Thinking outside the box on acquisitions

By Funeral Director Daily August 5, 2022

I recently came across this article from the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News.  The article told the story of the Routsong Funeral Home acquiring the Morris Sons “funeral business” of the same community.  What was interesting was that the article told of the Routsong Funeral Home “picking up (the) pre-funded funeral service arrangements for an additional…

Matthews Memorialization segment reports higher sales, lower margins

By Funeral Director Daily August 4, 2022

Mathews International, the global provider of memorialization products, industrial technologies, and brand solutions reported their Fiscal 3rd Quarter last week.  That quarter encompasses the April thru June 2022 time period. In reporting their Memorialization segment finances we note that they may be reporting what we believe could become a common theme in death care company’s…

Park Lawn makes earning season splash with large aquisition

By Funeral Director Daily August 4, 2022

Park Lawn Corporation announced yesterday in this press release that they have acquired substantially all of the assets of the Schackelford Corporation based in Western Tennessee.  The Schackelford Corporation encompasses a fifth-generation company that has served Western Tennessee for 90 years.  According to the press release the acquisition includes eight stand-alone funeral homes, two stand-alone…

The funeral home as the “Heart of the Community”

By Funeral Director Daily August 3, 2022

As I research articles for Funeral Director Daily I come across lots of local newspaper articles dealing with anniversary years of funeral homes.  The vast majority are from small town newspapers and tell of the longevity of many of these family owned firms. Last week I found this article from the Herald-Dispatch of Huntington, West…

NGL divests Settlers Life, positions for stronger Preneed business

By Funeral Director Daily August 2, 2022

This article from the Insurance News Net informs readers that preneed insurance company National Guardian Life (NGL), based in Madison, Wisconsin, has sold its interest in Settlers Life Insurance Company to Everly Holdings, LLC.   The sale consists of approximately 225,000 policies that are geographically disbursed throughout the United States. Those policies included in the agreement…

BUSINESS

Death Literacy: “Concerns over the rapid rise of Direct Cremations”

By Funeral Director Daily | September 4, 2026

  “Death Literacy” is something you may be hearing more about in the days to come.  This article from SABR-A Care Collective mentions that “Raising death literacy aims to equip people with the skills not…

Keeping your brand relevant with the new consumers

By Funeral Director Daily | September 2, 2026

  I’ve came to believe that, at least in part, the reason why consumers select a certain funeral home has changed.  From my point of view, in days gone by almost almost all funeral home…

“Size” has its own set of issues

By Funeral Director Daily | August 31, 2026

  Great Britain’s Pure Cremation, quite possibly the most successful start-up in the history of Death Care, continues to grow their direct cremation business.  And, that growth in itself seems to cause some problems.  …

FINANCE

Death Care Index (DCI) once again trails major indexes

By Funeral Director Daily | September 3, 2026

    Over the years I’ve seen many family funeral homes explode in value as they built more market share, acquired more facilities, and simply built a culture of enhancing revenues while at the same…

Matthews International names new President/CEO

By Funeral Director Daily | September 1, 2026

It didn’t take long for Death Care conglomerate Matthews International to name a new President and CEO following this August 4, 2026, press release indicating that current President/CEO Josepah Bartolacci would be retiring after more…

A.S. Turner & Sons has a busy summer — adds a funeral home and terramation service line

By Funeral Director Daily | August 25, 2026

  A.S. Turner & Sons has served the population of Decatur, Georgia, and the greater Atlanta area for more than 120 years.  Funeral Director Daily recently mentioned the firm in this article about The Natural…

REGULATIONS

Oklahoma family business gets initial court win to move forward in casket sales case

By Funeral Director Daily | August 27, 2026

  According to this recent article from the Institute for Justice the District Court of Oklahoma County has ruled that Casket of Honors owners Candice Mentink and Todd Collard may proceed with their case against…

Empty grave case still perplexing, legal issues pending

By Funeral Director Daily | August 12, 2026

    Back in December 2025, Funeral Director Daily, in this article, informed you of the case of the empty grave of CBC Canada Royal Glider Pilot Gordon Patrick.  If you read the article you…

Colorado city tackles cemetery issue

By Funeral Director Daily | August 3, 2026

  The Lafayette  (Colorado) City Council reached an agreement on what action to take to help those who have purchased lots in the Lafayette Cemetery and may not be able to use them due to…

CEMETERY

Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock visit cemetery movie screening

By Funeral Director Daily | August 26, 2026

  It’s interesting to me that when I look at the financial results of the public companies in Death Care and also try to understand the continual business potential of Death Care, I seem to…

Everstory Partners aims for more of the “Upper K”

By Funeral Director Daily | August 14, 2026

Not every consumer is looking for the $999 direct cremation service.  And, the good operators in the Death Care space know that.   There are plenty of ways to buy a burger in many different…

Empty grave case still perplexing, legal issues pending

By Funeral Director Daily | August 12, 2026

    Back in December 2025, Funeral Director Daily, in this article, informed you of the case of the empty grave of CBC Canada Royal Glider Pilot Gordon Patrick.  If you read the article you…

CREMATION

Death Literacy: “Concerns over the rapid rise of Direct Cremations”

By Funeral Director Daily | September 4, 2026

  “Death Literacy” is something you may be hearing more about in the days to come.  This article from SABR-A Care Collective mentions that “Raising death literacy aims to equip people with the skills not…

“Size” has its own set of issues

By Funeral Director Daily | August 31, 2026

  Great Britain’s Pure Cremation, quite possibly the most successful start-up in the history of Death Care, continues to grow their direct cremation business.  And, that growth in itself seems to cause some problems.  …

Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock visit cemetery movie screening

By Funeral Director Daily | August 26, 2026

  It’s interesting to me that when I look at the financial results of the public companies in Death Care and also try to understand the continual business potential of Death Care, I seem to…

PRENEED

Death Literacy: “Concerns over the rapid rise of Direct Cremations”

By Funeral Director Daily | September 4, 2026

  “Death Literacy” is something you may be hearing more about in the days to come.  This article from SABR-A Care Collective mentions that “Raising death literacy aims to equip people with the skills not…

Pure Cremation exec: Is the “At-Need choice” death market contracting?

By Funeral Director Daily | July 14, 2026

  The number of deaths in the United States is expected to grow 26.3% from 2019 (the last year prior to the pandemic) until 2040 by certain estimates.  Estimates for the number of deaths in…

Anthem Partners announces strategic partnership with Family Shield Credit

By Funeral Director Daily | July 10, 2026

In a press release from earlier this week funeral home operator Anthem Partners announced that they have formed a partnership with Family Shield Credit in order to provide families with “flexible, budget-friendly payment options while…

PRODUCTS

Oklahoma family business gets initial court win to move forward in casket sales case

By Funeral Director Daily | August 27, 2026

  According to this recent article from the Institute for Justice the District Court of Oklahoma County has ruled that Casket of Honors owners Candice Mentink and Todd Collard may proceed with their case against…

Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock visit cemetery movie screening

By Funeral Director Daily | August 26, 2026

  It’s interesting to me that when I look at the financial results of the public companies in Death Care and also try to understand the continual business potential of Death Care, I seem to…

A.S. Turner & Sons has a busy summer — adds a funeral home and terramation service line

By Funeral Director Daily | August 25, 2026

  A.S. Turner & Sons has served the population of Decatur, Georgia, and the greater Atlanta area for more than 120 years.  Funeral Director Daily recently mentioned the firm in this article about The Natural…