Meet Our Staff

Joseph Kyle Newkirk

Managing Partner/Funeral Director/Embalmer

Joe was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida. After serving his country in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, he was honorably discharged in 1972 and moved to California. He started working with Wells Fargo Bank while attending Laney College to obtain his AA in Management & Supervision, graduating in 1979. He continued his career with Wells Fargo Bank for 23 years in Management. In 1993, he decided to switch his career path and began attending the San Francisco School of Mortuary Science and graduated in 1994 with his AA degree. He has been with Wilson & Kratzer Mortuaries since 1993 and now holds the position of Managing Partner/Funeral Director/Embalmer.

Joe has been married for 24 years. He and his wife, Anita, raised their four children in the Richmond/El Sobrante area and plan on retiring someday back in Florida. In the meantime, Joe takes great pride in serving the community where he has become well-known as "the man to see”, at Wilson & Kratzer Mortuary.

Celina Hernandez

Operations Manager/Funeral Arranger/Notary Public

   Celina Hernandez, has worked in the funeral industry for more than 22 years as of 2020. She began working with Wilson & Kratzer in 1997, where she remained for 13 years until transferring to Greer Family Mortuary in Alameda where she became the Office Manager and worked for six years prior to her return to Wilson & Kratzer in 2017.

Celina was born, raised and has lived in the Bay Area her entire life. She attended schools in the San Pablo and Richmond areas and now resides with her own family in Pinole. Celina prides herself on helping the diverse community from which she comes from and believes no two funerals or services should be the same. Early in her career, she was nominated, and received the award for “Funeral Service Person of the Year” (2004) from the California Funeral Directors Association. She is currently Operations Manager, Funeral Arranger and a Notary Public for the Civic Center Chapel location.

When Celina is not at work, she is busy with her family of five. Investing time with those she loves and holds dearest to her heart. 

Robert Curtis Brown

Funeral Arranger

Julius Xavier Van Hook

Funeral Director

Julius Van Hook was raised in Richmond, California, where he completed his formal education, graduating from El Cerrito High School. He went on to earn a Bachelors Degree in Organizational and Business Management, with a minor in Biblical Studies from Patten University in Oakland, California, and a Master of Education Degree from Concordia University, Portland, Oregon. In the Spring of 2017, Mr. Van Hook will receive his Doctorate of Ministry from United Theological Seminary. Prior to returning to his career in Funeral Service, he worked as an Educator and Student Affairs Professional. He is also a proud, duly initiated member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

Julius has been with Wilson & Kratzer since the beginning of 2016 and is a great asset to our team here.

Ryan Lipuma

Embalmer

Ryan has been with the Wilson & Kratzer Mortuaries since 2010. He is a very valued employee and has a passion for helping our community. He is a graduate of American River College in Sacramento and a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer.

Jordan Baldwin

Funeral Director/Embalmer

Jordan has been an employee with Wilson & Kratzer Mortuaries since March of 2014. She is currently working as an embalmer where she assists in many capacities. In 2018 she graduated from American River College in Sacramento with an Associates of Science degree. She is a true joy and has proven to be someone we can all rely on.

Stephanie Hernandez

Administrative Assistant

Jasmine Hernandez

Administrative Assistant

Joel Vincent Garland

Ambassador /Funeral Assistant

In 1979, Joel began working as a Life Insurance Agent and is currently a Sales Manager for United Insurance Company of America.

Joel started working for Wilson & Kratzer Mortuaries in January of 2007 as an Ambassador/Funeral Assistant and plans to continue working for Wilson & Kratzer long after retiring from the Insurance field.

Joel was born in Tallulah, Louisiana, and moved to Oakland, California in 1955. He is a graduate of Castlemont High (class of 1967) and Merritt Jr. College (class of 1970). He also spent one year at the University of California, Berkeley.

Marcia Muwwakkil-Gatlin

Ambassador /Funeral Assistant

Marcia, a wife, mother of three and grandmother of six, entered the work force in 1981. Her work experience includes management in retail, food service and hotel. She is also an Independent Beauty Consultant for Mary Kay Cosmetics.

After losing her grandson, daughter and mother and surviving cancer, she felt she had the capacity to work in the mortuary service field at Wilson & Kratzer. In her spare time, she enjoys ballroom dancing, traveling and social event coordinating.

Marcia, a resident of San Pablo, California, grew up in the nation's capitol of Washington, D.C. and moved to California in 1969.

Clifford Davis

Ambassador/Funeral Assistant

Akim Simpson

Ambassador

After graduating from Mortuary College in 2006, Akim served her internship at Wilson & Kratzer’s Connelly and Taylor Chapel and served her apprenticeship at Wilson & Kratzer’s Civic Center Chapel.

Akim said, “I love to serve and help the community. Customer satisfaction is what motivates me to strive to be the best. I am proud to be part of a great team of co-workers and under the leadership of great management, where we all work hard to please the families we serve."

Valerine Yuzon

Ambassador

Valerine has been at Wilson & Kratzer Mortuaries since April 2014. She is a true joy to have as an employee and is a very kind and generous person. Valerine currently serves our company as an ambassador for our Mission Bells Chapel where she assists with services and visitations.