Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel, one of Iola’s benchmark businesses for nearly a century, is growing.
Funeral director Dave Yokum announced Thursday the addition of Audrey George and Bryce Gorrell, bringing the funeral home’s staff to six.
George will serve as a funeral director at Waugh-Yokum & Friskel. She’s a licensed funeral director already, and lives in Humboldt.
Gorrell is studying to complete his bachelor’s degree in funeral service at the University of Central Oklahoma. A Centerville native, he will live and work in Iola while he completes his schooling.
Yokum is the fourth generation of his family to run the the funeral home since D.C. Waugh (David’s great-grandfather) and son Tom (David’s grandfather) bought the old Adams and Hesser mortuary on the northeast corner of the Iola square in 1929 (where Rookies Bar and Grill is today.)
In 1934, they bought what has become the mortuary’s home ever since at 16 N. Buckeye St.
The business was handed down to Harold Yokum, who had married Tom Waugh’s daughter, Betty. David came next in 1967.
“This is where I grew up,” Yokum said. “I didn’t know how to do anything else, so I continued the family business.”
The new hires also will allow Yokum to cut back on his workload.
“My wife and I haven’t had a vacation together for 38 years. By adding these two staff members, I’ll have a little more spare time.”
Others on the staff include Lloyd Houk, who has been with Waugh-Yokum & Friskel since 1987, Steve Stanley, who came on board in 1990, and Evelyn Thohoff, who joined the staff in 2005.
“We’ve got a veteran group,” Yokum said. “Now, we’re breaking in a new bunch.”
New employees join funeral home
