Wade Wilson, Owner/Manager

Wade was born in Hot Springs to Hurley C. and Myrna Wilson. He was raised in the Black Hills in Hot Springs and Rapid City. He received his Mortuary Science degree in Gresham, OR and returned to SD. He and his wife Carrie lived in Sioux Falls until moving to Hot Springs in 1990 to work as a licensed funeral director at McColleys Chapels of the Hills with locations in Hot Springs, Custer and Edgemont.

In 1994, he became a managing partner of Wilson Funeral Home, Gillette, WY. On January 1, 2002, he became co-owner of Behrens Funeral Home and later added his family name to the business, now known as Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home. He is proud to carry on the tradition of one of the oldest and most respected names in the Rapid City area and return it to independent ownership.

He, his wife Carrie and children, Garrett, Talia and Holly are members of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church where he and his son are active in the church choir. He is an active member of the Rotary and Cosmopolitan Clubs.

Carrie is a teacher at St. Elizabeth Seton School and is an active member of the PEO Chapter. His children are involved in numerous school activities including dance, band, gymnastics and participate in as many performances that time allows them. Wade is glad to come home to the Black Hills.

Roger Bingaman, Director

Roger was born in Hot Springs and spent most of his earlier life in western South Dakota and southeast Montana. His family being from a ranching background, Roger enjoyed spending summers on his grandfather’s homesteaded ranch.

As a senior in high school, Roger moved with his family to Hamilton, MT which is in the Bitterroot Valley. He later attended colleges in Oklahoma City, Missoula, MT and graduated from the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science in 1974.

Roger served his apprenticeship in Kalispell, MT and became a licensed funeral director. He was involved in funeral service in the flathead valley for the next 30 years. In 2003, Roger moved to Rapid City and joined Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home in 2006. He is involved in all operations of the funeral business and excels in the preparation department.

Roger and his family are active members of the First Assembly of God Church. He enjoys spending time with his family as well as hunting and fishing in the Black Hills.

C.L. Zurcher, Assistant Director

C.L. is a retired trooper from the Nebraska State Highway Patrol. He joined Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home in 2006 and works as an assistant to the directors.

He and his wife Marlene are active members of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church where he served as an Elder. They have children, grandchildren and great grandchildren scattered from Washington, DC to Alaska.

Del Freimark, Director/Crematory Manager

Del graduated from high school in 1954 in Mobridge, SD. He later served with the 101st Airborne Division Field Artillery Unit combat group in Japan during the Korean War.

He attended Northern State Teacher’s College, Aberdeen and Worsham College of Mortuary Science, Chicago where he graduated with a Mortuary Science Degree.

He worked for many years at Kesling Funeral Home and Larson Funeral Home both in Mobridge. Del and his wife Ramona moved to Rapid City in 1998 and he began working for Behrens Mortuary.

Del is the manager of the crematory and helps out at Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home as needed.

Betty Jo Simpson, Secretary/Preneed Specialist

Betty Jo was raised on a farm south of Reliance, SD. She graduated from high school in Chamberlain, SD. Betty Jo moved to Rapid City in 1988 where she now resides with her husband, 2 children and 3 grandchildren. She acquired her Insurance license in June of 2000 and now writes preneed contracts for Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home.