Meet Our Staff

In Memoriam: Ronald Francis Bradshaw

Co-Founder, Deceased 2008

Ronald Francis Bradshaw served his Funeral Director apprenticeship at Geo. H. Lewis and Sons in Houston before co-founding Bradshaw-Carter with his partner in 2003. For years prior, Bradshaw was one of New York’s most respected interior decorators, Architectural Digest and Vogue regularly featured his work.

He believed a funeral home should be just that—a home, and service only one family at a time. Sparing no expense in its design and decor, the red-bricked, Georgian-style Bradshaw-Carter, which opened in March 2004, looks like a baronial mansion. Bradshaw-Carter believe that beauty can soften sorrow and Bradshaw’s plan was to make sure that everyone, not just the city’s elite, are given the opportunity to experience the ultimate goodbye experience.

Bradshaw was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, in June 2007 and passed in June of 2008.

Michael “Tripp” Carter

Co-Founder, Funeral Director, Certified Crematory Operator, Licensed Pre-arrangement Counselor

Michael “Tripp” Carter co-founded Houston’s leading funeral home, Bradshaw-Carter Memorial & Funeral Services in 2003.  The Home for Services is located at 1734 West Alabama Street, inside Loop 610, just south of Kirby and South Shepherd Drives.  Bradshaw-Carter creates meaningful funeral and memorial events for Houstonians at a fair and reasonable price. 

Tripp holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Tulane University and is a licensed funeral director and certified crematory operator.  Prior to becoming a licensed funeral director, Tripp worked in fundraising for Rice University, The University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, and The Menil Foundation.

Tripp currently serves the Houston community as a Member, Board of Trustees Legacy Community Healthcare, past Board Chair, and served as a co-chair, Building Healthy Families Capital Campaign; Member, Board of Trustees, Chair, Development Committee, Member, $10 million Educational Onsite and Online Capital Campaign, Member, Performing Arts & Culture Committee, and co-chair, Tiger Ball 2022, Asia Society Texas Center; Member, Steering Committee, St Anne Catholic Community $20 million Generations of Faith Capital Campaign and past member, $15 million St Anne’s Capital Campaign; Member, Art Advisory Council, The University of Saint Thomas; Past Member, Capital Campaign Steering Committee, Reach Unlimited; Past Member, Capital Campaign Steering Committee, Bering Omega Foundation; Past Vice President, Member, Executive Committee, St Anne Catholic School Foundation Board; Past Member, Selected Independent Funeral Homes Endowment Board, and Past Member, Board of Trustees, Houston Ballet Foundation.

Tripp is currently a member of the Texas Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association.

Raymond J. Bradshaw

Funeral Director & Embalmer, Certified Crematory Operator

Raymond J. Bradshaw, Ron Bradshaw’s brother, leads the embalming and restorative arts services at Bradshaw-Carter Memorial & Funeral Services.

A 2002 graduate of Commonwealth Mortuary Institute, Raymond holds an Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Service degree in both funeral directing and embalming and is licensed in both from the State of Texas.  Raymond is also a certified crematory operator in the State of Texas.

Raymond is a member of the Texas Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association.

He is a member and attends Holy Rosary Catholic Church.

Clay Dippel

Funeral Director & Embalmer, Certified Crematory Operator

Born and raised in Baytown, Clay Dippel joined the Bradshaw-Carter Family in August of 2018. He is licensed in Texas as a funeral director and embalmer. Clay is also a licensed crematory operator, certified by the Cremation Association of North America.

Clay began his work in funeral service while still in high school, helping with visitations and services at Crespo & Jirrels Funeral Home in Baytown. He went on to study sociology and philosophy at Texas A&M University in College Station, graduating with honors in 2012.  He graduated at the top of his class with honors and distinction from Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service in Houston in 2019 with a degree in funeral service and mortuary science. At Commonwealth, Clay was awarded the Dr. George Poston Memorial Scholarship Award for the highest level of achievement in the fields of embalming and restorative art.  Clay is a member of the National Funeral Service Honor Society and was presented the National Association of Colleges of Mortuary Science's Mu Sigma Alpha award for outstanding academic proficiency in mortuary science.

Clay served out his apprenticeship under the direction of Ryan Hairell, Raymond Bradshaw, and Tripp Carter. He is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association, the Cremation Association of North America, The Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice, and the International Cemetery Cremation & Funeral Association.

