Who We Are

Our staff of professionals has years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each comes to us because we are leaders in our profession, with dedication to service, and professional integrity.

• When we sit down with a family, our shared goal is to create a fitting, memorable and affordable service for their loved one. We offer them a wide variety of services and products, as well as a wealth of creative ideas and suggestions. Together, we'll design a memorial or funeral service that suits their needs now, and in the future. Families who come to us know that years from now, they will have deep peace-of-mind because in coming to us, they've done their best to honor their loved one.

Our Valued Staff

• 
  Bob Moynihan, M. Div., Funeral Director/Partner

  Bob Moynihan is the quintessential funeral director. Bob Moynihan came into funeral service without any family history in the business. He was first employed at age 15 as a wake duty attendant at the Ketcham Funeral Chapel in Evergreen Park . Anecdotally, Bob also worked wake duty later in high school for Lain-Sullivan at their Park Forest and Beverly locations. He became a funeral director in 1983 and assumed the ownership of the Ketcham Chapel. He was later a Vice-President/Manager of Lain-Fern Funeral Home in Beverly . He also owned the Kelly-Carroll and Mt. Greenwood Funeral Homes in Chicago and founded American Cremation Society, as well as Lane-Moynihan Funeral & Cremation Foundation. Bob lives in Glenwood.
  
  He fervently believes in the value of funeral and memorial services, that every life needs to be honored and that each service needs to be tailored to fit the uniqueness of the individual. Bob prides himself in helping people craft the best possible service for their loved ones and demands a level of unsurpassed excellence in all facets of the service so as to continue to strike the standard he learned from his early mentors in funeral service.
  
  Bob returned to Lain-Sullivan in 2006 for the purpose of helping restore and revision the firm and became Managing Partner of Lain-Sullivan Funeral Home & Crematory, as well as Hirsch West End Funeral Homes. He has overseen a restoration of the Lain—Sullivan and Hirsch West End/Matteson chapels as well as the relocation of the Hirsch West End/Chicago Heights chapel to Matteson.
  
  Bob graduated from Evergreen Park High School, Worsham College of Mortuary Science, and obtained a B.A. from National-Louis University in Evanston . He holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Catholic Theological Union at Chicago with worship and preaching concentration, and is an ordained minister in the Congregational Church (NACCC). Bob is a member of the Flossmoor Community Church but spends a lot of his Sunday mornings filling pulpits at various Congregational and Unity Churches. He’s an avid writer, has a blog, and enjoys his summer home in Kenosha .
  
  

• 
  Jennifer Berlongieri, Funeral Director

  Jennifer Berlongieri dreamed of becoming a funeral director from the time she was a very little girl. Jennifer lives at the Hirsch Funeral Home in Crete but made her home in Richton Park for most of her life. A graduate of Rich South High School , Jennifer studied at Prairie State College. Jennifer was so motivated by her dream, she worked her way through college working as a cosmetologist. While studying at Worsham College of Mortuary Science, she did an internship for six months at Pederson Ryberg Mortuary in Elmhurst , IL . In addition to being a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer, she is also a Certified Cremation Operator. Jennifer is a member of St. Lawrence O’Toole Church in Matteson , IL . She delights in baby sitting for her nieces, Stephanie, Brandi, Savannah and her nephews Matt, Giavanni, and Jakob. Otherwise you will find her reading mysteries, watching movies, and dancing.
  
  Jennifer combines her natural gifts of empathy and compassion with her tremendous skills in funeral directing to provide each and every family she serves with heart warming care and excellence in funeral service.

• 
  Michele Johnson, Family Care Coordinator/ Loving Memorial

  Michele, a 40 year resident of Park Forest, attended Rich E. High School and Prairie State College where she’s studied everything form medical science to welding. She retired after 24 years with Dominicks and was looking for an opportunity to be of service to the world. She found it at Lain-Sullivan and Hirsch Funeral Home nine years ago. Michele is a certified Crematory Operator and Founder of Loving Memorial Pet Care in conjunction with Lain-Sullivan Funeral Home & Crematory where pets are provided honest, ethical and compassionate care.
  
  Giving back to her community has become an important part of her life. She volunteers in Park Forest at the South Suburban Food Co-op, as a Village Hearing Officer, as a former member of the Police and Fire Commission, as past president of Kiwanas and current Pancake Day Chairman, as a former Board Member of the Tall Grass Arts Association, at PADs for the homeless, and for many pet rescue organizations.
  
