Our Caring Staff

Daren was born in Gatesville and grew up in the Mound community. He graduated from Gatesville High School in 1987 and from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 1988. From a young age, Daren had the desire to serve people in the funeral service ministry. Shortly before completing mortuary school, he became employed with Scott’s Funeral Home and remained here until 1998.

He remained active locally in funeral service until rejoining the staff at Scott’s Funeral Home in June of 2011. His community involvement includes a board member of the Gatesville Boys & Girls Club, thirty-year member and Past President of the Gatesville Lions Club, Gatesville City Council as Councilman for two terms and three years as Mayor. He is a member of White Mound Baptist Church. He is also a member of the Gatesville Masonic Lodge #197 A.F. & A.M. and the Waco Karem Shrine. In 2006, he was elected as a County Commissioner to Precinct #2 on the Coryell County Commissioner’s Court, until business operations required him to leave his elected office early in June of 2022. He is currently serving as a board member for the Heart of Texas Defence Alliance. He enjoys short travel trips to nearby attractions and music venues and motorcycle riding.

Daren considers it an honor to provide assistance and guidance to anyone who has lost a loved one. At the most difficult time in the lives of those in our community, he and the staff of Scott’s Funeral Home are here to be at your side, guiding and walk with you every step of the way.

Nathan Gohlke joined Scott’s Funeral Home in January of 2022, as a Pre-Need Planning Agent. He graduated from Northeast Texas Community College Funeral Services Program in 2024. Since 2005, Nathan has served as the Chief of Police for the City of Gatesville. His law enforcement career dates to 1993 when he began teaching the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, as a Deputy with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department. He has served in many different capacities, including being selected as President of the Central Texas Area Chiefs of Police and Sheriff’s Association, and serving as a representative to the Texas Police Chief’s Association Board of Directors. He is a current member of the Gatesville Exchange Club, Central Texas Crime Stoppers Organization, and Gatesville Care Center board of directors. 

Even today, Nathan continues to devote his time to these and other organizations. He retired from the City of Gatesville in January of 2023. Nathan and his wife Nicole have been married for 30 years and have two children, Bailey and Brenden.

Charla was born in Temple and was raised in Belton, graduating from Belton High

School in 1986. She graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education (1989), the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor with a Master of Arts degree in Counseling (1997), and Tarleton State University with a Doctorate in Educational Leadership (2008). Charla served in public education for 30 years, 26 years of those years in Belton ISD. She was a teacher, counselor, principal, special education director, human resources director and assistant

superintendent.

Charla enjoys spending time with her family, friends and serving others in the community. She particularly enjoys time spent with her two grandchildren. 

Charla graduated from Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service in Houston and became a licensed Funeral Director in 2024. In addition to funeral planning, she assists families with insurance and employer benefits.

Sara Jo was born in Gatesville in 1974, to Kenneth and Nancy Hopson Dixon. She grew up in Mound and graduated from Meridian High School in1992. Sara attended Texas Wesleyan University in Ft. Worth, where she earned her B.S. Degree in Exercise and Sport Studies in 1996. On the first day of college, Sara Jo met Chad Poynter. They fell in love and were married in Mound in 1998. They have two children, Jaryn and Lyndi.

Sara Jo has used her degree in many ways: personal training, fitness bootcamps, and

managing corporate fitness facilities. She was the very first manager of the fitness

center and spa at the Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth. She has had several

federal government contracts where she made fitness fun by teaching classes,

hosting lunch and learns, and themed parties at facilities such as The Fritz G.

Lanham Federal Building-downtown Fort Worth, The Bureau of Engraving and

Printing, and the Federal Aviation Administration. She and her family moved back

“home” to Gatesville in 2018. You may know her as the former owner of Sara Jo’s

Haute and Gaudy.

“In high school, I often talked of going to mortuary school, but God had other plans

for me. I was able to help care for my Mom when she was diagnosed with stage

four brain cancer. With her prognosis and the spirit she had, mom wanted to pre-

plan her services. This was important to her, that her final wishes to the last detail

were known and that her family, which she loved was relieved of those difficult

decisions. Together, we went to Scott’s Funeral Home, to make pre-planned

arrangements. Throughout that process and the stage in my life, the thought of

serving others through funeral service, piqued my interest once again.”

Sara Jo is excited to be part of the team at Scott’s Funeral Home and serve the

community that she loves so dearly. She promotes and fosters community relations as well as provides information through social media. With her personal understanding of grief, she has developed an aftercare program for families that have experienced loss in their life. She is available and licensed to assist families as an advanced funeral planner. “I am excited to bring some sunshine on your not so bright days.”

Sara Jo is a member of the Gatesville Chamber of Commerce and Oglesby Lions

Club.

Bill was born, March 27, 1955 in Gatesville. He graduated from Gatesville High School in 1973, Temple Junior College in 1975 and Dallas Institute of Funeral Services in 1990. He married Annette Pool in 1976 and they have three children and three grandchildren. Bill has served families of the Gatesville area for over 30 years. Along with his funeral service career, he was a Gatesville independent School District Trustee for 10 years, board member of the Coryell County Museum and Gatesville Boys and Girls Club. Bill started working for Scott’s Funeral Home in 1990, retiring December 31, 2021. In 2007, he was given the opportunity to purchase the funeral home and retained ownership until his retirement, when he and his wife transferred their ownership to Daren Moore. In his retirement, he enjoys spending time with his family and being a grandfather. The Gatesville community and staff members of Scott’s Funeral Home are truly grateful for his dedication and generosity throughout the years.

