Our Staff

Kenton LeBlanc joined the Melby Mortuary and Chaput-Buoy Funeral Homes in September of 2014, as a licensed funeral director/embalmer. He has been licensed in the State of Kansas since 1992. From 1991 to 1992 he served his apprenticeship under the direction of Jim Buoy at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home. Kenton also worked with Dean Frazier, Alec Chaput, John Chaput, and Alexine Chaput.   Kenton also holds a Nebraska funeral director/embalmer license.

He has also worked as a sales representative for a national funeral supply firm The Dodge Company of Cambridge, MA.. Prior to his sales position he was in the funeral service profession in Newton, Coffeyville, Lyons, Kansas communities as well.

He was a Graduate of Clifton-Clyde H.S. 1984, NCKAVT School Auto Tech 1985, Attended Washburn University Fall of 1985, Cloud County Graduate 1990, and Kansas City Kansas Community College Graduate in 1991 receiving a Degree in Mortuary Science.

Kenton grew up in the St. Joseph community on the farm as well as his wife Stephanie.  They have a daughter, Becca & Ryan Barnes, a son, Kollin.  Stephanie is a Teacher’s Aide at USD 224 at the Clifton Grade School. 

He enjoys, spending time with his family, golfing, hunting, carpentry, and mostly being outdoors.

He is a member of the KFDA, NFDA, Concordia Rotary Club, American Legion Post #76, VFW Post 7515, Ducks Unlimited.

Kenton and his family are also members of the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church of Clyde and also serves on the Board of the Guardians of the St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Kenton is excited to continue serving Mankato and the surrounding communities.

Joseph is a Republic County native and started at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home and Melby Mortuary in May 2018.

He is a Kansas and Nebraska licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer, earning his Mortuary Science degree from Des Moines Area Community College and completed his apprenticeship under Randy Paugh. Additionally, he is a licensed pre-need insurance agent in Kansas and Nebraska with Homesteaders Life Company, and assists families with purchasing cemetery monuments and markers.

Joseph also continues to serve his community as a part-time Paramedic with Republic County EMS and as President of the Republic County Historical Society and Museum.

Joshua J. Meyer joined the staff of Melby Mortuary and Chaput-Buoy Funeral Homes in April 2001. He has been the manager of the Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home and it's associated chapels since 2003 and the current President of Tibbetts Bros., Inc.. He attended Kansas State University and then mortuary school at Kansas City Kansas Community College with a degree in Mortuary Science. He completed his apprenticeship with Broadway Mortuary and continued to work there until he relocated to Concordia.

He is married to the former Jamie Stroh of Belleville, Kansas.  Jamie is a math teacher at Concordia High School. They have one daughter, Madelyn, who graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Elementary Education and teaches 2nd grade in Manhattan, Kansas.

He is a member of Concordia Rotary Club, serving as club president in 2007-2008; a member and former board member of the Concordia Chamber of Commerce; a former board member for the Cloud County Community Foundation, he also served as the President of the Frank Carlson Library Board of Directors; a member of Cloud County Ducks Unlimited where he serves as the Chairman.  Joshua also volunteers with the Cloud County Community College Foundation and the Annual Scholarship Auction, serving as the emcee for the past several years.  He is also a member of the Sons of the American Legion Post #76 and a member of Concordia Golf & Wellness Golf Course in Concordia. He and his family attend the Concordia Lutheran Church where he served on the church council.  He served as the District 6 Director and was President of the Kansas Funeral Directors Association from 2023-2024.

He enjoys playing golf, and hunting and has been a registered basketball and football official with the Kansas State High School Athletics Association for the past 25 years.

Samantha started with Tibbetts Bros. in August 2021. 

She graduated from Des Moines Area Community College with a degree in Mortuary Science in March 2023, she then successfully completed her National Board examinations for Funeral Directing and Embalming. She is currently completing her 12 month apprenticeship with Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home in Concordia, as an Assistant Funeral Director. Following apprenticeship, she will complete the Kansas examinations for her Funeral Director and Embalmer licenses. Samantha also recently completed the Certified Celebrant training through the National Funeral Directors Association in Brookfield, WI. A Certified Celebrant works to provide a funeral service, memorial service or tribute that is personalized and individualized to reflect the personality and life-style of the deceased.

 Samantha is excited to begin offering and enhancing this service to the families of North Central Kansas. She lives in Scandia with her two children, Ender and Freya. She enjoys serving her community in various ways including the Scandia Community Club and the American Legion Auxiliary Post 193.

Darica works part-time at Melby Mortuary as a licensed funeral director. She began her career in funeral service in high school assisting with services and visitations. She received her Funeral Directors license in January of 2020 from the Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts. Darica is the daughter of Darrell and Deb Bohnert. She is a native of Jewell, Kansas and currently resides in Jewell with her husband, Skylar and children Owen, Amelia and Oakley.

She is a 2013 graduate of Rock Hills High School and graduated from Kansas City Kansas Community College of Mortuary Arts in December of 2018.

Darica is a member of the Jewell Christian Church, Jewell Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Funeral Directors Association, and National Funeral Directors Association.

She enjoys going on walks, golfing, being outdoors, and spending time with her family and friends.

Sheila is the wife, of Rick Diamond, and a proud mother of two daughters, with two sons-in-law and 4 grandsons. They live in Mankato and are active in church and community.

Karen joined the staff of Melby Mortuary & Chaput-Buoy in 2021 as the Administrative Assistant for both locations. Her office is located in Concordia at Chaput-Buoy.