Our Staff

Guido J. Santella

Owner/Funeral Director

 Guido is the son of the late Guido Sr. & Mildred (Haser) Santella and has a brother, Glenn Santella, of San Diego Ca and a sister Lorraine, of Altoona. He is married to his wife of 42 years, Deborah (Shultz) Santella who is also a licensed funeral director. Together they have two sons: Guido III and Paul, daughter-in-law Andrea, and granddaughters Isabelle and Ruby.

Guido is a 1967 graduate of Altoona Area High School. He is also a graduate of Penn State University and the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science.

Guido's avocation is dedicated to share the history of our fine community with others. He has assisted in its folklore oral history project at the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum and is a member of the Blair County Historical Society, where he was a past board member. Scouting is another avocation that Guido enjoys. He has been as assistant scoutmaster of Troop 49 for many years and enjoys teaching the citizenship merit badges as well as camping in the outdoors. Guido is also a member of the Blair County Antique Auto Club where he takes great pride in restoring his fathers 1956 Cadillac Fleetwood Limo and 1958 Cadillac Fleetwood Hearse. He also owns a 1966 Fleetwood Cadillac owned by the late Mr. Leslie E. Axe who used it as a lead car for his funeral home during the late 60's and 70's.

Deborah M. Santella

Funeral Director

 Deborah is the daughter of Daniel Shultz and the late Lois(Raichle) Shultz and had grown up in the Dutch Hill section of Altoona. She married her husband Guido in 1977 and they were blessed with two sons, Guido III and Paul, and daughter-in-law Andrea and granddaughters Isabelle and Ruby. Deborah also has one sister Diane.

Deborah is a 1971 graduate of Altoona Area High School, as well as Penn State University and the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science.

Inspired by her late mother-in-law, Mildred who was also a licensed director, Deborah went back to school to earn her degree. Her and her husband are the only husband and wife licensed directors in their hometown. Deborah also enjoys serving on her parish family life committee and the annual church festival. She also has an appreciation for nature and the beauty that surrounds our community.

Alan D. Dodson Jr.

Funeral Director/Embalmer

Alan is the son of Alan Sr. & Mary Dodson of Altoona and has one sister, Katlyn of Ebensburg. He is married to Miranda (Miller) Dodson who is employed as a Medical Assistant at Nason Hospital. They have a daughter Hattie Ann.  He enjoys spending time in the outdoors especially hunting whitetail deer and turkeys with his father, Camping, and playing Disc Golf. As an Eagle Scout, Alan serves as Treasurer and Charted Organization Representative on the committee of BSA Troop 49 of Our Lady of Lourdes. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus Council #11288, Penn State Alumni Association and the Keystone Funeral Directors Association. He also enjoys going to the Mishler Theater where he and his wife have season tickets to all ACT productions. Alan graduated from Altoona Area High School in 2006. He then graduated from Penn State University and went on to the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science where he graduated in 2009. He has been a licensed funeral director with the Santella family since 2010. 

Chelsea Hoffman

Funeral Director

Chelsea is the daughter of Doug and Tracy Hoffman of Altoona and has a younger brother, Cody and sister, Charley. She is a 2009 graduate of Altoona Area High School, a 2014 graduate of Penn State Altoona with a Biology degree in Vertebrate Physiology and continued her funeral training at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, where she graduated in 2017. Chelsea loves the art of dance and teaches ballet, jazz, and tap at Pauline Baker Rodgers School of Dance, Altoona, where she has been taking lessons since she was a little girl. She also enjoys camping, kayaking, and being outdoors.