Our Staff
Meet the skilled professionals who are committed to serving our community with excellence.
Barbara Brister
Office administrator DECEASED
Barbara L. Brister, 60, of Immokalee Florida left her daughter and I on Monday December 12, 2022. She didn't mean to or want to I have no doubt but here we are. She was born in Ithaca, New York on August 2, 1962, and for some unknown reason to a born Floridian like me she actually enjoyed her birthplace even in Winter. Told her I Loved her anyway. Her Parents were Russell Rumsey and Elise Doering Rumsey. I can truly say I liked my in-laws. They didn't even give Barb a hard time about when she brought me to visit the first time. They figured if she was happy then they would just overlook, well, everything. People joke about the bar being risen or lowered when it comes to their significant other but I'm gonna tell ya the truth. She didn't want to go out at first. I was 3 1/2 years younger, and we were in our early twenties. She thought someone her own age was more appropriate. One of the few battles I ever won. Sent her a single rose through the florist with an invite to dinner. She just couldn't resist finding out if that meant a date at McDonalds. I gave her the other eleven when she showed up. Both parents passed within the last three years, so it was a little rough on her. But when my mother died two years ago, she ran to the hospital and all she said to me "was I got this" and sent me home.
When I went to her in 1994 and told her I was going to take over the funeral home for dad and we were moving to Immokalee she looked at me like I was crazy. I tell everyone this because even though she was apprehensive at first, she fell in love with our small town and really took to everyone here. She never once asked for me to live outside of town. She thought helping the families we served were maybe her calling and she just didn't know it until we did it. I realize she was the one all of you expected to see or maybe wanted to see when it came to the viewings. She did them a little less after her parents left us and hoped no one took it personally. She just told me I had to be nice and take care of everyone. She/we have been truly honored to help families in this town. I hope everyone understands but I may take take a couple weeks off after the service. We did everything together for 33 years so I am a little lost at the moment. I know it's her you will miss anyway.
Barb was told she may not be able to have children. We waited until we were settled in here and the funeral home was where we wanted it before we tried. It scared her to death to not be able to conceive. It was rough on me but I kept trying :) and the day she found out she was pregnant with Sierra was the best day of her life. And that's ok with me. For those of you who have had the pleasure of meeting our daughter she was the most important thing in the world to her. Again, it was ok with me. She was able to see her grow up to be a beautiful, smart and educated women. When Sierra graduated from nursing school we had to go early, early, early so she was seated where she could always see her. Monday was the hardest phone call I have ever had to make.
Sierra and I will have a graveside service with pastor Josh on Saturday the 17th at 11am at the Baptist cemetery. I am sorry we are not having a public viewing but Barb woulda told me she didn't look good in this outfit or felt overweight, or something else men don't understand. She would have wanted everyone who she knew to come though so I will leave that up to you but know she really loved this town and everyone in it. I'm gonna miss her with every breath I take. We were together including work 24-7 and I am finding that I don't know what to do. She would have wanted me to do my job and so I will be back. Just let me figure out how to get there. You all deserve the best of me, and she would have expected nothing less.
Barbara Brister
Office administrator DECEASED
Barbara L. Brister, 60, of Immokalee Florida left her daughter and I on Monday December 12, 2022. She didn't mean to or want to I have no doubt but here we are. She was born in Ithaca, New York on August 2, 1962, and for some unknown reason to a born Floridian like me she actually enjoyed her birthplace even in Winter. Told her I Loved her anyway. Her Parents were Russell Rumsey and Elise Doering Rumsey. I can truly say I liked my in-laws. They didn't even give Barb a hard time about when she brought me to visit the first time. They figured if she was happy then they would just overlook, well, everything. People joke about the bar being risen or lowered when it comes to their significant other but I'm gonna tell ya the truth. She didn't want to go out at first. I was 3 1/2 years younger, and we were in our early twenties. She thought someone her own age was more appropriate. One of the few battles I ever won. Sent her a single rose through the florist with an invite to dinner. She just couldn't resist finding out if that meant a date at McDonalds. I gave her the other eleven when she showed up. Both parents passed within the last three years, so it was a little rough on her. But when my mother died two years ago, she ran to the hospital and all she said to me "was I got this" and sent me home.
When I went to her in 1994 and told her I was going to take over the funeral home for dad and we were moving to Immokalee she looked at me like I was crazy. I tell everyone this because even though she was apprehensive at first, she fell in love with our small town and really took to everyone here. She never once asked for me to live outside of town. She thought helping the families we served were maybe her calling and she just didn't know it until we did it. I realize she was the one all of you expected to see or maybe wanted to see when it came to the viewings. She did them a little less after her parents left us and hoped no one took it personally. She just told me I had to be nice and take care of everyone. She/we have been truly honored to help families in this town. I hope everyone understands but I may take take a couple weeks off after the service. We did everything together for 33 years so I am a little lost at the moment. I know it's her you will miss anyway.
Barb was told she may not be able to have children. We waited until we were settled in here and the funeral home was where we wanted it before we tried. It scared her to death to not be able to conceive. It was rough on me but I kept trying :) and the day she found out she was pregnant with Sierra was the best day of her life. And that's ok with me. For those of you who have had the pleasure of meeting our daughter she was the most important thing in the world to her. Again, it was ok with me. She was able to see her grow up to be a beautiful, smart and educated women. When Sierra graduated from nursing school we had to go early, early, early so she was seated where she could always see her. Monday was the hardest phone call I have ever had to make.
Sierra and I will have a graveside service with pastor Josh on Saturday the 17th at 11am at the Baptist cemetery. I am sorry we are not having a public viewing but Barb woulda told me she didn't look good in this outfit or felt overweight, or something else men don't understand. She would have wanted everyone who she knew to come though so I will leave that up to you but know she really loved this town and everyone in it. I'm gonna miss her with every breath I take. We were together including work 24-7 and I am finding that I don't know what to do. She would have wanted me to do my job and so I will be back. Just let me figure out how to get there. You all deserve the best of me, and she would have expected nothing less.
