Our Team

Jack Bowers

Founder and Funeral Celebrant in Salmon Arm

Born and raised in Salmon Arm, Jack lives in Salmon Arm with his wife, Gayle. He purchased the funeral home in 1972 from his father, Thomas Bowers.

Along with funeral service, Jack has many other endeavors to keep himself busy. In past years, he has been involved in local business and plays an active role in the community. He was a long-term member of the board of the Salmar Community Association and enjoys giving back to the community.

Jack also enjoys staying active as an avid cyclist and runner, completing four Ironman Triathlons over the years.

Roberta Ripplinger

Funeral Director and Office Manager in Salmon Arm

Roberta was born in Estevan, SK and spent most of her formative years in the US and the prairie provinces. Her work in funeral service began in 1996 in Regina, SK at Lee Funeral Home as an Aftercare Specialist. She then worked as an Administrator, acquired her license as a Funeral Director during those years and moved into managing that location in 2002.

Following a 4-year break from funeral service, working with special needs equipment and then managing an independent living complex in Regina called Queen Victoria Estates, she returned to funeral service at Speers Funeral Chapel, also in Regina and enjoyed 11 fulfilling years there. 

Roberta has three married daughters, and nine grandchildren so her time away from work is usually spent visiting one or more of those families. She enjoys the outdoors, exploring the beauty in and around Salmon Arm. She also loves to have company, sharing time with all her new friends. Roberta is also a certified End of Life Doula offering support to our community. 

An unexpected opportunity presented itself here in Salmon Arm and Roberta jumped at the chance to experience a total new part of the country as well as a new group of funeral professionals, all of which have been such a gift to her. She continues to express her love of this work and the honor that it is! She is always open to chatting about her work, providing education, answering questions and providing encouragement. Please drop by Bowers anytime!

Kevin Bolen

Funeral Director and Funeral Celebrant in Salmon Arm & Golden

Born and raised in Enderby, Kevin lives in Salmon Arm with his wife, Jacquie.

Kevin started working at Bowers Funeral Service part-time while still attending school in 1980. After graduation in 1982, Kevin enrolled in the BC Funeral Service Apprenticeship Program.

Kevin has served as a director on the board of the BC Family Funeral Association and is a past president of the Shuswap Hospice Society.

David Wallensteen

Funeral Director and Funeral Celebrant in Salmon Arm

Dave was born and raised in Salmon Arm and enjoys serving the families of the community through the funeral home.

Although a forest technician by trade, Dave graduated from the Canadian College of Funeral Service in 2009.

Dave enjoys a variety of endurance sports and is an active member of the Larch Hills Nordic Society.

He makes his home in the Grandview Bench area with his wife, Terry. They have two grown children, Trevor and Sarah, and four grandchildren.

Capreece (Cappi) Bowers

Funeral Director, Funeral Celebrant and Registered Clinical Counsellor in Salmon Arm

Capreece (Cappi) is a Certified Funeral Celebrant, a Licensed Funeral Director and a Registered Clinical Counsellor (#2681) in private practice at Shuswap Clinical Counselling Center. She holds a Master's Degree in Psychology and is currently working on her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies, at UBC Okanagan and is researching the role of the Funeral Celebrant. 

Capreece has been an active Funeral Celebrant since 2007, a Licensed Funeral Director since 2010, and a Clinical Counsellor since 2005. Her passion is helping people navigate their way through grief, a stressful or traumatic life event, and supporting First Responders. She is a down-to-earth mental health professional embedded in the community fabric with the WorkSafe Critical Incident Response Program, the BC Emergency Health Program, First Responder Health and as a funeral professional. She also works alongside the BC Professional Fire Fighters' Association as a Level 2 Occupationally Trained Clinician with the BC Professional Firefighters' Association.

Sarah Bolen

Office Administrator in Salmon Arm

Sarah moved to Salmon Arm in the summer of 2016. She joined the Bowers team as the Office Administrator and is involved in a variety of aspects in the running of the funeral home.

Sarah has a love for the outdoors, and spends her spare time gardening, rock climbing, mountain biking and x-country skiing. She also has a passion for refurbishing old furniture and working on small DIY projects.

