October 2014

MAGAZI NE
Oc t o b e r 2 0 1 4
CEMETERY FUNERAL CREMATION
Cremation in
Kansas: Olathe
Memorial ofers
many options
Cremation:
Fairhavens pocket
cremation garden
How to properly
manage remains
Witness Crematory
helps families see
value in services
Making money
providing cremation
New pacemaker
could pose challenge
Museum showcases
the profession
Celebrants: Making
sure new directors
learn arrangements
Maple Groves
dedication to the
dead and the living
Promoting Create a
Great Funeral Day
ICCFAU yearbook
T T H A
JANUARY 14-16, 2015
BALLYS/PARIS
RESORTS & CASINOS
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
PROGRAM
HIGHLIGHTS
INSIDE, PAGE 101
CONFERENCE
SALESPEOPLE:
LEARN TO PROVIDE
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Passages AD
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page 107 (C3)
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NMS AD
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page 108 (C4)
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SRS AD
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page 3
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Coldspring AD
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page 4
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Astral AD
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6 ICCFA Magazine Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staf
The cremation garden at Olathe
Memorial Cemetery in Olathe, Kansas.
Details, page 72.
OC T OB E R 2 0 1 4
International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association
Promoting consumer choices, prearrangement and open competition

16 CREMATION/LEGAL ISSUES
Three dos and donts of cremation prearranging Last issues article
about how same-sex couples can appoint an agent to be in charge of each
others disposition drew questions about whether this process can be used
in other cases. Yes, it can. But wait, theres more!
by Poul Lemasters, Esq.
18 CREMATION MEMORIALIZATION
Creating a place where people will want to visit their loved ones
Cremation presents cemeterians with a conundrum: How do they get in
front of families to talk about permanent memorialization? But it also
offers opportunities to cemeteries that want to optimize their land use.
interview of Tiffany Gallarzo by Susan Loving
24 CREMATION LIABILITY
How to properly manage remains before, during & after cremation:
A 10-point identifcation and verifcation procedure At how many
points in the process do you verify identity when handling a cremation?
If you answered less than 10, you should consider revising your
procedures.
by Jim Starks, CCrE, CFuE
30 Proper temporary storage of cremated human remains
30 CREMATION
Witness Crematory helps families see value in services Michigan
Memorial Parks new Witness Crematory was built to be seen and to
welcome families to view and even participate in their loved ones
cremation.
interview of Kelly and Dan Dwyer by Susan Loving
36 CREMATION/MANAGEMENT
How to make money as a provider of cremation services The question
for funeral service providers today and in the future isnt whether youre
going to be serving more cremation families, its whether youre going to
be serving them while running a proftable business, or serving them until
you go out of business.
by Dan Isard, MSFS
40 CREMATION/TECHNOLOGY
New pacemaker in the works could complicate cremation
People in the death-care business need to stay informed about a wide
range of topics, including technology and not just in the area of
communications. Funeral directors and crematory operators should be
aware that a tiny pacemaker that would leave no telltale scars or bumps
is now undergoing testing.
by Lacyn Barton
10 The business we are all in
together by Fred Lappin, CCE
12 Washington Report
VA publishes new regulations about
veterans burial benefits; IRS
denies non-profit cemetery
company tax-exempt status
because of ownership
by Robert M. Fells, Esq.
66 Supply Line
72 Update
72 Olathes cremation garden
garden blooms with options
83 Calendar
82 New Members
106 Classifieds
106 Ad Index
Providing exceptional education, networking and legislative guidance and support
to progressive cemetery, funeral and cremation professionals worldwide
f
Check us out on Facebook!
Like us and friend
ICCFA Staff.
Eagle Granite AD
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page 7
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42 PUBLIC RELATIONS
Funeral museum showcases the importance of what we do
At this museum, funeral directors can learn more about their
own professions history, but more important, the general public
can gain an appreciation for the importance of funeral service and
memorialization.
by Sandra Cook
48 CELEBRANTS
Teach your children well: Making sure the funeral directors
of tomorrow start out knowing how to handle arrangements
Do funeral directors just need to learn how to handle cremation
arrangements better, or do they need to learn how to handle all
arrangements better?
by Glenda Stansbury, CC, CFSP
52 CELEBRANTS
Celebrants offer Irish an alternative to religious or humanist
funerals
reprinted from Funeral Service Journal
54 COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Events honor the dead, bring life to Maple Grove Cemetery
When brainstorming community event ideas, the Friends of Maple
Grove Cemetery fnd inspiration easily at hand in the lives of the
cemeterys residents and the cemetery itself.
by Susan Loving
59 Community events confrm the cemeterys mission
by Bonnie Thompson Dixon
64 COMMUNITY OUTREACH/PRENEED
How Create a Great Funeral Day can promote preplanning
Halloween and Dia de los Muertos arent the only death-themed
October events. Create a Great Funeral Day is the perfect time for
your funeral home or cemetery to invite people into your facility.
