Who We Are

Our professional staff has years of experience caring for families from all walks of life. We are leaders in our profession, with dedication to service and professional integrity.

• When we sit down with a family, our shared goal is to create a fitting, memorable and affordable service for their loved one. We offer them a wide variety of services and products, as well as a wealth of creative ideas and suggestions. Together, we'll design a memorial or funeral service that suits their needs now, and in the future. Families who come to us know that years from now, they will have deep peace-of-mind because in coming to us, they've done their best to honor their loved one.

Our Valued Staff

• 
  Thaddeus Luyben Jr, Funeral Director

  Thad was born and raised in Long Beach, California. He attended Saint Cyprian Elementary and Junior High School, Lakewood High School, and California State University, Fullerton, earning a Degree in Business Administration with an Emphasis on Accounting.
  
  Being a third generation Funeral Director, Thad began working for his grandfather’s funeral home, Luyben Family Mortuary, in Long Beach, California at a very young age. He started by washing cars and cleaning the funeral home. After obtaining his driver’s license, Thad began working visitations and funeral services, driving limousines, and assisting in all aspects of funeral care. He continued to work his way through college until November of 2000.
  
  After graduation, Thad worked as a Certified Public Accountant for two years at BDO Seidman International, LLP. He completed audits for both public and private companies. What he enjoyed most about accounting was meeting the people who started the businesses he audited. Enjoying their enthusiasm for the business they had created, Thad realized how much passion he had for the funeral industry, and helping families at their greatest time of need. As such, in November of 2002, Thad, along with his father and brother took over the operation of Evans – Brown & Hemet Valley Mortuaries. Over the next seven years, they have worked very hard in helping families, and upgrading their facilities to ensure they have the best Funeral Homes in the area.
  
  Thad has been married for 11 years to his wife Jennifer. They have four daughters Haley (11), Payton (10), Lyndsey (7), Claire (4), and Thaddeus III (2).
  
  When he is not working, Thad enjoys spending time with his family. He spends his summers wakeboarding with his wife and children, and loves to look at real estate. He is active in his church and community, and is currently on a Finance Council and the Board of Directors for Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church.
  

• 
  Justin P Luyben, Managing Partner

  Justin is originally from Long Beach, California where he graduated from Lakewood High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business from California State University, Fullerton, and he is a licensed funeral director and pre-need counselor in the state of California.
  
  Justin was born into the funeral business and is a third generation funeral director. As far back as he can remember he was helping his grandpa at their family run mortuary located in Long Beach, California doing everything from cleaning the cars, emptying trash cans and vacuuming the carpets, to eventually working funerals. After years of helping out in the family business, he was finally put on payroll at the age of 15. He continued working there for the next 8 years while attending college.
  
  After completing college, Justin moved with his family to the inland empire in 2002 and has been working at Evans Brown Mortuary since then. As Justin has learned, life has a sense of humor. He worked at the family mortuary to put himself through college, the whole time his plan was to graduate and start a career in something other than the funeral business. However, after graduation, he came to the realization that the funeral business was where he was meant to be. What he enjoys most in his job is helping people at a very sensitive point in their lives. Through this ministry, he has really met some incredible people. For Justin, being a funeral director is fulfilling both personally and professionally.
  
  Justin and his wife, Kimberly, have been married since 2000. Since then, they have seen their family grow with the additions of their three beautiful daughters and their son. They welcomed their first daughter, Kailyn, in 2002. Emma came two years later in 2004, Grace in 2007, Justin, Jr. in 2011 and Brendan in 2012.
  
  Outside of work, Justin enjoys staying active. He enjoys most sports on both land and water and usually participates on at least one organized team a year. Justin and his wife are active in their community and church where they enjoy meeting new people. And most importantly, Justin cherishes the time he gets to spend with his family and friends.
  
  
  

• 
  John Rowe, Funeral Director

  John was born and raised in Southern California. He came to Hemet/San Jacinto in 1983
  and has been part of the local business community since 1986. John joined Evans - Brown & Hemet Valley Mortuaries in 2006 after serving as a Director at Harford Funeral Home for 14 years. John is active in the Kiwanis Club of Hemet and serves on the Advisory Council for the Hemet Corps of the Salvation Army. John is also the Music Director and Organist at First Congregational Church of Perris.
  
