STAFF DIRECTORY
Once you request the services of Max A. Sass & Sons Funeral Home, we will immediately put our experienced funeral professionals to work for you. A single, dedicated individual will stay in contact with you every step of the way and guide you through the decision-making process. He or she will carefully explain your options, make recommendations at your request, take care of all the small details, and ensure that you and your family's personal touch is always present.
The staff is composed of funeral directors and support staff.
James A. Sass
Email: jamessass@wi.rr.com
Position: President & Oversee operations at all four locations
Education: Attended St. Alexander Grade School, Don Bosco High School, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Graduate of Wisconsin Institute of Mortuary Science
Length of Employment: Began working at the funeral home 46 years ago.
Community Involvement: President of the Milwaukee Society of the P.N.A., Member of the city of Franklin Fire and Police Commission, South Side Business Club, 3rd Degree Knight of Columbus, 4th degree Bishop Henni Council, Member and Past President of the Greenfield Lions Club, Member and Past President of the Milwaukee Funeral Director Association, Past Chairman of the Board the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Examining Board, Chairman of the Board of Lincoln Savings Bank, President of Lincoln State Bank, Member of the Board of Merchants and Manufacturers Bank Corp., Past Chairman of the Board of St. Francis Hospital, Board Member of Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Volunteer Special Olympics, Awards, South Side Business Man of the Year, Polish American of the Year, Recipient of the Melvin Jones Award (the Highest award a lion can attain), helped found the Compassionate Friends - Milwaukee Chapter, and is also a Member of St. Anne Intraenerational.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: Married to Susie, with three children, Steven, Tami, and Kimberly. We love spending as much time with and enjoying our five grandchildren, golfing and fishing.
 Marv Kremski
Email: office@wi.rr.com
Position: Vice President
Branch: Mission Hills/ All locations Qualification/Experience: Licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer state of Wisconsin 1968 for 40 years, with firm management, administration, financial, funeral arranging & conducting.
Education: St. Gerard Catholic Church grade school 1953-1961, Pulaski High School 1961-1965, Milwaukee Institute of Technology 1965-1966, University of Wisconsin 1966-1967, Wisconsin Institue of Mortuary Science 1967-1968.
Length of Employment: 40 yrs
Community Involvement: Member & past director Southside Business Assoc., member & Past Director P.N.A./Milwaukee Society 2159, member of St. Josephs Foundation, member & past President Eleemoysinarians St. Fancis Hospital, past member Board of Directors St. Francis Hospital Foundation, past President & board member Milwaukee Lake Lions Club, member Greendale Lions Club, past President Milwaukee County Funeral Directors Assoc. St. Alphonsus Church.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: Golf, boating (Tuckaway Country Club), fan of professional baseball, football, golf, and college basketball and football. Wife Judy, son Michael, daughter Michelle.
 Steven J. Sass
Position: Funeral Director
 Michael Kremski
Email: michaelkremski@me.com
Position: Funeral Director
I was born at St. Francis Hospital on Milwaukee’s south side to Marv and Judy Kremski (nee Sass). My family were established business owner’s, with my grandfather Myron operating a tavern on 20th and Oklahoma, my grandmother Hilde owning and operating a card store and my mother’s parents owning Max A. Sass & Sons Funeral Home. I attended Blessed Sacrament, St. Mary Hales Corners and St. Alphonsus grade schools and St. Thomas More High School. I went on to attain a degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and my funeral service degree from the Milwaukee Area Technical College. I joined the firm in 1988 as an apprentice, was licensed in 1992 and have tried my best to continue our family’s commitment to service ever since.
I was married in 2000 to Amy Beining. We started a family and have three children, Caroline, Katherine and William. We live in Franklin and enjoy being part of the vibrant and growing community. We belong to St. Martin of Tours Church, are active in many community activities and enjoy a wide range of outdoor events as a family.
I am a member of the Franklin Lions, the Kiwanis Club, Southside Business Club, served as subdivision president and on the finance committee at St. Martin of Tours. Community service has always been a hallmark of our family and I serve on the Boards of the Franklin Educational Foundation and Franklin Youth Football.
I pride myself in helping families to arrange funerals that are meaningful and personal to them. I want the families I have the privilege of serving to feel that they having honored their family member in exactly the way that was appropriate to them to not just follow the “same old format”. I think in the past, some of the emphasis was taken off the person who had died and place on the ritual itself. Today people are doing an excellent job of blending meaningful rituals with personalization.
