Laura Frampton Promoted to President of
Washington's Oldest
Business
Cameron Smock Retiring After 36 Years with the
Organization
SEATTLE, Oct. 1, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Today, BONNEY WATSON the funeral home and cemetery
company that is Washington's
oldest continually operating business, announced that Laura Frampton, previously Vice President of
Operations, will ascend to the role of President of the
156-year-old firm. BONNEY WATSON also announced that current
President and CEO Cameron Smock, who
has served in the position for the last 17 years, will transition
to the role of President Emeritus to provide support to
Frampton.
"We are excited that Laura has accepted the challenge of leading
BONNEY WATSON and have the utmost confidence in her ability to
write the next chapter in our firm's long history. We are grateful
for the 36 years that Cameron devoted our firm and to serving the
Seattle community, including his
17-year tenure as President. Cameron's caring approach, passion and
dedication will leave a lasting impact on our organization and the
families we serve. We are particularly grateful that he mentored
Laura to be his successor and has passed her the reins to carry
forward his and BONNEY WATSON's legacy," said Greg Welch, Board Chair, BONNEY WATSON.
Frampton's appointment is effective October 1, 2024. Frampton joined BONNEY WATSON in
2018 overseeing its Care Center operations. Shortly after, she was
promoted to Director of Operations overseeing all of BONNEY
WATSON's funeral homes, crematory and cemetery operations. In
recognition of the outstanding service she provided to the company
and the community throughout the COVID pandemic, in 2023, Frampton
was promoted to Vice President of Operations. Prior to BONNEY
WATSON, Laura worked in the funeral and cemetery profession for
eight years and as a certified nursing assistant before that. She
sits on the board of the Washington Cemetery, Cremation, Funeral
Association and End of Life Washington.
"In my new role as president, I am committed to bringing the
same unwavering dedication and passion to BONNEY WATSON as the
leaders that came before me. I'm deeply honored to be given the
opportunity to build upon BONNEY WATSON's rich legacy and eager to
lead us forward through these transformative times," said
Frampton.
Smock, a licensed funeral director and embalmer, has been with
BONNEY WATSON since 1988. He has helped families through some of
the most challenging times in our nation's history, from the
HIV/AIDS epidemic to most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. Deemed an
"essential service," Smock led the organization through the
challenges of supporting families with end-of-life rituals and
memorials while under COVID-related restrictions. Under Smock's
leadership, BONNEY WATSON embraced technology so more family
members and friends could participate in a funeral, memorial or
committal ceremony even when lockdowns and social distancing were
in effect. Cameron also spearheaded the consolidation of BONNEY
WATSON's headquarters from its traditional location on Capitol Hill
to its cemetery operation in SeaTac.
"It has been an honor and privilege to be part of this legacy
company for 36 years and to be entrusted with its leadership for
the past 17 years. BONNEY WATSON has an incredible legacy of
service to those during one of the worst periods of time in their
lives, and it has been a humbling experience to be entrusted with
the care of their loved ones. As has been true throughout our
156-year history, it is the talent and dedication of every staff
person I have been privileged to work beside that deserves the
credit for upholding our unwavering legacy of service," said
Smock.
BONNEY WATSON is Washington
state's oldest continually operating business, providing
meaningful funeral and memorial services. For more information on
BONNEY WATSON, its services and history, visit
https://bonneywatson.com/
About BONNEY WATSON
Located in the Puget Sound area,
BONNEY WATSON is proud to be Washington
State's oldest continually operating business, providing
meaningful funeral and memorial services to our community since
1868. Our willingness to adapt to the changing needs and
preferences of people in our region is the primary reason for our
company's success and longevity. Our family-owned company has been
honored to serve families in the Tacoma and Seattle area for more than 150 years, and we
will continue evolving in order to serve them well into the future.
For more information, visit https://bonneywatson.com/
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SOURCE BONNEY WATSON