Our History
Larry Hansen and Russell Atkin are licensed funeral directors and the owners of Serenity Funeral Home and the Cremation Center of Southern Utah. Larry and Russ have over fifty years combined experience in funeral service. As established and trusted names in their profession, they maintain their funeral home and cremation center with the utmost professionalism and integrity. Larry and Russ received many inquiries and noticed a need in the community for quality pet cremation services. They opened the Pet Cremation Center of Southern Utah in February 2022 to provide animal lovers with premier pet cremation services.
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LARRY LEE HANSEN, Owner/Funeral Director
Larry Hansen was raised in Rupert, ID, where his family owned and lived above their funeral home, Hansen Mortuary. Larry attended mortuary school at the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, and upon graduation he returned to work with his dad, Arvin, at Hansen Mortuary. They later purchased a second location in Burley, ID. Larry and his wife, Sheri, have four children and two grandchildren. Seven years ago, the Hansens moved to Sandy, UT, where Larry became involved with Serenity Funeral Home. It was his ultimate goal to move his family to St. George, and that came to fruition five years ago. Larry and Sheri love living here in this amazing community. Sheri works for the Washington County School District in Human Resources.Larry is a triathlon competitor and began his love of racing 28 years ago. Larry says it’s important to have a hobby and something to take your mind off work. He has competed in the Spudman Triathlon in Idaho every year for the past 28 years. He is a two-time Ironman 70.3 finisher, and has completed two St. George Marathons. The year 1999 was busy for Larry, as he competed twice in the Iron Man, 12 triathlons, and 8 mountain bike races. At the time, he was rated #4 in his Rocky Mountain bike division.
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RUSSELL ATKIN, Owner/Funeral Director
Russ was born and raised in Cedar City, UT. He graduated from Cedar High School in 1994 and began his funeral service apprenticeship in 1999. Russ graduated with a degree in Mortuary Science from Cypress College in 2000, and worked the following year at Cannon Mortuary in Salt Lake City, UT. Russ has been a funeral director in St. George since 2002 and an owner of Serenity Funeral Home and the Cremation Center of Southern Utah since 2009.Russ and his wife, Jacqui, are the parents of five children. Russ has more hobbies than free time, and enjoys scuba diving, canyoneering, trials bike riding, 4-wheeling, hiking, hunting, participating in an occasional 5k or triathlon, and spending time with his family.The demands of being a funeral director can be intense, but Russ truly enjoys helping people and strives to be a source of comfort during a difficult time.
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Trent Hansen, Funeral Service Professional
Trent was born and raised in Burley, ID, where he graduated from Burley High School. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in St. Louis, MO. Trent enjoyed that part of the country; however, he also learned that he likes to avoid cold weather at all costs. After returning home, Trent made the decision to pursue a career in the funeral industry. He attended the College of Southern Idaho, and later moved to Dallas, TX, where he furthered his education and worked for UT Southwestern Medical Center in their body donation program. Trent had many duties, including setting up cadaver labs for the medical students.After leaving Texas, Trent moved to the Salt Lake City area with his family and worked in the funeral profession for several years. He then relocated to St. George where he is employed as a Funeral Service Professional for Serenity Funeral Home of Southern Utah. He loves the area - especially the warm weather! Trent enjoys his work and says he likes being able to help people make decisions during a difficult time. His hobbies include weightlifting, disc golf, and hiking.
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Hailey N. Fisher, Apprentice
Hailey was born and raised right here in Washington, UT. She was a varsity swimmer in high school, and her favorite event was freestyle. She graduated from Pineview High School in 2020. Due to Covid restrictions, Hailey didn’t have the experience of a “regular” graduation ceremony. Instead, she was filmed walking across the stage to receive her diploma with only her parents in attendance. Sadly, she and her classmates missed out on all of the fun activities usually associated with the end of senior year.Hailey is the first in her family to pursue the funeral profession. She is the youngest in her family and is the only girl. She has two brothers, one who is deceased. Hailey says that her parents are her best friends and she loves them dearly.When Hailey was 11 years old, her brother committed suicide. Going through such a traumatic event at a young age impacted Hailey’s future, and she knew from then on that she wanted to help people in the same manner that the funeral home helped her family. Hailey knew that she wanted to become a funeral director, and she has never wavered in her decision. Because of her experience, Hailey has a great deal of empathy and compassion for all families facing the loss of a loved one. She understands their pain and is well-equipped to assist them during a difficult time.Hailey relates that one of the best parts of her job is caring for the deceased and preparing them to be viewed by their loved ones. She understands just how important it is for families to have the opportunity to view their loved one for the last time in a comforting, presentable way. She believes that this experience is invaluable and helps families work through their grief in a proper and healthy manner. Hailey is a strong and resilient individual. Her hobbies include yoga, meditation, snowboarding (Eagle Point is her favorite ski resort), and working out at the gym.
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Amber Crouse, Funeral Service Professional
Amber was born and raised in Southern Utah and graduated from Hurricane High School. She is married to Dave Crouse and they have six children (three girls and three boys), and four grandsons - Hudson, Huxton, Kolter, and Kooper.Amber served the community as a law enforcement officer for seventeen years. While training as a deputy, she states that she was introduced to the staff of Serenity Funeral Home and had the pleasure of working with them throughout her law enforcement career.In 2019, Amber's oldest grandson, Hudson, passed away. Following his death, Amber's grandma passed away in 2023. In both instances, she immediately knew that she wanted the funeral professionals at Serenity to care for her loved one. Amber came to work for Serenity shortly after her grandmother’s death. She notes that it is a blessing to help families during one of the most difficult times of their lives. She especially enjoys having the opportunity to show respect to a Veteran when they pass away and she is able to transport them to the funeral home draped in the American flag. Amber enjoys spending time with her husband and kids. She loves being a nana to her grandbabies. She has a love/hate relationship with running half marathons, and she is excited to be a chicken farmer raising chickens in her backyard.
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KRISTEN BOWLER, Secretary
Kristen was born and raised in St. George and graduated from Pine View High School. Several years ago she earned an Associate of Science Degree from Dixie State University. Kristen has been married to Scott Bowler for 27 years, and together they have five children. Kristen is our amazing secretary at Serenity Funeral Home and was previously employed with the Washington County School District. She loves any outdoor activity, particularly spending time at the beach. She loves being a mom - her oldest is 26 and her youngest is 10. Kristen was initially a little nervous to join the funeral business, but she loves her job. She believes it takes a special kind of person to work in this profession - someone that loves what they do and is innately compassionate.