Don Edwards
Position: Bookkeeper
Don Edwards joined the firm in 1978 after a distinguished career as customer service manger at Louis Allis. He is married to Max and Helen Sass's oldest child, Patricia. Don and Pat have six children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Don is an avid sports fan, navy veteran, enjoys traveling, playing cards and his accordion. Although not a licensed funeral director, Don has provided ancillary services to many grieving families and has handled the accounting work for the firm. He is now semi-retired but still has a strong commitment to the families that we serve and to the firm.
Marlowe Larsen
E-mail: marlowelarsen@gmail.com
Position: Funeral Director/Manager
Qualification/Experience: 25 years of all aspects of funeral service
Education: Associate Degree in Funeral Service MATC
Length of Employment: Since 1985
Community Involvement: Member of St. Lukes Lutheran Church Greendale, WI. Member of Voices of St. Lukes.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: I was born in Luck, Wisconsin in 1955, the youngest of three children. I grew up on a dairy farm which my parents owned in Luck. Having grown up on a dairy farm I am not afraid of work because on a farm the hours are long and the work does not stop on the weekend or at 5 PM either. I attended a small school in Luck, which housed first grade to 12th in the same building. Upon graduating from High School I joined the U. S. Army and served 3 years of active duty and 3 years of inactive duty. I served two of those years in Okinawa, Japan as a Morse Intercept Specialist with a Top Secret Clearance. After serving my active duty time in the U.S. Army I came home and worked for a short in a plastics factory in the Luck area. I then decided with the help of my father who was the sexton of the local church cemetery to go into the field of funeral service. I served my year of apprenticeship at a small local funeral home in Glenwood City, WI doing everything alongside the owner of the business. I learned many aspects of the Funeral Business because it was a small family owned business. After my apprenticeship was completed I enrolled in the Funeral Service Program in Milwaukee at M.A.T.C. While in the Funeral Service program I worked full time at Rexnord Plastics Division in Grafton, WI. And also lived in Grafton. My job there was an Injection Molding Set up person. I went to school during the day and worked second shift at the plastics factory to support myself. It wasn’t easy but I made it work. I also worked at a Local Funeral Home in Port Washington on the weekends to further my experience in the field of Funeral Service and I gained excellent experience at that funeral home. I then moved to Milwaukee in November of 1985 and began working at Max Sass Funeral Home on December 1, 1985. I brought with me the experience I had gained at my other places of employment and have been with the firm since. I have handled all aspects of dealing with the death of a loved one. I began doing the preparation work of the body for the visitation and service and making funeral arrangements as needed. I now handle making the arrangements, working the funeral and I do all of the scheduling of personal to handle the services that Max Sass Handles. I have always felt it is a very important part of the funeral process to be able to see the body and have the opportunity to say your goodbyes to your loved one which is also a very important part of the healing process. I have two adult daughters (one is married and the other is engaged) and my first grandchild just arrived February 5, 2011 and I enjoy him very much. I enjoy spending time with my daughters and doing many activities with them and their families and as a grandpa babysitting when needed. I am a longtime member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Greendale where I am in the Church choir, and also was on a committee to establish a place within the church to honor those who are serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. I was not involved in a lot of outside activities when my children were growing up because as a divorced parent I wanted to be a part of my children growing up and to be a good example to them and be there for them when they needed me. I was very active with SWAT (Southwest Aquatics Team) which is a competitive swim team in the Greenfield, Franklin, Muskego and Hales Corners areas of Milwaukee. Every night was spent taking my daughters to and from swim practice, and many weekends were spent at a swimming pool for competitive swim meets. I also became a certified swim official at one point during that time. Family is a very important part of anyone’s life and you only have one chance at it so make the best memories you can. As a funeral director at Max A. Sass & Sons Funeral Homes I want every family that I help through the most difficult time of their life to feel comfortable with me, and when the funeral for their loved one is over I hope they have a good memory of their loved ones life. A life lived is important to every person in their own unique way and I strive to make that possible for everyone.
 Steven J. Sanders
E-Mail: stevensanders1957@gmail.com
Position: Licensed Funeral Director and office manager
Qualification/Experience: 31 years as a licensed Funeral Director
Education: Liberal Arts education at University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Associate degree in funeral services from Milwaukee Area Technical College (1979)
Length of Employment: Joined the Max A. Sass & Sons Funeral Home in July of 1988.
