Staff
For over 27 years our family cares for yours.
Paul is a native New Yorker, having been born and raised in Buffalo. After taking a death and dying course in college, Paul became interested in funeral service. Enrolling and graduating from the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service, Paul became New York State licensed in 1989. He also attained a Bachelor of Science degree from Medaille College in New York.
In 1998, Paul moved to Fairfield County in Connecticut where he first managed the Raymond Funeral Home in Norwalk and then the Hoyt Funeral Home in New Canaan. Always having desired to own and operate his own funeral home, Paul purchased the Simpson-Gaus Funeral Home in November of 2011.
In March of 2018, Paul purchased a second funeral home, the Copeland Funeral Home in New Paltz.
Paul is currently a parishioner of St. Joseph’s Church, where he serves as a Lector, Eucharistic Minister, and a Parish Council board member. He is also a member of the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce, the Knights of Columbus (Kingston Council #275) where he is a fourth degree knight, and both the New York State Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association.
Paul lives above the funeral home and when he is not serving the community, he enjoys restoring various art deco artifacts and classic cars.
Licensed Funeral Director
Kim came to the funeral profession later in life, having first worked as an archaeologist and then as a professor of English at
a university in Japan. She has always been interested in diverse cultures and traditions and had the opportunity to live abroad
in Spain, Belize, Honduras and Japan, and to travel extensively.
Kim was born in Bridgeport Connecticut and earned her Bachelors in Spanish and Business at St. Francis College in Pennsylvania, her
Masters in Anthropology/Archaeology at the University of Connecticut in Storrs and her Mortuary degree at American McCallister in
New York City.
She enjoys reading, writing, handicrafts, watching movies and cooking cuisines from around the world.
Non-Licensed
Jill came to Copeland Funeral Home in 2005, after working in the banking industry for more than 20 years.
She started out as an assistant to Tim Copeland, after his mother Patricia Copeland retired, and worked her way to office
mananger, overseeing the day to day operations of the funeral home.
In March of 2017 Tim Copeland sold the funeral home to Paul Hammerl of what is now Simpson-Hammerl Funeral Home, and
Jill continued on and has now been promoted to General Manager of operations.
"I am very lucky to hold a position for the past 14 years that I find to be so rewarding."
Jill lives in the Town of Newburgh with her husband Jim and their 5 dogs, Snowi, Brodi, Bandit, Belle, and Chico. She has two
children Alexandria and Austin. In their spare time, she and Jim like attending car shows, showing their antique cars and
traveling. She also enjoys reading and gardening.
