DISTINCTIVE LIFE Dallas

Serving  Dallas,Texas and the surrounding communities

The Distinctive Life Dallas Care Team, including our licensed funeral directors, are available around the clock to meet with your family when and where it is best for you, whether it be your home, the hospital/hospice, our location, or wherever is most convenient and comforting for you. If you don’t have a place of worship and want more than a graveside service, don’t worry – we work with chapels, social halls, and reception rooms all around the Dallas area from which you can choose. Or, you can choose to have a service in a location that’s meaningful to your loved one and your family.

Whether you need to plan a full chapel or church-based funeral service, a memorial service, a cremation-only service, or a simple graveside service, Distinctive Life can help. We believe that every life is distinctive, and every life deserves to be honored in a highly personal and meaningful way.

Beyond our Immediate Need services, Distinctive Life also offers comprehensive pre-planning services to help individuals and families plan ahead, minimize costs, and ensure a legacy is preserved.

Conoce una directora de funerales en Distinctive Life en Plano, Texas.

Andy Starr

Owner/Executive Director - Andy Starr has always had a knack for business, but he’s also always had a deep desire to serve people at critical times in their lives, whether they’re suffering from an injury, caring for aging parents, or enduring the loss of a loved one. As owner and executive director of Distinctive Life Funeral Homes, Andy has led the company’s efforts to change the way individuals and families are served by the funeral industry, focusing on honoring every life in a highly personal and meaningful way.

Before leading Distinctive Life, Andy co-founded and served as a senior executive of Hearthstone Assisted Living, helping foster the company’s growth from scratch to more than 30 communities in 10 states. Before Hearthstone, he was a senior member of the founding management team for U.S. Physical Therapy, helping guide its explosive growth from a start-up to more than 75 clinics nationwide and transitioning it to public trading on the NASDAQ exchange.

Andy started his career as a real estate & banking attorney at the Houston firm of Hirsch & Westheimer after graduating with honors from the University of Texas School of Law. He also holds a bachelor’s degree from Tulane University in New Orleans.

Zane  Belyea

Owner/Community Relations - From an early age, Zane Belyea knew he wanted a career that involved helping people. He earned a degree in social work and psychology at Southern Illinois University, then worked with abused and neglected children. Zane next worked in the education industry, eventually becoming vice president of recruitment for a large education firm. Many years of business travel and a growing family in Dallas led Zane to look for a new career path, so he followed the advice of one of his mentors and began a new career in the funeral industry.

True to his roots in social work, Zane finds it deeply rewarding to help families during one of the worst moments of their lives, and he’s instilled that passion for creating highly personal celebrations of life throughout Distinctive Life. “Every member of our team has a solemn commitment to serve all of our families well beyond their expectations,” says Zane. “We absolutely won’t let them down.”

Liz  Vargas

Owner/Human Relations - As the vice president of accounting at Distinctive Life, Liz Vargas is responsible for the financials, procedures, budgets, and human resources for all Distinctive Life locations. Before joining the company, Liz worked as an accounting professional for more than 25 years in different industries. She specializes in the direction and setup of accounting systems, as well as establishing policies and procedures for financial and operational activities for startup companies. In her spare time, Liz enjoys working in her garden and watching the Houston Astros – her favorite sports team.

Micah Rappaport

Micah Rappaport is a marketing professional who enjoys turning research and data into simple stories that help teams grow. He earned his marketing degree from Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business and has hands-on experience with sales enablement, including contact discovery, outreach list building, and CRM hygiene. Micah is known for being organized, responsive, and easy to work with. He focuses on what solidifies customers' needs and communicates clearly with both sales and leadership. Based in Dallas, Micah is committed to delivering work that is practical, measurable, and delivered on time. When he is not working, he spends time with family and friends and follows his favorite Texas sports teams!

Cristela  Edwards

Location Manager- Cristela is a proud native Texan, originally from Rockport. She relocated to Dallas in 2008 and went on to graduate from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in March 2017. Cristela is a devoted mother to three wonderful children and shares her home with a loyal Yellow Lab named Hawk.

With a deep-rooted belief in the importance of family, Cristela is also passionate about giving back—especially when it comes to supporting underserved children. She actively volunteers with Shriners Hospitals for Children, helping ensure all children receive quality medical care, regardless of financial means. Her love for animals also shines through in her work with the Wildlife Conservation Society, where she contributes to efforts to protect endangered species.

Cristela is a dedicated parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and brings her strong sense of compassion and service to every aspect of her work.

"I joined the funeral industry to help guide families through one of the most difficult times in their lives, and to offer them comfort and support when they need it most."