Community Involvement: Active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Milwaukee where I sing in the adult choir, member of ASPCA, World Wildlife Fund, the Humane Society, The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Ocean Conservancy, Wisconsin Historical Soc., Milwaukee County Historical Soc., Milwaukee Art Museum, Amnesty International, Sherman Park Community Assoc.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: Gardening, traveling, exercise, proud owner of three naughty dogs, Tipper, Parker and Baxter.
Andrew Stiller
E-mail: andrewstiller1971@gmail.com
Position: Funeral Director/Embalmer
Education:1994 graduate of Milwaukee Area Technical College
Experience: Funeral Director/Embalmer for 14 years.
Community Involvement: Lifelong member of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: Enjoys time with family and friends and working around the house.
Eliott Derocher
I was born in Milwaukee in 1948 and the eldest of eight children by 1962. I attended Holy Redeemer Catholic grade school, Washington High School and MATC, for its mortuary science school, all located in Milwaukee. I was in the U. S. Navy before mortuary school, from 1967 until 1971, involved in the Vietnam Conflict. Later, I worked four years at "Western Electric" before deciding on this profession. I obtained my funeral director and embalmer licenses in 1979.
I own a home in Menomonee Falls and have been married 37 years. We have four adult children and six grandchildren. That is an awful lot of birthday celebrations, anniversaries, religious and school functions, doctor visits and, just general bonding with newborns, to keep me busy when not here on the premises.
Currently at Max A. Sass & Sons, I operate our crematory with one other director on our staff. I also work visitation detail assignments; interacting with families that have come to our funeral home because of a death in the family, or of a personal friend. Because of the experience I bring to the firm, I assist other directors on staff. That is, attempting to enhance that particular funeral service by attending to the needs of the family, who placed their trust into our hands in the first place.
Our funeral home has four locations, as you know. The directors, licensed apprentices and support staff, form a work force located in various neighborhoods. We involve ourselves with churches, cemeteries, funeral merchandise suppliers and others who are, even indirectly, involved in our profession. Of equal importance, we are in tune with our families' 'guests' who have come to our funeral homes to pay homage to a deceased member of the community. We supply the place and comfort. We supply the amenities. We supply the trust, because, this is most important to the Sass philosophy.
Ralph R. Haas
Position: Licensed Funeral Director & Embalmer
Qualification/Experience: Licensed 35 yrs. owned & operated own Funeral home for 20yrs.
Education: 4 years U.S. Navy, Associate Applied Science MATC (1st yr of Mortuary school there) B.S. Degree Citadel & Upper Iowa University Military Science, Business Admin., Mortuary Science.
Length of Employment: Associated with Max A. Sass & Sons since 1972 serving apprenticeship here.
Community Involvement: Member church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints serving High Council.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: Married 40 yrs to Gloria Jean, 2 daughters, 4 grandchildren. Fisherman & hunter.
Joe Corrao
Position: Funeral Director/Embalmer
Qualification/Experience: In Funeral Service since 2004
Education: Associate Degree in Accounting (Stratton College 1996), Associate Degree in Funeral Service (M.A.T.C. 2006)
Length of Employment: Joined Max A. Sass in February 2008
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: I am married to Liz, with no children. Interests include reading, watching baseball (Brewers) and gardening.
Gregory J. Fischer
E-mail: sassdirector1731@gmail.com
Position: Licensed Funeral Director
I was born in West Allis in 1967. I attended St Matthias Grade School, 1986 Graduate of Nathan Hale High School in West Allis and a 1990 graduate of the mortuary science program at MATC.
I was a member of St. Matthias Catholic Church for 30 years and I am a current active member of St James Catholic Church in Franklin. Activities at the church include Member of the Parish Council, Faith commission and the snow removal team.
My time away from the office I enjoy spending time with my wife Judy and son Michael working around the house, motorcycling, camping, fishing and hiking with my family. I am a HOG member, and a member of the Patriot Guard Riders, a group of motor cycle enthusiasts, paying tribute and honoring those who served in the military with motorcycle escorts.
The last 20 years I've guided thousands of families in the planning of meaningful services, from memorial services and traditional services, to pay tribute and celebrate the lives of their loved ones.
Lori Catherine Schultz
Position: Secretary
Education: Dominican High School
Length of Employment: joined Max A. Sass & Sons Funeral Homes in 1999.
Community Involvement: Active Member at St. Paul Catholic Church. Volunteer at the Milw. Humane Society. Member of Chute Pond Snowmobilers Club, and the Dusty Trails ATV Club.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: My husband (Tim) and I enjoy our 2 dogs and our cat. We are avid snowmobilers, ATVers, and all around out doors people. I like to work in my garden all spring, summer and fall. During the winter months I crochet and scrapbook.