  
  

• 
  Tom Bennett, Funeral Director

  Tom is a licensed funeral director, insurance agent & notary public and has been a funeral professional since Tom joined the staff here at Evans Brown in November, 2007. He grew up in a small town in central Indiana called New Lisbon. He received his bachelors degree from Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Mo.. Tom was in the ministry for twenty-five years prior to becoming a funeral director. He started working as a funeral director in Porterville, CA prior to moving to Southern California.
  
  Tom has always been an active participant in the community he has lived. He has been a member & officer of several organizations over the years which were committed to improving community life. His primary focus currently is his involved with Community Christian Church in Hemet where he serves in various capacities. He has been a member of Kiwanis International for over 25 years and currently is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Hemet.
  
  Tom & his wife Georgann have been married for 37 years. They have a daughter & son-in-law, Leah & Jason and three grandsons, Dakota, Ryne, Dillon.
  
  Tom’s ministerial background has prepared him very well for helping families during one of the most difficult times of their lives. He realizes that a meaningful celebration of one’s life connect us with our past and with those we love. His desire is to help each family he serves to capture the unique life of their loved one.
  

• 
  Esmeralda Amy Garza, Funeral Arranger/Administrative Support

  Esmeralda Amy Garza, from Long Beach, California, spent the last seven years in Louisiana. Now a resident of Riverside County, Amy works at Evans Brown Mortuary as a Funeral Arranger. As a loving mother, Amy has always believed that her sincerity and compassion would go a long way in the funeral business.
  Amy began working in the funeral industry as a secretary for a privately owned mortuary in 2001. There she began to meet with families and direct services for several years. Currently Amy is working towards her degree to become a licensed Funeral Director.
  
  

• 
  William R. Holland, Funeral Arranger

  William R. Holland is a Funeral Assistant here at Evans-Brown Mortuaries. He grew up in the city of San Marino, California. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the California State University in Sacramento and holds numerous certificates relating to Forensics as well as Decedent Services.
  “Randy,” as he is known by his friends and family, has many years experience in law enforcement as well as in various aspects of decedent services and has continued education in Mortuary Science.
  Randy has been happily married to his wife Heather for over 10 years now and has two children. His wife Heather is a Spanish teacher in the Riverside Unified School District.
  In his free time, Randy enjoys numismatics as well as cooking and entertaining for friends and family.
  Mr. Holland believes that a career in the Mortuary Service Industry represents the ultimate form of customer service. To provide excellent customer service and assist grieving families as well as help plan and prepare for the celebration of a loved one’s life is his absolute goal.
  He strives to make every service as fulfilling and memorable as possible.
  

• 
  Gary Travis, Embalmer and Funeral Director

  Gary was born in Fontana, California during “the most wonderful time of the year”, Christmas. He grew up in a little town called Bloomington with his two sisters and attended schools there from elementary to high school eventually graduating from a private Christian school in Colton. Throughout his teenage years, Gary was very active with his horses and belonged to different horse clubs. A venue he says that kept him sane during his hectic teenage life. In 1981, he met Linda and they married in July of 1983. They have two children, Bethany, 26 and Josiah, 24. During the early years of marriage and trying to help raise two kids, Gary attended college off and on. In 1989, he began training for a career that would change his life forever. He attended Cypress Community College and was enrolled in the Mortuary Science Program graduating in December of 1990. He began working right out of college in the funeral industry with a firm in Riverside. Gary continued on with college and received his Associate of Science Degree in Mortuary Science in 1995.
  
  In the last 20 years, Gary has become a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer, Life Insurance Agent, a Notary Public and has been involved in different organizations such as Orange Belt Funeral Director’s Association becoming President in 2003, a Board of Director for Riverside Chamber of Commerce and Yucaipa Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Yucaipa Kiwanis Club.
  
  In September of 2010, Gary came to work for Evans Brown Mortuary. “Working here allows me the opportunity to continue doing what I absolutely love to do, helping people through one of the most difficult times in their lives. It’s a very rewarding and satisfying experience.” Aside from work, Gary is very involved in his church, Inland Christian Center in Colton where he has attended for 32 years. He and his friend Jim sing as a duo called TravisGray and help to lead worship there. They travel to different coffee shops and other venues to perform. Gary also likes to spend time with his family and friends and going to Disneyland…a lot! “Life should not be taken for granted considering who gave it to us. We should live everyday like it was our last. Have fun and laugh. We only get one chance at it.”