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. Jefferson had been honored as the American Funeral Director magazine “Funeral Director of the Year in 2017”. The film,…
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 Park in central New Jersey. You can read about the transaction from the Everstory Partners website here. The cemetery…
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 article sent to me, which you can access here, was concerning the purchase of Pizza Hut (all except the Mainland…
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 usually the ones who did that work and I always respected their space while doing so. Most of the time…
When you think about it, the death of a loved one sets in motion a chain of events that, in many instances and dependent on family economics, cannot be stopped. There is the death, the disposition and/or services, and the wrapping up of the estate, or as commonly called, the estate settlement process. …
BUSINESS
Colorado city tackles cemetery issue
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…
NFDA, Selected Independent Funeral Homes to pursue merger
Yesterday we received this press release from the National Funeral Directors Association that stated a Letter of Intent was signed between the Boards of Directors of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) and Selected…
The U.S. still has Covid-19 deaths
Maybe it is just because I want to put that time period out of my mind but I don’t think of the global pandemic of 2020-2021 very often anymore. It was a time period…
FINANCE
SCI 2Q 2026 Report: I see higher revenues, but funeral margins, gross profits challenged
Service Corporation International (SCI) reported their 2nd Quarter of 2026 on July 29 — which happened to be a bad day on Wall Street. On that day the Dow Jones Index dropped 2.19%,…
Can “Roll-ups” work in a “Price-Sensitive” environment
Earlier his week I heard from a couple of people who notified me that Foundation Partners Group (FPG) apparently had a recent round of employee layoffs. That seems to be confirmed by employee and…
Somebody finally said it, “Industry revenue for Death Care is estimated to drop”
Over the years that I owned and operated a funeral home I saw an increasing cremation percentage almost every year. And, like most funeral homes, my charges for traditional burial were more than my…
REGULATIONS
Colorado city tackles cemetery issue
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…
NFDA, Selected Independent Funeral Homes to pursue merger
Yesterday we received this press release from the National Funeral Directors Association that stated a Letter of Intent was signed between the Boards of Directors of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) and Selected…
The U.S. still has Covid-19 deaths
Maybe it is just because I want to put that time period out of my mind but I don’t think of the global pandemic of 2020-2021 very often anymore. It was a time period…
CEMETERY
Colorado city tackles cemetery issue
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…
National “Cremation Placement Day” coming on October 17
If you are in the Death Care business you know that the number of cremated remains that reside in peoples’ homes is a large, and more than likey, growing number. Some estimate that…
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…
CREMATION
National “Cremation Placement Day” coming on October 17
If you are in the Death Care business you know that the number of cremated remains that reside in peoples’ homes is a large, and more than likey, growing number. Some estimate that…
Can “Roll-ups” work in a “Price-Sensitive” environment
Earlier his week I heard from a couple of people who notified me that Foundation Partners Group (FPG) apparently had a recent round of employee layoffs. That seems to be confirmed by employee and…
Pure Cremation exec: Is the “At-Need choice” death market contracting?
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…
PRENEED
Pure Cremation exec: Is the “At-Need choice” death market contracting?
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
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…
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…
PRODUCTS
“Complimentary Disposition”. . . Another uphill climb for the traditional operator?
Recently, to prepare for a presentation at the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) annual convention I’ve been looking into the future to try and see where Death Care is going. And, I’ve been…
OneRoom’s “Stories” feature is proving successful
There seems to be an amazing number of technological advances coming into Death Care that can help funeral homes, crematories, and cemeteries enhance the services that they provide. Many of these breakthroughs can…
The Natural Funeral brings Natural Organic Reduction to the local level
In a press release we received last week we learned that The Natural Funeral, Inc. of Colorado is bringing their Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) program to the Northeast and Southeast parts of the United…
