Our Family
Our dedicated family members are here to provide support, compassion, and information to help you through your journey of grief and the celebration of your loved one’s life.
NJ Lic. #3888
PA Lic. #0771
The essence of Carolyn Whigham is captured within her powerful name.
It is synonymous with trust & influence, and she wears it well.
Born into philanthropic royalty in Newark, NJ, she has always carried entrepreneurship deep within her soul. Her father, the late Charles L. Whigham, masterfully taught her how to approach the funeral industry by arming her with an extraordinary reservoir of discretion, wisdom and judicious fiscal shrewdness.
After obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies from St. John's University, she relocated to the West Coast and co-founded Bennett & Bennett Associates – a premier Black-owned real estate management firm in Los Angeles. Within a few years, home beckoned her to return and immerse herself in what she was created to do. She enrolled in the American Academy of McAllister School of Mortuary Science, and set her focus on an unprecedented career path.
Carolyn Whigham embodies the steadfast devotion, insatiable wit and revolutionary ethos that her father lavished upon her life. Among her most notable memorial renderings, she has served the loved ones of Sarah Vaughn, Whitney Houston, John Houston (Whitney’s father), Congressman Donald Payne, Lance Owens (Queen Latifah’s brother), along with a myriad of community residents. Nearly 10,000 families have experienced the servant leadership of this multihyphenate mogul.
She has been the New Jersey state funeral director for over 38 years, generously bestowing wisdom among peers and protégés alike. She is most proud of those who share the cherished moments of her life. They include her partner of over 30 years, Mrs. Terry Whigham, and their beautifully blended family consisting of Steve, Kara, Aazim, Chastity, Chad and Nyle. She is affectionately called “Spice” by her 14 grandchildren, and she is elated to be a great-grandmother to three precious souls.
Carolyn knows the value of sharing her incredible gifts with the world. Echoing the sentiments of Erma Bombeck, she says, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, but could say I’ve used everything you gave me."
Undoubtedly, her contributions will reverberate throughout generations. The world will know that she was here.
NJ Lic. #4112
PA Lic. #0770
Terry Whigham is compassion wrapped in brilliance and warmth.
Her life has always been purpose-driven, steeped in an unquenchable thirst for learning. She embodies several domains of knowledge, which is a rare find in any individual.
Upon graduation in 1977, she matriculated at Essex County College where she received an Associate of Arts degree. She felt compelled to give back to the community by entering the mortuary science industry. Through intense yet rewarding observational learning, she completed a mortuary science degree at New York City’s American Academy McAllister Institute followed by a Bachelor of Science degree in Funeral Studies from St. John’s University. She is now an accomplished 25-year veteran in the funeral industry, holding licensure in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Moreover, she’s become one of the most forward-thinking innovators of operations and client service models nationwide.
As an addendum to her practical studies, she sought a solid nonsecular framework to further enhance her craft. She attended New Brunswick Theological Seminary where she received a Master of Divinity and a Master of Pastoral Care and Counseling, substantiating her deeper calling as a chaplain.
Terry’s most cherished moments are spent primarily with her lifetime partner, Carolyn, and extends to their children: Aazim, Chastity, Nyle, Steveland, Kara and their dearly missed son, Chad. Her 14 grandchildren and three great grandchildren are the beats of her heart.
Terry Whigham’s vulnerability is a powerful gift that the world is beyond blessed to witness. Her life is framed by the adage from Norman Cousins which says, “Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss in life is what dies inside of us while we live.”
NJ Lic. #4552
PA Lic. #0774
Kara Whigham’s life has been marked with divine nudges.
Academically astute since youth, her vast achievements paled only in comparison to her exceptional competitive prowess. By 1997, she had graduated from Mount Saint Dominic’s in Caldwell, NJ and was headed to Canisius College in upstate New York on a full athletic scholarship.
Those aspirations were short-lived as her true destiny was emerging just beneath the surface. After matriculating for three years, she returned home and reconnected with the family business. Following in her mother’s footsteps, she attended the American Academy of Mortuary Science in New York City and was awarded a degree in mortuary science in August 2022. As “faith” would have it, her final exam was scheduled on her late grandfather’s birthday, February 27. Instinctively, she knew that Charles L. Whigham was smiling upon her accomplishments.
Within one year, she was making enormous waves. She amassed commendations around the Tri-state area, obtained her Pennsylvania licensure, and ascended through the local ranks as an appointee to the State Board of Mortuary Science by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
In 2023, Kara was nominated and elected Vice President of The Funeral Directors Association of Essex, Union and West Hudson Counties of New Jersey. Moreover, she came full circle and completed her academic pursuits. In May of 2022, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from St. Peter’s University.
Beyond her expertise in the funeral industry, she is the CEO of International Realty & Investments in Los Angeles founded by her parents in the late 1970s. Undoubtedly, Kara and her brother Steve have changed the trajectory of affordable housing in the bustling metropolis.
Kara often hits the reset button on her multilayered life. Her most fulfilling moments are centered around her family including her moms, Carolyn & Terry, her life partner Sonya, her son Andre, and granddaughter, Rihanna. Her siblings remain her first best friends: Aazim, Steve, Chastity, Nyle, the late Chad, and an abundance of love surrounds her from 12 adoring nieces & nephews.
Her most powerful musing about life is a simple yet profound excerpt by Robert Frost: In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on.