by Gail Rubin, CT, CC
85 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/ICCFA NEWS
ICCFA University The best educational experience in the
cemetery, cremation and funeral profession
90 Valedictory speech Becoming more in order to better serve
grieving families by Becca Ehlert
90 Valedictory speech Learning the need for a unifed profession,
and teamwork by Richard Winter
T A B L E OF C ONT E NT S
ICCFA news
97 Take advantage of your newest
membership benefits
97 Suppliers: Were looking for companies
to offer ICCFA members discounts
98 Supply Link to be sole online ICCFA
supplier directory beginning October 1
98 Caseload survey online at ICCFA Caf
98 Thank you Fall Management Conference
Corporate Partners
99 Smartphone app lets you take
ICCFA anywhere you go
100 ICCFA, CANA partner for Ohio cremation
training in October
100 2014 ICCFA
KIP Awards deadline: November 28
100 PLPA monthly webinar schedule
101 ICCFA Wide World
of Sales Conference:
Service That Sells
105 Registration form
ICCFA calendar
2015 Wide World of Sales Conference
January 14-16 Ballys & Paris
Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
Co-Chairs: Paul Goldstein and Wanda Sizemore
2015 Annual Convention & Exposition
April 8-11 Henry B. Gonzalez
Convention Center and The Grand Hyatt
San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Co-Chairs: Caressa Hughes and Daniel L. Villa
2015 Fall Management Conference
September 30-October 2
Loews Ventana Canyon, Tucson, Arizona
2014 ICCFA University
July 17-22 Fogelman Conference
Center, Memphis, Tennessee
Chancellor: Jeff Kidwiler, CCE
2016 Annual Convention & Exposition
April 13-16 Ernest N. Morial Convention
Center & Hilton New Orleans Riverside,
New Orleans, Louisiana
ICCFA-CANA (register at www.ohio-fda.org)
Cremation Arranger/Crematory
Operators Certification
October 28-29 in Ohio
PLPA webinars (register at www.iccfa.com/events)
Sales & You: Educating vs. Selling
October 7 with Coleen Ellis
The Joys of Pet Trusts
November 4 with Peggy Hoyt
Business Planning Basics
December 2 with Coleen Ellis
www.iccfa.com
Directories
www.iccfa.com/directories
Web Expo directory of suppliers and
professionals
Association directory
Industry event calendar
Cremation Coaching Center
www.iccfa.com/cremation
ICCFA Caf
Links to news and feature stories from all
over the world
Blogs by ICCFA members
Model guidelines
ICCFA Government and Legal Affairs
Committees model guidelines for state
laws and regulations
Starmark AD
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nTo apply for ICCFA
membership:
Download an application
at www.iccfa.com, or
Call 1.800.645.7700
lappinf@
sharonmemorial.com
Lappin is president
and CEO of Sharon
Memorial Park, Sharon,
Massachusetts and
Knollwood Memorial Park,
Canton, Massachusetts.
by ICCFA
2014-2015
President Fred
Lappin, CCE
Presidents Letter

October 2014
VOLUME 74/NUMBER 8
ICCFA officers
Fred Lappin, CCE, president
Darin B. Drabing, president-elect
Jay D. Dodds, CFSP, vice president
Christine Toson Hentges, CCE,
vice president
Scott R. Sells, CCFE, vice president
Michael Uselton, CCFE, vice president
Jay Brammer, treasurer
Gary M. Freytag, CCFE, secretary
Robert M. Fells, Esq., executive director &
general counsel
Magazine staff
Susan Loving, managing editor
sloving@iccfa.com
Rick Platter, supplier relations manager
rplatter@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1213
Robert Treadway, director of
communications & member services
robt@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1224
Robert M. Fells, Esq., executive director &
publisher
rfells@iccfa.com ; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1212
Brenda Clough, offce administrator
& association liaison
bclough@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700,
ext. 1214
Daniel Osorio, subscription coordinator
(habla espaol)
danielo@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1215
ICCFA Magazine (ISSN 1936-2099) is pub-
lished by the International Cemetery, Crema-
tion and Funeral Association, 107 Carpenter
Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164-4468;
703.391.8400; FAX 703.391.8416;
www.iccfa.com. Published 10 times per year,
with combined issues in March-April and
August-September. Periodicals postage paid
at Sterling, VA, and other offces. Copyright
2014 by the International Cemetery, Cremation
and Funeral Association. Subscription rates: In
the United States, $39.95; in Canada, $45.95;
overseas: $75.95. One subscription is included
in annual membership dues. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to ICCFA Magazine,
107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA
20164-4468. Individual written contributions,
commentary and advertisements appearing in
ICCFA Magazine do not necessarily refect
either the opinion or the endorsement of the
International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral
Association.
The business we are all in together
A
s owners of funeral homes, cemeteries
or crematories, as suppliers or
manufacturers, we tend to think of
ourselves as different from each other, but we
all have more in common than at frst seems
apparent. This is because there is a difference
between the type of business we are in and what
business we are in.
While some companies mission statement
may be closely aligned with the what,
nevertheless it has become clear to me that there
can be a distinct difference between the type and
the what. For example, our company owns and
operates cemeteriesthat is the type of business
we are in. But when making strategic decisions,
we drill down and ask ourselves, What business
are we in? For us, the answer is that we are
in the business of helping people. We then
evaluate what we are contemplating in terms of
how it would contribute to that business.
When I ask people both inside and outside
of our company what business are we in, as
expected, the typical answers are that we are
in the cemetery business, or in the business
of burying people or even in the landscaping
business. While we certainly do all of these
things, my answer is that we are in the business of
helping people, and everything we do is directed
at and focused on that goal.
In my opinion, this is true for all of the various
types of businesses that make up the whole of our
profession. This is the common bond that really
binds all of us together: We are all trying to help
people and serve families the best way we can.
While there are different types of businesses,
at the end of the day all of us are in the same
business, and we are all focused on the same
thing: helping families.
