Our Team

Stephen L. "Steve" McMillan, Sr.

Founder/Funeral Director and Embalmer- # SC 1295

Stephen L. (Steve) McMillan, Sr., founder and former CEO of McMillan-Small Funeral Home since 1978.  He was a 1970 graduate of Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. He opened McMillan-Small Funeral Home in 1978 with his partner, Aaron Small who left the business in 1985. Mr. McMillan continues the excellence of caring for families each and everyday. He is married to Mary Catherine (Williams) McMillan and they have one son, Stephen L. (Lee) McMillan, Jr. who also works in the business. Steve has two granddaughters, Macie and Malley. He enjoys golf and a variety of other things to keep him busy and is a member Ocean View Baptist Church and the Dunes Golf and Beach Club, a mason and former President of the North Myrtle Beach Rotary Club.

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Stephen L. "Lee" McMillan, Jr.

Co-Owner/Funeral Director and Embalmer - # SC 2604

Lee is a 1999 graduate of Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Atlanta, GA, and joined the funeral home in April 1996. He assists on the day-to-day operations of the business with the other directors. Lee enjoys family time, sports and traveling. He is the current Vice-President of the Myrtle Beach High All-Sports Booster Club and a former Miracle League Board Member. Lee is married to Holly D. (Tanner) McMillan of Conway and they are active members of the First United Methodist Church of Myrtle Beach. Together they have two beautiful daughters, Macie and Malley, and a golden-doodle, Milo. 

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D. Craig Thomas

Co-Owner/Funeral Director and Embalmer - # SC 2810

Craig, resident of Myrtle Beach, SC graduated from Southern Wesleyan University, with a degree in Business Administration. Graduated from Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science with a degree in Mortuary Science. Craig has been licensed in Funeral Services since 1989, and has been in the business for 27 years. He has one son, Noah Thomas. They are members of First United Methodist in Myrtle Beach. Craig loves golf and being outdoors. He is a big sports fan.

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Ashley Waters

Apprentice Funeral Director

Ashley, a native of South Carolina, began working with McMillan Small Funeral Home, October 2021. She is currently attending Piedmont Technical College for Funeral Service and Embalming.  She resides in Myrtle Beach with her husband, Keith, and four fur children Hoover, Daisy, Mae Mae, and Layla.  She loves spending time with her family and friends, watching TV series and movies, and all things music related.  Her biggest passion is helping others, which led her to choosing a career in funeral service.

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Cynthia "Cindy" Gause Filyaw

Office Manager

Cindy joined our staff and moved to Myrtle Beach in December, 2021 from Cades, SC. She has a son, Myles Filyaw and his wife, Emily; and a daughter, Grace Filyaw Dryden and her husband Steven. She also has three grandchildren, Louise and Will Filyaw and Ellis Dryden. Cindy enjoys being on the beach and spending time with her family.   

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Jerry Robertson

Funeral Assistant

Jerry was born in Greenville, SC and lived for thirty-one years in Bennettsville, SC before moving to Tidewater Plantation in North Myrtle Beach in 2010. He is married to the former Barbara Mishoe of Loris, SC. He is a member and Deacon of Ocean View Baptist Church.

Annette and Ed Willett

Funeral Assistants

Ed and Annette Willett have been blessed being married for 55 years and counting.  Together, they came from Ohio about thirty-six years ago to follow their love for the Coastal area.  They started working at McMillan-Small Funeral Home fourteen years ago pursuing their true passion of serving and helping others at their time of need.  It is a God given gift, which they both love.  They are dedicated members of First United Church of Myrtle Beach.  They are ushers and attend Open Fellowship class.  They love the beach, which is what brought them to the area.  

Jamie T. Strickland

Funeral Director and Embalmer-# SC 2195

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James "Jim" Perrine

Cremation Specialist

Ferrell Lee

Funeral Assistant

Peter "Pete" Lasher

Funeral Assistant/Support Staff

Peter was born and raised in White Plains, NY and was a White Plains Firefighter for 34 years before retiring in February 2022. He was also employed for many years at the McMahon, Lyon & Hartnett Funeral Home in White Plains as an Associate, then as a Licensed Funeral Director. He also worked at the Hoyt Funeral Home in New Canaan, Ct. as a Licensed Funeral Director/ Embalmer. He graduated from the American Academy - McAllister Institute of Funeral Service in NYC. There he received the William F. Flooks Sr. Memorial Award for proficiency in clinical embalming.

Pete was a member of the Professional Firefighters Assoc. Local # 274 in White Plains, NY and a member of the Westchester County Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association. He currently holds a Crematory Operators certificate from the Cremation Association of North America. 

Pete moved to Myrtle Beach in 2022 and started with the McMillan -Small Funeral Home in November of that year. In his free time, Pete enjoys golfing and fishing and taking walks along the beach. 

Rene Lee

Funeral Assistant

Thomas "Tom" Moore

Office Staff