Holly Malashewsky

Office Administrator and Cremationist in Salmon Arm

Holly has spent the majority of her life here in the Shuswap, raising her three children and serving the community as a Birth and End of Life Doula, Prenatal Yoga Teacher, Nurse and now in death care at Bowers as an Office Administrator and Cremationist.

In her down time, she can be found in nature with her children and dog, or out and about visiting friends.

Mark Vieira

Funeral Director and Cremationist in Salmon Arm

Mark grew up in Abbotsford, BC where he lived until the summer of 2019. He then settled in Salmon Arm along with most of his family.

Mark joined the Bowers team in April 2023 as a Transfer Agent and has quickly become immersed in all aspects of the funeral profession. He is now a Cremationist and Funeral Director/Embalmer.

His passions include many physical activities such as weightlifting, hot yoga, snowboarding and hiking.

Edmund Chilton

Transfer Agent and Funeral Attendant in Salmon Arm

Bio to come.

Cassie Hughes

Funeral Director Apprentice in Salmon Arm & Golden

Cassie was born and raised in Golden, BC, she lived there until she moved to Salmon Arm in 2024 for the Funeral Director/Embalmer Apprenticeship. 

Before moving to Salmon Arm, Cassie was a medical laboratory assistant in the Golden hospital. 

In her free time, Cassie can be found visiting animals, enjoying the outdoors, or learning a new song on the guitar. 

Ken Johnson

Transfer Agent and Funeral Attendant in Salmon Arm

Ken moved to Salmon Arm in 2023 from the Fraser Valley, where he was a chauffeur for 25 years. Ken joined the Bowers team in the summer of 2024 as a transfer agent and handyman.

In his spare time, he can be found doing home renovations, tinkering on vintage cars, playing hockey, or hanging out with his long-time partner, their cat and two dogs. He is also a crime historian, writer, and avid stamp collector.

Keren Huyter

Transfer Agent and Funeral Attendant in Salmon Arm

Keren moved to Salmon Arm in 2006, where she and her husband Paul have raised their four boys. She has spent the last 15 years running her home-based sewing business and is now venturing out of the house to start a new career.

Keren is currently a Transfer Agent and Funeral Attendant at Bowers.

When not working or parenting, Keren can be found volunteering with Shuswap Theatre and the Air Cadets, or running agility courses with her dog, Ruby.

Olivia Bjornson

Funeral Director in Salmon Arm

Olivia was born in Regina, SK, that is where she began working part time at a local funeral home while in high school, she fell in love with the job and found a new passion in life.

After high school she began her schooling with the Canadian College of Funeral Service which she completed in the summer of 2024.

Olivia’s goal was to find a home away from Regina. She came to Salmon Arm because her old coworker and friend, Roberta invited her to come visit. She immediately felt the welcoming spirit from the staff at Bowers as well as the town.

In her free time Olivia enjoys painting, staying active, and exploring her new home. 

Rochelle Schartner

Transfer Agent and Funeral Attendant in Salmon Arm

Rochelle joined the team in December 2023 as a Transfer Agent. She also helps out with funerals and does transfers between our Salmon Arm and Revelstoke locations.

She moved to Deep Creek in 2016 with her husband and two sons.

She loves exploring the Okanagan, hiking, lifting weights  and scouting out coffee shops, often with a journal and pen in hand.

After volunteering off and on at Upper Room Mission in Vernon for years, she now sits on the board. 

Mike Brown

Transfer Agent and Funeral Attendant in Revelstoke

Mike is originally from Ontario but moved out to BC to plant trees. His passion is connecting with nature and animals.

When he isn't attending to funeral home duties, you can find him out in nature with his 2 dogs, Sköll and Hati. He takes them on lots of adventures, including mountain biking, hiking, mountaineering, skiing and even tree planting.

On his more relaxed days, he likes to play guitar and sing (usually with his dogs as the audience).

Alanna McKay

Office Administrator in Revelstoke

Alanna joined the team in September 2024 as an administrator at the Revelstoke office.

She moved to Revelstoke in 2015 to start a family and to lead a slower paced lifestyle. She's married with a son and 3 dogs who keep her on her toes.

Alanna and her family spend a great deal of time outdoors in nature to enjoy the amazing landscapes and activities that Revelstoke is famous for