AJ Daoud

President, Funeral Director & Embalmer

AJ started his career in law enforcement and working part-time at a funeral home. As a police officer AJ served as State President and National Vice President of non-profit police youth organization (PAL).   

In 1986 he entered funeral service full time and became nationally known in the industry for writing articles and speaking to several organizations about his progressive ideas about funeral service. Having served various leadership roles in Pilot Mountain/Surry County including past chairman of United Way, past vice chairman for Habit for Humanity, past president of the Pilot Mountain Merchants Association. AJ currently serves as vice chairman for the town planning and zoning board. 

AJ is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in North Carolina, Virginia, Florida & Texas. His expertise in funeral service has led him to become appointed to serve on several national committees in funeral service organizations. In his career he has guided and served thousands of families during their time of need. 

Email: 

Steve Snow

Funeral Director

Steve is a 1970 graduate of Surry Central High School and a 1974 graduate of Pfeiffer University where he earned a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. Before entering the funeral profession , Steve worked as Department Supervisor at RJR Tobacco. 

In 1990 Steve became a partner and began his career with Cox-Needham. He currently serves as Vice President and Funeral Director with the company and has been a board member of the Fulton Family YMCA in Winston-Salem for 12 years. He was a charter member of the Pilot Mountain Jaycees and a past member of the board of directors of Pilot Knob Fire Department. 

He is married to Lin and has one daughter Anna Katherine.

Thomas St. Angelo

Office Manager/Apprentice Funeral Director and Embalmer

 Tom got his start in the funeral business while pursuing his bachelor’s degree at Cleveland State University. After graduation, he attended Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science but was unable to complete his coursework at that time due to unforeseen circumstances.  Tom spent 13 years working in the corporate world in several leadership roles for a Fortune 500 company.  In 2020, he decided to step back to spend more time with his family and to find an occupation that he found to be more fulfilling.  Tom rediscovered his love for the deathcare industry when he came to Cox-Needham in January 2022 and is currently working toward a mortuary science degree from Fayetteville Technical Community College and serving an apprenticeship in funeral directing and embalming. 

 Tom lives just outside of Pilot Mountain with his wife, Christie; children, Gracie, and Mason; two dogs; a cat, and an ever increasing number of chickens. 

Telephone: 1-336-368-2233

Email: 

Mary Ann Freeman

Funeral Assistant

Mary Ann is a 1981 graduate of Mount Airy High School. 

She is married to Mitchell Freeman and they have two wonderful children together, Michael Brandon Freeman and Candice Michelle Freeman.

In 2010 she joined the funeral home staff as a funeral assistant.

Telephone: 1-336-368-2233

Linda Covington

Office Assistant

Linda is a graduate of East Surry High School and Appalachian State University with a BS in Secondary Education (English) and MA in Administration.  She taught both for the Surry County School System and Surry Community College.  After leaving the teaching field, she worked at Ingersoll-Rand Company for 19.5 years as a public bid coordinator, buyer, engineering change coordinator, and inventory control manager before retiring. 

After her retirement she spent a few years traveling and enjoying spending time with her two children, three grandchildren and two great-granddaughters, as well as enjoying her hobbies of reading, crafting, and gardening. 

In 2011 she joined the funeral home staff as a part-time employee administering the Cox-Needham Mutual Burial Association business.  

Telephone: 1-336-368-2233

Email: 

Dennis Beck

Funeral Assistant

Bio and pic coming soon!

Norman Jones

Funeral Assistant

Bio and picture coming soon!

Tom Nuckols

Office Assistant

Tom came to Cox-Needham in the Spring of 2022.  A native of West Virginia, Tom holds several advanced degrees and has a very extensive resume. He has served in many different leadership positions in academia both as a professor as well as an administrator.  Tom holds a Master's degree in Counseling, Guidance, and Student Personnel and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration.

 Tom lives in King with his wife Linda and has two children, and six grandchildren. When he isn't serving as treasurer at his church or helping out at the funeral home, Tom enjoys golf, reading, and assisting parents with college decisions.

Carly Shumate

Funeral Service Licensee

Carly has been in the funeral industry, in some form or another since she was only 16.  She graduated with an AAS in Mortuary Sciences from Tidewater Comm. College in 2012. 

After almost a decade of working as a certified crematory operator, both for pets & people, she has now obtained her license as a NC & VA Funeral Director & Embalmer.  She also has plans to obtain a Bachelors degree in Funeral Management.

Carly came to Cox-Needham in October of 2020 as an apprentice.  Since then, she has helped manage our crematory location & now travels between our multiple sister funeral home locations to help serve families wherever they may be.

In her time away from work, she enjoys spending the day with her husband, John & son, Daniel & her favorite fur-child, Ava Lou.

Email: 

Brayden Craddock

Funeral Assistant & Certified Crematory Operator

Brayden worked for our company helping to run our crematory location at the beginning of 2022.  He then took a short break to focus on education.  We are so blessed to have him back with us as a funeral attendant.

He is now in school for mortuary sciences at Fayetteville Tech.