York
City.
Growing up in Ridgewood, New Jersey, he served his apprenticeship
at C.C. Van Emburgh Funeral Home in the same town. He
came to Westfield, and Cranford and met Christine M. Barber. She is
a lifelong resident of Cranford, and a true Jersey Girl (Bruce Springsteen
fan). They got married in 1994. They have two children,
Jonathan, and Kelly. Jon works as a parking lot attendant
and tends door here at Gray’s. Kelly is a student at Clemson
University (Go Tigers) in South Carolina with a major in pre business.
Dale came to love Cranford, Westfield, Garwood and the surrounding
communities to which he serves. He is a member and Elder of the
First Presbyterian Church in Cranford, and the Cranford Elks, and
the Azure Masada Lodge. When he is not working, he enjoys his
family first and foremost, and also enjoys golf and watching a good football
game.
Along with William Doyle , and J.M. Jones; Dale runs
the Gray Funeral Homes as if they were his own. As he likes to put
it,“ it is his old school upbringing” that trickles down to the
families he serves, and their loved ones. Treating everyone
with the upmost dignity and respect, is important to him. With our
path of Life Celebration, we can bring out a life that is and was well lived. Dale
likes to think that he went into funeral service for the right reasons, and
that is to help people through a most difficult time.
Telephone: 1-908-276-0092
Email: grayfdir@aol.com