An article from the Seattle Times that you can read here mentions that the State of Washington currently has only two lawful means of disposition of human remains — burial and cremation. State Senator Jamie Pedersen intends to ask the legislature to double the number of ways by introducing a bill in the next session…
CBC Marketplace News of Canada in an article and video footage that you can see here, last week alleged that Canadian funeral services provider Arbor Memorial made misleading statements to hidden camera reporters. The article maintains that it is a follow up to a 2017 hidden camera report which caused the Bereavement Authority of Ontario…
Over the weekend I found a couple of articles originating from Great Britain about the European Union and its proposal to restrict the use of formaldehyde in the EU. The articles point out that it is not a “ban” on formaldehyde use but a “restriction” that has the ability to change the way some consumers…
It’s Black Friday and we are taking the day off to try to stimulate the economy. Have fun, enjoy the day. Here are some links on recent articles. We will return to our normal course on Monday. Here is an article with an update on the new Veteran’s Administration Cemetery to be built in upstate…
Enjoy the day. . . . Family, Football, and Food.
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…
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…
FINANCE
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…
Seeking Alpha authors “Bullish” on SCI
When you follow the public companies in Death Care like I do it is unusual to find articles about them appearing very often. But, last week two separate authors of Seeking Alpha gave opinions…
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
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…
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…
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
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…
