Funeral Director and Great Lakes Partnership CEO Jon O’Hara Selected to Support U.S. Military Mortuary Transportation Mission Across Europe and Africa
New role will expand Great Lakes Partnership’s firsthand knowledge of international repatriation, transportation and mortuary logistics while O’Hara remains actively involved as CEO
LANDSTUHL, Germany, and RICHMOND, Mich. — [09/29/2026] — Jon O’Hara, Michigan-licensed funeral director and embalmer, founder of EZtransfer and CEO of Great Lakes Partnership, has been entrusted to support the repatriation, mortuary affairs and transportation of active-duty U.S. military personnel and eligible Department of Defense civilians who pass away throughout Europe and Africa.
Through EZtransfer, O’Hara will work in support of U.S. Army mortuary operations based in Landstuhl, Germany, providing comprehensive mortuary transportation and repatriation support across Germany, the European Union and Africa.
For O’Hara, whose career in funeral service began in 1999, the assignment represents an extension of the work that has defined his professional life: caring for families, honoring lives and ensuring that difficult circumstances are handled with professionalism, dignity and attention to every detail.
“Caring for those who served our country, and for the families waiting for them, is some of the most meaningful work our profession can undertake,” O’Hara said. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to bring the standards and perspective of an American funeral director to this mission and to help ensure every individual in our care is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
O’Hara will travel periodically to Germany and other locations throughout Europe and Africa while remaining actively involved as CEO of Great Lakes Partnership.
“This is not a step away from Great Lakes Partnership,” O’Hara said. “I will continue working alongside our team, supporting our partners and helping guide the work we are doing together. What makes this opportunity especially meaningful is that the experience and knowledge we gain can also strengthen the resources we provide to funeral professionals here at home.”
The assignment will provide O’Hara and the organizations he leads with firsthand experience in international repatriation, overseas transportation, host-nation documentation, military coordination, chain-of-custody requirements and the complex logistics surrounding a death abroad.
That experience will further strengthen Great Lakes Partnership’s ability to assist funeral home partners when international cases arise.
“International cases can be unfamiliar territory for even experienced funeral professionals,” O’Hara said. “Our goal is to become an even stronger resource when a funeral home receives that call and needs help understanding where to begin, who to contact and how to navigate the process.”
From the initial removal through international transportation, each case requires coordination across multiple organizations and jurisdictions. Responsibilities may include host-nation death documentation and transit permits, appropriate containment and transportation, documented chain of custody and coordination with military personnel and other parties involved in returning the deceased to the United States.
EZtransfer has had the honor of working with Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations at Dover Air Force Base through its CADseal solution, supporting the dignified containment and transportation of human remains. This new assignment represents an expansion of EZtransfer’s work in military mortuary service, moving from specialized product support into direct transportation and repatriation operations.
“Every funeral director understands the responsibility that comes with caring for someone’s son, daughter, spouse or parent,” O’Hara said. “Those serving our country deserve that same standard of care no matter where in the world they die. To be part of bringing them home is an extraordinary privilege.”
O’Hara’s continued work overseas will also create opportunities to build relationships with funeral service professionals and mortuary providers across Europe and Africa, expanding the network of knowledge and resources available to Great Lakes Partnership and its funeral home partners.
“Our commitment to our partners remains exactly the same,” O’Hara said. “The GLP team will continue providing the responsiveness, personal attention and support our clients expect. This opportunity simply adds another layer of experience that we can bring back to the profession we serve.”
About Jon O’Hara
Jon O’Hara is a Michigan-licensed funeral director and embalmer whose funeral service career began in 1999. He is the founder of EZtransfer and CEO of Great Lakes Partnership and Lochbridge Media. He also serves as an on-call disaster responder with Kenyon International Emergency Services, supporting mass-fatality and family-assistance operations, and founded the Michigan Preneed Coalition.
About Great Lakes Partnership
Great Lakes Partnership works with funeral homes and funeral professionals to strengthen preneed programs, support advance planning professionals and provide marketing, technology, education and strategic resources designed specifically for the funeral profession. Through its growing network and industry expertise, GLP helps funeral homes connect with families, improve their preneed programs and navigate the changing needs of funeral service.
About EZtransfer
EZtransfer is a U.S. deathcare company providing mortuary equipment and mortuary logistics support across the United States, Europe and Africa. Built on hands-on funeral directing and embalming experience, EZtransfer supports funeral professionals and government agencies with transfer, transportation and repatriation of human remains as well as specialized mortuary equipment and global supplier relationships.
Media Contact
Jon O’Hara
EZtransfer
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