I’m one that always tries to gather information from whatever source(s) I can when I analyze anything. As we’ve moved through the Covid-19 pandemic that has been a frustrating proposition, because from my point of view, I have seen analysis and decisions all become too political in nature and I have a hard time deciphering what to believe and what not to believe in what I hear. There is no doubt that funeral homes, funeral home owners, and funeral home […]
There is a new play out called “Cremation: The Play” and it is set to be live-streamed beginning tomorrow on Lemonade. It will also be live-streamed on Saturday and Sunday. Cost to watch the live-stream is $20 and includes a Q & A following the production with the producers and cast. You can see information on the play here from a short notice in Broadway World. They mention that it is about the writer and director’s experience of working in […]
Since the world started to deal with the deaths related to the Covid-19 pandemic beginning in March and April of 2020 there has been a question in the death care world about the theory of “pull-forward” deaths. . .and if there are “pull-forward” deaths, what will that do to the profession in the years following the pandemic. First of all, the theory of “pull-forward” deaths are that in many cases the pandemic virus weakened the oldest and most frail in […]
It never ceases to amaze me how as habits change, some things stay the same and just keep rolling along. I don’t mean that in any negative way, but as death care is looking at new options such as alkaline hydrolysis, green burial, and natural organic reduction in the future, the tried and true ways of death care with expansion and acquisitions are evident every day. Today we will tell you about three events we heard about last week. Anthem […]
Park Lawn Corporation (PLC) the public company whose website tells of the company owning and operating 138 funeral homes and 135 cemeteries located in 16 states and 3 Canadian provinces, reported their 4th Quarter and Year End 2021 results last week. And, like other public companies they were able to report success in almost all financial categories in 2021. For instance, for the 4th Quarter of 2021 PLC reported (in US dollars) revenue of $78.15 million in comparison with revenue […]
I’ve been an entrepreneur and started new companies so I know the drive and dedication behind one who does so. And, to invent a new industry, which in some cases may include legislative law changes, to start the company in that environment is an even tougher hill to climb. That’s why I’m such a fan of Katrina Spade and her undeniable determination to bring “Natural Organic Reduction” (NOR) – better known by many of us as “Human Composting” – to […]
There is no doubt that the world is a smaller place today because of the information that can be received instantaneously. Look no further than war reporting and satellites in the sky — during World War II information on battles took days to reach American civilians while today reporters are in the field and send information via satellite in real time. It is no different in the business world, including the world of funeral service, where customs and best practices […]
In Minnesota being at the “Lake Cabin” from Memorial Day to Labor Day is cherished time. We are having our cabin kitchen remodeled this winter and expect to purchase new appliances to be in place by Memorial Day. It’s interesting as we look at appliances to purchase “availability dates” are a new variable in what we are going to be buying. “Availability dates” have up until this time never been an issue when buying products in my lifetime. However, the […]
It was news in February 2002 when a player in one of North America’s most sacred occupations was discovered to have stored, what is believed to be, 344 dead human bodies that were poised for cremation. It was what became known to many of us as the “Tri-State Crematory Scandal.” Led to discovery from an anonymous tip, the circumstances at the Georgia-based crematory led to a 12-year prison sentence for the crematory’s owner. It also led to many of us […]
Throughout my entire career in a small community, the funeral homes and the cemeteries helped each other out. We had somewhat of a mutual dependence on each other that helped us both. For instance, when our funeral home served a family we would always suggest earth burial or entombment for the full body casketed funeral as well as for the cremation that would need a place for permanent memorialization. We were happy to send the family over to the, mostly […]