Considering the challenges we all face,
and given the changes in end-of-life choices
people are making today, it has never been more
important to recognize this common goal. We
need to fnd ways to collaborate, understand,
develop synergy and work more closely with
other end-of-life service providers in our
profession, and the ICCFA is the only association
that offers this through its events and educational
programming.
When viewed in this light, it is easy to see that
we are more similar to than different from others
in our profession. We are all in the same business,
the business of helping people. r
Matthews AD
FULL PAGE
page 11
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rfells@iccfa.com
1.800.645.7700,
ext. 1212
direct line: 703.391.8401
Fells is ICCFA execu-
tive director and general
counsel, responsible for
maintaining and improv-
ing relationships with
federal and state gov-
ernment agencies, the
news media, consumer
organizations and related
trade associations.
MORE RESOURCES
Wireless. ICCFA
members, send us your
email address and well
send you our bi-weekly
electronic newsletter full
of breaking news.
by ICCFA
General Counsel
Robert M. Fells,
Esq.
T
he U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
has published its fnal regulations, effective
July 7, 2014, to streamline and modernize
the way it processes and pays out veterans burial
benefts. Here are the more signifcant changes:
Clarifes that the defnition for burial
includes all legal methods for disposing of a
deceased persons remains.
Establishes automated payment system to
provide expedited burial funds to an eligible
surviving spouse, as specifed. Further, the VA
may grant additional burial benefts, including the
plot or interment allowance, reimbursement for
transportation, and the service-connected burial
allowance.
Lists the order of priority of payments for
claims received before July 7, 2014, with the
surviving spouse as frst in order, followed by
a qualifed survivor of a legal union, children,
parents and executor.
Specifes that claims for burial allowance
received before July 7, 2014, may be executed by a
funeral director, if the entire bill or any balance is
unpaid. (If unpaid bill or the unpaid balance is less
than the applicable statutory burial allowance, only
the unpaid amount may be claimed by the funeral
director).
Permits claims for the plot or interment
allowance to be executed by the funeral director, if
the director provided the plot or interment services
or advanced the funds to pay for them, and if the
entire bill for such or any balance is unpaid. (If
the unpaid bill or the unpaid balance is less than
the statutory plot or interment allowance, only
the unpaid amount may be claimed by the funeral
director.)
Clarifes that the VA will determine if a
veterans remains are unclaimed and the specifed
director of the VA regional offce will immediately
complete arrangements for burial in the appropriate
cemetery.
Stipulates that the VA will reimburse the costs
of transportation of a veterans remains for burial
in a national cemetery, as specifed.
The VA has developed special guides for funeral
homes and cemeteries in assisting families and
in applying for benefts. These can be viewed at
www.cem.va.gov/funeraldirector.asp. r
VA publishes new regulations
about veterans burial benefts
Washington Report
IRS denies non-proft cemetery company
tax-exempt status because of ownership
T
he Internal Revenue Service has published a
private letter ruling (LTR 201428029) holding
that a nonproft cemetery company does not qualify
for a tax exemption under Sec. 501(c)(13) of the
Internal Revenue Code.
This determination was made based on the
fndings that the cemetery is effectively controlled
by private individuals who do not qualify as bona
fde members within the meaning of Sec. 501(c)
(13).
That is, the persons effectively controlling the
cemetery company are not owners of burial spaces
within the cemetery held for their personal use.
Under Sec. 501(c)(13), the IRS requires that
the cemetery is owned and operated exclusively
for the beneft of your members and that no part of
the net earnings will inure to the beneft of private
individuals.
This letter ruling raises concerns over the
level of control that the owners of a tax-exempt
cemetery may have without jeopardizing the
cemeterys tax-exempt status.
The IRS says that a private letter ruling applies
only to the party requesting it, and cannot be cited
as precedent by other taxpayers not a party to
the ruling. However, letter rulings are useful for
determining the thinking of IRS staff on particular
issues.
The text of this letter ruling can be viewed at
www.irs.gov/pub/irs-wd/201428029.pdf. r
ICCFA member beneft: The ICCFA Government and Legal Affairs Committee has developed a set of 28 model
guidelines for state laws and regulations, which have been approved by the ICCFA Board of Directors. The guidelines com-
bine a sensitivity to consumer protection issues with the need for all industry members, whether for-proft or not-for-proft,
cemeteries, funeral homes, retail monument dealers or crematories, to conduct their operations according to sound business
principles. Go to www.iccfa.com and click on the GOVT/LEGAL tab for more information.
CMC AD
FULL PAGE
page 13
4-COLOR
CREMATI ON/ LEGAL I SSUES
T
he use of an appointment of agent
for same-sex partners was recently
explained. (Can John handle
funeral arrangements for Bill? in the
August-September 2014 issue of ICCFA
Magazine). After that article appeared,
many people called and emailed to ask,
Am I limited to using this form in same-
sex situations or can I use this form in
other situations?
The answer is a resounding yes,you
can use it in other situations. But, as with
any great product, Wait, theres more!
Appointing an agent to handle
cremation is a great tool for same-sex
partners, and it is a tool that works for
all cremation prearrangements. But in
addition to this form (a sample form is
available at www.iccfa.com to ICCFA
members), there also are other things a
provider can and should do to make the
at-need process a better experience.
For purposes of this article, a better
experience means that the business and the
consumer have fewer issues with paperwork
and the cremation procedure. This article
looks at the prearrangement process as it
relates to cremation and tells you about a
few things a provider should do and a few
things a provider should never do.
