Our Staff

Anita Pagel is the owner/operator of Pagel Funeral Homes. She is a native of

Washington, IN, and now resides in St. Elmo. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree

in nursing from Lakeview College of Nursing Charleston. She is a licensed insurance

agent and helps our families with pre-need insurance and filing any life insurance

policies the families may have. She handles the clerical side of the business and is an

expert in the rules and regulation of funeral services. She is married to Clayton and

together they have 2 daughters and 9 grandchildren. In her spare time, she enjoys

going on walks with her beloved dog, Daisy, gardening, and spending time with her

grandchildren.

Clayton Pagel is owner/director of our funeral homes. He graduated from Worsham

College of Mortuary Science in 1999 and went to work with his father and brother. He is

licensed by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Board and

Illinois Funeral Directors Association. He is a second-generation funeral director. Clayton and his wife, Anita, purchased the Pagel Funeral Home, St. Elmo in 2011, and in 2014 purchased Watson, Edgewood and St. Peter funeral homes from his father. In 2018, they constructed a new building which houses the Edgewood location. Clayton is married to Anita, and they have 2 daughters and 9 grandchildren. Clayton enjoys cartography, grilling and smoking different types of meat.

Racheal Sharp-Fritts is our Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer Intern. She

graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in 2025. Racheal has been with the funeral home since 2024, learning practical aspects of the business through her

apprenticeship and schooling. She is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and moved

to Effingham with her husband Jason in 2021. They have two children, Xavier and Emily, and volunteer with the Effingham Park District to coach softball every year. They are members of the First Christian Church in Neoga, Illinois, and Racheal is an active member of the Ann Crooker St. Clair chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Jill Butts is our administrative assistant. She lives with her husband Mike in St. Peter,

and they are parents to 3 grown men and grandparents to 4 beautiful girls and 2

handsome boys. Jill graduated Rasmussen College in 2018 with a Paralegal Degree

and assists in the clerical side of the business. She enjoys learning every aspect of

business, so that she better assist our families. In her free time, she enjoys reading,

cooking and baking, her fur babies and being Memaw to her grandkids.

Mike Butts has been with us for more than 25 years part time and became full time in

June of 2025. He is our jack of all trades, whether it be repairing items around our

funeral homes, assisting with services, taking care of our Veterans’ needs, and coordinating various aspects of our funeral services. Mike is married to Jill, and they live in St. Peter, he is the father of 3 and Papaw of 6. Mike is a 30+ year member of the St. Peter Volunteer Fire Department, a member of the Fayette County Board, and enjoys hunting, fishing, and spoiling grandkids.

Jim Giffin is in his 12th year with our team. He graduated from Herrin High School in

Herrin, Illinois, in 1976. Jim and his wife, Kelly, make their home in St. Elmo. They have

two sons and are proud grandparents of three grandchildren.

Jim honorably served his country as a Military Police K-9 handler. He is an Eagle Scout,

a firefighter, and an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) with the St. Peter Fire

Department. He also holds a Master of Ministry degree and has faithfully served in

ministry for 34 years.

At our funeral home, Jim is dedicated to serving families during visitations and funerals

with compassion and care.