Our Staff

John Proko

John has been a Funeral Director for more than seven decades and is the proud founder of Proko Funeral Home. John is very active in the Kenosha community, currently a member of the Kiwanis Club of Western Kenosha, St. Mary's Catholic Church, the 306 Club, and the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association. John formerly served as President of the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association, the Kenosha Chamber of Commerce, the Kenosha Serra Club, the American Cancer Society Relay for Life committee, the Board of the Boy Scouts Rescue Squad, and the Kenosha Public Museum. In 2002, the Kenosha Chamber of Commerce named him Business Man of the Year. John and his late wife, Maggie have six children, 11 grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren.

Larry Proko

Vice President and former owner of Proko Funeral Home, Larry has been a funeral director since 1982. He is past-president of the Kiwanis Club of Western Kenosha, the Wisconsin State Representative of the International Order of the Golden Rule, and a member of the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association. In the past, Larry has served as President of the Wisconsin State Funeral Directors Association and was the state's representative on the National Funeral Directors Association Policy Board. He has also served on the boards of the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce and the Girl Scout Council of Kenosha County. Larry and his wife Tammy are members of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.

Rachael Proko-Viola

President and owner of Proko Funeral Home, Rachael has worked at the funeral home since 2004. She is a 2007 graduate of Milwaukee Area Technical College's Mortuary Science program. She also earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2006. Rachael is a member of the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association. Rachael currently serves as President of the Southeastern Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association. She serves on the board for Hospice Alliance as well as St. Joseph Catholic Academy's Endowment Board. She and her husband, Dreu Viola are members of St. Mary's Catholic Church and are the proud parents of their two children.

Shannon Richards

Shannon Richards is a licensed funeral director in both Wisconsin and Illinois. She graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mortuary Science and Funeral Service in 2007. She began her career in December of 2002 and served the families of Northern Illinois and Southeastern Wisconsin until joining the staff at Proko Funeral Home in April of 2019. She resides in Bristol with her husband, Dustin, and two sons, Tucker and Tyler.

Rachel McDonald

Rachel started at Proko Funeral Home in July of 2019. She attended Worsham College of Mortuary Science.

Dreu Viola

Dreu joined Proko Funeral Home in 2022 as Pre-planning Counselor and serves as Director of Marketing.

Katie Boerner

Katie started at Proko Funeral Home in February 2019. Katie and her husband, Kris are residents of Pleasant Prairie. They are members of St. Mary's Catholic Church and are the proud parents of two children. Katie enjoys sipping martinis and listening to Billy Joel in her free time.

Alex Legler

Alex has worked at Proko Funeral Home since 2003. He has recently retired from Badger Press Photographics Inc. Alex and his wife, Susan are very active members of Bethany Lutheran Church (New Life).