Posts

Our Thoughts – The Future of Rural Funeral Homes

By Funeral Director Daily / February 16, 2017 /

Ever wonder what the future of the small-town 30 call firm is. When I started in the funeral business in 1980 in a regional center type of community – 30,000 population – we served an area about 15 miles around us. Outside of that 15 mile radius there were several small communities that each had…

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What Death Teaches You About Living

By Dave Westburg / February 16, 2017 /

The Huffington Post has an outstanding post by funeral director Shannon Burberry titled “What Working With Death Can Teach You About Living.”  Burberry is a Funeral Home Manager at Arbor Memorial in Ontario, Canada.  Simple lessons but true: Our goodbyes are just as important as hellos. One size doesn’t fit all. Technology connects the disconnected.…

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Kansas Funeral Home has New Owners

By Funeral Director Daily / February 15, 2017 /

After operating the Brenneman Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Liberal, Kansas, for 17 years, Rick and Mellissa Brenneman sold the business to employee Mike Hornung and his wife Kelly effective January 31. Mike, who formerly worked with the Archdiocese of Denver Mortuary, graduated from Arapahoe Community College Mortuary Arts program and has worked at…

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Minnesota to Add Alkaline Hydrolysis

By Funeral Director Daily / February 15, 2017 /

According to a recent article, Metro First Call of suburban Minneapolis is planning to install equipment later this year to become the first business in Minnesota to allow “Alkaline Hydrolysis” to other funeral homes. Among other names, Alkaline Hydrolysis is known as “Green Cremation” or “Flameless Cremation” because bodies are decomposed of by using water…

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Funeral Director’s Life Recognized

By Funeral Director Daily / February 15, 2017 /

Funeral Director Life (FDLIC) of Abilene, Texas was recognized by FORTUNE Magazine and Great Place to Work as one the “Best Workplaces in Texas for 2017″. It was ranked #6 overall for the State of Texas. According to an company press release, employees expressed their appreciation for FDLIC’s unique culture and work environment. FDLIC was…

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SCI to spend $255 million on capexp and acquisitions during 2017

By Dave Westburg / February 15, 2017 /

Here’s a summary of the remarks of the Service Corporation International Executive Team during the company’s fourth quarter 2016 earnings call.  You can access the entire transcript at Seeking Alpha. CEO Thomas Ryan on the growth in the company’s preneed revenue:   “We also continue to grow our funeral preneed backlog, hosting a 4% growth…

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Generational Equity Announces Sale of Weerts Funeral Home to SCI

By Dave Westburg / February 15, 2017 /

DALLAS, Feb. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Generational Equity, a leading mergers and acquisitions advisor for privately held businesses, is pleased to announce the sale of its client, Weerts Funeral Home, Inc., headquartered in Davenport, IA, and Riverbend Cremation Service, LLC, in Bettendorf, IA, to Service Corporation International, headquartered in Houston, TX. The acquisition closed February 1,…

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Memphis Funeral home offers drive-thru viewings.

By Dave Westburg / February 14, 2017 /

Localnews24 reports that Memphis funeral home R. Bernard Funeral Services is offering drive thru viewings.  The family owned funeral firm opened in January and has held four drive-thru viewings.  The funeral home also offers live stream viewing so that out of town family members can participate.  You can watch the video below https://youtu.be/aM2m2bqLrPQ Funeral Director…

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Minnesota considers removing viewing casket and cremation urn tax

By Dave Westburg / February 14, 2017 /

“I think it would be great to eliminate this tax.  For people, at the end of life, to have further tax put upon them seems to be too much for people who already spend their whole life being taxed”  Funeral Director John Kohl of Parker Kohl funeral home as quoted in Southernminn.com Southernminn.com reports that…

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Luzerne County TX cremation fee rises.

By Dave Westburg / February 14, 2017 /

The Dallas Post reports that the Luzerne County has increased the fee for a cremation permit from $35 to $60.  The increase will offset a $50,000 proposed budget increase for autopsy expenses relating to drug overdoses.  There were 1,872 cremations in 2016 in Luzerne County, up from 1872 cremations in 2015. Funeral Director Daily’s take:…

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