Cremation

The devastating effects of Direct Cremation on traditional funeral homes

By Funeral Director Daily / September 23, 2026 /

  My career in the Death Care business spans from 1980 when I attained my funeral director’s license until today where I keep my eye on what is happening in the business so that I can share with readers my opinions.  However, I’ve been out of “active management” of a funeral home for over a…

Recollections of 9/11. . . 25 years later

By Funeral Director Daily / September 11, 2026 /

    So today, September 11, 2026, marks the 25th anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks on America.  For those of us who are baby boomers, that day is seared in our memory as are the days of the President John F. Kennedy assassination, the day that astronaut Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, and…

Endswell expanding into another community and location

By Funeral Director Daily / September 10, 2026 /

Endswell, the 2022 Death Care start-up that brands itself as “A modern funeral home, is expanding their services to Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  And, it won’t be your mom and dad’s funeral home.   According to this article in Chapelboro.com, the company has bought ground-floor space in a street-front condominium building where they plan to…

Groundbreaking research from Parting Stone may help you get cremated remains permanently placed

By Funeral Director Daily / September 9, 2026 /

    Recently I received a press release from Parting Stone, the solidified remains company, that enlightened me as to some of the reasons so many survivors continue to hold on to cremated remains in the home rather than pursue permanent placement for them.   I’ve always thought that the main reason that families continue…

Death Literacy: “Concerns over the rapid rise of Direct Cremations”

By Funeral Director Daily / September 4, 2026 /

  “Death Literacy” is something you may be hearing more about in the days to come.  This article from SABR-A Care Collective mentions that “Raising death literacy aims to equip people with the skills not only to help themselves but also to support those within the wider community who might be impacted by death and…

“Size” has its own set of issues

By Funeral Director Daily / August 31, 2026 /

  Great Britain’s Pure Cremation, quite possibly the most successful start-up in the history of Death Care, continues to grow their direct cremation business.  And, that growth in itself seems to cause some problems.   This recent article from BBC News in Great Britain tells of Pure Cremation’s attempt to open a 700-body volume refrigerated…

Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock visit cemetery movie screening

By Funeral Director Daily / August 26, 2026 /

  It’s interesting to me that when I look at the financial results of the public companies in Death Care and also try to understand the continual business potential of Death Care, I seem to see that cemetery financial results are passing funeral home results in many locales.  And, I’m coming around to the fact…

A.S. Turner & Sons has a busy summer — adds a funeral home and terramation service line

By Funeral Director Daily / August 25, 2026 /

  A.S. Turner & Sons has served the population of Decatur, Georgia, and the greater Atlanta area for more than 120 years.  Funeral Director Daily recently mentioned the firm in this article about The Natural Funeral concept which takes The Natural Funeral’s proprietary Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) process, Terramation, to the local level.   We’ve…

Everstory Partners aims for more of the “Upper K”

By Funeral Director Daily / August 14, 2026 /

Not every consumer is looking for the $999 direct cremation service.  And, the good operators in the Death Care space know that.   There are plenty of ways to buy a burger in many different price points —  White Castle, McDonald’s, Shake Shack, and Capital Grille all offer burgers.  However, one would probably agree that…

The New Math

By Funeral Director Daily / August 13, 2026 /

    As you read this today I will soon or already have given a presentation at the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) International Convention.  I was asked to speak on the Fads, Trends, and Traditions of Death Care from the historical past and looking into the future into what may come.   Looking…