LILY CROMEENS

Funeral Director- Lily Cromeens is a provisional funeral director who was born and raised in Houston, Texas. After relocating to San Antonio, she completed her mortuary studies at San Antonio College in May 2024. During her time there, Lily gained valuable experience working as a student at a local funeral home for three years. She recently moved to Dallas to begin her provisional period for her funeral directing license.

In her free time, Lily enjoys reading and spending time with her dog, Zeke. She is also pursuing a bachelor's degree in business at Texas Woman's University.

Lily is dedicated to ensuring that every family receives the perfect tribute for their loved one—a commitment that inspired her to enter the funeral industry.

Donald d. shinn

Funeral Director - Donald Shinn has dedicated 30 years to the funeral industry, with more than 25 of those years as a licensed funeral director. For Donald, this work is deeply personal—what began as a response to a tragedy in his own life became a meaningful ministry of service and compassion. He understands that losing a loved one is one of life’s most challenging experiences, and his mission is to ensure families never feel lost or alone during their time of need. With empathy and guidance, Donald walks alongside every family he serves, offering support every step of the way.

Donald finds immense joy and fulfillment in the love of his family. Together, they share core values of compassion, honesty, and dedication, and believe that love should always be multiplied, never divided. His daughter is the light of his life, inspiring him daily with her vibrant spirit and joy.

For Donald, life’s most precious moments are those shared with family and friends. He believes that memories are the legacy we leave behind—the way we live on in the hearts of those who love us. Donald encourages others to make meaningful memories, always speak the names of those they’ve lost, and never let them be forgotten.

Kaitlyn como

Administrative and Funeral Assistant - Kaitlyn Como is a dedicated Administrative and Funeral Assistant with a Bachelor’s degree in Family Studies from Texas Woman’s University. A native Texan with a heart for service, Kaitlyn brings compassion, professionalism, and a strong attention to detail to every aspect of her work.

Before entering the funeral services field, Kaitlyn worked extensively with neurodiverse children and adults, using barn management and equine therapy to teach vital social and life skills. This experience shaped her deep passion for connecting with others and supporting them in finding the tools they need to live meaningful, empowered lives.

Known for her warm presence and commitment to care, Kaitlyn is honored to assist families with grace and empathy during some of life’s most difficult moments.

Outside of work, Kaitlyn is a proud mom to five beloved fur babies. She enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and unwinding with a good book.

Logan Roberts

Community Outreach - Logan was born in Dallas, Texas where she graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1998. Logan attended college at the University of Texas where she received her Bachelor’s in Social Work in 2002. After graduating, Logan continued her social work studies at Washington University in St. Louis, MO where she received her Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in children, youth & families in 2003. During her tenure at Wash U, she received practicum student of the year for her dedication to serving area foster care children and youth.

Logan started her career in social work in adoptions working with all members of the adoption constellation offering counseling, support, and planning through one of life’s most difficult decisions. She worked for many of the Texas agencies including the Gladney Center, Adoption Access, Little Flowers, and Hope Cottage. After years in adoption, Logan moved to the health care sector in social work and worked for Children's Medical Center in Dallas and Plano. There she continued to support those faced with difficult situations of illness (and often death) of children. She worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings in both acute and chronic service lines. Her last position at Children’s was working as the Psych Social Worker in the Emergency Room. After taking a small break from the workforce to raise her children, Logan returned to the world of adoptions.

Logan is a mom to four children who keep her busy with soccer, baseball, horseback riding, guitar, chess, and other extracurricular activities. When Logan has free time she enjoys running, photography, and other creative outlets.

Logan’s dedication to helping others while being a guiding light during difficult times led Logan to join our team.

For inquiries, please email: [email protected]

Catharine ruditsky

Preplanning Advisor- Catharine was born in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. She moved to California in 1985 and married her husband, Adam, in 2012. They became a blended family of four handsome sons. Recently, in May 2023, they relocated to Plano, Texas, where Adam has taken on the role of Rabbi at Adat Chaverim.

Lucy Ruditsky

Unofficial Canine Grief Counselor- Lucy, truly a golden retriever, is our Unofficial Canine Grief Counselor at Dallas Jewish Funerals.  She is 3 years old and still acts like a big puppy. She is mature at the same time and brings to you during your time of sadness and grief a waggy tail, kisses (if you want one) unconditional love, and sweetness when she looks at you with her brown eyes. She is very happy and go lucky and can’t wait to meet you. She also meets pre-need families with excitement and calmness.

If you want to meet Lucy during your appointment with DJF please let us when you enter the building. She will be waiting for you!