Funeral Director Daily

Alkaline Hydrolysis Hits the New York Times

By Funeral Director Daily / October 23, 2017 /

The New York Times, for all the flack it gets for its political stances, is still a newspaper that reports on what is happening in America.  When trends are mentioned in the New York Times, they tend to not stay trends much longer – and in many instances morph into the fabric of what is…

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Assurant Agrees to Buy The Warranty Group

By Funeral Director Daily / October 20, 2017 /

Assurant, a global leader in insurance coverage, covering things as diverse as appliances, autos, mobile devices, electronics, and funeral plans announced today that it will acquire The Warranty Group, a portfolio company of TPG Capital and restructure into a new organization still know as Assurant.  Assurant plans to spend about $2.5 billion in cash, stock,…

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Wreaths Across America Volunteers Needed

By Funeral Director Daily / October 19, 2017 /

Thousands of volunteers are needed on Saturday, December 16, 2017, at Arlington National Cemetery by the non-profit Wreaths Across America to lay wreaths and remember the lives of those that have served.  You can learn how you can participate by clicking here. Wreaths Across America is now in its 26th year and coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies…

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A Day of Continuing Ed — What I Learned

By Funeral Director Daily / October 18, 2017 /

Yesterday I was active in our Minnesota Funeral Director’s Association (MFDA) Fall Continuing Education meetings.  The MFDA puts these on over about 10 days in the fall in different locations in an effort to tell all death care professionals what is going on in the industry.  It is always a great source to go to,…

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372 Anonymous Dead Re-buried

By Funeral Director Daily / October 17, 2017 /

Last Wednesday the partial bones of at least 372 people were reburied in Amherst, New York at the Assumption Cemetery according to a  news release from the University of Buffalo. The process that lead to this was first started in 2008 when the University of Buffalo began some construction on their south campus.  It was…

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Rose Hills Cemetery Workers Unionize

By Funeral Director Daily / October 16, 2017 /

According to an article in LA Weekly, the mechanics, welders, and interment specialists at Whittier, California cemetery, Rose Hills, voted 35-23 to join the Cemetery Workers and Greens Attendants Union, SEIU Local 265, on Friday, October 13. The cemetery, one of 470 cemeteries owned by Service Corporation International, is 1,400 acres in size and one…

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Funeral Rites Fit for a King

By Funeral Director Daily / October 13, 2017 /

In our profession it is interesting to note what kind of funeral rites are held around the world.  One year ago today, on October 13, 2016, the King of Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej died.  Since that time plans have been made for a Royal Cremation for the nation. Prior to the Royal Cremation, the King’s…

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Crowdfunding for Funerals??

By Funeral Director Daily / October 12, 2017 /

I recently came across an article from TV 6 in Richmond, Virginia, about funeral crowdfunding being set up for a relative through GoFundMe when the family noticed that another account for the deceased had already been set up.  The family became uneasy about it and asked TV 6 to investigate. Turns out that the first…

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How’s Your Firm’s “Hospitality”?

By Funeral Director Daily / October 11, 2017 /

I enjoy watching the CBS program “60 Minutes” and did so again last Sunday.  One of the featured stories was on New York restauranter Danny Meyer.  Meyer started with one restaurant concept as an owner/operator in the 1990s and now has 16 restaurants of different styles in New York City.  He is also the inspiration…

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Omaha Mortuary Destroyed by Fire Re-Opens

By Funeral Director Daily / October 10, 2017 /

This past weekend an open house was held to celebrate the opening of America’s newest funeral facility — the Heafey Hoffmann Dworak & Cutler Mortuary on West Center Road in Omaha, Nebraska.  The 26,000 square foot structure is built on the same spot where fire destroyed the firm’s 1980 building in January 2016. According to…

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