Kelly Howerton is a Preneed and After-Care Specialist at Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Directors, where she is dedicated to guiding individuals and families through some of life’s most important and sensitive decisions with compassion, clarity, and care. A funeral director since the late 1990s, Kelly has long felt called to serve families during their most difficult and vulnerable moments. She considers it a true honor to walk alongside families in their time of need—offering not only professional guidance, but genuine care and understanding. This firsthand experience has deeply shaped her passion for preplanning, as she has witnessed the emotional and financial burden that can fall on families who are unprepared. With a diverse professional background spanning healthcare marketing, public relations, leadership, and client services, Kelly brings a thoughtful and well-rounded approach to her work. She specializes in advanced funeral planning, Medicare and Medicaid education, and aftercare support—helping families not only prepare for the future, but also navigate the days and months following a loss. Her focus is always on education, ensuring families feel confident, informed, and supported every step of the way. Kelly is especially passionate about community outreach and education. Through workshops, small group discussions, and one-on-one conversations, she strives to make complex topics approachable while providing meaningful, compassionate guidance rooted in both knowledge and experience. Her faith plays a central role in both her life and her work. Kelly is a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Monmouth, Illinois, and she approaches her role with a servant’s heart—believing that caring for others during times of loss and planning is not just a profession, but a calling. Outside of work, Kelly enjoys golfing, cooking and baking, gardening, reading, singing, and playing guitar. She especially treasures time spent with her husband and their three teenage children, and supporting them in their activities while staying actively involved in her community. Kelly believes that thoughtful planning is one of the greatest gifts you can give your family—providing peace of mind, easing burdens, and honoring life with intention and dignity.
Planning Ahead
Kelly Howerton

Preneed and Aftercare Specialist
Kelly is also available to host free educational seminars for the community. The topics typically covered include:
- Essentials of Estate Planning
- Advanced Funeral Planning
- Medicaid and Long-Term Care
- Medicaid Spend-Down Strategies
- Medicare Education
Why Should I Plan Ahead?
Not everyone likes to plan ahead, but pre-planning your funeral arrangements not only gives you peace of mind about your final wishes being honored, but alleviates some of the stress and burden your loved ones are going through as they experience the grief associated with the loss.
The staff of
Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home is happy to assist you with your funeral pre-needs by helping you make decisions about your funeral service in advance and guide you in helping eliminate some of the unnecessary stress brought on by a loved one’s death.
Secure Online Preplanning Form
Benefits of Preplanning
Planning Ahead Lets Your Wishes Be Known
The death of a loved one often brings about unwarranted stress and turmoil among families. One family member wants one thing, while another family member wants something different. By planning ahead, you help prevent those disagreements by letting your family know what your wishes are and how you want your funeral service to be carried out and your business handled.
Planning Ahead Offers Peace of Mind
Our staff guarantees we will carry out the arrangements you want, just as you directed. Once the plans have been arranged, you and your family can rest easy knowing at the time of death, those uncomfortable decisions have been made. In a time when a family should be able to easily grieve, preplanning allows for that to happen.
Planning Ahead Offers Flexible Funding Options
When you preplan your funeral arrangements, there are more options when it comes to funding the funeral. A preneed insurance policy, life insurance policy or other payment options can all be arranged before the time of death. At the time of death, services must be paid in full, so having options ahead of time can also reduce other stress related to losing someone.
Planning Ahead Relieves The Burden From Family
Following the death of a loved one, there are more than 150 decisions that have to be made within the first day or two following the death. Those stressful decisions on top of the stress of grieving a loss can be eliminated by arranging your final wishes ahead of time. If those decisions are made, your loved ones aren’t left wondering what you would have wanted and how they should proceed with funeral plans. With those decisions out of the way, your loved one can begin the healing process sooner.
