Our Staff

Timothy A. Honquest

Founder/Owner/Funeral Director/Embalmer

Timothy A. Honquest started in the funeral profession over 30 years ago in Palatine, Illinois. After receiving his Bachelors Degree from Western Illinois University, Tim went to Worsham College of Mortuary Science, graduating in 1988. Coming to Rockford, Tim served his apprenticeship with a local funeral home, and liking Rockford, he then stayed on with that funeral home before starting his own in 1995 in Loves Park and opening a second location in Roscoe in 2007.

Tim has been through the loss and grieving process of his sister's untimely death and therefore made it his mission as a funeral home owner to take the time to listen and hear the needs of the families he serves. 

Tim is the proud father of two children, Zach and Zoe.  Outside of the business, Tim and his wife, Rachel, enjoy spending time and relaxing with family and friends.  Tim presently serves on the Rockford Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Telephone: 1-815-636-5100

Rachel L Honquest

Funeral Assistant

Rachel Honquest is the loving and caring wife of Tim Honquest.  She is an active partner at the funeral home where her kind and compassionate personality is valued by our families.

Outside of work she enjoys CrossFit, spending quality time with family and friends and she has a passion for cooking. 

Telephone: 1-815-636-5100

RaeAnn Locascio Dombrowski

Funeral Director/Embalmer

RaeAnn began her career as a Funeral Director and Embalmer in 2010 when she graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science.  She also has her Cremation Certification.  RaeAnn is also a graduate of Elmhurst College where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis in Foreign Language and Diction.   

RaeAnn loves to rescue animals in her spare time, and she sings in a local country band.  She has also performed with Starlight Theatre.  She is a parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Rockford where she also cantors. RaeAnn is happy to be serving the community where she grew up. 

Telephone: 1-815-636-5100

Melissa Pezza

Funeral Director/Embalmer

Melissa joined our team in 2013, coming from Roanoke, Illinois. She is a graduate of Carl Sandburg College of Mortuary Science and also has her Cremation Certification. When she came to Honquest Family Funeral Home for her interview, she was so impressed with the professionalism of the staff and the beautiful facilities that her mind was made up that day that she wanted to work here.   

Melissa married Robbie Pezza (who is a Sales Consultant at Anderson Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram) at Kilbuck Creek in 2017.  They are expecting their first child in August of 2021.  She enjoys reading, taking her Great Dane, Naso, for walks, and spending time with her family and friends.

Telephone: 1-815-636-5100

Diane Timmersman

Director of Pre-Need Planning

Telephone: 1-815-636-5100

Shannon Sowl

Daily Operations/Administrative Assistant

Being an Administrative Assistant to Timothy Honquest, Shannon is the hub of the funeral home.  Her responsibilities are varied and crucial to ensuring all the details of our families' arrangements are complete, personalized and handled with care in honor of the deceased and their loved ones.

Shannon is a friendly and helpful individual who enjoys traveling, hiking and kayaking and is a proud and loving mother of four girls and one granddaughter.

Lori Taylor

Location Manager - Roscoe

Joe Wisniewski

Funeral Assistant

Joe began his career in the funeral business as a very young man 45 years ago in Chicago. He knows the importance of service and compassion when caring for loved ones during the funeral process.

Joe lives with his wife and dogs on a small farm. He is passionate about animal rescue and spay/neuter programs.  Joe is active in supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Special Olympics and he is a participating life member of H.O.G. and NRA.

Tim Gentry

Funeral Assistant

Tim Gentry joined us in 2020 and is pleased to be assisting our families during their services.

He is the proud father of two girls. 

Ethan Cobb

Funeral Assistant

Ethan is a minister at Firstborn Ministries under Senior Pastor W.L. Maynard and Pastor Anthony Maynard where he has been for his whole life. He ministers in the downtown Rockford area, mainly at the Luther Center where he has been ministering for five years. He also works for the church in the youth ministry helping the teens and is also assistant to the head of security for the church, Tim Gentry. 

He has worked in funeral service for a few years now and is honored to have the privilege to service every family he comes in contact with. He's thankful he gets the opportunity to help celebrate the life of their loved one and help give them some comfort during a difficult time.

He is married to his wife, Megan, and has lived in Rockford his whole life.  In his spare time he enjoys watching sports, being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.

Verlis D. Henert

Funeral Director/Embalmer

Verlis's introduction to the funeral business was while he was attending Arizona State University where he worked part-time in a funeral home. This piqued his interest enough to return to Chicago to attend and graduate from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in 1955. 

On June 27, 2006, Verlis was recognized and honored by the Illinois Funeral Directors Association for his dedication of 50 years of service as a licensed funeral director. 

A very active member of our community, Verlis has been a former member of the Rockford Jaycees, on the board of Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the service board of the Genesis House Community Center and a volunteer Eye Enucleation Technician for the Illinois Eye Bank. 

Verlis currently serves on the Golden K Kiwanis Board of Directors, the Golden Agers Center Board of Directors and the Arlington Memorial Park Cemetery Board of Directors. 

Verlis is also remembered by the thousands of families he's assisted over the years as a caring, compassionate and dedicated individual.