Tom Kaminski
Position: Community Relations Director
Education: St. Stans, Don Bosco, U-W
Community Involvement: Milwaukee Braves Historical Assoc Treasurer, St. Anne’s Center, Mendota Club U-W. – Polish National Alliance – Milwaukee Society.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: Sports and travel. Traveled with Green Bay Packers 33 years, Dallas Cowboys 2 years, St Louis Cards 1 year, Houston Astro’s 1 year, Milwaukee Braves 5 years, Milwaukee Brewers 7 years, and Milwaukee Bucks 6 years.
Kathy Hnilicka
Position: Pre-need Counselor
Qualification/Experience: Elem. Ed. Teacher, Dir. of early Childhood Programs , Licensed State of WI Life Insurance Agent and State of WI Agent for Burial Agreements.
Education: B.S. Elementary Education and Two Library Science Degrees
Length of Employment: Since 2007
Community Involvement: Had served for 6 yrs on the Bd. of Dir. for the YMCA and YWCA. Chaired the West Sub. YMCA Partner Campaign 6 yrs. – Honored as their Vol. of the year, twice. Honored as Friend of Education by Wauwatosa Public Schools. Served as Pres. Of Wauwatosa Public schools PTAs Council.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: Mother to 6 sons. Married 30 years. Photography, scrap booking, reading, travel.
Robert Walczak
Position: Public Relations
Education: Graduate of Marquette University (1957)
Experience: Employed by National Funeral Directors Association for 45 years.
Community Involvement: Member of St. Roman Parish.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: Married to Marion, with two daughters, Jan and Jill, and three grandchildren. Also on the loist of Marquette's all time great Basketball players.
Sandi Reidenbach
Position: Secretary
Experience: Has been with firm for 9 years serving as secretary
Community Involvement: Member of Hales Corners Lutheran Church
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: She and her husband have two children and live in Franklin, enjoys weaving, cooking and traveling with her husband.
 Carole Sayer
Position: Public Relations
Education: I attended Muskego Grade School, Mukwonago High School and Marquette University.
Length of Employment: I have been with Max A. Sass & Sons Funeral Homes since 2001. I assist with visitations at our Westwood Chapel in Muskego.
Community Involvement: I have resided in the Muskego area for most of my life and active in many community activities. I am a member of Hales Corners Lutheran Church.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: I am the mother of three adult sons and two precious granddaughters, who keep me young at heart. I enjoy arts and crafts, reading, travel and working in my yard gardening. I am known at the funeral home as the “Flower Lady”.
 Katie Knutson
E-mail: knutsonkatie@hotmail.com
Position: Licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer
Length of Employment: Since 2010
Was born in Beaver Dam, WI on July 4, 1980, the daughter of Todd and Cheryl Knutson. I began my love of funeral service in high school during the summers of 1996 & 1997 along with 50 students from across Wisconsin, researching math and science based careers at the Regional Center for Math and Science, University of Green Bay. Also selected to participate in my high schools mentorship program during my senior year, it was confirmed that funeral service was the path God was laying for me. In May of 2001, I graduated from Milwaukee Area Technical College with a degree in Mortuary Science. In the last 10 years I have gained invaluable knowledge and experience. My journey in funeral service has lead me to join Max A. Sass & Sons Funeral Home in August of 2010. I am truly blessed to help create meaningful services for each and every family I serve.
 Robert Kowalski
Position: Funeral Director's Assistant
Education: Pulaski High School, University of Wisconsin - Madison (1 year)
Length of Employment: Since 2003 Community Involvement: Member of Divine Mercy Parish in South Milwaukee and a Lay Minister for the Parish.
Hobbies/Interests/Personal: Coached Track and Cross Country at Cudahy High School for 13 years. I enjoy golf, biking and cross country skiing. The Boy Scouts of America has had my services as a volunteer Scouter for the last fifty years. I have served my country for six years in the Marine Corps. I am married to my lovely wife Johann, we have two great children and five wonderful grandchildren. I enjoy watching my grandchildren participate in their sporting activities.
 Paul Hnilika
E-Mail: Paul.hnilika@gmail.com
Position: Lead Family Counselor
Qualifications/Experience: I have been assisting families at Max A. Sass & Sons Funeral Home since 2010
Education: Brookfield Central High School Graduate (2000-2004), UW-Whitewater Graduate (2004-2009)
Hobbies/Personal Interests: If you stick to three things in life everything else falls in line. In no particular order those things are: your family, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Green Bay Packers. | 