Our Staff

With more than 115 years of combined experience, Soller-Baker's funeral directors are well-versed in providing compassionate and professional care. Ours are familiar faces to folks in Lafayette and Tippecanoe County. We are committed to our community and to the families we are privileged to serve. Please feel free to contact any of our staff by phone or email.  We are more than happy to answer your questions, or to provide additional information about us and the services we offer.  Even better - stop by for a visit.  We always have coffee on!

Ronald DiemRonald W. Diem, President   ron@soller-baker.com

A lifelong resident of Indiana and mainstay at Soller-Baker since April of 1969, Ron Diem is also very active in our community.  He is a member of the Lafayette Country Club and the John Purdue Club.  Ron is also an avid golfer, and welcomes any opportunity to play!  Ron graduated from Jac-Cen-Del High School in Osgood, Indiana in 1965.  He attended Ball State University and Vincennes University, and graduated in 1969 from the Indiana College of Mortuary Science.  Ron and his wife, Mary, reside in Lafayette.  They have a son and daughter-in-law, Rob and Sara Leota Pipes, and a grandson, Austin James Pipes.


John BenefielJohn Benefiel, Director   john@soller-baker.com

Ronald Reagan had just begun his second term as President when John Benefiel joined the staff at Soller-Baker in May of 1985.  He is a member of the Lafayette Noon Optimist Club and attends Stidham United Methodist Church.  John graduated from Plymouth High School in 1983 and from the Mortuary School of Vincennes University in 1985.  He and his wife, Barbara, live in Lafayette.  He has one stepson.

Frank AuxierFrank H. Auxier, Director   frank@soller-baker.com

Frank Auxier was added to the Soller-Baker family in August of 1987, when the cost of a first-class postage stamp was only 22 cents!  Frank graduated in 1978 from Seeger Memorial High School in West Lebanon, Indiana.  He graduated from the Mid-America College of Funeral Service in 1985.  He is a member of Brady Lane Church of Christ.  Frank and his wife, Tina, live in Lafayette.  They have three sons, Nicholas, Benjamin, and Justin.  They also have two grandsons, Jaymaon and Brayden.





Scott BanesScott D. Banes, Director   scott@soller-baker.com

May of 1989 brought Scott Banes to Soller-Baker.  Scott graduated from North White High School at Monon, Indiana in 1986, the same year “The Oprah Winfrey Show” first hit the airwaves.  He graduated from Vincennes University in 1989 with a degree in Mortuary Science. Scott makes Lafayette his home with his wife, Carman, and a son and daughter.






Matthew O'BrienMatthew J. O'Brien, Director   matt@soller-baker.com

Soller-Baker welcomed Matt O'Brien to our staff in May of 1999.  A 1996 graduate of Marion High School, he completed Mortuary School at Vincennes University in 1999.  It seems that Matt was very busy with his education while the rest of the world awaited the consequences of the Y2K bug, which never actually bit.  It’s hard to believe that was nearly a decade ago.  Matt and his wife, Kelly, reside in Lafayette with their three children.




Blanca AcevezBlanca L. Acevez, Director   blanca@soller-baker.com

Blanca Acevez came to Soller-Baker as a student in November of 2005.  A graduate from George Rogers Clark High School in Whiting, Indiana, in 1992, she then served for 9 years in the U.S. Army.  Blanca received her Mortuary Science degree from Ivy Tech Northwest in 2006.  She received a Bachelors Degree from Purdue Unversity in Organization, Supervision, and Leadership in December 2008.  She resides with her three children in Lafayette.




Kay BurryM. Kay Burry, Family Services Counselor   kay@soller-baker.com

Kay Burry joined Soller-Baker in 1987 as a licensed insurance agent and serves as the Family Services Counselor in our Pre-Planning and Post-Service Department.  A Lafayette resident since 1984, Kay welcomes the opportunity to talk with you about your options for planning funerals in advance.  She is always excited to show families how they can make personal choices, achieve peace of mind, and especially how to save money!  Kay has been a member of Lafayette Business to Business networking group since 2001 and currently serves on its Board of Directors. She is a charter member of Crossroads Christian Church in West Lafayette. She has bowled for many years on several leagues and has volunteered as Representative Payee with Area IV Council on Aging for over fifteen years. She has four living children, fourteen grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
 

Colleen ButzColleen Butz, Office Manager   colleen@soller-baker.com

The friendly voice answering the phone is likely Colleen Butz, who has been with Soller-Baker since July of 1993, as Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan were leading the Chicago Bulls to the NBA championship.  She currently serves as the office manager.  Colleen graduated from Central Catholic High School.  She likes to make quilts and read books.  Colleen and her husband, Dave, have two children.