Three dos
1. Encourage the appointment of an
agent. As pointed out in the previous
article, the use of an appointment of agent
form is a great practice. While the previous
article focused on this form for same-sex
partners, there are numerous other times
this form is useful and benefcial.
In fact, I recommend that if your state is
one of those which allows an appointment
of agent, you have your business use it in
every preneed funeral arrangement. Every
preneed funeral arrangement? Yes, every
single one.
Consider the following examples. If
an individual with fve children wants to
prearrange a cremation, it is quite common
that at the time of the cremation, all fve
children will have to sign the cremation
authorization form. (It is best practice to
always require all individuals in a class to
sign).
For the provider, how easy is it to
get all fve children into your offce to
sign? For the family, how likely is it that
everyone is local, available and willing to
come in to sign the form?
By using the appointment of agent
form, the individual and the provider
can designate one child to handle the
arrangements at the time of need.
Lets say the individual in the previous
example has only two children. The
appointment of agent is still benefcial,
because it allows one child to take control
and prevents the problem of having two
children who disagree about what should
be done.
If an individual has no children, or no
family, the appointment of agent allows the
individual to have someone take control at
the time of need and prevents any issues of
who is able to sign authorizations.
There are countless other examples and
scenarios I could provide, but I can never
list them all. Every funeral director will
at some time face a scenario that no one
could have imagined.
By using an appointment of agent
authorization form in all prearrangements,
the provider protects the family and the
business from all those unforeseen issues
that canand typically dohappen.
2. Document the cremation plan
Last issues article about how same-sex couples
can appoint an agent to be in charge of each others disposition
drew questions about whether this process can be used
in other cases. Yes, it can. But wait, theres more!
Three dos and donts of
cremation prearranging
513.407.8114
poul@lemastersconsulting.com
Lemasters is principal of Lemasters
Consulting, Cincinnati, Ohio.
www.lemastersconsulting.com
He is an attorney and funeral director,
graduated from the Cincinnati College of
Mortuary Science in 1996 and from North-
ern Kentucky University, Chase College of
Law, in 2003. He is licensed as a funeral
director and embalmer in Ohio and West
Virginia and admitted to practice law in
Ohio and Kentucky.
by Poul Lemasters, Esq.
ICCFA Magazine author spotlight
Go to www.iccfa.com to the Cremation
Coaching Center, where you can post a
question for Lemasters to answer.
More from this author
ICCFA membership beneft
He is the ICCFAs special crema-
tion legal counsel. ICCFA members in
good standing may call him to discuss
cremation-related legal issues for up to 20
minutes at no charge to the member. The
association pays for this service via an
exclusive retainer.
Lemasters also provides, to ICCFA mem-
bers in good standing, free GPL reviews to
check for Funeral Rule compliance.
to page 16
Vision Casket AD
FULL PAGE
page 15
4-COLOR
One of the most frustrating issues
encountered is the family who comes in
to make arrangements and says, He just
wanted a cremationbut there is no
documentation of those alleged wishes.
While documentation alone is no
guarantee, it does help show the wishes of
the deceased if there are questions from
or disagreements among survivors. If an
individual wants cremation, it is extremely
helpful to document that desire in the
prearrangement. And when you document
an individuals wishes, make sure to get all
the details.
While most funded prearrangements
detail choices, sometimes prearrangements
just allot a certain sum of money, with
arrangement details to be determined at the
time of need. If details are provided, many
times they lack specifcity, which can
create issues at the time of need.
As an example, consider the indivi-
dual who preplans cremation, with
arrangements simply indicating a direct
cremation. At the time of need, the family,
consisting of three children, cant decide
what to do with the cremated remains.
One child thinks dad wanted an urn,
another child thinks dad wanted his
remains scattered and the third child
wants to bury the cremated remains. Who
decides? And how do you, as the funeral
director, get the three of them to come to a
decision they all agree with?
If the prearrangement had discussed
fnal disposition of the cremated remains,
the disagreement could have been avoided.
With unfunded prearrangements, it
is very common to have no details at
all, other than very limited biographical
information for the individual. It is best
practice to get the individual to identify
what type of service he or she wants and to
document those wishes.
For cremation, those documented
wishes can help to avoid disputes and also
settle disputes that may occur. Most people
think cremation is a simple choice
and do not understand the legalities and
procedures involved.
By explaining the need to document
what each individual wants, the provider
can educate consumers and create a
framework that can assist the family at
the time of need rather than create more
questions.
I should point out that some states
treat funded, prearranged cremation
arrangements as binding. That means the
provider may proceed with cremationbut
(of course, theres always a but) there still
can be issues. While the arrangements
may be binding, if they are incomplete
or challenged, the provider can be
placed in a worse position. That is why
communication is so important.
3. Explain the at-need process. Commu-
nication is key in any process; many
lawsuits are at least partially caused by
poor communication. When a provider is
making cremation prearrangements, it is
critical to explain the at-need process so
that issues can be avoided.
Well at least mom came in here and
took care of everything so we dont have
to do anything.
Most providers have heard something
like this at the time of need. Many people
believe that if preneed arrangements have
been made, there is nothing left to do
except to die.
But often there are many questions still
to be answered and many processes left to
be completed at the time of death. This is
even more of an issue when cremation has
been chosen, because there are many steps
in the cremation process that cant occur
until the time of death.
As an example, consider the identif-
cation of the deceased. Most people
have no knowledge of this requirement,
whether it comes from the funeral home,
the crematory or from state law. Without
knowing, let alone understanding, this
requirement, many families who thought
Mom took care of everything become
frustrated when told identifcation is
necessary.
