Our Story

Our Story

Foothills was founded in 1998 by Matt Becker and Roy L. Claar.  Matt saw the need for a Golden based cremation and funeral provider for Jefferson and Douglas Counties as well as Metro Denver.  From 1998 until 2020, Matt devoted his time and passion to helping area families in need. Along the journey Matt hired Don Eckburg to help as a funeral consultant and between the three of them they helped thousands of families dealing with loss. All three have been a pillar to the community for decades, and though Don and Roy have passed away Matt honored their contributions by providing top tier service and care for over two decades.  Matt remains attached to Foothills, though in May 2020 he decided to retire and sell to John DeMers. In retirement Matt has enjoyed spending more time with his wife, son and traveling.  

The traditional funeral home approach hasn't changed much in decades, yet those losing loved ones and the way they research, plan and buy has all changed dramatically. By providing relevant information, easy to navigate paperwork and a setting to accomplish from the comfort of your own home, online or in our intimate offices we hope to make this time as painless as possible.  Our model and help is not limited to one specific area as we help families from Greeley to Colorado Springs and Breckenridge to Aurora.  It is with this belief in mind that Foothills strives to help our families and why in January 2022 we opened a second location in Castle Rock.  Our goal is to create an atmosphere that allows all families the kind of personalization and personal care they deserve...whether in person or online. 

Who We Are

John DeMers - Owner/Funeral Director

John has been helping Denver Metro families since 1999 and has held numerous roles ranging from Funeral Assistant to General Manager. He attended Arapahoe Community College - Mortuary Science Program and has served on multiple industry related boards, organizations and civic associations and is a past president of the Colorado Association of Cemeteries. He is honored to help families at their time of need.

Onda Estep - Funeral Director

Onda graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 2004 and became a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer in 2005. She has worked in many roles such as funeral directing, preplanning, and event planning. Onda has a great understanding of the industry, and more importantly, of customer care.

What Makes Us Unique

We have created a means to provide you all the offerings you would expect from a cremation and funeral provider, but with the same simplicity, convenience and customization you handle all of your matters.  
  • We offer in home appointments, if this is more comfortable for you.
  • We offer to hand deliver your loved one's cremated remains and death certificates.
  • We utilize industry specific planning, signing and payment software to modernize the entire process.
  • We are able to finalize all planning and details via phone, email, video chat or FaceTime if you don't wish to meet in person.
  • We have expanded to offer beautiful service and reception venues so that you have the most options to create a meaningful farewell.
  • We offer evening and weekend availability to connect and finalize planning.
  • While most providers sway you against scattering we would be honored to facilitate the scattering for you.
  • We are centered around a simplified model that will be familiar to you, even if this is your first time making arrangements.
We are proud to embrace traditional values, diversity and innovation in honoring the spirit and life of each person we serve. We offer a full selection of:
  1. Cremation Options
  2. Memorial and funeral services, ranging from traditional to uniquely innovative and personal
  3. Scattering Packages
  4. Celebrant Services
Letting go of a loved one can be a very difficult process. In order to provide your family peace-of-mind, we offer complete care, so you can focus on comforting each other as you prepare to say goodbye to someone dear to you.
Although there are many decisions you may have to make after the passing of a loved one, we assure you that we will guide you through the entire process every step of the way. We promise to help you:
  • Design the most fitting memorial or funeral service to honor your loved one's memory and pay tribute to their life achievements and experiences.
  • Select the most appropriate products, including a cremation urn, casket, burial vault, and all else needed to fit your budget and suit your needs and desires.
  • Plan a safe and secure means of scattering your loved one's remains
  • Write a fitting obituary to honor your loved one’s life experiences and social connections and assist you in the publication of the obituary in the newspaper(s) of your choice.
  • Create a Book of Memories™, a beautiful, permanent online memorial, where you and your friends can build a legacy of memories by archiving treasured photos and memories.
  • Make all arrangements with regard to the services whether they are held at your place of worship, reception center, cemetery, or alternate gathering place.
  • Select beautiful funeral print materials, including memorial folders and a register book.  
  • Assist in the selection and arrangement of floral tributes.
  • Access grief education and support materials, and with referrals to counseling services.
  • Prepare all paperwork, including vital record statistics, permits, filing and obtaining death certificates, and assistance with life insurance, veteran’s benefits and Social Security claims.
We hope you will turn to us for compassionate care and impeccable service. Our pledge is to honor your loved one and family with dignity, respect and personal attention to every detail.
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