Mark K. Rossow, president of Slininger-Rossow Funeral Homes, Inc., grew up in the funeral business.  In 1975 he moved to Jefferson, Iowa and was employed with Slininger Funeral Home. Ten years later, Mark purchased the business, which included facilities in Jefferson and Grand Junction. In 1987 Debra Larson joined Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home as an intern and has continued her association with the firm.

As funeral directors, both Mark and Debra believe in providing their clientele with a funeral service of the finest quality and highest dignity, attention to detail and compassionate, respectful attitude cements their efforts.

Joining in that effort is Family Service Consultant, Lorna Safley.  "We want to offer our community all the necessary components of today's funeral service, " says Mark Rossow.  "A very important component is Preplanning. We appreciate Lorna's kind manner in providing information to our clients as she works throughout our community representing Slininger-Rossow Funeral Homes, Inc.

Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home is the old, established funeral home of Jefferson and Greene County.  Clyde L. Slininger instituted Slininger Funeral home in 1919.  In 1920 he built the stately mortuary of Spanish architecture where it still stands today on the corner of Lincolnway and Vine in Jefferson, Iowa. The grounds surrounding the funeral home are impeccably landscaped.  The building's interior is picturesque.  The family arrangement room has a balcony window and full wall mural depicting Old Mexico.
Incorporated into the mural is a mosaic fountain and fishpond, which were actually imported from Mexico.  Mrs Larson adds, "These time-honored features of Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home are sources of stability and comfort to families as we serve consecutive generations."  The entire facility emits the feeling of timeless beauty and serenity.

Our Staff

Mark and Jean Rossow Mark K. Rossow, President of Slininger-Rossow Funeral Homes, Inc., Funeral Director and Embalmer. I grew up in a funeral home and I’m proud to be the 4th generation of my family to work in the funeral profession. In 1975 I moved to Jefferson, Iowa and was employed with Slininger Funeral Home, then purchased the business from Ted and Marion (Slininger) Gibson in 1985. Living and working in the Greene county community gives me the opportunity to provide my clientele, my friends and neighbors, with a funeral service of the finest quality and highest dignity. When time allows, my wife, Jean, and I enjoy driving throughout Iowa, in our car or on the Harley, and site-seeing the many places of interest in our great state. -- Mark K. Rossow

Debra Larson, Funeral Director and Embalmer When I was a junior in high school, my English assignment was to interview a local business owner and write a paper about that business. I chose to interview my hometown funeral director. I completed the assignment, thinking of it as only an assignment. Throughout the ensuing college years, the courses of study that most piqued my interests included anatomy, physiology, psychology, and art. However, it wasn't until I was 27 years old that I felt compelled to enter the field of Mortuary Science, a career that encompassed my interests and knowledge in art and science. Funeral service work is demanding, emotionally exhausting, and unpredictable in terms of when a death may occur.   The work is also satisfying, rewarding, and challenging in a gratifying way. Who knew that a high school English report would open the door for my future career? And the rest of the story...the funeral director I interviewed so many years ago was named Mrs. Steffy, one of the first women to be licensed as an embalmer and funeral director. -- Debra Larson

Slininger-Rossow Funeral Homes, Inc.
is a member of
Iowa Funeral Directors Association
National Funeral Directors Association
Federated Funeral Directors of America