Our Funeral Directors

Charles D. Sellevold
Licensed Funeral Director

Charles D. Sellevold

Chuck has been a licensed funeral director for 40 years and is licensed in the states of Iowa, Illinois and his home state of Wisconsin. He has been active in state funeral directors associations and numerous civic and fraternal organizations, including being a founding member and Charter President of the Pleasant Valley, Iowa, Lion's Club. Chuck has been a resident of the Quad-Cities since 1983.

He joined the staff of Weerts Funeral Home in 1993 and believes in our commitment to helping others "Celebrate Life." Chuck makes his home with his wife Kathy in LeClaire, Iowa. They have three adult children and six grandchildren. He and Kathy attend church at Our Lady of the River in LeClaire.

Terry P. Gahagan
Licensed Funeral Director

Terry P. Gahagan

Terry was born and raised right here in Davenport, graduating from Assumption High School in 1975. He earned his Mortuary Science degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and has been a funeral director for over 30 years.

Funeral service came naturally for Terry - his father, Al Gahagan, is also a funeral director. Although his father has been retired for several years now, Terry attributes his early interest in funeral service completely to his dad. "My Dad helped me understand that funeral service is really a great avenue of service to give back to the community," Terry says. "I knew I wanted to be a funeral director by the time I was 16 years old."

Terry and his wife Mary live in Davenport where they are active members of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. Mary, a Registered Nurse, works in the office of Dr. Karen Maves, an Allergist, in Davenport.

The Gahagan's have two daughters, Allison and Meryl, both recent college graduates.

Mark T. Saunders
Licensed Funeral Director

Mark T. Saunders

Raised in nearby DeWitt, Mark graduated from DeWitt Central High School in 1981. He earned his Mortuary Science degree from Worsham College in Chicago.

Joining our staff during our 2009 centennial year, Mark is committed to helping families create meaningful experiences here. "I truly believe", he states, "that there is no better way to serve others and the community than through funeral service. I'm very pleased to be a part of the Weerts Funeral Home commitment to help others celebrate life".

Mark is also the founder of and president of the "Crowns of Hope" Foundation that helps bring joy to children with life-threatening illness. He has been involved with various civic organizations and is a member of the DeWitt United Methodist Church.

Mark's wife, Holly, is an elementary teacher at Ekstrand Elementary in DeWitt. They have two daughters, Melanie, a sophomore at the University of Iowa and Hailey, currently in Junior High in DeWitt.

Mark is licensed as a funeral director in both Iowa and Illinois.

David W. Deuth, CFSP
Licensed Funeral Director

Owner

Dave, Linda, Evan & Madelyn

Deuth

David W. Deuth, CFSP

A native of Pipestone, Minnesota, David attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota, graduating with Bachelor degrees in Psychology and Sociology. His Mortuary Science degree was earned with Distinction from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

After working several years as a funeral director in Minnesota, Dave joined the Weerts Funeral Home staff in 2000. In late 2003, he became a partner in the firm, assuming the sole ownership of Weerts Funeral Home in 2005.

His wife, Linda, is a first grade teacher at Grant Wood Elementary School in Bettendorf. Their son, Evan, a senior at the University of Northern Iowa, is pursuing an English Education degree. Madelyn, their daughter, will be a sophomore at UNI in the Fall. They are all active members of Harvest Bible Chapel in Davenport. Dave is also an active member of the Bettendorf Rotary Club where he is a Past President, a Paul Harris Fellow and a member of the Bequest Society.

The only funeral director in the Quad Cities certified by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice, Dave is among only 16 other funeral directors in the entire state of Iowa who hold the Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) designation.

Licensed as a funeral director in the states of Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota, Dave also holds a Life Insurance license in the state of Iowa.

He continues to pursue certification in Bereavement Studies at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, Colorado.

James F. Weerts
CEO Emeritus

James F. Weerts

Jim was an active part of the family business for 45 years until his retirement in 2005. He attended Northwestern University and graduated from the University of Minnesota before returning to Davenport to join the family business. Although retired today, Jim's presence is abundantly evident in every facet of the ministry that is Weerts Funeral Home.

Jim organized, developed and served as the first president of the hospice movement in Scott County; served as president of both the Scott County and Mississippi Valley Heart Associations; is a past-president of the Davenport Rotary Club where he is a Paul Harris Fellow and chaired for many years the prestigious Rotary Scholarship and Loan Fund; and co-developed two residential sub-divisions in Bettendorf.

Jim also served as the president and general manager of Oakdale Memorial Gardens for 20 years (1989-2009). Following the death of his wife Sandy in 1992, Jim developed the "Love of Animals" Petland at Oakdale in her memory. Sandy's love for animals now brings a dignified final resting place for those special members of our families: our pets.