Our Staff

Daniel P. Madden

CFSP, President, Certified Celebrant, CCO

Daniel P. Madden was born and raised in the Greater Youngstown area.  He grew up in Canfield and later graduated from South Range High School in 1998.  After attending Youngstown State University, Dan went on to Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, where he received a B.M.S. in 2001.  In October of 2011 he became a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner through The Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice.  With 20 years in the funeral industry, Dan worked primarily at Becker Funeral Homes in the Greater Youngstown area.  The opportunity arose for Dan to purchase Stark Memorial in January of 2019..  Dan is truly grateful for the opportunity to carry on the legacy of Russell Loudon in serving families of Salem and surrounding communities.  Dan is a member of the Tri-County Funeral Directors Association, Ohio Funeral Directors Association, National Funeral Directors Association, NFIB, Selected Independent, and Ohio Embalmers Association. Dan is Immediate Past President of Poland Rotary and a member of the Salem Rotary Club. He also a member of Trinity Fellowship Church and St. Paul Catholic Church in Salem,  Sons of AMVETS, Elks #305, and the Italian-American Club, and Greenford Ruritan. In 2020, Dan became a Certified Celebrant.

In 2021 he became a Crematory Operator. Dan is married to his wife, Claudia Kovach and they reside in Canfield and they have two children  Michael Daniel and Mabel Joan.

Telephone: 1-330-332-5139

Email: 

Jeffrey L. Davis, CCO

Funeral Director, Embalmer, Crematory Operator

Jeff Davis is a 1993 graduate of David Anderson High School and went on to attend Kent State University.  Jeff transferred his credits to Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, where he graduated in 1998 with an Associate Degree in Specialized Business.  He received his Bachelors of Science Degree in Professional Studies from Point Park College in Pittsburgh.  In 1999, he started serving apprenticeship with Stark Memorial and has been with the company ever since as a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer .  He became a Crematory Operator in 2021. Jeff also serves as an officiant at numerous funerals if requested.  He is a member of the Ohio Embalmers Association, Church of Nazarene in Lisbon, and Salem Music Study Club in Salem.  Jeff has attained the Rank of Eagles Scout in the Boy Scouts of American.  One of his true passions is American and Presidential History.  

Telephone: 1-330-332-5139

Email: 

Shannon Burt

Funeral Director and Embalmer

Shannon Burt is a graduate of Western Reserve High School in Berlin Center. She later went on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree from YSU. A graduate from PIMS, she served her apprenticeship at Lane Funeral Home in 2013. Upon completion of her apprenticeship, she moved to Muskegon, Michigan and worked for Clock Funeral Home where she worked primarily as an embalmer. After two years working with her “work family” in Michigan, she wanted to move closer to family. Since then she has worked at two high volume facilities, meeting with families and making arrangements at Busch Funeral Home in Avon Lake, and Newcomer Funeral Home in Akron.Funeral service is her second career.  She was a massage therapist and chiropractic assistant at Weaver Family Chiropractic Clinic for 7 years In Austintown.

She currently resides in Salem, Ohio with her family, Ryan and two little boys, Abram and Ezra Kalby.

Shannon joined Stark Memorial in 2021.

For fun- going to concerts, trying new foods, cooking and traveling the country with family. 

Telephone: 1-330-332-5139

Email: 

April Yurkovich

Mortuary Student

April Yurkovich grew up in Canfield, but briefly left the area attending and graduating from Red Rocks Community College and the Denver School of Massage Therapy in Denver, Colorado. After returning to Ohio, she has since worked as a Licensed Massage Therapist for 11 years. Although massage therapy has been a rewarding career, career-ending injuries are a threat and are the instigating factor for her career change. The meaningfulness of the funeral service field appealed to her, and she is now continuing her education at both the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science and Youngstown State University. She joined Stark Memorial in March 2022. Beyond work and school, April is an avid equestrian and also enjoys flower gardening. 

Andrea Taddei

Advance Funeral Planner

Andrea joined Stark Memorial as the Advanced Planning Specialist in April 2022. After more than 15 years working in social services in Mahoning Valley she began working at Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services a Ministry of the Diocese of Youngstown Cemeteries where she found her calling helping families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. 

She understands the value of having an intentional funeral plan in place and considers it an honor to be able to help our families preplan their funeral so loved ones can properly heal. 

She and her husband Vince live in Columbiana along with her children and dogs and are members of Holy Family Parish in Poland.

 

 

Telephone: 1-330-332-5139

Email: 

Cindy Aukerman

Office Manager

Cindy is from Salem and the wife of Joel and mother to Brandon (Paramedic, Firefighter and fire inspector), Elizabeth(college student), and Ivy girl (bulldog, blue heeler mix).  She loves photography, scrapbooking, and going to the beach.  Cindy has been with Stark Memorial as an Administrative Assistant since 2015. She states, "I love my job and the people we help." 

Telephone: 1-330-332-5139

Email: 

Claudia Kovach

Marketing Director

Claudia Kovach is a corporate secretary for an industrial repair center in Youngstown and the marketing director for Stark Memorial. She is actively involved in the Ohio Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business serving on the Leadership Council. She is on the board of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and OH WOW Roger and Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science and Technology. Claudia is an advisory board member at New Castle School of Trades and for the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center’s machining program.

Prior to the industrial repair industry, Claudia worked in marketing and public relations at the Cleveland Clinic, Delta Air Lines and Kent State University. She is a graduate of Kent State University with both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She also attended Mahoning County Career and Technical Center and has various certificates in industrial maintenance.

 She lives in Canfield with her husband, Dan Madden, and son Mike and daughter Mabel.

 

 

Telephone: 1-330-332-5139

Email: 

John Burkey

Florist

Telephone: 1-330-332-5139

Pat MacAleese

Crematory Operator

Patrick MacAleese. Pat was born and raised in Lisbon. He is a fourth generation Florist, having retired in 2021 after 47 years in the floral industry. He joined Stark Memorial as a Certified Crematory Operator in January 2022.  He lives in Columbiana with his wife of over 40 years. He has 2 daughters, who are teachers, and 3 grandchildren. He is active in his church, a volunteer for the Columbiana Meals on Wheels and a member of the Lisbon Ruritans. 

Samuel Campana

Crematory Manager

Samuel was born in the Greater Youngstown area and raised in Boardman. Graduate of Boardman High School in 2000.  Samuel continued in education at YSU and entered the Paramedic program.

After completion, Samuel served his country in the U.S. Army Reserves as a Combat Medic and his community as a Paramedic in Youngstown.

Samuel served two tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Samuel later earned his degree from YSU in 2020.

Samuel received his certification as a Crematory Operator in the State of Ohio.  He joined Stark Memorial in June of 2022.  Samuel is an active member of Bethel Friends Church in Poland.

Telephone: 1-330-332-5139

Email: