History & Staff

Canajoharie

Lenz & Betz Funeral Home has been serving the residents of western Montgomery County for the past 80 years. Originally located on West Grand Street, in the Village of Palatine Bridge, the home named, Lenz Funeral Home, was started by Donald Lenz, Sr. in 1929. In 1937, the business was relocated to 69 Otsego Street, Canajoharie, to accommodate the growing Lenz family. The building was purchased from William B. Smith of Arkell & Smith Sack Company. 

In 1976, Donald Lenz, Sr. passed away and ownership was passed to his son, Donald Lenz, Jr., who was working by his side at the time. The business continued to flourish until Donald Lenz, Jr. passed away unexpectedly in 1989. The business was then acquired by the Betz Funeral Home of Amsterdam and renamed Lenz & Betz Funeral Home in 1990.

Recognized as a vital part of the history of the Mohawk Valley, the facility at 69 Otsego Street, Canajoharie was completely renovated beginning in the summer of 2006. Originally constructed in the 19th century, the building was restored to its original beauty preserving its historical presence in the Village of Canajoharie. Completed in June of 2008, the facility now has a large spacious chapel with seating for 125 and is completely handicap accessible.

Today, Betz, Rossi Bellinger & Stewart Family Funeral Home - Canajoharie continues its tradition of excellence in funeral and cremation services to the residents of Western Montgomery County. We continue to offer superior services at affordable prices.

Gloversville

In service to its neighbors for over 100 years, Betz, Rossi Bellinger & Stewart Family Funeral Home - Gloversville is proud of its community heritage. Willard B. Walrath founded W.B. Walrath & Company in 1911. Over sixty years ago, Walrath & Bushouer Inc. was formed by a partnership between Willard B. Walrath and Harry J. Bushouer. The addition of Willard’s son, Douglas Walrath, came some years later. Richard Reed became owner of the funeral home in 1968 following the untimely deaths of the partners. John Stewart began his career with the business in 1978 and the name was changed to Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home. Today, Betz, Rossi Bellinger & Stewart Family Funeral Home - Gloversville continues to provide dignified personal service to its community with the traditional values passed down through generations of service.

A lifelong resident of the Mohawk Valley, Pete was raised in the Town of Florida. He attended St. Mary’s Institute and graduated from Amsterdam High School in 2001. He then went on to attend the State University of New York at Canton, where he graduated in 2004.

Pete has been around the funeral business since the age of 16, and has been a Licensed Funeral Director since 2005. He is a member of the Mass Fatalities Taskforce of Montgomery County and the National Funeral Directors Association; a member of the New York State Funeral Directors Association since 2005, he has served on various committees, and was a 2014 Graduate of the Leadership Academy.

Currently he serves as the Chairman of the NYS Tribute Foundation and is a Past President and Member of the Amsterdam Rotary Club. Pete also serves on the Field Advisory Board (FAB) for Foundation Partners Group. He is also a Certified Celebrant, specializing in unique tribute services. In July of 2017 he was awarded the CFSP designation, which is the highest designation awarded to a Licensed Funeral Professional.

“Funeral service has such a long legacy of tradition deeply rooted in history in the United States. It is both an honor and a privilege to carry on such a wonderful tradition to my family, friends and neighbors in the Mohawk Valley.”

Pete has two children, Taryn & Jack and is engaged to Brigitta Giulianelli.

John Stewart has been helping families at the funeral homes since 1979. He was a 1975 graduate of Gloversville High School and also Hudson Valley Community College in 1981. He became a Licensed Funeral Director in 1982. He purchased both Walrath & Bushouer, Inc. and Jeffords Chapel in 1992, later changing the names to Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home and Jeffords & Stewart Funeral Home. In 2004, he and his partners merged their five businesses to form Betz, Rossi, Bellinger and Stewart Family Funeral Homes. John continues to serve as an active Funeral Director as well as Location Leader. 

He is a member of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Gloversville, where he is a Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Perpetual Eucharistic Adorer and Secretary of the Holy Name Society. He is a 35 plus year member the Concordia Club, The Eccentric Club and 3rd Degree Knights of Columbus. John serves as a member of the Board of Directors Mountain Valley Hospice Foundation. He is a Trustee of Prospect Hill Cemetery Association and is a member of the Mount Carmel Cemetery Committee. He has recently served as a Director of the Nathan Littauer Foundation, Mountain Valley Hospice Board and the former Patriot Federal Bank Board. He also served as a Division Chairman of United Way of Fulton County.

John and his wife, Sari, a Registered Nurse Supervisor, have five children: Brandon, Brittany, Bradley, Brian and Brody. They enjoy traveling and attending sporting events together.