Mom said everything was taken care
of, its just a cremation, so why are they
having to jump through these last-minute
hoops? In some cases, families believe the
cremation provider is simply trying to take
advantage of the situation and asking for
more to be done than the deceased wanted.
It is important to communicate with
people making prearrangements to make
sure they understand two main things:
What can be done now and what will need
to be done at the time of death.
I suggest a list, a preprinted document,
designed just for prearranged cremation
cases. It should detail what has been done
and what still needs to be done, along
with a description. This form should
identify things that will need to be done
at need, including identifcation of the
deceased and completion of a cremation
authorization form.
Three donts
1. Do not have someone sign a preneed
cremation authorization form. Everyone
wants to make things easy, and cremation
providers are no exception.
Many provi ders, in an effort to save
families the hassle of paperwork at the
time of death, try to either use a preneed
cremation authorization form or have the
individual fll out an at-need authorization
form so the family can just sign it later.
These are not good practices and can
lead to problems. (By the way, problem
is a nice way of saying lawsuit.)
There are many reasons not to get
anything signed or flled out before need,
but lets look at just one: Things change.
Imagine having someone come in and
prearrange, saying, I have no spouse; my
two kids are all I have. No, I do not have a
pacemaker.
Now fast-forward two years. That
individual has died. You call the kids
and say, Everything is on fle, can we
proceed? Their response is Of course.
Please hurry because we want to hold a
memorial service tomorrow.
You go ahead with the cremation.
Exactly one day later, you get a call asking
about the arrangements. When you explain
the cremation has already taken place, the
Many provi ders, in an effort to save families the hassle of paperwork at the time of death,
try to either use a preneed cremation authorization form or have the individual fll out
an at-need authorization form so the family can just sign it later. These are not good practices
and can lead to problems. (By the way, problem is a nice way of saying lawsuit.)
from page 14
Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com October 2014 17
caller asks, How did you do that already
when I, the spouse, have never been
contacted? Im sure I dont have to tell
you, but thats a problem.
Yes, some states do allow preneed
cremation authorizations, but you need
to understand the holes this process can
create and make sure you have a process in
place to deal with them.
You also should be aware that some
states have rescinded their previous OKs
of preneed cremation authorization forms
or self-flled cremation authorization
forms, specifcally because of the problems
they have caused.

2. Do not recommend setting out service
and disposal wishes in a will. Many
providers have a family member come in
with a will that states that the deceased
wanted to be cremated. Many times
the will even states that the executor is
authorized to handle and be responsible for
the cremation.
Here is the problem: In many states,
the executor is far, far down on the list
of people who are given priority as far as
authorizing/handing a cremation. By law
in those states, a child, a sibling or other
relative higher up on the list can trump the
person named in the will.
There are other problems with appoint-
ing someone via a will. For example,
this may confict with state laws about
appointment of an agent. Many states
identify the form and information required
to appoint an agent.
Normally the will is very basic in its
handling of the issue. It simply states that
the deceased wanted cremationor, even
more common, and more of a problemthe
will simply says the executor is to handle
the fnal disposition of the deceased.
If the wording isnt in the proper form,
or if it doesnt specifcally state cremation,
the person named in the will, as well as
the service provider, could be heading for
trouble.
Another issue with a will is the timing
of the document. Many times the will
is not read until after the funeral, so it
provides no help to the family or service
provider.
3. Do not aim to make cremation the
Quick, Simple and Easy alternative.
Im not going to change the consumers
belief that cremation is quick, simple and
easy. But it is important to understand that
service providers are responsible for the fact
that consumers have this quick, simple,
easy belief about cremation, and only
service providers can change this belief.
When it comes to prearranging
cremation, many providers go out of their
way to try to make the process so quick,
simple and easy that they create problems
for themselves down the road.
Many families prearrange for a direct
cremation because they want to keep
it simple. As a provider, we know the
process isnt so simple. There are more
steps and requirements for cremation than
for a burial.
Even so, many providers hear direct
cremation and then support the misconcep-
tion of an easy and simple choice by saying
things such as, Its all on fle and funded,
so you have nothing left to worry about.
When they fail to inform the family
about all the steps that will have to be
taken at need and the potential issues,
providers are reinforcing this quick,
simple, easy mindset of consumers.
As a provider, you must slow down the
process and lay out all the details that will
be a part of the cremation process.
While you do not want to fll out the
authorization form on a preneed basis, you
can certainly show the form to the family
at the prearrangement conference so they
understand what will be required later.
As I said earlier, sharing the details of
what will happen at the time of need is a
great way to cover this issue.
This little list covers just a few things
that a provider should think about when
prearranging a cremation. Cremation, that
so-called quick, simple and easy process,
can become diffcult, time consuming and
plagued with problems.
But there are ways to limit the potential
problems and make the cremation pro-
cess a smoother one at the time of need.
As is true with so many things, better pre-
paration can produce a superior product.
Take the time to improve your preneed
process so that your at-need process is as
problem-free as possible. r
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tgallarzo@fairhaven
memorial.com
CREMATI ON MEMORI ALI ZATI ON
F
airhaven Memorial Parks new
Eternal Springs Cremation Garden
was a decade in the making. In 2003,
Tiffany Gallarzo, vice president of family
service for Fairhaven Memorial Park and
Mortuary in Santa Ana, California, read a
story in ICCFA Magazine about a pocket
cemetery at Horan & McConnaty in
Denver, Colorado, that made use of extra
land at their funeral home.
