There is an old song released in April 1981 and sung by Barbara Mandrel entitled, “I was Country when Country wasn’t cool”. I have to admit that when I entered my freshman year of college at Texas Christian University in September of 1976 I started hearing music that resonated with me. . . .Waylon Jennings,…
Only about ten days removed from announcing the acquisition of a funeral home in northeast Minnesota, Foundation Partners Group made another announcement at the end of last week. The press release goes on to say that Foundation Partners Group, the private equity backed funeral home and cemetery consolidator and operator, has reached an agreement to…
Hillenbrand Industries, parent company of Batesville Casket Company, announced last week that current CEO Joe A. Raver will be retiring at the end of 2021. The following day, Kimberly K. Ryan will succeed him as CEO of the company. In a press release that you can read here, Hillenbrand Chairperson Joe Loughrey describes Raver, “A…
Many funeral directors who own funeral homes operate a one roof funeral home. There’s nothing wrong with that — I operated a one roof funeral home for 20 years and, contrary to many people’s beliefs, there was always much to do and profits to be made. But, like me, many of those one roof funeral…
As of last Friday, June 4, we were over five months into the 2021 calendar year. Funeral Director Daily decided it was time to take a look at where the Death Care stocks were in relation to the stock market indices up to that day. What we found out is that the stocks of companies…
BUSINESS
Here we go again. . . .
For as long as I can remember, those of us who work in Death Care have been un-deservedly percieved by many as part of a strange or dark world. You’re going to see that…
Funeral homes and cemeteries — Where’s the future potential?
I’ve been around the Death Care business my whole life. . . . and one thing I can tell you is that, like other businesses, “things” change. For instance, Death Care clientele used to…
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…
FINANCE
Matthews International 1Q 2026 Earnings Call: Commentary and Q&A on “Memorialization”
Last week Death Care supplier Matthews International held their First Quarter 2026 Earnings Call with interested parties including investment company representatives. You can access a full transcript of that Earnings Call courtesy of Seeking…
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…
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…
Offender to be dis-interred and removed from Fort Sam Houston National Military Cemetery
Texas Senator John Cornyn authored a bill that was passed by the Senate, the House, and signed into law by President Trump in late December 2025, that was included in the 2026 National Defense…
Veterans’ Affairs recently grants $77 million to state-operated veteran cemeteries
According to this recent article in Newsweek “The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded more than $77 million in new grants aimed at expanding and improving state-operated Veterans cemeteries. The funding, announced…
CEMETERY
Funeral homes and cemeteries — Where’s the future potential?
I’ve been around the Death Care business my whole life. . . . and one thing I can tell you is that, like other businesses, “things” change. For instance, Death Care clientele used to…
Offender to be dis-interred and removed from Fort Sam Houston National Military Cemetery
Texas Senator John Cornyn authored a bill that was passed by the Senate, the House, and signed into law by President Trump in late December 2025, that was included in the 2026 National Defense…
The “Humanity” of Death Care
Funeral Director Daily publishes lots of articles that deal with the business, or money side of Death Care. That’s good. . .and readers seem to like it, however, I never want any of us…
CREMATION
Veterans’ Affairs recently grants $77 million to state-operated veteran cemeteries
According to this recent article in Newsweek “The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded more than $77 million in new grants aimed at expanding and improving state-operated Veterans cemeteries. The funding, announced…
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…
Cremations, and now tariffs creating headwinds for monument dealers
American monument dealers have become accustomed to dealing with the rising cremation rates in the country and the dwindling sales opportunities for cemetery monuments that fact brings. But now, according to this recent…
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
Here we go again. . . .
For as long as I can remember, those of us who work in Death Care have been un-deservedly percieved by many as part of a strange or dark world. You’re going to see that…
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”. …
