By Thomas A. Parmalee

It’s a story that reads like a Hollywood script: A budding director and creative producer goes to London in her early 20s for a study abroad program in film where she meets a rock musician during a music video shoot.

Like all great movies, this one has a twist: Somehow, this chance meeting not only leads to the couple getting married, but they end up owning and operating some of the most historic cemeteries in the Atlanta area.

“Life has a funny way of surprising you,” according to Timothy Amoui, who plays the male lead in this movie, which – if you were to give it a name – might be “When Shayda Met Timothy.”

The female protagonist is none other than Shayda Frost, an exciting up-and-coming director and creative producer who has worked alongside and been mentored by some of Hollywood’s top talent.

The road they have traveled together has been long and winding, but now married and in their mid-30s, they are poised to become a force to be reckoned with in death care as the co-owners of Lincoln Memorial Group.

When Amoui moved to the United States several years ago, he’d been in a long-distance relationship with Frost for some time.

“Moving to the U.S. and completely changing my life was a tough decision at the time,” he said. “I left behind incredible friends and family that I still dearly miss, but looking back, it was without a doubt the best decision I’ve ever made.”

After moving so he could be with the woman of his dreams, he suddenly came upon another crossroads – one in which the direction the couple jointly decided to go would change everything.

“About a year and a half ago, Shayda’s father (Jack Frost II) sadly passed away, and she was set to inherit Lincoln Memorial Group,” Amoui explained. “Initially, selling the business was something we seriously considered, but then I turned to Shayda and said, ‘Shall we do something crazy? Shall we take over the cemeteries and work to turn them into something truly special?’”

Almost overnight, the couple quit their jobs and moved from Los Angeles to Atlanta with a shared vision of unlocking the full potential of the business. “While the business needed some turnaround work, it was fundamentally strong,” Amoui said. “For me, the opportunity ticked all the boxes — I had always wanted to be entrepreneurial and own a company, and this was the perfect opportunity.”

As for anyone who has suggested he was making a mistake, Amoui has ignored such negative talk.

“I’ve always been told I’m a bit of a go-getter — I’m the kind of person who becomes completely obsessed with achieving a goal once I set my mind to it,” he confided. “While that determination can sometimes drive the people close to me a little crazy, it’s also what led Shayda and I to take on the incredible journey of taking over the Lincoln Memorial Group.”

But there’s no getting around the fact that where he’s ended up is nowhere near to where he  expected to be.

“If you’d told 15-year-old me that I’d one day own cemeteries in the American South, I’d have thought you were joking,” he said. “It’s such a wild story that even the Daily Mail found it intriguing enough to cover.”

If you’re dubious about the couple’s chances of success, keep in mind that Frost comes from a long line of cemeterians.

“Her grandfather, Jack Frost I, was a celebrity in this industry, having acquired and sold hundreds of cemeteries in his time, and her grandmother, Joan Sawyer, was a well-known cemetery leader in her own right,” Amoui said.

He’s confident they’ll prove the naysayers wrong.

“We bring a millennial perspective to the death-care industry that challenges the status quo,” he said. “Together, we are committed to disrupting traditional models, driving innovation and building winning teams to meet the evolving needs of families and communities.”

A Rich History Intertwined with Atlanta

The Sawyer/Frost family has owned Lincoln Memorial’s flagship cemetery – Lincoln Cemetery in Atlanta – since the 1960s, adding other prominent area cemeteries to the Lincoln Memorial umbrella, including the historic Washington Memorial Gardens, Dawn Memorial Park and Monte Vista Biblical Gardens, affectionately known as “Lincoln on the Hill.” All are in the Atlanta area.

While Lincoln Cemetery has long been one of the highest performing cemetery businesses in the Atlanta market, by the time Amoui and Frost took over, it needed some TLC as a prolonged illness prevented Frost’s father from staying on top of everything.

“We stepped in immediately, deploying a significant capital investment in just one year,” Amoui said. “Managing such extensive upgrades isn’t easy — it takes significant time, effort, and resources. But as stewards of this company, we’re confident these investments will pay off.”

The stakes are high, as Lincoln Cemetery is one of America’s most historic black cemeteries.

Its connection to the Black community is a sacred one – and one that runs deep, having served Atlanta and the surrounding area since 1925 when it was founded by the famous Black boxer, Tiger Flowers.

Respecting the community’s diversity and celebrating its heritage are top priorities for the couple, who have a diverse background of their own.

“As people of Middle Eastern descent — Shayda being half American and half Iranian, and myself being half British and half Iranian — diversity is a value we hold very close,” Amoui said. “It’s something we actively integrate into every aspect of our work, from recruitment practices to philanthropic efforts and community donations. These endeavors are rooted in our commitment to inclusivity and in supporting the communities we serve.”

He added, “We see ourselves as stewards of this historic African American cemetery, and it’s truly an honor to preserve its amazing heritage and legacy.”

Their commitment to those values was displayed quite clearly with their recent hiring of Raymond Burr to serve as the company’s chief operating officer. He joined the company after having worked at Service Corporation International for 12 years.

“From the moment Shayda and I came onboard, we recognized the importance of having a seasoned cemetery leader to guide the operational side of the business and help us connect meaningfully with the community,” Amoui said. “Equally important was finding someone who could truly represent and reflect the diverse community we serve. In Ray Burr, we found the perfect combination — an accomplished professional with deep expertise in managing some of the most successful cemeteries and someone who, as a Black business leader, deeply understands and honors the rich history and culture of Lincoln.”

