Our Staff
Members of the staff are caring and experienced professionals who understand that each family is unique and has personal requests and traditions. These requests and traditions are of utmost importance to our professional staff of licensed funeral directors and comfort givers.
Eric E. O'Leary
Owner & Funeral Director
A native of central Iowa, Eric was raised and educated in Newton, Iowa, where he graduated high school and he attended Des Moines Area Community College. In 1996 he earned his Degree in Mortuary Science from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, Illinois.
Following college Eric returned to Newton and completed his funeral director apprenticeship and license requirements under the direction of Harold Reese. During this time he learned compassion for the families served, as well as invaluable funeral home management skills. In the fall of 2000 he continued his career at Ochiltree Funeral Service in Winterset.
In 2002 Eric became a managing-partner at Haley Funeral Directors in Southfield, Michigan. There, he was successful in managing and growing a funeral home business. In the summer of 2009 he started a funeral home contracting business, providing respite care to funeral directors and owners throughout Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan. He returned to Iowa in 2010 to be near his family and partake in their daily lives.
Eric believes in honoring and celebrating a life well lived. During the last nearly three decades he has provided exceptional funeral service through honesty, integrity, trust and attention to detail. He is here to honor your loved ones lives and has chosen Norwalk as a community to fulfill a lifelong goal of having his own funeral home business.
Eric lives in Norwalk with his son, Conor. He is a former member of the Norwalk Easter Library Foundation and current member of Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, where he served on the board from 2014-2018; the Norwalk Lion's Club; St. John Catholic Church, where he plays the string bass with St. John's Choir; and the Knights of Columbus (St. John Council as a third degree and serving as a Past-Grand Knight and as a fourth degree with Pope John Paul II Council).
Telephone: 1-515-981-0700
Amanda Purscell
Secretary / Office Administrator
Amanda is a life-long resident of Des Moines and graduated North High School with the Class of 1999. She has worked in the customer service industry since graduation and started working full-time with O'Leary Funeral Services in 2019. She is married to Erik and together they have two children, Noah and Claire.
Amanda supports the business by managing the front office and coordinating the overall daily operations.
Jeanne A. Yordi
O'Leary's Certified Life Celebrant / Pre-Arrangement Counselor
Jeanne A. Yordi is our in-house Certified Life Celebrant.
Jeanne will help you to celebrate, honor and remember your loved one. The service can be tailored to your individual needs. Jeanne specializes in making the service all "about" your loved one. The service can be secular or non-secular depending on your personal wishes. Jeanne is also available to travel, for instance if burial is out of town
Jeanne has over 20 years’ experience working with families and older Iowans. She is a certified dementia practitioner and holds certification in public management form Drake University. Jeanne’s experience includes working with Hospice, The Alzheimer’s Association and nursing homes across the state of Iowa.
Jeanne is married to former Warren County Supervisor, Dean Yordi, and together they have four children and thirteen grandchildren.
Karen A. Krehlik
Certified Wellness Coach & Grief Counselor
Karen is a graduate of Drake University with a degree in Psychology and the University of Iowa with a Masters Degree in Social Work. She is a Certified Wellness Coach and Grief Counselor, and is available for private grief counseling services for individuals requiring support in addition to the group services available at O'Leary's.
Karen will dedicate herself to assisting families by offering information and assistance end of life issues or family caregiver questions and challenges. She will listen to your needs and has come highly recommended by all of those that have used her services.
Karen's works as a private contractor and her services are strictly confidential to the individual [she never divulges any information to us at O'Leary's and we will never even know you may have contacted her unless you tell us].
Her private number is listed and you may call or text message her. She accepts private as well as insurance for payment for those services she offers.
Telephone: 1-515-777-0700
Jennifer Wittstock
Flower Design Specialist & Wedding Consultant
Jennifer is one of our floral designers at O'Leary's Flowers for Every Occasion & Gift Shop. - located adjacent to the funeral home with a separate entrance.
Jennifer is available to consult for Wedding, Funeral, and Special Occasion flower arrangements. She very detailed and attentive to the customer and their wishes.
The flower shop is open Monday ~ Friday 9AM to 4PM; and weekends by appointment only.
Call us at (515) 981-0700 or visit our website www.olearyflowers.com to place your order. In addition to deliveries in Norwalk; we also delivery to Indianola and Des Moines Metro Areas for a nominal delivery charge.
Flowers for Weddings - Funerals - Birthdays - Anniversaries - Special Occasions - Just Because - Hospital Deliveries - School Functions - Dances - and much more!
Telephone: 1-515-981-0700
Kory and Danyelle Wallace
Student Funeral Director & Floral Designer Assistant
Information for Kory and his wife Danyelle will be posted here soon. Check back to read more about the Wallaces' and their family.
Michael Richardson
Funeral Director's Assistant
Mike Richardson was born in Osceola, Iowa, and is a life-long resident of Norwalk. He attended Norwalk Schools through graduation, and then continued his education at Des Moines Area Community College majoring in Police Science.
He began his public safety career in Colfax, Iowa as a police officer and volunteered with the fire department in EMS. He was recruited back to Norwalk as its first full-time Chief of Police and was there for 25 years before retiring from the department. He currently works at the Des Moines International Airport working in airport operations dealing with security and communications.
Mike continues to serve his community by working at Norwalk Fire Department as a medic, and as a reserve officer with the Des Moines Police Department.
Mike is a member of the Norwalk Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Mike will be working at O'Leary Funeral & Cremation Service ~ Celebration of Life Center as a Funeral Director's Assistant & Comfort Giver.
Jeanette Potzner
Comfort Giver / Director's Assistant
Jeanette has joined our staff as a Funeral Director's Assistant & Comfort Giver. She is a full-time and head cook for Apple Tree Day Care Center in Des Moines.
Jeannette and her husband, George, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on November 16, 2013. They are long-time Cumming, IA residents and most recently moved to a new home in West Des Moines near Jordan Creek. In her free time Jeanette enjoys woodworking.
She has a son, George (wife, Julie) of Winterset; a daughter Mary French (husband, Gary) of Cumming; and grandchildren, Alex and Travis Potzner and Tyler French
Lisa LaVigne
Comfort Giver / Director's Assistant
Lisa LaVigne joined O'Leary Funeral & Cremation Services in the Fall of 2017. Lisa has a long history of funeral service beginning back in Newton where her mother and step-father, Marilyn and Harold Reese, owned the funeral home there. Lisa works full-time for the state of Iowa and will serve and care for the families during evenings and weekends. She is married to her Cory LaVigne. Together they enjoy traveling, bicycle riding, and participating in RAGBRAI.
Beth DePriest
Comfort Giver / Director's Assistant
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