Here is some news from around the world of funeral service in the last week. KCBS of the San Francisco Bay Area reports that the Mare Island Naval Cemetery has been declared a “National Disgrace” by a Navy captain. The 160 year old cemetery, founded in 1854, is not a part of the VA system…
I came across a couple of articles this week that once again reminded me that not everyone in the funeral industry is above board when it comes to serving client families or doing the right thing when others are not watching. First of all, the Arkansas attorney general reached an agreement with Arkansas Funeral Care…
In 2004 Ralph Little had a problem — he was the owner of the Tam O’Shanter Golf Course in South Florida. According to an article in the South Florida Sun Sentinal, Little then planned a 300 home development on the property that did not pan out. He thought about putting in a large-scale water park.…
A press release from BusinessWire has indicated that the Great Western Insurance Company (GWIC) of Ogden, Utah, has had A.M. Best upgrade their Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “bbb+” from “bbb”. The outlook of the Long-Term ICR has been revised to stable from positive while the outlook of the Financial Strength Rating is stable. The…
The Loveland Reporter-Herald has recently reported that Colorado based Allnutt Funeral Service has been acquired by Service Corporation International and will become part of the company’s Dignity Memorial Network. Allnutt Funeral Service is a 131 year old company that was started in Greeley, Colorado and now has 13 locations. According to Allnutt’s President, Rick Allnutt,…
BUSINESS
Employee benefits in today’s employment environment
I noticed this article in Yahoo Finance this week proclaiming that “Your 401(k) match may not be as generous as it once was“. Here’s what peaked my interest as I read this article, …
Canadian funeral firm sells three funeral homes to non-profit organization
We learned last week from this article in the Peterborough (Ontario) Examiner that the Hendren Funeral Homes have sold their three funeral homes to Opus Tribute Group. According to the article, “Opus Tribute Group…
Jefferson movie to soon be streaming
It’s been about three years since we told you that Producer Dean Jones and actor Kevin Sorbo were filming the production of a movie based on the real-life of funeral director Danny Jefferson. …
FINANCE
Propel Funeral Partners acquires three firms, provides guidance
Propel Funeral Partners recently announced that they had acquired three funeral businesses that operate out of four separate properties and do an approximate combined 700 services annually. The company announced that the aggregate revenue…
Canadian funeral firm sells three funeral homes to non-profit organization
We learned last week from this article in the Peterborough (Ontario) Examiner that the Hendren Funeral Homes have sold their three funeral homes to Opus Tribute Group. According to the article, “Opus Tribute Group…
Everstory Partners adds New Jersey cemetery to its group
Everstory Partners the cemetery heavy company that operates more than 460 cemeteries, funeral homes, and crematories in the United States and Puerto Rico announced last week that they had acquired the Franklin Memorial…
REGULATIONS
Employee benefits in today’s employment environment
I noticed this article in Yahoo Finance this week proclaiming that “Your 401(k) match may not be as generous as it once was“. Here’s what peaked my interest as I read this article, …
Canadian funeral firm sells three funeral homes to non-profit organization
We learned last week from this article in the Peterborough (Ontario) Examiner that the Hendren Funeral Homes have sold their three funeral homes to Opus Tribute Group. According to the article, “Opus Tribute Group…
Cemetery sued over private casket-lowering policy
When I was a practicing funeral director I was well aware of safety concerns at the cemetery when the casket was lowered into the vault and grave. Our good friends from Wilbert Vault were…
CEMETERY
Everstory Partners adds New Jersey cemetery to its group
Everstory Partners the cemetery heavy company that operates more than 460 cemeteries, funeral homes, and crematories in the United States and Puerto Rico announced last week that they had acquired the Franklin Memorial…
Cemetery sued over private casket-lowering policy
When I was a practicing funeral director I was well aware of safety concerns at the cemetery when the casket was lowered into the vault and grave. Our good friends from Wilbert Vault were…
Cuba’s crisis with death
Cuba, the island country only 90 miles off the Florida coast has a crisis with death and Death Care. If you look at the Wikipedia page for Cuba you will notice that the population…
CREMATION
Pizza Hut, Batesville, and CANA
Pizza Hut, Batesville, and CANA? A reader sent me an article earlier this week that brings these three topics into a Venn diagram sort of picture for me. First of all, the…
Cuba’s crisis with death
Cuba, the island country only 90 miles off the Florida coast has a crisis with death and Death Care. If you look at the Wikipedia page for Cuba you will notice that the population…
Is the “Choice” of cremation a mirage that may disappear??
On a rainy Monday Minnesota morning earlier this week I was doing my run indoors on the treadmill while I watched CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” business news broadcast. On that show Softbank CEO…
PRENEED
Connecticut budget includes money for victims of allegedly stolen pre-arrangements
Earlier this month, as you can read in this article from NBC Connecticut, the legislature of Connecticut passed their state budget which included the “Act Concerning Unlawful Funeral Service Practices”. The state appropriated…
Consumer Preneed motivations from Homesteaders survey results
Preneed insurance provider Homesteaders Life Company released their 8th annual Preneed Motivators survey last week. According to this press release from which you can download your own copy of the survey results, “. .…
SCI Earnings Call: CEO Tom Ryan answers on Preneed and Managing
Service Corporation International reported on their 1st Quarter of 2026 about ten days ago and then followed that up with an Earnings Call with stock analysts that follow the company. As usual Funeral Director…
PRODUCTS
Jefferson movie to soon be streaming
It’s been about three years since we told you that Producer Dean Jones and actor Kevin Sorbo were filming the production of a movie based on the real-life of funeral director Danny Jefferson. …
Everstory Partners adds New Jersey cemetery to its group
Everstory Partners the cemetery heavy company that operates more than 460 cemeteries, funeral homes, and crematories in the United States and Puerto Rico announced last week that they had acquired the Franklin Memorial…
Pizza Hut, Batesville, and CANA
Pizza Hut, Batesville, and CANA? A reader sent me an article earlier this week that brings these three topics into a Venn diagram sort of picture for me. First of all, the…
