Foundation Partners Group Honors Military Heroes on Veterans Day

Team Members Reflect on Continued Service

WINTER PARK, Fla. (November 4, 2025) –This Veterans Day, Foundation Partners Group proudly honors the courage, commitment and sacrifice of the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces — including the many veterans who are part of the Foundation Partners team.

“Veterans Day is a perfect time to demonstrate our appreciation for the service and sacrifice made by our team members who are military veterans and to recognize the value they bring to our business,” said John D. Smith, Foundation Partners CEO. “The dedication, discipline and spirit of service fostered during their years of military service continue guide the work they do every day—providing comfort, care and respect to the families who depend on us.”

Foundation Partners employs veterans in locations across the country, many of whom continue their mission of service by helping families navigate some of life’s most difficult moments. Their leadership, teamwork and commitment to others exemplify the company’s core values and elevate the level of care provided in every community Foundation Partners

Four of those veteran team members shared their thoughts on Veterans Day and how they continue to serve as funeral industry professionals.

Cedricjuan (C.J.) Wilson, U.S. Marine Corps

U.S. Marine Corps veteran C.J. Wilson was born into a family of funeral directors and set his sights on the profession long before joining the military. His 16 years in the Marine Corps included deployments to Africa, Iraq and Australia. His primary role was motor transportation operator, but it was his service as a casualty assistance calls officer that reignited his passion for funeral service. A licensed funeral director and embalmer, Wilson joined Foundation Partners in 2024 and now leads the decedent care center at Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home in St. Petersburg, Florida. 

“Veterans Day is a day that I reflect on all those who give the United States a blank check that says, ‘I will defend you at all costs,’” Wilson said. “I continue to carry that military spirit and mindset every day.”

Chris Nickelson, U.S. Army (pictured above, left)

A U.S. Army aviation officer, Chris held distinguished leadership positions both stateside and in combat, which prepared him well for his current role as vice president in Foundation Partners ‘ Acceleration Office. Over nine years of service, he deployed twice to Afghanistan, once as a platoon leader and once as a company commander. During his last deployment, he assumed his second command as leader of the task force maintenance company where he was responsible for overseeing the maintenance program for all helicopters in Eastern Afghanistan and led the downed aircraft recovery team. In addition, he is a qualified pilot in command and air mission commander on the AH-64E Apache Helicopter and flew numerous combat missions. 

“After the military and a short stint in the private sector, I found myself looking for a new job,” Nickelson said. “In my search, I wanted to prioritize service to community. Prior to coming across the Foundation Partners job posting, I never thought of a career in funeral service. After my initial conversations with Foundation Partners, however, I knew this was the perfect place to continue service to the community, albeit in a different capacity than that of an Army officer.“ 

Savannah Googins, U.S. Air Force 

A career with meaning, a steady paycheck and the opportunity to see the world led Savannah Googins to the Air Force, where she served four years and rose to senior airman before being honorably discharged in 2011. She attended college with the help of GI Bill education benefits and later took a sales job at a cemetery. Today she serves as general manager at Edwards Memorial Center Funeral Home and Crematory in Lakewood, Washington.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the military, and being able to guide families through placement at a national cemetery and explain their benefits is always a highlight of my day,” Googins said. “I also take great pride in assisting with active-duty funerals. Picking decedents up from the flight line with their families is always a great honor because I can make sure they get the send-off they deserve for serving our country.”

Scott LePage, U.S. Navy (pictured above, right)

A naval aviator deployed two times to the Gulf, Scott LePage knows a thing or two about leadership. He served 10 years leading technical and operational teams to achieve high levels of readiness for squadron operations during essential missions. The son of a military veteran and proud father of a current Army combat medic, LePage has led teams across multiple industries and currently serves as Foundation Partners’ chief operating officer.