Intrigued and inspired, she kept the
article for future reference. When Fairhaven
was going through a master planning
process for half of its remaining eight acres
of undeveloped land, she returned to the idea
of a small, inviting space.
Making the idea a reality turned out to
be more diffcult than she anticipated, but
Eternal Springs Cremation Garden is fnally
a reality.
ICCFA Magazine talked to Gallarzo
about Fairhavens cremation offerings and
the new cremation garden, what it offers
families and what it does for the cemetery.
What is the cremation rate in your area?
Were located in Orange County, California,
where the cremation rate is 64 percent. Our
rate at Fairhaven is 44 percent.
Why do you think that is?
I think combination facilities tend to have
a lower cremation rateif theyve been
around for a long time, and our cemetery
has been here for more than 100 years.
I dont think that would apply to a brand-
new cemetery.
Is your on-site crematorium at the
cemetery?
Well, since were a combination facility
everything is in one location. Both the
crematory and the mortuary are located on
the cemetery grounds.
We had the frst crematory in Orange
County, in the 1930s. People are always
asking, Youre not still using that same
crematory, are you? No, weve updated,
added a retort and added a cremation
Creating a place where people
will want to visit their loved ones
Gallarzo is vice
president of family
service for Fairhaven
Memorial Park and
Mortuary, Santa Ana,
California.
www.fairhavenmemorial.com
She has 22 years of experience in the
funeral and advance planning profession,
as well as extensive experience in brand
management, marketing and public rela-
tions.
She is a licensed funeral director and life
insurance agent and is an instructor in the
ICCFA University J. Asher Neel College of
Sales & Marketing. She holds a bachelors
degree in psychology.
by Tiffany Gallarzo
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight Cremation presents cemeterians with a conundrum:
How do they get in front of families to talk about
permanent memorialization? But it also offers opportunities
to cemeteries that want to optimize their land use.
Looking into Fairhaven Memorial Parks Eternal Springs cremation garden, designed
to provide a space where families will want to linger while visiting loved ones, as well
as to make the best use of the cemeterys small amount of undeveloped acreage.
The 2003 story in ICCFA Magazine
(then Cemetery & Funeral Manage-
ment) about Horan & McConnatys
pocket cemetery that inspired
Gallarzo.
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An aerial view of Fairhaven Memorial Parks Eternal Springs Cremation Garden. Two of three small mausoleums are visible; they
offer niches behind a waterfall mosaic, by Alexander Studios, facing the garden and crypts on the sides of the buildings. The niche
walls are by Honor Life. The three bridges are also forms of memorialization, cenotaphs called bridges of memories. Honor Life will
engrave the interlocking pavers as people buy them in memory of loved ones. The garden includes 175 cremation memorial stones.
witnessing area.
Do you handle third-party cremations?
No; we just do cremations for our com pany.
We have two additional mortuaries and a
cremation society, and do a total of about
800 cremations annually.
What is your cremation memorialization
rate?
Fifty percent.
Thats good. Has that changed over the
years? Have you done anything to try to
increase it?
We are always trying to promote memori-
alization; were always trying to come up
with unique offerings. Thats why we put in
the ossuary and the different columbariums
we have. Its not really the reason why
we put in the new cremation garden, but
Eternal Springs does give us another unique
offering.
Weve also run preneed promotions,
where if you purchase a niche you receive
your cremation services for free.
About 53 percent of our cremation
memorialization is above-ground, with 47
percent in-ground, grave burial.
The ossuary accounts for a very small
percentage; we created it to provide an
alternative to scattering at sea. Its a very
inexpensive option for families who want
a permanent place to remember and dont
want the cremated remains just scattered to
the wind.
The next smallest percentage is
cremation family estates, because only a
very specifc demographic is going to want
something like that.
Are any types of cremation memorial-
ization increasing or declining in
popularity?
Thats an interesting question. I havent
seen anything really decline. I think all of
our cremation memorialization options have
been increasing through the years. When I
started at Fairhaven in 1992, our cremation
rate was 22 percent and now its 44 percent.
As its risen, weve seen all cremation
memorialization options increase.
What can you tell me about the
development of the Eternal Springs
garden?
That 2003 story about Horan & McCon-
natys pocket cemetery made an impression
because we are very space conscious.
Replacement cost for cemeteries is very
high, especially here. We live in a very
densely populated metropolitan area, so
were always looking for ways to use our
cemetery property effectively. I thought it
was such a neat idea, how much you could
do in such a small area. I absolutely fell in
love with the idea.
At that time, we were creating a master
plan for four of our eight undeveloped acres,
and we knew we were going to include a
new cremation garden.
Eternal Springs is only 3,800 square feet,
so its a very small portion of the four acres.
We needed something that would separate
an existing developed lawn area from the
new section, but also provide a connection.
What we ended up with is three small
stand-alone mausoleums and a niche wall
between the lawn and the cremation garden.
Those niche walls go all the way around,
so they create an exclusive area. Its kind of
like a cemetery within a cemetery.
The mausoleums have 72 companion
and 72 single crypts, and on one sidethe
side facing Eternal Springsmosaic niches
depict waterfalls that appear to be fowing
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The gardens benches have backs to make it more comfortable for visitors to linger in the garden and enjoy their surroundings.
into the real water that fows through the
cremation garden. Its like a three-part
picture of a waterfall running through a
mountain landscape; the last mosaic is a
continuation into the real waterfall that
anchors the Eternal Springs garden.