Marsha Johnson was born and raised in Gatesville. She graduated from Gatesville High School, class of 1974. She married Steve Johnson in 1978, and together they have two children. Her daughter, Lori Wolff and husband, Brent and their daughters, Bailey and Jozie and son, Chad Johnson and wife, Leslie and daughter, Chelsea. Before beginning to work at Scott’s Funeral Home in early 2022, she was employed for 46 years at Central Freight Lines in Waco as Payroll Manager. She now manages the day-to-day administrative duties at the funeral home. Marsha is a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Coryell City and enjoys reading, sewing quilt tops, the beach, Colorado and spending time with family and friends.

James is a longtime resident of Gatesville. He is a Gatesville High School graduate, Class of 1978 and Central Texas College. After completing college, he began a career with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. After a long and distinguished career with T.D.C.J., where he achieved the rank of senior administration, he retired with over 35 years of service. James joined the staff of Scott’s Funeral Home in 2019 and assists families and staff in various capacities. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his grandson or playing an occasional round of golf with friends.

Jamie was born in Gatesville, where he has been a life-long resident and a 1979 graduate of Gatesville High School. He is the son of Wyllis and Linda Sue Ament and brother to Kris and the late Cindy Venable. He is the proud father of two children, Kari and Clay. Jamie retired from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, with twenty-five years of service and has worked with Scott’s Funeral Home since 2009. He enjoys spending time with his family, grandson, Grant James and girlfriend April. In his spare time, he likes listening to live music and playing drums.

Carl is a longtime member of the funeral home staff and Scott’s Funeral Home, since 2001. He served in the United States Army at various duty stations including Korea and Germany, where he met his wife, Ursula. He served in the Vietnam War and retired as SFC after twenty years of service in 1980. He and his wife have resided in Gatesville since 1972, where they raised their two sons. After his military retirement, he began a second career at the U.S. Postal Service in Gatesville for twenty years. Carl is active in the community and served eight years on the Gatesville City Council, serving some of that tenure as Mayor Pro-Tem. He is a member of the Gatesville Masonic Lodge #197 A.F. & A.M., Veterans of Foreign War, Disabled American Veterans and First Methodist Church.

Mason was born and raised in Gatesville. He graduated from Gatesville High

School in 2016, from Texas A&M University in 2019 with a Bachelors Degree in Finance and Commercial Banking, and from Tarleton State University in 2022 with a Masters of Business Administration. Mason married his high school sweetheart, Tiffany Sartor, in 2022. Mason currently works as a Loan Officer at The First National Bank of Evant. Mason is actively involved in community services activities with the Gatesville Chamber of Commerce, The Cotton Belt Depot Foundation, and The Gatesville Education Foundation. Mason is a member of Trinity Baptist Church.

Sybil Beasley has been a member of the Scott Funeral Home family since 2010. She has been a resident of Gatesville, Texas since September 1979, when she transferred from Huntsville, Texas to the Mt. View Unit of TDCJ-ID. After 20 years of service with TDCJ, Sybil worked at Medical Plastics/Laerdal for 15 years before retiring. Today, she is honored to serve our local families, most of whom she considers friends, during such a difficult moment in life following the death of their loved one, during visitation hours. In her time away from the funeral home, Sybil loves to visit her three children and their families in Fort Worth, Texas and in Colorado. When she’s not away visiting or actively participating in the prayer ministry at Coryell Community Church, you might find her in her recliner with her furry companion Sassy.

Anita was born in Del Rio, Texas and has resided in Gatesville most of her life. She is the daughter of Amparo Robles and the late Alfredo Robles. She attended school in Gatesville and graduated from Lueders Avoca High School in Avoca, Texas. She received her Cosmetology license from Vernon Regional College and worked as a hair stylist in Abilene, before returning to Gatesville. She then became employed as a correctional officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, working at the Gatesville Reception and Woodman units. She wanted to pursue a career in education, so she left T.D.C.J. and attended the University of Mary Hardin- Baylor. She graduated from UMHB in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education with a major in Spanish and minor in Special Education. She accepted a position with the Gatesville Independent School District in 2003, teaching for ten years, before taking a position with the Grape Creek Independent School District, near San Angelo. Anita returned home to Gatesville in 2019 and is a Spanish teacher at Gatesville High School. She has worked at Scott’s Funeral Home part time in the evenings and weekends since early 2022.

Justin graduated with a B.S. in Christian Ministry from Austin Graduate School of Theology and has served as a youth minister or preaching minister for the past 25 years. He is the preaching minister at the Gatesville Church of Christ. He is married to Michelle Hall, and they have two sons, Jimmy, who is attending college, and John who is a student at Gatesville High School. Justin loves spending time with family and friends.  His hobbies include fishing, hunting, and fantasy football. His desire in life is to Love God and to love people.