  Married to Phil Knight, she loves pets, particularly her two dogs, Bowrinkle and Cinder.

• 
  Victoria Koestler, Life Tribute Coordinator/ Grief Support

  Victoria, an ordained minister and 12 year resident of Olympia Fields, has spent over 30 years teaching. She received her B.S. from the University of Northern Iowa, M.A. from Chicago State University , and M. Div. from the University of Hawaii . Interested in healing, she is certified as a Reiki, T’ai Chi, Qi Gong Instructor and a licensed massage therapist who owns Massage Therapy in Crete, IL.
  
  Interested in her community, she has created fund raisers for the Red Cross and the American Cancer Research Institute and is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association. She is long time member of Faith Church in Homewood , IL and a choir member of Unity Church in Hammond , IN.
  
  Victoria loves singing, creating theme parties, caring for her 11 pets, flying airplanes and throwing pottery. She particularly enjoys live theater.

• 
  Mary Flaws, Office Manager/Family Care Associate

  Mary, grew up in the south suburbs and has lived in Tinley Park for eight years. She attended Bloom High School in Chicago Heights , Prairie State College in Chicago Heights , South Suburban College in South Holland, Morraine Community College in Palos Heights and is studying nursing at Lewis University in Romeoville , IL. Previously, Mary has worked as a daycare teacher, a certified dental assistant, and a certified nurses assistant. Helping people laugh in Hospice Home Health Care at Palos Hospital has been particularly rewarding for her.
  
  Married to Matthew, she loves being with her two daughters, Allison and Caitlin and reading in her spare time.

• 
  James Cull, Funeral Director

  Jim Cull has been a Funeral Director for 50 years and has been with Hirsch West End Funeral Homes since 1965. A lifelong resident of Chicago Heights until moving recently to Mokena, Jim attended St. Agnes Grade School, Bloom High School, Thornton Community College, and served in the army during the Korean War. Upon graduation from Worsham College of Mortuary Science, he became a partner with Gonder & Wilson Mortuary in Chicago for five years before joining Hirsch West End Funeral Homes.
  
  A member of St. Kierans for many years, he’s a new member of St. Stephen’s of Tinley Park. Formerly active in many service organizations, since retirement, he belongs to the National Funeral Directors Association, the Illinois Funeral Directors Association and the Knights of Columbus.
  
  Jim loves to travel with his wife Fran, especially to France and Italy where she can interpret for them. They have three sons, Jim, Dan, and Tony and one daughter, Rosanne. When he’s not baby sitting for his three grandchildren he is passionate about listening to classical music and attending the Lyric Opera.
  
  In 2010, Jim was honored by the Illinois Funeral Directors Association for fifty years of service as a Funeral Director. Bob Moynihan, Managing Partner of Hirsch West End refers to Jim as “the soul of Hirsch Funeral Homes.” Hirsch West End is a ten time recipient of the Pursuit of Excellence Award. This is a rare award given by the National Funeral Directors Association. Moynihan says that, “While Jim Cull was never the person accepting the award, it is clear that he was always responsible for earning it.”
  

• 
  Lisa Nolan, Week End Office Manager

  Lisa is a resident of Park Forest who grew up in Matteson and attended Rich South in Richton Park , IL . Formerly a Personnel Assistant at the University of Illinois , an experienced customer service professional with Columbus Line and Pacer International, she now efficiently manages the Hirsch Funeral Home office in Matteson, IL.
  
  She’s shares her love of the Bears with her husband, John. She enjoys spending time with her family, two brothers, niece & nephew, cooking, reading mysteries, playing golf, swimming in their pool in the summer and bowling on three leagues in the winter.

• 
  Sam Coniglio, Family Care Associate/Facilities Super-A

  Sam Coniglio has been a resident of Park Forest for 41 years. After graduation form Strongsville High School in OH, he mapped remote areas in the South Pacific Islands and Ethiopia while serving in the Air Force. Then, working for Caterpillar for 30 years, he became a skilled machinist. Sam was awarded Distinguished Lieutenant Governor by the Kiwanis where he has served for 16 years as president, secretary, Chairman of Peanut Day and Chairman of the Bowl-a-thon. Through the Key Club, he enjoys helping teenagers with their community service projects.
  
  He’s married to Connie with one daughter, Lynne. Active in Faith United Protestant Church of Park Forest, Sam has served on the Council, the UP Council, ushered and set up communion. If he isn’t painting seascapes with clipper ship in water colors, you’ll find him with Connie at the opera, theater, taking short trips, or canoeing.