“In the military, I was surrounded by people who put ‘others before self’ and were willing to focus on what they could do to improve the world around them, despite the personal challenges it might create for them. I find that our team at Foundation Partners shares many of those qualities and I am proud to serve alongside team members as we make a difference for the communities and families we serve,” LePage said. “I appreciate that we recognize our veterans throughout the U.S. in many meaningful ways. I like to keep in mind that, when one member of a family serves, the whole family serves. For our friends and neighbors who are in that situation, it can be simple things like an offer to help, a quick check-in or a small expression of appreciation that gets them through the day. Veterans Day is a wonderful opportunity to take a moment to recognize all who have served and continue to serve.”

Smith added, “We celebrate these veterans and hundreds of others who we are proud to call members of our Foundation Partners family, today and every day.”

About Foundation Partners Group  

Winter Park, Florida-based Foundation Partners Group is one of the industry’s most innovative providers of funeral services and the second-largest funeral home group in the country based on the number of families served. Foundation Partners owns and operates a network of over 250 funeral homes, cremation centers and cemeteries across 21 states. Our deep understanding of technology and customer experience-centered approach allows us to deliver truly innovative and compassionate care to the families we serve. Visit www.foundationpartners.com to learn more.  

Kansas United States Senator Jerry Moran recently testified at a United States Senate Veterans Affairs Committee meeting that “When mourning a death the last thing a grieving family needs is some bureaucratic hurdle or some substandard support.”

That comment came in response to the information provided, according to this article,  that “there is a backlog of facility upgrade requests submitted by 128 state, territorial and tribal veterans’ cemeteries in the United States”.  The article further states that it would cost an estimated $220 million to address two dozen projects that have been on the national waiting list for more than five years.

While it was noted that State Veteran Cemeteries take some of the demand off the National Cemeteries they also require upkeep and improvements.  Kansas has a National Cemetery at Fort Leavenworth and four State Military Cemeteries located at Fort Dodge, WaKeeney, Fort Riley, and Winfield.

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs Grants Program was began in 1978 to complement the VA’s national cemeteries.  According to information found here, the program has expended over $922 million in grants to establish and/or expand these complimentary cemeteries owned and operated by states, territories, and tribal governments since its inception.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  According to this information, the Department of Veterans Affairs operates 155 national cemeteries through the National Cemetery Administration.

It’s a little like a doubled-edged sword. . . . the National Cemetery Administration, with its national cemetery system, served the purpose of honoring our veterans for a long time on its own.  From my point of view — and I’ll use my home state of Minnesota as an example — it eventually became necessary to expand the locations available for deceased veterans and their families over time and for a couple of reasons.

In Minnesota we had one Veterans Cemetery — the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  While I don’t know for certain, I believe it was the increase in the population’s veteran numbers with the World War II generation coupled with the fact that many wanted to be buried closer to their home city that resulted in the State of Minnesota establishing a State Veterans Cemetery in northern Minnesota at Camp Ripley in 1994.

Since that time, the State of Minnesota has opened three more state veterans cemeteries to complete the mission of allowing our veterans and their eligible dependents to be memorialized closer to home.  However, if other states are like Minnesota, that increasing number has put a stress on the amounts that our national government, through the Veteran’s Affairs grant program, can offer these complimentary cemeteries annually for upkeep and improvements.

And, while that is probably reality, it is also disappointing because, in my opinion, being remembered and memorialized for sacrifice and call to duty above self, is as American as America itself.  I’m of the opinion that if America took the time to find the appropriations necessary for this from other areas of our government’s spending. . . and also to teach the high ideals of this sacrifice. . . our nation would be a lot better off.

Related Topic —  While the article mentions that since 1978 $922 million has been granted by the federal authorities for these cemeteries and there is a backlog of $220 million in improvements waiting for funding for over five years, it appears that is a drop in the bucket for what is needed — or at least requested — for cemetery improvements.  Here you can find the U.S. Government 2024 Fiscal Year List of State and Tribal Government Pre-Grant applications. . . . it appears that the total dollars requested for 2024 alone is over $295 million.  Somebody will have to make some tough decisions on what makes the cut and what doesn’t.

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