When we were in the planning stages, we
went and saw other cremation gardens, and
I really wasnt impressed with a lot of them.
It seemed like they had every single type of
cremation memorialization you could think
of all in one area, which seemed disjointed
to me. It created an uncomfortable feeling.
We wanted everything to be in harmony,
to have a purpose and intention, to fow.
Eternal Springs garden doesnt have
straight lines. We curved the setting of the
columbariums; we have a meandering stream.
We wanted it to appeal to all the senses,
so that people could listen to the running
water and the birds, see the beautiful
surroundings and smell the fowers. We were
very conscientious about using certain plants
that would attract butterfies. We picked
willow trees because of the way they move.
Everything is fowing, very comfortable.
I kept that magazine all those years
during what was a long process. We didnt
start selling the garden preneed until around
2007, and we didnt start construction until
September 2013, so its been a very, very
long project. Its so amazing to actually see
it completed.
If it hadnt been for that article 11 years
ago, I dont know that we would have done
in that area. It was defnitely a struggle.
We talked to people who specialized in
columbariums, who had done cremation
gardens, but they didnt understand the
feeling we were going for, the vision we
had.
We wanted people to stay a while when
they visited. Id watch people come into a
garden, bring fowers and stand there for
a few minutes and just leave, because it
wasnt a comfortable environment. It wasnt
someplace where you could sit and read a
book, or just think.
We wanted people to have a feeling of
being in nature, in beautiful, calming and
nurturing area. The choices we made in this
project were designed to create comfort. We
have benches with backs on them so they
can sit back and relax.
It doesnt seem like it should be diffcult
to explain, but we kept getting proposals
using hard lines, boxy niches. People
kept telling us that what we wanted to do
couldnt be done in the space we had. We
fnally enlisted the help of a local landscape
architect, Richard Price, who was able to
pull it together for us.
In the end, it turned out exactly as we had
hoped it would. I call it a cemetery within a
cemetery. Its exclusive yet inclusive.
Have you made any sales yet?
We sold about 9 percent of what we initi-
ally released pre-development, which was
about half of the inventory. This summer, we
released an additional 20 percent.
Weve had a lot of interest in it, and I
think its because we developed a virtual
tour to explain what it would look like
before it was built. We had a beautiful
virtual tour available on our website, and
people fell in love with the idea.
To get back to the subject of memorial-
ization, are there any specifc ways you
work to promote memorialization to
families who come to your mortuary?
We do; we take all of our families on a tour
of everything so they see the mausoleums,
even if theyre cremation families, and
We wanted it to appeal to all the senses, so that people could listen to the running water
and the birds, see the beautiful surroundings and smell the fowers.
Some of the cremation gardens curving paths, rock memorials and landscaping.
vice versa. A burial family will see Eternal
Springs even though theyre interested in
burial, because theyre going to become a
part of our Fairhaven family and we want
them to know what the park offers.
We even take families who dont plan to
memorialize on a tour. So that helps. During
the tour we talk about the importance of
having a place to remember, because thats
what we believe.
There isnt any specifc technique our
counselors are taught to use. We have
some promotions on the at-need side, a
certifcate of credit. If a family decides not
memorialize at that moment, well give
them a certifcate offering credit toward the
purchase of cremation property that has to
be used within a certain amount of time.
Many times people are just uncertain, and
after they take the remains home they start
thinking, Maybe we really should have
done something, and this encourages them
to come back.
And the deadline gives them the all-
important call to action.
Exactly.
We also try to do a lot of awareness.
While we were in the predevelopment
stage, we entered a home and garden show
at South Coast Plaza, a very large mall in
our area, and we brought a portion of the
cremation garden to the show. That piqued
peoples interest: Oh, I didnt realize you
could do that.
Sometimes when people think of a
cemetery, they just think of one type of
memorialization, so we need to show them
all the different things you can do and how
beautiful they are. r
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jim@jstarksconsulting.com
Starks is president of
J. Starks Consulting, Lutz,
Florida.
http://jstarksconsulting.com
He previously served as vice president
of compliance and operational support for
Keystone Group Holdings, overseeing all
aspects of compliance with OSHA, FTC,
ADA, cremation practices and procedures,
burial and cremation packaging, harass-
ment, risk management and internal op-
erational audits at more than 200 locations
in 32 states and one Canadian province.
He is dean of ICCFA Universitys
College of Cremation Services. He is a
graduate of the University of Wyoming and
the Mid-America School of Mortuary Sci-
ence, and is an ICCFAU graduate.
He maintains his licensure as a funeral
director and embalmer in the states of
Michigan and Indiana and is certifed as a
crematory operator by both the ICCFA and
CANA.
He earned his expertise in operations
management as president of Kerley &
Starks, a family funeral home operation
which handled more than 600 calls per
year. He managed 75 employees in four
funeral homes, three cemeteries, a crema-
tory and a vault manufacturing facility.
When the business was sold to Prime
Succession, he became the organizations
director of compliance, overseeing risk
management for more than 130 funeral
homes.
CREMATI ON LI ABI LI TY
At how many points in the process do you verify identity
when handling a cremation? If you answered less than 10,
you should consider revising your procedures.
How to properly manage remains
before, during & after cremation
A 10-point identifcation and verifcation procedure
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
by Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE
C
remation is a large part of the
death-care businessthe crema-
tion rate in the United States is
averaging around 45 percent and rising.
And cremation is also the leading area for
liability and litigation in the death-care
business. Making a mistake could cost your
frm $1 million as well as providing you
with advertising you dont want.
