Finding an outlet. . . . to care for yourself.

December 9, 2025/Business/

In today’s world we have begun to realize that the stress of certain employment, including being a funeral director, can have adverse effects on one’s physical and mental health. To that end, it is probably important that one has a hobby or other interest that can take his or her mind off the constant attention of the work of Death Care.

I was fortunate — I never thought about my mental health while working — but I also had outlets outside of the funeral business. As a sideline I operated college basketball and volleyball tournaments and I also volunteered as a Little League coach. In addition, I was fortunate to put my mind to work as a member of many community boards.

When I look back on my career, there certainly were times that I know I was stressed — usually it was about making the situation “perfect” for a client family. I worried about such things as the police escort showing up, the vault being in the cemetery when we arrived, and more.

I bring you that preamble today because I noticed this article from a Washington state newspaper titled “New owner joins KXLE station”. I found the title a little odd simply because it was listed under “funeral home” articles on my list of reading material.

Then I read the article and found this quote from Henry Johnston, owner of the Johnston & Williams Funeral Home of Ellensburg, Washington, “Doing funerals for so many years can take a mental toll on you eventually. I needed a creative side.”

The article went on to say that Johnston purchased a partnership in the radio station partly because other options for the station could have meant that it left town and the community would be without its local voice.

Johnston also states that “he will continue his full-time work at the funeral home, but will also take an active role in operations of the radio station.” . . . .and, he’s not really a novice as his first job was at a radio station in Idaho as a teenager.

Here is the website of the Johnston & Williams Funeral Home and Crematory of Ellensburg, Washington.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take: Today’s article is not really about a partnership in a radio station. It’s about realizing that as a Death Care professional you need to take care of yourself. . . . .And, one possible way to do that is have some interests outside of the funeral business.

I don’t really think it is important what that interest is — whether it be your church, your community, a business interest, a recreation interest such as golfing — or a myriad of other things.

And, I think it is more important today than it ever was. I believe that, even though we don’t have landline phones that must be watched 24/7 anymore, today’s funeral professionals may be more “tied down” than ever. Cell phones and the internet make funeral professionals more available to families than they ever have been before. . . . . . .Sometimes, for your mental health, you just need solitude from work where you cannot be interupted.

I also think one can come full-circle in this situation. I live a pretty good life of doing what I want to do now as a retired person. . . . . And, it is now my responsibility to the work of Funeral Director Daily that gives me a “balance” of work with my retirement. As a person who has worked and held responsibility my entire life, that responsibility balances an otherwise leisure retirement lifestyle. . . . I look at “the balance” it brings as a blessing.

Related Article — Here’s an article that you might enjoy I found from a publication called VeryWell Mind. It is titled, “Why are hobbies important for stress relief?”

Related Article — Caring for your Mental Health. National Institute of Mental Health.

More news from the world of Death Care: