Staff

At Graham Funeral Home, our entire staff is devoted to assisting each family throughout the difficult days surrounding its loss. We strive to treat each family as we would our own.

S. Scott Stroud, Owner and Licensed Funeral Director
Email: grahamfuneralhome@verizon.net

A native of Chesapeake. Scott resides in the Greenbrier area of the city. He has four daughters and six grandchildren.
Scott is a member of Great Bridge Baptist Church; graduate of Great Bridge High School and a graduate of the Mid-America College of Mortuary Science in Indiana. He is licensed as a funeral director and embalmer in both Virginia and North Carolina. He is a member of the International Cemetery Cremation and Funeral Association, a member of the Independent Funeral Homes of Virginia, having served a term as president and is a member of the Tidewater Funeral Directors Association.
Scott and his entire staff is committed to meeting the needs and desires of the families who call upon Graham Funeral Home in their hour of need. Call (757) 382-7747 to speak with Scott on any matter.

Bonnie R. Smith, Funeral Director

Well done, thy good and faithful servant
December 10, 1937 - October 9, 2013

Marie B. Smith, Aftercare Concierge

Marie is a native of Elizabeth City, NC and earned an associate degree at the College of the Albemarle and graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. She worked beside her husband for 35 years and continues to be a part of Graham Funeral Home. A member of Kempsville Baptist Church (www.kempsvillebapist.com), she is also an active member and past International Officer of the Auxiliary of Gideons International (www.gideons.org). Call her at (757 )382-7747.

F. Duane Jarrell, Licensed Mortician and Preneed Funeral Director

F. Duane Jarrell is a lifelong resident of the Tidewater area who grew up in the Bayview/Ocean View area's of Norfolk before moving to Chesapeake over 25 years ago and currently resides in the Deep Creek Area.
He attended Norview Senior High School, Tidewater Community College and is a 1986 Honors Graduate of the Mid-America College of Funeral Service where he received the Prestigious "Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Award" as well as served on the class council of the college for that year.
A Commonwealth of Virginia Licensed Funeral Service Provider since 1986, he holds certification from the National Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards and is nationally recognized as such. He also is licensed by the Virginia State Corporation Commission as a licensed Insurance Agent.
Having served thousands of families in their time of need, Duane is an expert in funeral services of all faiths, National and International shipping of remains as well as U.S. Navy casketed burial-at-sea. He is a master restorative artist and embalmer and is recognized as such by his colleagues in Funeral Service. He also is in charge of the Preneed Division where he holds an appointment by Homesteaders Life Insurance Company.
Duane can be reached 24 hours a day to discuss any type of services whether it be on a preneed basis or an immediate need. He invites his many friends he has made over the years to visit him at Graham Funeral Homes state of the art facility for a tour. He also encourages families to visit and compare our services and prices to those of our conglomerates or supposedly "discount" competitors.

Terri Merz, Licensed Funeral Director

Terri Merz, a native of Mobile, Alabama, is a Navy-brat who was raised in Hawaii and has resided in Virginia Beach for the last decade. She holds an Associate’s degree in Social Science and Funeral Services and became a fully licensed funeral director in 2015. Terri is married to Todd, a GS employee and Navy Reservist; they have three children, Richelle, Cameron, and Kevin. All are active members of Bethel Baptist Church, Chesapeake.