Staff

Our dedicated staff members are here to provide support, compassion, and information to help you through your journey of grief and the celebration of your loved one’s life.

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James R. Ahlgrim Funeral Director / Owner
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Kathleen Ahlgrim Funeral Director / Owner
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John E. Ahlgrim Funeral Director / Owner
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Robert W. Ahlgrim Funeral Director / Owner
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Elaine Ahlgrim Bookkeeping Manager
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Jason W. Seward Funeral Director
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Jonathan Gwizdala Funeral Director
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Monica Adam Office Support
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Maria Borla Funeral Home Assistant

James R. Ahlgrim

Funeral Director / Owner
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Jim is a fourth generation funeral director. He is the son of Robert and Elaine Ahlgrim, the grandson of Walter, and great grandson of Arthur. Jim graduated from Schaumburg High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI in 1984. Keeping with family tradition, Jim decided to join the family business by attended Worsham College of Mortuary Science in 1987. His commitment to helping others goes beyond his work. He is a past president and member of the Schaumburg/Hoffman Estates Rotary Club since 1993. He has been married to Kathy since 2000 and has three children. Formally from Oak Park, Jim has lived in Palatine, moving to Schaumburg in 1973 and then to Hoffman Estates in 1987. He now resides in Inverness. He is a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Schaumburg and his wife and family are active members of Holy Family Catholic Church in Inverness. Like his father, he also enjoys running "O" and "CNW"scale trains.

Kathleen Ahlgrim

Funeral Director / Owner
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Kathy continues the long family tradition of excellence in service, reliability and care. Kathy graduated from St. Theresa Catholic School and William Fremd High School in Palatine. She is a 2011 graduate of Worsham College of Mortuary Science and works at Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral and Cremation Services as a funeral director and pre-need counselor. Kathy is very active in her community. She was in the Schaumburg-Hoffman Estates Rotary Club since 1996, served as President in 2006-2007, is a community member of the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce and the Schaumburg Business Association. She was involved in the Boy Scouts while her son was a Scout. Kathy attends Holy Family Catholic Community Church in Inverness, where she co-chairs the Eucharistic ministry, helping coordinate and train all of the Eucharistic Ministers. She is also on the board of the Village of Hoffman Estates Commission for Senior Citizens. Kathy and Jim met at a Chicago Bulls Game which was a Rotary outing and the rest they say, is history. They have been married for over 15 years and have 3 children, all in High School. She is on the Development Board for The Children's Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County and the Hoffman Estates Senior Commission Board. Please learn more about, and support, this greatly needed organization for helping children at www.cachelps.org.

John E. Ahlgrim

Funeral Director / Owner
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John is a fourth generation funeral director. He is the son of Robert and Elaine Ahlgrim, the grandson of Walter, and great grandson of Arthur. He graduated from Schaumburg High School. John is a 1988 graduate of Southern Illinois University with a degree in Mortuary Science. He loves all sports, especially baseball and the Chicago Cubs.

Robert W. Ahlgrim

Funeral Director / Owner
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Robert is a third generation funeral director at Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral and Cremation Services, and the son of Walter Ahlgrim and grandson of the founder, Arthur F. Ahlgrim. He has been a licensed funeral director for Ahlgrim & Sons since 1957. For over 50 years Robert has been a resident of Schaumburg. Throughout these years he has been an owner/funeral director of Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral and Cremation Services. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bradley University in 1952 and is a Certified Public Accountant. Robert is an Army Veteran having served during the Korean War. His wife is Elaine and they have four children; James (Kathy) Ahlgrim, LCDR. Michael (Cathy) Ahlgrim, USN (ret.), John Ahlgrim and Linda (Ed) Spohr. They are members of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Schaumburg. Robert enjoys playing with his grandchildren, running his "HO" and "O" Scale model railroad and relaxing in his semi retirement.

Elaine Ahlgrim

Bookkeeping Manager
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Elaine is Robert Ahlgrim’s wife and the mother of James, Michael and John Ahlgrim and Linda Spohr. In addition to working at Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral & Cremation, Elaine was also very active in promoting Boy Scouts and achieved the District Award of Merit and the Distinguished Service Award for her hard work and dedication to scouting. She is an active leader in the International Order of Job’s Daughters and a long time member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. She enjoys sewing and needlepoint, cooking and especially her grandchildren.

Jason W. Seward

Funeral Director
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Jason started working for Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral and Cremation Services in 2010 as a student. After his apprenticeship, Jason returned to Ahlgrim's as our Licensed Preneed Counselor. In May of 2015 he became a full time Funeral Director. Jason enjoys working with families and looks for ways to help them. He has learned the value of how pre-planning has helped many families and is passionately looking for ways to help others learn of this opportunity. His strong passion to the funeral industry shows in his dedication to the families at Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral and Cremation Services. Jason was born and raised in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota and worked eight years at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home. When Jason is not working, he enjoys being outside, playing Frisbee golf, four-wheeling,cooking/baking and spending time with family and friends.

Jonathan Gwizdala

Funeral Director
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Jonathan began working at Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral and Cremation Services in 2024. Before joining the funeral industry Jonathan worked as a paramedic for 10 years in the Greater Chicago area. He graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Sciences in Wheeling, IL, in 2018. After graduating he immediately began working in the funeral industry as a full-time funeral director and embalmer. He was able to draw on his previous experiences of assisting families during challenging times and now utilizes those skills in the funeral industry. In his free time Jonathan spends time with his wife and three children or watching the Chicago Bears.   

Monica Adam

Office Support
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Monica has been a Funeral Home Assistant of Ahlgrim Funeral and Cremation Services since 2021.

She enjoys working with families and assisting in the office.  Her passion is helping others, especially at a time of need.

While not working, Monica enjoys volunteering at a local food pantry.

 

Maria Borla

Funeral Home Assistant
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Maria has been a Funeral Home Assistant of Ahlgrim Funeral and Cremation Services since 2019. She has been the Office Manager, Marketing Coordinator, and Safe Environment Site Administrator for Church of the Holy Spirit in Schaumburg for the past 24 years. She loves to cook and blog in her spare time.