English poet Oscar Wilde is thought by some as first using the phrase that “Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery”.  In today’s world of economics and commerce one might also believe that “Somebody starting a business similar to what you have started” would also be a very well-known form of flattery or belief in your business.

 

If that is the case, then Katrina Spade is probably on to something.

 

While she is probably modest enough that she will not take credit for it, there is no doubt that this retired funeral director realizes that Katrina Spade is not only the leader of the first funeral establishment offering Natural Organic Reduction (NOR), or what some refer to as human composting, in North America, but she is also the inspiration, organizer, and leader of the movement bringing the process to legality throughout the world.

 

I wrote this article when her company, Recompose, opened their first establishment in Kent, Washington, in December 2020, with ten vessels for the natural organic reduction of human remains.  Today, only a little less than three years later, Recompose operates a licensed funeral establishment in Seattle with 34 vessels that transform bodies into soil.  You can learn more about that establishment from Recompose’ website here.

 

Through Ms. Spade’s efforts, along with some other pioneers in the movement, natural organic reduction is legal in seven states according to this article from Dignity Memorial.  The same article lists 10 other states where Natural Organic Reduction is potentially coming soon.

 

And, imitation as flattery?. . . . In the state of Washington where Spade first realized the legality for natural organic reduction there are at least two competitors already.  Return Home and Earth Funeral have entered the consumer category for NOR.  Even more proof that NOR may be here to stay is that North America’s largest funeral home and cemetery operator, Service Corporation International (SCI) has entered the business  —  offering NOR through vendors at at least five funeral homes in Washington state.  See an SCI press release on that here.

 

Meeting Katrina Spade —  A definite highlight for me at the recent NFDA Convention in Las Vegas was having a sit down discussion with Katrina.  I’ve known for some time — at least since she sent me a nice thank you for the 2020 Funeral Director Daily article — that she was a reader of Funeral Director Daily.

 

I began by telling Katrina that natural organic reduction would not be my personal choice of disposition.  I’m a firm traditionalist and believe in the method of casketed earth burial . . . and, I’m guessing that no one is going to change my mind on that fact.

 

However, as a business person who has brought start-ups to life, I’ve been a huge fan of hers simply from an admiration standpoint of what she has accomplished this far in the building of her business.  What she has done would not be easy in any business. . . . much less in a business where she not only invented the category but had to legalize it to make it work.  When not doing those things she’s been improving the process and raising money like other start-up creators have to do. . . Take if from me, as someone who’se done it with much more limited success than her — that’s not an easy task!!

 

In any regard we decided to meet up in Las Vegas.  Our talk was “off the record” and I want to adhere to that confidentiality, but I can tell you that I met with a humble, but smart and articulate entrepreneur  who simply appears that she wants to move the NOR process forward for those who believe in the process and at the same time build a successful business.

 

And, I think she will do both!!

 

Funeral Director Daily take:  Since I met with Ms. Spade I also met with a friend of mine who I would say runs a “progressive” funeral home.  By “progressive” I mean that he is one of the first to implement what he sees as “new” to the death care profession into his repertoire of offerings at his funeral home.  For instance, he has already set up an outside “event planning” business to create experiences for people in his metropolitan community that potentially select “Direct Cremation” with the idea of no services, but potentially want something to honor a “life lived”.

 

He told me that he recently took a booth space at his state’s state fair in order to gauge his area’s thoughts on green funerals, alkaline hydrolysis, and natural organic reduction.  He then told me that his experience of visiting with the fair-goers has convinced him that he needs to begin offering “green” alternatives such as green burials and alkaline hydrolysis.

 

What he didn’t expect, however, was the numbers of people that inquired about “human composting” or what the business calls Natural Organic Reduction.  From his experience, he told me that the passion was there for “human composting” in an exponential multiple over green burials and alkaline hydrolysis. . . . . and, that was a real surprise to him.

 

That may be a surprise to you as well.

 

More news from the world of Death Care:

• Harvard’s morgue scandal is part of a “much larger story” in trading human remains.  Video news story and print article.  NBC Channel 10 – Boston (MA)
• How to talk about funeral planning with your loved ones.  Video news story and print article.  Currently, from AT&T.
• Oxford approves cemetery plan to end graves shortage.  BBC News (Great Britain)

 

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