Resthaven history

Resthaven was established in 1947 by the Kenneth R. White family.

Resthaven was established in 1961 as the first multi-faith, non-sectarian cemetery serving Frederick and Montgomery counties.

Doctor Robert Evans founded Rest Haven – York in 1962, while serving as Head of Medical Education at York Hospital.

In the early 1970's, Dewayne and Ann Cain saw the need for a perpetual care cemetery in their hometown of Rockwall, and began to develop Rest Haven Memorial Park.

Sandi graduated from Baylor University and she and her husband Rick have been married since 1973.

Resthaven commenced offering therapy services at Leabrook in 1980, followed by other centres at Marion, Paradise, and Malvern.

Despite repeated efforts at that time, by 1981, legislation providing funding to dualize the highway to its current 4-lane status had not yet been approved.

By the end of 1982, funding for the final segment of US Route 15 was approved, and the highway was eventually widened.

On 20 August 1985, the name changed to ‘Resthaven Incorporated’.

jslovak@resthavenfuneral.comJoseph is from Ennis, Texas where he graduated from Ennis High School in 1988.

With recognition from the Board that Community Care was a logical next step in service provision, Resthaven established a Community Programs Department in late 1991.

In 1992, he built Rest Haven Funeral Home, later adding locations in Royse City and Rowlett.

He spent 10 years working on offshore drilling rigs for Marine Drilling Company based out of Corpus Christi, TX. Mike was one of the top students in his 1993 class at the Dallas Institute of Funeral Services.

In 1994, Resthaven was one of two organisations to successfully trial a national pilot of Community Aged Care Packages.

He graduated from Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 1995 and has been serving families ever since.

mridenhour@resthavenfuneral.comMelinda joined Rest Haven in November of 2000 and serves as administrative assistant at Rest Haven - Rowlett.

(*In 2006, Resthaven acquired 9 acres adjoining its northern border, the former site of a state rest area, including a gorgeous outlook and access to the Monocacy River.)

tchavez@resthavenfuneral.comThomas was born and raised in El Paso, TX and moved to the area in 2008.

rdonaho@resthavenfuneral.comA native Texan from San Antonio, Rick has been part of the Rest Haven team since 2010.

Katy and her husband, Clint, have been married since October 2011.

Jamie joined the Rest Haven family in 2021.