History & Staff

April is local to Hillsboro since 1980, growing up in Scholls with her brother while attending Groner Elementary, where her father worked until retirement. She is in a long-term relationship with her friend Jon, meeting during science class at the now-gone J.B. Thomas Junior High school building. Graduating from Hillsboro High in the early 90's they remain close with many alumni here in town.

After working a generation in the healthcare industry, she reduced her commute to work at Intel, then set her sights on getting even closer to home and found her forever-job here at the memorial park. Her customer service skills and helpful nature work well the the natural diversity of families that need assistance during difficult times. She enjoys talking with families about ways to plan ahead in a comfortable & open environment - answering questions while educating folks on the topic of end-of-life planning.

In her spare time she is a full-time crafter and considers herself an available resource when it comes to solving creative issues. She currently has a Pit Bull named Nala, and an American Bully named Lewis that help to keep her very entertained.

Maegan has been serving families since 2014 when she graduated from the mortuary science program at Cypress Community College in California. She spent some time with a smaller family owned firm, working with the community of Fresno and the Central Valley to educate and encourage young adults.

After working at the family owned firm for a few years, she transferred back to Southern California to complete her embalming apprenticeship as well as participate in events such as the Every Fifteen Minutes Program—a program designed to show teenagers the consequences and effects of driving while under the influence.

Maegan moved to Portland where she currently resides with her fiancé Nick and their two cats.

In her spare time, Maegan enjoys road trips with her fiancé, watching movies and planning her next big adventure.

Suzanne has worked in the funeral industry for 15 years as a Funeral Director and Embalmer. She graduated from Mount Hood Community College in Funeral Science program and also has a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Portland State. Prior to working in the funeral industry, she worked extensively in the field of domestic violence. She was on the Board of Directors for the Portland Women’s Crisis line and worked for a DV shelter as a case manager and was the coordinator in charge of running support groups in and outside of the shelters. She helped to pioneer the Washington County Domestic Violence Restraining Order Advocacy program which has blossomed, grown and has helped hundreds of abused women and men in Washington County.

Suzanne has volunteered for the Oregon Food Bank for years, as well as Meals on Wheels, and the Milwaukie Community Center.

In her personal life, she has three sons and 7 grandchildren. She lives at home with her Australian Shepherd Zoey and enjoys spending time with her family, kayaking, hiking, and spending time at the coast or in the mountains which always amazes her with its beauty.

Joel has been an Oregon resident all his life, born in Portland and currently living in Aloha. After three years of working retail, he felt it was time to pursue a more meaningful form of service and joined the team at Donelson Funeral Chapel in the early months of 2021.

Joel is currently a full time student at Portland State University with a minor in architecture and finishing up a bachelors degree in graphic design. As a part time Funeral Attendant at Donelson Funeral Chapel, Joel assists our Funeral Director with setting up and carrying out services for families under our care; as well as contributing to more behind the scenes work in the office where a helping hand can lift some of the weight of the shoulders of our Administrative and Management team.

Before coming to Donelson Funeral Chapel, Joel served as a volunteer for the city of Hillsboro for six consecutive years and has developed a strong understanding of compassion, respect, responsibility, and patience.