For years veterans and their families who live on the east end of South Dakota have complained that there is no national veteran’s cemetery in proximity to them where they could consider burying their loved ones. The only South Dakota national veteran’s cemeteries are in Sturgis and Hot Springs on the far west end of…
Since the 1st of the year we have been busy telling you what happened with the public companies, where we think the public companies are going, what we think will happen in the industry in 2018, reminiscing about an old lawsuit in the industry, and giving some advice on getting positive public relations for your…
Last week a jury was seated and opening statements were begun in the criminal trial of Arthur Rathburn, age 64, of Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan. Rathburn is accused of fraudulently misrepresenting his unusual product, that of parts of bodies that had been donated for research. According to an article on the case that you can…
In an article from the Think Advisor which you can read here it was reported that Ogden, Utah based pre-need life insurer Great Western Life Insurance is going to be acquired by American Republic Insurance of Des Moines, Iowa. Great Western is a privately held life insurance company, specializing in Pre-Need funeral insurance started by…
When I left off on Friday the now over 20 year old case of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes v. The Loewen Group was our topic. As I told you, it was an incredibly interesting drama unfolding in a Mississippi courtroom – all over the aggressive expansion plans and tactics of a Canadian based funeral home consolidator.…
BUSINESS
Sunset publishes “Estate Settlement Report Card”
“If you are a funeral director and don’t know about Sunset yet you are probably missing out on a tool that your families would thank you for. . . ” Last week MarketWatch…
Homesteaders celebrates 120 years, $5 Billion in force
In a press release received the other day, Homesteaders Life Company, a national leader in Preneed Death Care funding announced that 2026 marks the 120th year for the company. The company issued its first…
Does Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) face religious headwinds?
From 2015 to 2021 I served on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. That 12-person governing board for the State of Minnesota got to know each other very well. One of the people…
FINANCE
Sunset publishes “Estate Settlement Report Card”
“If you are a funeral director and don’t know about Sunset yet you are probably missing out on a tool that your families would thank you for. . . ” Last week MarketWatch…
Park Lawn Corporation adds Mississippi operation with 20+ locations
In an announcement released yesterday, March 2, Park Lawn Corporation announced the acquisition of “substantially all of the assets of South Mississippi Funeral Services, LLC, comprised of a group of businesses located in southern…
Carriage Services Year-End 2025: Higher Revenue, Higher Margins, Higher Profit
In a press release issued last week Carriage Services, the Houston-based publicly operated funeral home and cemetery operator, reported the results of their 2025 4th Quarter and their 2025 Year-End results. When one takes…
REGULATIONS
Does Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) face religious headwinds?
From 2015 to 2021 I served on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. That 12-person governing board for the State of Minnesota got to know each other very well. One of the people…
Responsibility, Balance, and Gratitude all lead to positive mental health
The longer we live, the more we learn about ourselves and others. As you may know my wife, Angie, and I winter for three months in Southwest Florida. This past week I’ve been…
“Burial Battle” looms as casket company sues Oklahoma State Funeral Board
For a period of time it was unknown to the owners of Caskets of Honor, located in Calvin, Oklahoma, that selling caskets in their home state was illegal without the procurement of a funeral…
CEMETERY
Natural Organic Reduction to be done on the East Coast
Green-Wood Cemetery, the venerable and historic cemetery in New York City announced last week a plan to become the first facility on America’s East Coast that will offer Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) or Terramation…
VA Cemeteries set new record for “Customer Satisfaction”
Funeral directors should feel good about their role in helping the “The Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration earn the highest customer satisfaction score ever achieved by any public or private organization measured…
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…
CREMATION
Private Equity company Epiris to sell a “Structured Minority interest” in Pure Cremation
I’ve watched the growth of direct cremation provider and preneed cremation business Pure Cremation from a start-up to, in my opinion, the most profitable investment in Death Care over the past decade. According to…
Will the large-scale use of Hydrogen-powered cremation come into play?
One of the positive things of living during the winter months in a Florida golf community is that I get to meet and play golf with lots of new people with greatly differing…
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…
PRENEED
Homesteaders celebrates 120 years, $5 Billion in force
In a press release received the other day, Homesteaders Life Company, a national leader in Preneed Death Care funding announced that 2026 marks the 120th year for the company. The company issued its first…
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”. …
PRODUCTS
Sunset publishes “Estate Settlement Report Card”
“If you are a funeral director and don’t know about Sunset yet you are probably missing out on a tool that your families would thank you for. . . ” Last week MarketWatch…
Does Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) face religious headwinds?
From 2015 to 2021 I served on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. That 12-person governing board for the State of Minnesota got to know each other very well. One of the people…
“Burial Battle” looms as casket company sues Oklahoma State Funeral Board
For a period of time it was unknown to the owners of Caskets of Honor, located in Calvin, Oklahoma, that selling caskets in their home state was illegal without the procurement of a funeral…
