Funeral Director Daily

Matthews closes European unit sale, announces agreement with Barington Capital

By Funeral Director Daily / January 23, 2026 /

  The first half of January 2025 saw two news releases come from Matthews International that probably, in a wide scope, are related to each other.  First, in early January, this press release titled “Matthews International announces closing of of European Tooling and Packaging Businesses”.     Then just last week Matthews International issued this press…

Veterans’ Affairs recently grants $77 million to state-operated veteran cemeteries

By Funeral Director Daily / January 22, 2026 /

    According to this recent article in Newsweek “The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded more than $77 million in new grants aimed at expanding and improving state-operated Veterans cemeteries.  The funding, announced by the VA in December, supports projects at 20 existing state Veterans cemeteries and includes an establishment grant for Alaska’s…

Meeting your clientele where they are at

By Funeral Director Daily / January 21, 2026 /

  There is no doubt over the past twenty-five years that consumers have made many changes about how they make selections.  And, those selections don’t just relate to furniture styles, automobile styles, or television watching, such as binge watching, decisions.   That’s why the cemeteries and crematories of Hillingdon Council are moving to a seven-day…

Is a 10% credit card interest rate ceiling good news for funeral homes? . . . Maybe not

By Funeral Director Daily / January 20, 2026 /

  Today is January 20.  It is the day that President Trump wanted to institute one of his ideas for making life more “affordable”.  That idea is a 10% cap on interest rates on credit card balances for one year.   A recent Debt.com survey about funeral expenses and death, which you can access an…

Reset for 2026 with the CANA supported Peer Support Network

By Funeral Director Daily / January 19, 2026 /

  Here’s what the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) says about their first “Funeral Professionals Peer Support” online conversation of 2026:   “Start the new year with steadiness and nurturing.The January Peer Support Meeting is a space for funeral professionals to reconnect after the holidays and explore the three RESET pillars:  Strong Ground, Nervous…

What does a “K-Shaped” economy (or Consumer Divergence) mean for Death Care?

By Funeral Director Daily / January 19, 2026 /

  Back in 1971, according to this article from Pew Research Center, 61% of Americans fell into what was called the “Middle Class”.  The same article lists that number as 51% in 1923, and according to Finance & Commerce magazine, “Most economists agree the K-shape (consumer divergence) isn’t a short-term anomaly but a continuation of…

Can we move Death Care from an “Obligation” to an “Experience”?

By Funeral Director Daily / January 16, 2026 /

  Earlier this week I was watching the business news and the channel was reporting on Delta Airlines.  According to the talking heads that I was watching Delta Airlines has done a very good job in building market share by continuing to relate the “Experience” of flying Delta over the simple need to get from…

Our latest “Most Read” articles — Preneed, Acquisitions, Regional Operators, and Regulations all take a place

By Funeral Director Daily / January 15, 2026 /

  At Funeral Director Daily we emphasize that our articles deal with the “Business” of Death Care. . . . But “Business” has proven to be a very varied subject and our readers reflect and represent a great “Business Diversity” in Death Care.   That becomes clearly evident when you look at our Top Read…

Cemetery legal dispute ends in disinterment

By Funeral Director Daily / January 15, 2026 /

  A lengthy legal case of about four years that involved a Service Corporation International (SCI) cemetery and also included a well-known and succesful business family has ended in a disinterment ruling of the keepsakes and ashes in the grave according to this article from Oregon Public Broadcasting titled “After cemetery sold the same plot…

Learn about how “Technology is Reshaping Funeral and Cemetery practices”

By Funeral Director Daily / January 14, 2026 /

  If you have a little time this early afternoon I would suggest that you tune in to this online event that features Johnson Consulting’s Lacy Robinson and Ring Ring Marketing’s Welton Hong as they “explore one of today’s most captivating topics: “Technology and AI in the funeral and cemetery space”.”   This online event…