An award-winning journalist, Clay came to Bradshaw-Carter after a career in broadcast television news. Clay spent several years as a producer at KHOU 11 News in Houston, covering all manner of breaking news and severe weather, most notably the flooding and aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. He is proud of his work with the station supporting animal rescue and foster organizations like BARC, Houston SPCA, the Harris County Animal Shelter, and Houston Pets Alive! Clay works with our community outreach team connecting with grief support groups. He is a member of the Houston Museum of Natural Science Catalysts.

Clay lives in Houston's Eastwood neighborhood and is a member of the board of directors of the Eastwood Civic Association. He and enjoys spending time with his family and his hound dog, Toby.

Suzanne Smock

Office Manager

Suzanne Smock is Bradshaw-Carter’s office manager.

In the industry since 2001, Suzy specializes in administrative care for each of our client families, helping to draft death certificates, contracts, permits, organize transportation, catering, obituaries, printed materials, as well as managing staff, financials, and logistics for the funeral home.

Suzy was born in a small town in upstate New York in the Catskill mountains called Port Jervis. She has been a Houstonian since her family moved here at the age of four.

The daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Suzy graduated from The Hebrew Academy in 1991 and married Brian Smock in 1999.

Suzy is active in the Houston Jewish Community including serving as secretary on the board of The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston's BP&3 Group, and the Houston Jewish Chamber of Commerce. She is an active member of The Holocaust Musem , Houston, as well as The Decendants of the Holocaust, 2nd Generation. She is involved with several children’s charities and organizations such as Boys and Girls Country and Texas Lions Camp for Children.  Outside of work, she loves animals, riding motorcycles, dancing, travel, and spending time with her family and friends.

Sonja Mitchell

Licensed Pre-arrangement Counselor

Sonja Mitchell is a Pre-arranged Funeral Consultant and Memorial Design Specialist.  She is a graduate of the University of Houston and has over twenty years of experience in her field.  As part of Bradshaw-Carter's continuing service, Sonja will provide assistance to families with: 

• Funeral pre-arrangements for other family members.
• Updating and coordinating family cemetery and funeral arrangements.
• Coordination of memorialization and providing design consultation for markers and monuments at all cemeteries.
• Assisting with the review and transfer of pre-arrangements written through other firms.

Martha “Marti” (Mrs. Robert L.) Carter

Concierge

Mrs. Carter, Tripp Carter's mother, is Bradshaw-Carter's concierge. She is available to assist you with any and all arrangement details ranging from the perfect florist, caterer, hotel and travel arrangements, private car, private jet, or limousine transportation, custom sympathy stationery, and much more.

Mrs. Carter is involved in a number of Houston, national, and international charitable organizations.  She has traveled extensively and has lived in a number of international cities.

Elaine Jones

Hospitality and Event Specialist

Elaine Jones has helped Bradshaw-Carter shine as an place of warmth and hospitality since our founding in 2003. Celebrated by our guests year after year as a gracious host, Elaine leads our service team to go above and beyond to make every guest at Bradshaw-Carter comfortable. Whether helping a family with a simple offering of coffee, tea, and water, a breakfast brunch, a champagne toast, a buffet, or a full catered reception, Elaine will help make the event truly special. Elaine and her team are licensed by the TABC and is known for her record of impeccable service.

Juan Muñoz

We Care Parking Services

Juan and his team at We Care Parking Services provide expertise in accommodating services of any size at our funeral home. Juan works with our directors and event staff at Bradshaw-Carter to provide valet parking services and vehicle security at our three parking lots on West Alabama. He and his courteous, professional staff make sure that any guest coming to Bradshaw-Carter is greeted with a warm welcome and helped right away. His team puts a focus on customer service at all times. Juan is fluent in Spanish and English, and he often offers translation assistance for our client families during international repatriation efforts.

Scribner Carter

Unofficial Canine Grief Counselor

Scribner "Scribby" Carter has been a member of the Bradshaw-Carter Family for 7 years, serving as our unofficial canine grief counselor and watchdog of the funeral home offices. He lives with his dog dad Tripp Carter and comes to work each day in the Bradshaw-Carter Funeral Home. Born on Lexington Avenue in New York City, Scribner received his wings from United Airlines when he flew to his new home, Texas. Scribby specializes in helping young children feel comfortable in the funeral home. He is also very good at leftover hors d'oeuvre cleanup and keeping our office staff amused and calm during stressful work days. He can often be seen patrolling the Bradshaw-Carter parking lots for lizards and squirrels each morning and evening on his daily rounds. Scribner is a strong advocate for BARC Houston and Houston Pet Set! On his off-time, he enjoys lounging on the couch and afternoon rides to Starbucks for a puppuccino. Feel free to ask our staff to meet Scribby on your next visit.