Our Staff

Kurt Eschbach

Owner

Kurt Eschbach is the owner and operator of Hopler & Eschbach Funeral Home. A native of Johnson City, he graduated with honors from Johnson City High School in 1986 . He then attended Simmons School of Mortuary Science in Syracuse, NY, graduating as Valedictorian of the spring class of 1988 and was granted his Funeral Director's license in 1989.

Growing up on Johnson City's southside he witnessed countless examples of neighbors caring for neighbors; observations which helped him develop a heart and mind for service to others. Kurt has been active in numerous civic, religious, fraternal and cultural organizations within the community; including the First Presbyterian Church of Johnson City, Johnson City Unity Masonic Lodge, the Binghamton German Club, the Maine Community Band and the Vestal Community Band. In 2022 he was began service on the Lourdes Hospital Foundation Board and the Board of Directors of the Greater Good Grocery store operated by the Broome County Council of Churches.

He spends many hours in service to his client families and his community. When not at work he enjoys his Miniature Pinscher Heidi, playing the trombone and vintage automobiles.

Benjamin Rangel

Lead Funeral Director

Benjamin Rangel was born and raised on Binghamton’s West side, and is a graduate of Binghamton High School. His interest in a career in funeral service began when he was a young boy. His natural ease with people and caring personality made it natural to pursue a career in helping others.

He pursued his studies at SUNY Broome and the Mortuary Science Program at Hudson Valley Community College. In 2014 while attending school he began his employment with Hopler & Eschbach Funeral Home where he discovered the true reward in serving those in need.

From 2017-2021 he was the location coordinator for Wreaths Across America at Chenango Valley Cemetery. He is a member of Johnson City Unity Lodge #970 F & AM. When not at work he enjoys spending time with family and friends especially his wife, their two children and the family Goldendoodle Peaches, as well as mountain biking.

Timothy E. Murray

Funeral Director

Timothy (Tim) Murray was born and raised in the Village of Norwood in St. Lawrence County and is a 1980 graduate of Norwood-Norfolk Central School. His interest in funeral service began at a young age. 

Tim graduated from Massena School of Business in 1983 and worked in Special Education at Potsdam Central School District  before making a decision to go back to college and fulfill a life-long ambition to become a funeral director. 

He graduated in 1998 from SUNY Canton’s Mortuary Science Program where he served as Mortuary Science Association President, received the Outstanding Senior Man Award and graduated with high honors. Tim proudly served his residency at Buck Funeral Home in his hometown of Norwood, becoming a licensed funeral director in 1999.

In April of 2000, he and his wife and two sons, Gerald & Kevin moved to Oneonta where he worked for Lester R. Grummons and Bookhout Funeral home as well as RJ Fahy Funeral home in Norwich for over 10 years serving many families during their most difficult of times.

Tim belongs to several civic organizations and is a member of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Oneonta. 

In his spare time he enjoys long walks. He also enjoys spending time with his wife Eileen and sons Gerald and Kevin as well as his family in the North Country.

Abby E. Hand

Funeral Director

A licensed funeral director since 2021, Abby is a native of Springville, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of Elk Lake High School. When in high school she enjoyed helping people in any way she could, from working at the food bank to helping her family and friends with managing sports teams. This led her to realize how much she enjoyed serving her community as a whole.

While in high school she also worked at the Tuttle-Yeisley Funeral Home in Hallstead, PA, where she developed an interest in funeral service. After completing high school, she attended Northampton Community College completing her studies in the field of Mortuary Science.

After graduating and passing the National Funeral Service Board Exam she pursued her internship training at the Estey, Munroe and Fahey Funeral Home in Owego, NY. She has successfully completed the NYS Funeral Service Law Exam and is now a licensed funeral director.

In her free time, Abby likes to crochet and read, along with spending as much time with her family as she can.

Moving to Binghamton in 2022, she purchased a home in the 1st Ward and is a member of the Daughters of the Nile.

Isaiah Cechnicki

Funeral Director

Isaiah comes to us from Amherst, NY where he served his funeral service apprenticeship and earned his funeral directors license.

A native of Fort Plain, in New York's Mohawk Valley Region, Isaiah is an honors graduate of Fort Plain Senior and Junior High School. He earned his Bachelor's degree from the Mortuary Science program at SUNY Canton, class of 2020, where he excelled academically, achieving the highest GPA in his class during his Freshman year.

He formerly worked for the Houghtaling & Smith Funeral Home in Fort Plain, NY and the Dietrich Funeral Home in Amherst, NY.

Isaiah has always felt the need to serve his community, and is excited to have relocated Binghamton with his wife Lucy to pursue his career in funeral service and to become an active and vital part of the Binghamton community.

In his spare time Isaiah enjoys fishing and spending time with his family.