• 
  Gus Constanino, Family Care Associate/ Fleet Supervisor

  Gus, nicknamed “Gus the Bus”, has been taking care of the vehicles at Hirsch Funeral Home since 1972. Previously, he served on a ship in the navy during WWII, worked in the early theaters running the film projectors, in a factory, for a bus company, in a garage, and for 20 years drove the ambulance and hearse for the now-closed Gerardi Funeral Home in Chicago Heights. Gus grew up in Steger and resides at the Hirsch Funeral Home in Crete . As a member of St. Liborius Church, he has long served as a Eucharistic Minister and Lector. In his spare time, he loves listening to police and fire calls on his scanner.

• 
  Tom Devine, Family Care Associate/Ambassador

  Based at the completely renovated and redecorated Hirsch Funeral Home in Matteson, Tom retired from R.R. Donnelly & Son after working in accounting and financial printing for 42 years. Born and raised in Chicago, Tom served in the Army Reserves. He has shared the last 41 years with his wife Elizabeth, raising Lisa, Mary, Beth, Michael, and Kevin. He loved going to his chidren's ball games and now delights in watching his 8 grandchildren play basketball, soccer, baseball, and football. A former longtime resident of Chicago ’s Mt. Greenwood area, Tom now resides in Orland Park where he is an active member of St. Francis Church Orland Park, IL. His new passion is photography.

• 
  Rosa Estrada, Family Care Associate/Facilities Attenda

  Rosa Estrada, serves Hirsch Funeral Homes and Lain-Sullivan Funeral Home & Crematory with her cleaning service expertise, formerly serving Prarie State College in Chicago Heights, IL. She’s a long time resident of Chicago Heights , born in La Piedad , Mexico , and attends St. Paul ’s Church in Chicago Heights . Married to Arnulso with 2 sons, Juan and Gabriel and 1 daughter, Yesich, she loves talking with her family, running, and designing knitted hats, tablecloths and ponchos. She enjoys cooking everything from enchiladas to Mexican rice for her family and even cooks on weekends for the buffet at Balmoral Racetrack.

• 
  Larry Johnston, Family Care Associate/Ambassador

  Larry, an Ambassador since Feb. 2006 with an office at Hirsch Funeral Home in Crete , graduated from Benton High School in Benton , IL , studied business at Mt. Vernon Junior College , served two years in the Army’s Military Police, worked 35 years in the Material Control Division of Ford Motor Co. and retired in 1995. He then became a sales representative for Capital Lincoln Mercury in the Auto Mall in Matteson , IL. A 43 year resident of Crete, Sundays, he serves as head usher of Crete United Methodist Church in Crete , IL and during the week he is currently serving his fourth term in political office as the Crete Commissioner of the Police and Fire Departments.
  
  Married to Sharon for 42 years, with one daughter, one son and one granddaughter in high school, he likes crafting woodworking projects at home, traveling around the U.S. or taking cruises. Although technically retired, he loves to stay involved with his community.

• 
  Michael Martin, Family Care Associate/Ambassador

  Mike, born and raised in Bradley,IL, a 25 yr. resident of Crete, now lives in Monee,IL. He attended Kankakee High School, Muskegon Jr. College , Prairie State Junior College , and served in Vietnam 3 1/2 years in the U.S. Navy’s Top Secret Cryptographic Radio Division. He’s worked with Midway Supply as a warehouse manager, Globe Life Insurance Company in direct sales, and Sid Harvey in management. In his community, he attends Crete United Methodist Church where he enjoys singing and acting in plays. As a member and past-president of Angels on Assignment, he helps children of families in need.
  
  Mike is married to Sharon , with one son, Sean, now deceased, one daughter, Shelley, one grandchild and has extended his family with one surrogate daughter, Jackie who has four children. If he’s not playing golf, you’ll find him playing with his grandchildren.

• 
  Rick Serrano, Business Office/Accounts Management

  Rick Serrano, grew up in Grant City, IL next to St. Louis , where he attended high school. Then he went to the Southern University of IL in Evanston , IL and served in the Army’s Special Forces for 27 years, where he was given the Legion of Merit Award. He serves his community as a member of the Knights of Columbus, Masons, VFW, American Legion, Am Vets, DAV, and the Eagles.
  
  Married to Sharon , they share 4 daughters, 2 sons and 3 grandchildren. When he’s not running in marathons, you’ll find him scuba diving, with his stamp or coin collection, or taking a Caribean Cruise with Sharon.