Together, the four historic cemeteries under the Lincoln umbrella span over 230 acres and serve 1,000 families annually.

“The many notable individuals and celebrities buried in our cemeteries truly set us apart,” Amoui said. “We are proud to be recognized as one of the elite cemeteries in the United States for our civil rights legacy.”

Lincoln Cemetery in particular holds a special place in Atlanta’s history, serving as  the final resting place for many prominent figures, including civil rights leaders Hosea Williams and the Rev. Ralph David Abernathy.

Timothy Amoui at a mausoleum at Lincoln Cemetery in Atlanta.

A Drive to Innovate

Even though they run a successful cemetery company, Frost is still very much involved in directing and filmmaking. “Balancing that with running cemeteries is no small feat, but if anyone can juggle it all, it’s her,” Amoui said. “She inspires me every single day with her creativity, passion, and determination.”

Just like his wife, Amoui has an unconventional background for someone running a cemetery company.

“Before joining Lincoln Memorial Group, I worked at the intersection of finance and marketing at T-Mobile during an incredibly transformative time for the company,” he said.  “Being part of that journey and working closely with the management team taught me the importance of having a winning playbook that puts customers first and removes their pain points. That’s the same philosophy I’m bringing to the death care space. Much like T-Mobile disrupted wireless, I believe we need to rip up the rule book and focus on putting families at the heart of everything we do.”

Prior to T-Mobile, he was a vice president at a leading Wall Street crisis communications firm, specializing in complex M&A transactions and shareholder activism. “I worked on mega mergers and high-stakes situations, which required a roll-up-your-sleeves mentality and relentless hard work. That mindset has been invaluable in taking over Lincoln Memorial Group and navigating the challenges of transforming the business,” he said.

Being a “pure-play cemetery operation” has served Lincoln well since the 1960s, allowing it to nurture deep ties to local funeral homes.

But Amoui doesn’t dismiss the idea of doing things differently in the future.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the most disruptive and successful companies in the United States, learning invaluable lessons from visionary CEOs about creating long-term value,” he said. “At Lincoln Memorial Group, I’m applying those lessons to build a strategy that takes us from being a pure-play cemetery operator to becoming a diversified end-of-life care provider.”

That may take some to play out, but the couple is already leaning into and embracing cremation at its cemeteries.

“It’s a strategic pivot from the past,” Amoui said. “Like many in the industry, our previous owners didn’t fully embrace cremation, which I believe was a missed opportunity.”

As part of its goal to become a diversified end-of-life care provider, Lincoln Memorial Group is heavily investing in cremation inventory. “This includes installing columbariums in premium locations within our cemeteries and introducing innovative cremation memorial products, such as cremation lawn crypts and cremorials,” Amoui said.

He continued, “The way I see it, capturing the cremation market in our cemeteries is a game changer. It allows us to make the most of our existing land while maintaining margins comparable to traditional in-ground burials. By embracing cremation, we’re not only future-proofing our business but also ensuring we can offer families the options they want for generations to come.”

The couple is also interested in catering to changing consumer preferences to better serve the community.

“Right now, we are relatively traditional in our offerings, but that doesn’t mean we’re not looking to evolve,” Amoui said. “We are actively exploring a variety of options to better serve our community and meet emerging needs.”

He continued, “One of our greatest strategic advantages is the amount of cemetery real estate in our portfolio — over 200 acres in a high-growth, densely populated city. This gives us the flexibility to introduce new options and cater to new markets as trends evolve.”

The couple is particularly passionate about tapping into the green and natural burial space, which is a growing trend in the United Kingdom. “I strongly believe it’s only a matter of time before it gains significant traction in the United States,” Amoui said.

While Lincoln Memorial has faced challenges, the fundamentals remain “incredibly strong,” Amoui said. “Shayda’s grandmother, Joan Sawyer, was a true pioneer, building Lincoln Memorial into one of the highest performing cemetery businesses in the Atlanta market — an extraordinary achievement,” Amoui said.

Looking ahead, Amoui is confident Lincoln Memorial will build upon its successes to become a truly special company.

“We believe we are building something truly special at Lincoln Memorial Group, and our long-term vision includes thoughtfully expanding our portfolio,” he said.  “What sets us apart — and uniquely positions us to be a disruptive force in this industry — is the team we’ve built. Shayda, Ray and I bring a powerful blend of diverse experience. Shayda and I offer fresh perspectives from outside the death-care space, while Ray brings invaluable industry expertise from his time on the corporate side at SCI.”

He continued, “Together, we’ve created a dynamic approach that combines innovation with the strengths of both corporate and family-owned operations, enabling us to honor tradition while reimagining the future of end-of-life care.”

While Amoui’s entry into death care may be unconventional, he’s been “blown away” by how welcoming the profession has been.

“It truly feels like a family — a community of people who care deeply about the work they do and the families they serve,” he said. “I never imagined I would love working in this industry as much as I do. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about being part of an industry that has such a profound impact on people’s lives.”

Timothy Amoui’s deep love for his wife, Shayda Frost, has led him on an unlikely adventure to becoming a cemetery operator in America’s South.

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