Who We Are | Palms West Funeral Home

History & Staff

We have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity.

When we sit down with a family, we have just one goal: to create a fitting, memorable and affordable service for their loved one. Together, we explore the wide variety of services and products available, as well as a wealth of creative ideas and suggestions.

Together, we'll design a memorial or funeral service that suits their needs now, and in the future. Families who come to us know that years from now, they will have deep peace-of-mind because in coming to us, they've done their best to honor their loved one.

Our History

Palms West Funeral Home and Crematory is family owned and operated. We have created a beautiful environment where friends and loved ones can gather. We bring our families over a century of combined experience in funeral service within Palm Beach County, Florida.

We are a non-denominational facility with dedicated staff specializing in providing a complete service that will be tailored to your religious and financial needs. We are open 7 days a week, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Evening visitations and services are available upon request.


Our Valued Staff

Wallace Hickman Sr.

Wallace Hickman Sr., President

Co-Owner and President of Palms West Funeral Home.Graduate of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC.Builder and Developer of Dorsey Funeral Home in Lake Worth, Florida.Affiliated with The Rotary Club of West Palm Beach, The Palms West Chamber of Commerce, and The American Legion of Royal Palm Beach.Church Affiliation: First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach, Florida.


Wallace Hickman Jr.

Wallace Hickman Jr., Vice President

Co-Owner and Vice President of Palms West Funeral Home.Graduate of the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL in 1985.Church Affiliation: St. Juliana's Catholic Church, West Palm Beach, FL.


Julian E. Almeida

Julian E. Almeida, Vice President, Funeral Director In Charge

Julian E. Almeida, originally from North Miami, Florida, moved to West Palm Beach in 1972. Attended Miami-Dade Community College to study Funeral services. He received his Funeral Director and Embalmers License in 1974 and has since been serving South Florida communities. One of the original interns who rode ambulance for a funeral home in 1971 and later on in his career voluntered time for S.A.V.E.S. ambulances. Julian was Past-President of Southside Lions Club, Chancellor Commander Knights of Pythias #203, Past-President Palm Beach County Funeral Directors Association. Vice-President and Founder of Palms West Funeral Home. Julian currently serves as a Board Member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Cemetery in Royal Palm Beach. As a senior spokesman for Funeral Directors in Palm Beach County, Julian has been proud to dedicate his knowledge and experience in serving our local families in one of the few family owned funeral homes in our county.


Kyle Smith

Kyle Smith, Funeral Director

Kyle Smith, a former owner of E. Earl Smith & Son Funeral Home, is a native Floridian. Born in Lake Worth in 1963, he is the son of the late R. Kent Smith, also born in Lake Worth in 1929, and grandson of E. Earl and Grace Smith. Kyle is Past-President and 23 year member of the Lake Worth Exchange Club, which, among other things, raises money for college scholarships for students at Lake Worth High School, where the R. Kent Smith Gymnasium stands in memory of Kyle’s father. Kyle is a skilled embalmer and on occasion, assists other area funeral homes. He is a Certified Eye Enucleator for the Florida Lions Eye Bank and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Miami. The eyes, used for research, have brought immeasurable new data in helping restore sight to the blind. Kyle attended John A. Gupton College Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN, graduating in 1985.


Michael Angotti

Michael Angotti, Funeral Director

Michael C. Angotti, originally from New Jersey, moved to Wellington, Florida in 1993 and attended Lynn University in Boca Raton to study Funeral Services. He received his Funeral Directors & Embalmers License in 1996 and has since been serving South Florida communities. Always wanting to do more and help, Mike turned to the Florida Lions Eye Bank & Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, where he became a Certified Eye Enucleator. The eyes, use for research, have brought immeasurable new data in helping to restore sight to the blind. Still wanting to do more, right after 9-11, Michael found D.M.O.R.T. (Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team) and F.E.M.O.R.S. (Florida Emergency Mortuary Operational Response System). These are teams of people from around the nation and state who respond to mass fatality disasters and identify all the victims. D.M.O.R.T. was placed into The Department of Homeland Security, and Michael became one of the founding members. He is also part of the U.S. National Disaster Medical System, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Florida Department of Health. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Mike was one of the first responders and spent numerous weeks in the 3 coastal counties of Mississippi helping the families find, identify, and care for their loved ones that were lost. In April of 2007, Michael brought all his knowledge and experience to Palms West Funeral Home. Since that time, he has been serving our local families and offers comfort to them in their most inconsolable times. “I have learned from my parents not only the value and importance of quality work, but also ethical standards and the meaning of a family. I take great pride in serving your family and I will treat you as a part of mine”


Heather Altman-Kingwell

Heather Altman-Kingwell, Funeral Director

Heather Altman-Kingwell, is a native Floridian. Having lived in the area since 1986, she is a graduate of Wellington High School. She holds her degree in Funeral Services from Miami-Dade College as well as a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. Heather currently serves on the Advisory Board to the Funeral Services Department at Miami-Dade College. Heather is a resident of Wellington, and a member of Temple Beth Torah.“I am here to bring comfort and clarity to the bereaved, and dignity to those who can no longer do for themselves.”


Cedric Cosby

Cedric Cosby, Funeral Director

Cedric Cosby is a native Floridian born and raised in Belle Glade, Florida. Graduating from Glades Central High School, he attended Webber International University where he studied General Business. He has earned his degree in Funeral Service from Gupton-Jones College in Atlanta,Ga, has over 15 years of experience in the funeral industry, and is a skilled embalmer in the tri-county area.Currently a resident of West Palm Beach, Cedric is a proud member of Manifest Church and is affiliated with the Masonic Order where he is a proud member of Pride of Palm Beach #447. Cedric brings a wealth of knowledge in serving families. "My grandmother always said 'May the work I do speak of me.' These are words I live by and will always remember as I serve our families."


Judith Stephenson Brookshire

Judith Stephenson Brookshire, Licensed Funeral Director

Graduate of Miami-Dade Community College, Miami, FL in 1973.Licensed in the State of Florida since 1973. First Female Funeral Director in Palm Beach County. Formally Co-Owner of Mack Stephenson Funeral Home in Lantana, Florida. Formally Senior Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. Affiliated with The Palms West Chamber of Commerce. Church Affiliations: Victory Baptist Church, West Palm Beach, FL and Palm Beach Lakes Baptist Association.


John Duemig

John Duemig, Pre-Arrangements Director

John Duemig was born and raised in Oceanside, New York, and moved with his family to South Florida in 1989. John has 25 years experience in the funeral industry and specializes in helping families plan for and finance future funeral needs. Qualified and licensed to provide both annuity and trust financing, John has the unique opportunity to help families prepare regardless of budget, age or medical conditions."More families than ever before are making funeral arrangements in advance. This frees the surviving family from making difficult decisions when they are least prepared and very emotional. Pre-planning provides great peace of mind for everyone involved. It can even guarantee the cost at today's prices when funeral expenses are pre-paid, but, to me, the most important reason to pre-plan is the ultimate gift you will be giving to your family!"


Madison Goldberg

Madison Goldberg, Funeral Director