It was news in February 2002 when a player in one of North America’s most sacred occupations was discovered to have stored, what is believed to be, 344 dead human bodies that were poised for cremation. It was what became known to many of us as the “Tri-State Crematory Scandal.” Led to discovery from an anonymous tip, the circumstances at the Georgia-based crematory led to a 12-year prison sentence for the crematory’s owner. It also led to many of us […]
Next Monday residents of the United States will celebrate President’s Day. Just so you know, when I was young, and until changed by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1971, this day was known as Washington’s Birthday holiday since 1879 and celebrated on President George Washington’s birthday, February 22. When I was young, many states also celebrated the birthday of President Abraham Lincoln each February 12. An early draft of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act would have renamed the holiday […]
Since I started this blog in 2017 and continuously look for interesting topics for the readers, I’ve come to anticipate the annual research paper from Sun Life entitled the Sun Life Cost of Dying Report. While it comes out of Great Britain it is a great resource for me and what I have come to see as a potential predictor of trends going forward. . . not only in Great Britain, but across the Atlantic Ocean as well. Sun Life’s […]
If you follow the trends in death care you will notice that not only increased cremation continues to happen, but so does interest in alkaline hydrolysis, recomposition, and other “green burial” practices. According to this article, in New Hampshire 18-year old Anya Nicoll and state legislator Jerry Knirk are working towards changing a 1971 state statute that they believe hinders sustainability in funerals, specifically “Green Funerals” which generally preclude embalming of the deceased. Here is the statute in question: 325:40-a […]
At Funeral Director Daily we cover a lot of topics. Many, or even most of our articles, deal with the financial operation of a business to help those in the business of death care make the choices they need to make as they move forward. We also publish articles about the preneed industry and articles about public companies in the space. . . .as well as new ideas and start-ups that many of our readers are interested in learning about. […]
This article and video news story from CTV Canada explains that because of a chronic shortage of death care workers coupled with an increased number of deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) “is calling retirees into service to fill out vacancies and for the first time, it’s allowing college students to work in the industry before they have completed their studies.” Funeral Director Joe O’Neil of O’Neil Funeral Home in London, Ontario is quoted […]
Today we bring you this interesting article from the Iowa Capital Dispatch concerning a potential funeral director who believed he needed a waiver to receive his Iowa Funeral Directors License. One of the requirements for licensure by the Iowa Board of Mortuary Science is that the applicant has completed 60 college credit hours and maintained a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) relative to those earned credits. The article tells the story of Andrew Merschman who had completed […]
I can remember going to my first couple of craft breweries. It was in the mid-1990’s and one I went to was in downtown Fargo, North Dakota, prior to attending a basketball game at their downtown civic arena. Then later, I was in Hawaii with my wife and going for dinner found us at the Kona Brewing Company — I found them an interesting concept. Fast-forward almost 25 years and you will find out that craft beer sales in the […]
It’s been an unusual two years to say the least. Covid-19, mandates, vaccinations, lockdowns, a presidential election where one candidate stayed at home and didn’t campaign, hospitals filled to the brim. . . . . .any way you look at it, it has been a couple of years like no others in my lifetime. And, it’s not been a lot of fun. . . Angie and I don’t go out to our traditional Friday night meal. . . we stay […]
Maybe it is just because I’m getting older. . . maybe its because as I get older I see younger and younger people stepping forward to do some of the things I used to do. . . . maybe it is because as you get older you recognize that as much as you may have accomplished there have been people along the way that have been there to mentor and guide you. . . . Regardless of why. . . […]