A lifelong resident of Amsterdam, Marty received his education from St. Stanislaus Elementary School and was a Graduate of Amsterdam High School Class of 1990. He is a 1992 Graduate of Schenectady County Community College with an Associates in Liberal Arts; and a 1994 Graduate of Hudson Valley Community College with an Associates in Applied Science. Marty Attended the University of South Carolina at Aiken and majored in Psychology with minor in Sociology. He received his Funeral Directors License in 1996 and has been serving families for the past 20 years. 

“I am always striving to make every family feel comfortable here in our funeral home. I put the families I serve and their needs first before anything else and work hard to exceed their expectations of service.”

Marty not only serves as a funeral director, but is also the Managing Director of the Amsterdam location.

He is a member of the B.P.O.E. # 101 and currently serves as the Chairman of the Amsterdam Elks Soccer Shoot Committee; a member of St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation Board of Directors; member and Eucharistic Minister and Lector at St. Mary’s Church; a member of the American Legion Post #701 and the Sons of the American Legion Squadron #701; member of the Amsterdam Marching Rams Booster Club; a member of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians; the New York State Funeral Directors Association and the Adirondack Funeral Directors Association; Currently sitting on the New York State Funeral Directors Association’s Electronic Death Registration System Committee. 

Marty resides in Amsterdam with his wife and two children. He enjoys still playing wood bat baseball in the fall and coaching his children in baseball and softball. 

Jessica spent the first part of her life growing up in Mayfield, she attended Mayfield Central Schools, later graduating on the President's List from Hudson Valley Community College with an Associates in Mortuary Science. In 2011 she received her Funeral Directors License. She is am a member of The Forrester's Club as well as a yearly participant in Relay For Life representing Team Hope, Faith and Love.

“I find great honor in helping families through one of the most difficult times in their lives. There is nothing more rewarding than being a Licensed Funeral Director.”

Starting in the nursing field directly out of high school quickly helped me realize my love of helping those in need. After watching and aiding patients during the last parts of their lives and building relationships with their families I became interested in funeral service. I then decided to change my career path and pursue a degree in Mortuary Science. I began my funeral directing career as a Resident Funeral Director at Bond Funeral Home in Schenectady. I quickly realized I had found my calling and learned many valuable things during my time there, one of them being the desire to serve my community closer to my hometown of Mayfield. It is with great appreciation to Betz, Rossi, Bellinger and Stewart Family Funeral Homes that I am now able to serve my friends and family and the families of others in this area that I call home.

Born in Guayama, Puerto Rico, but raised in Amsterdam NY, Ninja is the first Hispanic funeral director to join the BRBS family. Serving as an assistant manager to a local gas station and a department manager at a local retail store Ninja knew she wanted to work with people but on a more nurturing level. She obtained her certification for nurse’s aide in 2008 and spent over 5 years devoted to serving the geriatric residents at Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville NY., on both the East and West side as well as in the rehabilitation unit. Knowing that she had more to offer her genuine benevolence, empathy, and ability to comfort those in need inspired her to follow her mother’s footsteps and become a funeral director. In 2014 she graduated from Hudson Valley Community College working very hard and fiercely overcoming many obstacles to obtain her A.A.S degree with honors. Earning places on both the Dean's and President's list. 

“Having been raised in this community I take a lot of pride and honor in being able to assist family and friends in a way that not many can. It has been one of the most meaningful roles I have ever taken part in. The families I have met along the way are more than just families that I have served, but they have become friends. Though I cannot lessen their grief I am committed to helping families memorialize their loved ones in a way they will always treasure. The funeral service industry is changing and evolving and as a cremation specialist, I am proud to be part of a firm that not only understands these changing trends but is adapting to them to better serve our community. It is empowering and motivating to work for a firm that truly cares about the community they serve like my fellow colleagues at Betz, Rossi, Bellinger, & Stewart do. Their sincerity in all that they do makes me admire and value my place within this team."

Ninja is a member of the New York State Funeral Directors Association and a member of The General Federation of Women's Club-The Century Club happily volunteering her time and efforts where a need arises. She resides in Amsterdam with her family. As proud animal lovers they share their home with their dogs, reptiles and their cat. Ninja enjoys bow hunting, target practicing, snowmobiling, and loves spending time on her motorcycle in the warmer weather. Her absolute favorite motto in life is, “Pay it forward.” and will go above and beyond her measures to selflessly do just that for anyone.

Michael was born in Binghamton NY, where he graduated high school in 1994. In 1996 he graduated from Hudson Valley Community College in Mortuary Science. Michael started working at J.A. McCormack Sons Funeral Home, Binghamton, NY before moving on after his residency to work for the past 20 years.

