Our Staff

I was born and raised in Binghamton, New York. After trying to find myself for a couple of years upon high school graduation, I enlisted in the United States Navy in January of 1980. As a surgical technologist, I spent time at places like Great Lakes, Illinois; Camp Lejune, North Carolina; Twenty-nine Palms, California; Little Creek, Virginia; and Bethesda, Maryland. A deployment took me to Manilla, Philippines; Rota, Spain; Toulon, France; Izmir, Turkey, and Somalia, Africa. During my last duty station assignment in Bethesda, I decided to fulfill the dream I had as a child at the age of 6 on the way home from visitation for my great-grandfather. I told my parents that I wanted to be a funeral director when I grew up. I attended Catonsville Community College in Baltimore, where I obtained an Associate of Science Degree in Mortuary Science. During this time, still, on active duty with the Navy, I worked as an apprentice, then as funeral director, at Collins Funeral Home in Silver Spring, Maryland. After retiring from the Navy in 1998, I decided it was time to move away from the funeral profession. Having held many different types of employment, including that of a DJ at a radio station in Frederick, I made the decision that I wanted to return to the funeral business. First started as a cemetery sales counselor for Resthaven Memorial Gardens in Frederick, then became a funeral director again with Resthaven Funeral Services, in Frederick. It was here that I met my business partner, Rhea, and found that we both had a lot in common when it comes to the funeral industry. Our goals of providing people with a positive and personal experience when facing a tough time in their lives, the passing of a loved one, led us to where we are today. We both have a love of funeral history and traditions and felt that joining together and opening a business in Gettysburg, would enable us to bring the funeral process “full circle” taking it back to earlier times in history. Our passion for providing families with a more personal experience during this time with green/natural burials has become a driving force in achieving our goals and plans. Forming Brandenburg & Stein Funeral Parlor, Inc, in 2020, will provide us the opportunity to fulfill our dreams by not only providing traditional funeral and cremation options but to educate and providing the community with their options for green/natural burials.  

I am a licensed funeral director and cemetery counselor in Pennsylvania and Maryland, a member of the National Funeral Directors Association, a Certified Crematory Operator, and a Certified Celebrant. 

I have been married to my wife, Sheri for 20 years and between us we have 6 children. Living in Gettysburg, PA provides us with the opportunity to enjoy country living, fresh air, and relaxation. My free time consists of cooking, everything from grilling to smoking, and I love to create and provide my family with many different tastes from around the world. I love to create my own marinades, rubs, and sauces, enabling me to step outside my traditional comfort zone. I enjoy playing fantasy sports like football, baseball, and basketball. My greatest enjoyment though is taking trips to places we have never been. We love to go to bed and breakfasts all around the country, enjoying the different foods of the area and learning about the history that created this country along the way. We have been on many cruises, something we both really enjoy, and last year we went to Hawaii for a vacation where I surprised Sheri, by re-proposing and redoing our wedding vows in a traditional Hawaiian Wedding Ceremony.   

Hi, I’m Rhea and I’ve been devoted to funeral service since 2006—starting from the ground up and growing into a role that truly feels like a calling. I’m a licensed funeral director, embalmer, and makeup artist, and I’m proud to serve families with care, compassion, and a deep respect for tradition and history.

I grew up in the Hanover–Taneytown area before moving to Thurmont as a teenager. I attended Catoctin High School (Class of 2001). After earning my degree in Letters, Arts, and Sciences from Penn State Mont Alto, I pursued Mortuary Science at Catonsville Community College, graduating in 2011. Since then, I’ve worked in nearly every aspect of the funeral profession—and I still trade embalm for funeral homes in the region today. I hold a license in both Maryland and Pennsylvania.

When I’m not meeting with families or caring for our cemetery grounds, you can find me tending my mess of a garden, researching the stories of those buried here in Two Taverns Cemetery, walking slowly around antique malls, or bird watching.

I live in Waynesboro with my husband, our son Fox (who is joyfully growing up in the funeral home), and our five cats. I’m a member of the Blue and Gray Hospital Association, where I portray an embalming surgeon during living history events. I am also a photograph volunteer for the Find-A-Grave website.

Whether I’m restoring dignity to the departed or restoring a 19th-century cemetery, this work means everything to me—and I consider it an honor to walk with families through life’s most meaningful moments.

If you would like to talk more about end of life choices for yourself or a loved one, please call or email.