Our Staff

Ben is a lifelong resident of Mountain Grove.  He and Rhonda were married in 1987 and have three children, Zach, Elynn, and Luke.  The family is active in the Mountain Grove First Free Will Baptist Church.  They are also members of the Mountain Grove Chamber of Commerce.   Ben graduated high school from Mountain Grove Christian Academy and then attended Dallas Institute of Funeral Service where he received his degree in Mortuary Science.  He is dually licensed as a Funeral Director and Embalmer.  He also received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Sterling College.  He is an active member of the Mountain Grove Kiwanis Club.  Ben has served this community in the funeral profession for 37 years.

"We are both committed to respectfully providing the area communities with genuine care and guidance and honest service through some of life’s most difficult times.  We feel that it is both an honor and a privilege to be entrusted with that care.”

Rhonda is a lifelong resident of Mountain Grove.  She and Ben were married in 1987 and have three children, Zach, Elynn, and Luke.  The family is active in the Mountain Grove First Free Will Baptist Church.  They are also members of the Mountain Grove Chamber of Commerce.  Rhonda graduated from Mountain Grove High School and then attended Missouri State University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Education Degree.  She also received her Cosmetology License in 1986 and her Funeral Directors License in 1988.  Rhonda worked in the Mountain Grove, Norwood, and Mountain Grove Christian Academy school systems before joining Ben in the funeral profession in 2004.

“We are both committed to respectfully providing the area communities with genuine care and guidance and honest service through some of life’s most difficult times.  We feel that it is both an honor and a privilege to be entrusted with that care.”

Zach is a lifelong resident of Mountain Grove. He graduated from Mountain Grove Christian Academy in 2008 and graduated from Southwest Baptist University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. He graduated from Arapahoe Community College in 2014 with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Mortuary Science and is licensed as a Funeral Director and Embalmer.

He is married to Amanda (Wade) Hurtt and they have two sons.

"I'm honored to serve my hometown and surrounding communities and proud to represent the third generation at Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home."

Jared has been working with our firm since 1998. He has been a lifelong resident of Mountain Grove and is a graduate of Mountain Grove High School, class of 1996. In 1998, he graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, Dallas, Texas, with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Funeral Service. Jared is dually licensed as a Funeral Director and Embalmer with the State of Missouri. 

In his spare time, Jared enjoys playing golf, fishing, hunting, and camping. He is a lifelong, die-hard fan of the Dallas Cowboys.

Jared and his wife are active members of Oak Grove Free Will Baptist Church.

“I've experienced a nearly life-long passion of helping others through the most difficult time in their lives. At the age of 10, I lost my grandfather to cancer. In going through that experience, I came to realize that I would like to help others in their time of loss. It was from that day forward that I have never stopped wanting to be a source of compassion and care for other families going through the loss of their loved ones.”

Rick has been with our firm since April 2011.  He is a lifelong resident of Norwood, Missouri and is a graduate of the Norwood class of 1981.  

Rick is married to Tina (Owens), and they have three children, Jacob, Cody, and Kylee.  Rick and Tina are active members of the Mansfield Assembly of God Church where Rick currently serves as Drama Director.

"It has been a long time desire of mine to work in the funeral industry.  I have always admired the quality of service and professionalism that Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home has always given to the families they serve.  I am excited to be a part of the team here at Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home."

James has been with our firm since July 2025. Having relocated from San Antonio, Texas, James has been a resident of Mountain Grove since February 2023, where he was a letter carrier for the US Postal Service during that time here. 

James graduated from San Antonio College in 1995, with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Mortuary Science and is dually licensed as a Funeral Director and Embalmer in the states of Missouri and Texas.

James is married to Johanna (Cazan) and they have three sons, Elijah, Seth and Benjamin. He enjoys spending time with family and friends and likes to cook for them. 

They are active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mountain Grove.

Clay has been with our firm since July 2024. He is a lifelong resident of Mansfield, Missouri, he graduated from Mansfield High School in 2015.

Clay is married to Leah (Hughes) and they have one child, Aven. Both Clay and Leah are active members of the Mansfield First Baptist Church. For the past decade, Clay has volunteered with the Mansfield Fire Department, and he has also served with Mercy EMS as an EMT in Wright County for several years. Currently, Clay is pursuing his funeral directing license through apprenticeship and is attending mortuary school.

"It is a distinct honor to serve the families of Wright County in this new capacity. I am pleased to join the team at Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home and welcome the opportunity to serve our community."

Ray grew up in Arlington, Texas and graduated from Sam Houston High School in 1970.  After high school he traveled and sang professionally in Southern Gospel and with evangelistic teams.  This career brought him to Mountain Grove in 1974 where he met and married Teresa (Dale) Bradley that same year.  Ray began working at Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home in 1980 and later that year attended Dallas Institute of Funeral Service where he graduated in 1981.  He left the funeral home in 2005 and has been back since October of 2022.

"Funeral service is my true calling, and I have always considered my occupation a ministry.  Whatever I can do to bring comfort and peace during the funeral process is indeed rewarding."

Jan has been a resident of Mountain Grove since 1987. She is married to Bruce Fugitt, and they have two daughters, Jennifer Harrison and Misty Clemons.

Jan has been an office manager for the last 21 years at her previous job.

Loriann spent many happy days in the Ozarks visiting her grandparents and other relatives as she grew up. Her dad was in the military; consequently, they moved a lot throughout her childhood. She and her family chose to make Mountain Grove their hometown several years ago. They feel blessed to be able to now call this beautiful place home.

Loriann graduated from Northwest University in Kirkland, WA with a BA degree in Secondary Education in Social Studies and History in 1998. She served more than twenty years as a teacher in Washington, California, and Missouri. Though she loved this profession, a break for medical reasons was necessary starting in the summer of 2024. She is grateful to join the staff at the funeral home.

Mrs. Wixom and her husband, Barry, have three daughters and four grandchildren. Their youngest daughter attends Mountain Grove High School and enjoys playing in the band. Many have had the pleasure of meeting their outgoing and friendly grandchildren around town.

The family has called First Christian Church in Mountain Grove their home church since they moved here.

Julia and her husband, Pete, live in Fordland. Native to Michigan and having raised their five children there and in various states as they rehabbed houses, they have enjoyed living in Missouri for over 20 years and call it home.

Active at Schweitzer church in Springfield, Julia takes care of the floral needs of the church throughout the year and is often called on for altar, funerals, special occasions, and holidays.

"It is my pleasure to be able to meet the needs of families at Craig-Hurtt with a caring compassionate team of professionals. Work never seems like work but rather ministry. "

In Loving Memory

Maxona Jean Lawler, passed away on February 4, 2025, at the age of 83. Maxona devoted 28 years of her life to helping grieving families. Her calming presence brought a sense of peace to everyone who walked through the doors. In those 28 years, she served well over 2000 families and did it with dignity and class. She will forever be the “First Lady” of Hartville.