Regulations

Veteran Cemeteries will continue with burials. . . but what is open and closed on a government shutdown

By Funeral Director Daily / September 29, 2025 /

  Tomorrow is the last day of the federal government’s fiscal year.  That is not necessarily a big deal except that the new federal budget year begins on Wednesday and as I write this on Sunday no agreement to fund the federal government of the United States is in place moving forward.  If there is…

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Indiana Court: “Death Doula” does not need a funeral director license

By Funeral Director Daily / September 16, 2025 /

      According to this issue of the Indianapolis Star an Indiana court of appeals ruled in late August that the State of Indiana “violated the First Amendment rights of a Fort Wayne “death doula” after it required her to obtain a funeral director license to provide end-of-life transition services”.   Indiana state (mortuary)…

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Funeral Directors are heroes

By Funeral Director Daily / September 11, 2025 /

      The beginning of a recent article on the ASD Blog, authored by Jessica Farren, had a quote without, to my knowledge, an author’s acknowledgement.  I will post it here with no acknowledgement but do believe it captures the essence of America’s funeral directors:   “Deathcare professionals are not heroes because they are…

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Airlines, cemeteries dealing with “Wide-bodies”

By Funeral Director Daily / September 3, 2025 /

    Just last week according to this article from Newsweek “Southwest Airlines announced that it was ending a policy that allowed plus-size travelers to book an extra seat without extra costs. Under the new rules, passengers must buy two seats if they cannot fit on one, but refunds may be considered if the flight…

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Back to School – What’s new with Mortuary Education

By Funeral Director Daily / September 2, 2025 /

    It’s time for me to alter my running schedule.  You see, the day after Labor Day is the historic start of the new school year in my community and my morning run takes me by an elementary school. . . . And, during the school year I try to avoid the buses and…

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Labor Day 2025 — Some news you can use

By Funeral Director Daily / September 1, 2025 /

    Today is the holiday Americans celebrate as Labor Day.  And while many of us reflect on the ceremonial “End of Summer” others in the Death Care profession are busy tending to the needs of the bereaved.   It’s a day when Funeral Director Daily does not want to bore you with some long…

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Cemetery put in trustee’s hands

By Funeral Director Daily / August 20, 2025 /

  Last month a judge in Indiana removed the obligation of taking care of a non-profit cemetery away from the cemetery corporation and placed it in the hands of the government. . . in this case Center Township.  In his decision, Judge Nathan Meeks commented that the Marion Cemetery Corporation efforts to maintain the cemetery…

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Interment eligibility case playing out at Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific

By Funeral Director Daily / August 7, 2025 /

    There is an interesting case, which you can read about and see a news video of here, blowing through the tradewinds of Hawaii at this time concerning the eligibility of burial in a Veterans’ Administration National Cemetery.  The case concerns the potential of a dis-interment of U.S. Army veteran and Honorably Discharged Dr.…

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Funeral Director making a difference to an entire nation of young people

By Funeral Director Daily / July 29, 2025 /

    My wife sometimes accuses me of being too friendly.  You see, I’m okay in a crowded coffee shop or elsewhere, asking if I could share the table with already seated customers. . . .while Angie would simply leave the shop because it was too busy.   I try not to be intrusive on…

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Regions Bank: It’s like having an expert on staff

By Funeral Director Daily / July 28, 2025 /

  When I was operating my funeral home most of my energy went to taking care of the families I was serving, taking care of the staff I was leading, and taking care of the budget I was trying to meet.  Doing all of that didn’t always leave enough time to thoroughly look after the…

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