Kristen Peterson
Funeral Director
Kristen Peterson grew up in Sioux Falls, SD and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1997. Kristen is an Augustana College graduate with her degree in elementary and middle school education. Kristen also has completed her clinical chaplaincy degree (CPE) in 2012 and worked as a Chaplain in the Spiritual Care department at Sanford from 2012-2018.
Kristen attended Mortuary School in Ankeny, IA and graduated in 2018. She is a licensed funeral director in both South Dakota and Minnesota. Kristen has been working with families in the Sioux Falls area, both as a teacher and chaplain since 2001. Kristen teaches a National board review course four times a year for the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association (NFDMA) as well as an instructor for Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science. She has been with Heritage Funeral Home since 2015 and became partner in 2023. Kristen and her family are members of First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, where she serves on the Youth and Family board. Kristen is on the board of directors for Sad Isn't Bad Board and is active in her PEO chapter.
She and her husband, Mitch, along with daughters, Molly Kate and Abigail, reside in Sioux Falls. In Kristen's free time she enjoys traveling, Pilates, yoga, spending time with family and attending theater and sporting events.
Darin Corcoran
Funeral Director
Darin Corcoran grew up in Harrisburg, SD and graduated from Harrisburg High School in 1985. He is an Augustana Nursing graduate and attended Mortuary School in Kansas City, KS. He has been serving families in the Sioux Falls area since 2001. He became a partner at Heritage Funeral Home in 2015. Darin is a member of East Side Lutheran Church, a Kiwanis member, Mason and El Riad Shrine. He and his wife, Rebecca, along with daughter, Blair reside near Harrisburg, SD.
Thomas Schelske
Funeral Director
Tom Schelske was raised in Tripp, SD and graduated from Tripp-Delmont High School. After high school Tom attended Mitchell Technical Institute achieving an A.A.S Degree in Satellite Communications. He worked for a local Sioux Falls technology company for 10 plus years. It was during this time that he began his pre-mortuary science studies through South Dakota State University. From September 2012 to September 2013, Tom attended and graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, IL. During mortuary school, Tom worked for Countryside Funeral Homes of Bartlett, Streamwood, Roselle, and South Elgin, Illinois.
Upon returning to South Dakota, he worked as an embalming specialist and cremationist for Dakota Embalming and Transport Services of Sioux Falls, SD. Tom started with Heritage Funeral Home in January of 2023. Tom is a licensed Funeral Director in South Dakota and Iowa.
Tom is married to Christine (Donahue) and has two small children, Seamus, and Sullivan. They are members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Cheyloe Stefanyuk
Funeral Director
Phone: 605-334-9640
Cheyloe was born and raised in Montana, where she graduated from Chester-Joplin-Inverness High School. She worked 8 years in Labor and Delivery as a Surgical Technologist, after deciding her calling was in a different ministry. She worked as a funeral director in Bozeman, Montana for a few years after graduating from Mortuary School in Littleton, Colorado. In 2022, she moved to Tea, SD where she married her husband, Vasiliy. Together, they attend Sioux Falls First Church in Sioux Falls. Much of her time is spent outdoors; hiking, camping, folfing, snowboarding; or enjoying her love of music by singing and playing piano. She is excited for this new adventure in Sioux Falls and working as a Funeral Director with Heritage.
Julia Schriver
Funeral Director Apprentice
Julia Schriver is a funeral director apprentice and currently attends Mortuary School at Des Moines Area Community College. She was born and raised in Aberdeen, SD. She graduated from Roncalli Catholic High School and Northern State University with an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration with honors. She is excited to learn from everyone at Heritage Funeral Home and bring back what she has learned to Aberdeen where she will become a 3rd generation funeral director.
James Jones
Funeral Director
James A. Jones grew up in Parker and graduated fromParker High School in 1979. After graduating from South Dakota State Universityin Brookings, SD, Jim received his degreein Mortuary Science from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He receivedsome of his training at the Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings. James and LoriJones purchased the funeral home in Parker in 1998 and opened the funeral chapelin Marion in 2001. Lori is a registered nurse. They have two daughters, Lindseyand Lauren. He also works at Heritage Funeral Home in Sioux Falls when needed.Jim is a member of the Grace Lutheran Church and past council president,Rosehill Cemetery Board, Parker Housing and Redevelopment Board, Tieszen MemorialHome Board, and is the past president for the South Dakota Funeral DirectorsAssociation. He also serves as the Turner County Coroner and is a CertifiedFuneral Service Practitioner.
Andy Kinzley
Funeral Director
Andy Kinzley grew up in Salem. Andy graduated from McCook Central High School in 1995. He graduated from St. John's University in Collegeville, MN and went on to receive his degree in Mortuary Science from Arapahoe Community College. He now co-owns Kinzley Funeral Home in Salem and Hartford with his sister, Laura Boecker,he also works at Heritage in Sioux Falls when needed. He and his wife, Dani, reside in Salem with their three sons, Caleb, Noah, and Aaron. Andy is a member of Sun Prairie Baptist Church in Salem.
Ryan Penning
Funeral Director
Ryan Penning grew up in Harrisburg and graduated fromHarrisburg High School in 2010. He graduated from South Dakota State University in 2013 and attended Des Moines Area Community College for Mortuary Science, graduating in 2014. He completed his apprenticeship and started working at Mason Funeral Home in Winner, SD. On January 1, 2018, he joined the staff at Heritage Funeral Home and Hofmeister-Jones Funeral Home in Parker.
Ryan and his wife Amy, daughters Adley and Maryn, and dog Jack, reside in Parker. He enjoys outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, golfing, and gardening. The family also likes to cheer on the Jackrabbits and other local teams in sporting events.
Ryan and his family are excited to be a part of Heritage Funeral Home of Sioux Falls and being involved in the community.
Julie Scott
Receptionist
Julie Scott grew up in Artesian, SD where she graduated from Artesian High School. Julie and her late husband, Jon lived and raised their family in the Artesian. Julie relocated to Sioux Falls in 2015. In August of 2015 she joined the staff at Heritage Funeral Home helping in the office.
She is a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Julie and Craig enjoy spending time at their lake home, shopping and most of all spending time with her 2 daughters and their husbands along with her 5 grandbabies.
Matt Pepper
Retired Funeral Director
Matt Pepper grew up in Colton, SD with his parents, Jack and Grayce Pepper who were both funeral directors. Matt graduated from Tri-Valley High School in Colton and attended the University of Sioux Falls. He received his mortuary science degree from Cypress College in Cypress, California. He served his apprenticeship at Ray Funeral Chapel in Yankton and then worked at Munderloh Funeral Home in Pender, NE before moving back to Sioux Falls becoming a partner at Heritage Funeral Home. Matt is married to Julie (Hostler) Pepper. They have three children Jeremy, Christopher (Shona) and Emily and five grandchildren, Keaira, Trevyn, Georgia, Gage and Jake. Matt retired from Heritage Funeral Home in the fall of 2022.
Dianna Shaykett
Retired Office Manager
Dianna Shaykett grew up in Miller, South Dakota. She graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Social Work. Prior to returning to South Dakota she worked as a social worker in Kansas City. She is married to Steve Shaykett and they have two children andfive grandchildren.
