There is not only a lot of talk lately about the funeral, memorial service, and celebrations that families are contemplating in the future for themselves and their loved ones, but there is also a lot of investment money being spent on companies who want to be on the upside swing of what these…
It’s probably happened to all of us at one time or another. You thought the answer you received in a buying decision was the final answer, but, at the end of the day, it turned out to be a partial answer and you became a disappointed purchaser of that good or service. …
Earlier this week we received notice that LongRange Capital has completed the acquisition of Batesville. The transaction of purchasing the Batesville Company from public company Hillenbrand Industries was announced late in 2022 and apparently now has been completed. In addition, the private equity firm announced in this press release that Batesville CEO…
Victoriaville & Co., the Canadian based company that provides death care merchandise on three continents, announced in this press release a 67,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Cleveland, Ohio. According to Alain Dumont, President and CEO of Victoriaville & Co., “This manufacturing addition to our existing capacity has become necessary in order to…
This article from the Canton Repository announced last week the purchase of Canton, Ohio, based funeral home Kreighbaum-Sanders Funeral Homes by Alliance, Ohio, based Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home. Cassaday-Turkle-Christian’s Adam Christian made the following comment, according to the linked article, “We are honored that the Sanders family has given us the opportunity to…
BUSINESS
Indiana’s “Funeral Centric” bank sold — Sale price said to be $40 million
In a press release issued earlier in January 2026 out of Batesville, Indiana, ClearPoint Federal Bank & Trust made the following statement: “ClearPoint Federal Bank & Trust, a federally chartered savings bank…
What’s your state’s Death Rate? – Above or Below the National Average?
According to provisional data released from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in January of this year the overall age-adjusted “Death Rate” in the United States for 2025 was about 722 deaths per 100,000…
FINANCE
Matthews 1Q Fiscal 2026: Streamlined company shows Memorialization Segment rise in revenue
When it is all said and done, corporate conglomerate Matthews International, with a heavy presence in Death Care, will probably be glad that they have left Fiscal Year 2025 behind and are charging into…
Indiana’s “Funeral Centric” bank sold — Sale price said to be $40 million
In a press release issued earlier in January 2026 out of Batesville, Indiana, ClearPoint Federal Bank & Trust made the following statement: “ClearPoint Federal Bank & Trust, a federally chartered savings bank…
Service Corporation purchases two funeral homes in Ontario
We learned from this article written by Fort Erie Radio that Service Corporation International (SCI) recently purchased two funeral homes in the Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, community. According to the article, the Williams Funeral…
REGULATIONS
What’s your state’s Death Rate? – Above or Below the National Average?
According to provisional data released from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in January of this year the overall age-adjusted “Death Rate” in the United States for 2025 was about 722 deaths per 100,000…
CEMETERY
CREMATION
Washington crematories stymied by air quality regulations
Washington State cremation owners and operators find themselves in somewhat of a Catch-22 when it comes to new cremation equipment. According to this article from the Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine old cremation machines…
PRENEED
Is a 10% credit card interest rate ceiling good news for funeral homes? . . . Maybe not
Today is January 20. It is the day that President Trump wanted to institute one of his ideas for making life more “affordable”. That idea is a 10% cap on interest rates on credit…
Can you the provide the opportunity for additional Preneed sales in the 1st Quarter of 2026?
“Strike when the iron is hot“. That’s a 15th-century saying that came from the blacksmith trade and meant to suggest that the blacksmith should “bend the metal when it is hot and somewhat flexible”. …
More Americans take on debt to cover funerals
I came across this recent article from USA Today titled “Americans are going into debt over death. Here are affordability tips.” Reading that article led me to a survey and results from Debt.com and…
PRODUCTS
Is a 10% credit card interest rate ceiling good news for funeral homes? . . . Maybe not
Today is January 20. It is the day that President Trump wanted to institute one of his ideas for making life more “affordable”. That idea is a 10% cap on interest rates on credit…
Can you the provide the opportunity for additional Preneed sales in the 1st Quarter of 2026?
“Strike when the iron is hot“. That’s a 15th-century saying that came from the blacksmith trade and meant to suggest that the blacksmith should “bend the metal when it is hot and somewhat flexible”. …
Creedy, Jefferson form advisory firm
Long-time Death Care executives and advisors Alan Creedy and Danny Jefferson have again joined together to form a new firm to help those in the business. A press release issued earlier this week…