He was a General Manager for Richard’s Funeral Home in Cairo NY, and W.C. Brady’s Sons Inc. F.H, in Coxsackie, NY. He joined BRBS Family Funeral Home in February, 2017 as a Licensed Funeral Director.

Michael is a member of Coxsackie Athens Rotary, Coxsackie Knights of Columbus Council 548 and he is a past member of The New York State Association of County Coroners and Medical Examiners. He was Greene County Coroner from 2008-2011.

He has 5 children Tianna, Sofia, Michael, Jayden and Isabelle. Michael loves spending time with his children on his days off and also enjoys  snowmobiling and four-wheeling.

Michael feels rewarded when he has walked a family through a death knowing he did his best to service the family and did it with compassion. Michael is honored for his relationships that he has built with families.

Richard is a third generation Funeral Director, working from a young age at his family owned, Boice Funeral Home in Amsterdam. He graduated in 1976 from the New England Institute of Anatomy in Boston, MA. In 1978 he served his residency at the prestigious Frederick Funeral Home in Albany, NY, after which he received his license from New York State. He returned to his family business as manager and operated the business until 1998. He then accepted a positon with Service Corporation International as a Prearrangement Counselor, responsible for securing funds for advance funeral services for 11 funeral homes in Albany, Glens Falls and Schenectady.

In 2002, following the death of his wife Betsy, Richard left the funeral business to work in the private sector. In June of 2014, Richard joined the family of director’s at Betz, Rossi, Bellinger & Stewart. 

“I am proud and humbled to be part of such a wonderful organization that cares deeply about the community. It is self-rewarding to be serving families again in my home town.”

Richard served his country from 1969 to 1974 with the 109th MAC Air National Guard, Scotia, NY and was honorably discharged in 1974. He is a 40+ year member and Past Exalted Ruler of B.P.O.E. #101 and is currently serving as Trustee; he is past President of the Amsterdam Rotary Club and former USS Swimming Official; and is a parishioner of St. Stanislaus’ Church. Richard is still very active in community events. His hobbies include antique cars, hunting, skiing and Auto Art. He lives in Hagaman with his wife Stephanie and they have three grown children.

Born in San Diego, CA to a Navy family Erin grew up all over the U.S. relocating to her mother’s native area in 2004. She graduated from Mayfield Central Schools in 2010 before attending Fulton Montgomery Community College. She transferred to The State University at Canton where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Funeral Services Administration in 2016. Erin has been employed by Betz, Rossi, Bellinger and Stewart Family Funeral Homes since 2015 and has been a Licensed Funeral Director since 2018.

Erin’s passion for education has persisted over the years. She completed coursework to become a Certified End of Life Caregiver in 2020, received certification as a Green Burial Council Practitioner in 2021, and was a 2022 graduate of the Northeast Funeral Service Partnership’s Leadership Academy. Erin was honored to be included in the Daily Gazette’s “Outlook 2021” for her work in green burial and sustainable death care.

Currently she serves on the New York State Funeral Directors Association Bridge Commission, is a Board Member of the Soroptimist International of Fulton and Montgomery Counties, is a member of Fulton and Montgomery Counties Habitat for Humanity Fundraising Committee and was recently invited to serve on the Board of Trustees at the Canajoharie Library and Arkell Museum.

Her main passions are art, history, literature, and education. She is an avid reader and a gifted homemaker who loves crafting and enjoys spending time with her family, especially when it involves hosting brunch and making espresso. “My greatest joy in life has always come from taking a bad situation and making it better, Mary Anne Evans wrote ‘What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other’ I try to live that quote every day.

A native of Amsterdam, NY, Vicki has been involved in the funeral industry for nearly 30 years. She has two children; Jessica and Jason and two fantastic grandchildren; Melody and Samuel. She loves the outdoors, nature and spending time with family.

“Over the years I have seen the funeral industry change, but what has never changed is the need to give our families the very best options and service they deserve at a time when they need it most. Giving compassion, care and dedicated service
to each family served is our daily goal.”

A 1998 graduate of Broadalbin High School Rebecca resides in Amsterdam with longtime boyfriend David. Together they enjoy bird watching, gardening, cooking, playing computer games & spending time with family.

Rebecca joined the staff of Betz, Rossi, Bellinger & Stewart in 2006, and has been an integral part of the office.

“It has been an honor to be accepted as part of the Betz, Rossi, Bellinger & Stewart Family Funeral Homes family. I enjoy being part of history & memories made every day here. I am excited to be able to have a small part every day in helping families in their most difficult time.”