In order to ensure that families receive
the cremated remains of the deceased they
entrusted to your frm, checks should be
performed at 10 identifcation verifcation
stages.
Crematories providing services to
funeral homes should do this. Funeral
homes and cremation societies that use
third-party crematories also should use the
procedure I am going to describe.
If you have a crematory that handles
cremations for other companies, you
should verify that those organizations have
identifcation procedures to cover the areas
that your crematory does not control.
The same is true for funeral homes and
societies using third-party crematories:
In addition to making sure their own
verifcation procedures are complete, they
need to make sure the crematory they use
is following proper verifcation procedures
for all the stages under its control.
The bottom line is this: Do not use a
frm that does not have proper identifcation
procedures in place. If the crematory you
use does not have suffcient identifcation
procedures, the correct business decision
is to select a different crematoryone that
does verify the identity of the deceased
at each step listed below that is under its
control.
1. Verifcation of identity at the place
of death. When a death occurs, the removal
staff needs to verify the deceased they are
taking into their care is the one they have
been requested to remove.
Many deaths occur without identif
cation attached to the deceased. To reduce
the chance of misidentifcation, you should
implement the following procedures
immediately if you do not already require
that identifcation be placed on the
deceased as part of your procedures for
handling removals. Even if your funeral
home already does so, the following
guidelines should be incorporated into your
policy:
Use waterproof identifcation bands
made of tear-resistant material. The bands
should be impossible to remove by any
method other than cutting.
Keep identifcation bands in each
removal vehicle. If an outside removal
service is used, furnish the service with
a supply of identifcation bands for its
removal vehicles.
Write the information on the identi
fcation band using a pen with indelible ink
(i.e., a Sharpie.) At a minimum, include the
full name of the deceased and date of death.
This information must be clearly printed.
Never, under any circumstances, write
the deceaseds name or other information
on the arms, legs or any other part of the
body.
Identify the deceasedbefore
attaching the funeral home identifcation
band. This can be accomplished by a
preexisting identifcation band, a relative
or a person who knew the deceased, an
employee of the hospital or nursing home,
etc. It is important that the name of the
deceased corresponds with all existing
paperwork.
Attach the identifcation band to the
deceased at the place of death. Even if there
is other identifcation on the deceased, the
band should be attached. If possible, do not
remove the other form of identifcation.
Place the identifcation band around
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the deceaseds ankle, or around the wrist
if an ankle cant be used. In the event the
deceased is in a disaster pouch, securely
attach the identifcation band to the pouch.
Never remove the identifcation band
once it has been attached.
2. Family identifcation at the funeral
home. Does your frm require positive
identifcation before cremation or simply
offer the family the option? Believe it
or not, there are still frms not requiring
positive identifcation because it takes too
much time!
In todays deathcare world, it is no
longer an option; it needs to be required of
families selecting direct cremation as their
method of disposition for their loved one.
Remember, cremation is an irreversible
process.
Positive identifcation by viewing
must be required for many reasons. Of
course, the identifcation process cannot
be accomplished by viewing in some
cases, such as with fetuses, remains in
a state of advanced decomposition or
remains severely burned in a fre. Other
methods of identifcation may be needed
in other circumstances as well. But
special circumstances aside, the visual
identifcation process must take place.
A frm cannot be selective about for
whom positive identifcation is done.
This needs to be standard with all crema
tion cases where there is not going to
be a private or public viewing. This
identifcation must always take place at
the funeral home and not at the residence
or other place of death, to make sure there
has not been a mixup at your location by
your staff.
Before the family identifcation
takes place, it is critical that staff verify
the identifcation band attached to the
deceased.
The most appropriate and effcient way
to have the identifcation take place is to
have the deceased viewed in the container/
casket selected by the authorizing
agent(s). There are two reasons for this.
Number one, the family will know that
the container/casket they selected is the
receptacle that their loved one will be
cremated in.
Number two, following this procedure
reduces the number of times the body
is moved around. When the human
remains are identifed lying on a dressing
table which is then wheeled back to the
embalming room or refrigeration unit and
the deceased later placed in the cremation
container, there is another chance for a
mixup with other remains.
In a perfect world, the person making
the positive identifcation would be the
spouse, child or parent of the deceased.
However, sometimes an inlaw, clergy
member or another person who knew the
deceased will make the identifcation.
The closer the relationship between the
identifer and the deceased, the lower the
risk for misidentifcation.
3. Verifcation before leaving the
funeral home to go to the crematory.
Before the deceased is transferred to the
crematory, there needs to be verifcation
that all paperwork has been completed.
Once the paperwork has been verifed, two
staff members should further verify that
the name on the paperwork matches the
identifcation placed on the deceased at the
time of the removal.
The name of the deceased also should
be on the head end of the container going
to the crematory. If a casket was selected,
the name can be written on masking tape
and placed on the head end of the casket.
Again, the name on the container should
be the same as on all the paperwork. If the
paperwork says James, it should not say
Jimmy or Jim on the container.
4. Verifcation upon delivery to the
crematory. Verify all required permits
accompanying the deceased are fully
completed with the same name appearing
on all paperwork. If any of the required
paperwork is not fully completed, the
crematory operator should hold further
processing of the deceased until the
paperwork is completed.
Verify the authorization for cremation
is completed and has not been altered.
Never use Whiteout on any paperwork.
If a correction or change is needed, either
start a new form or draw a line though the
mistake and write the correction next to
the mistake, with your initials next to it.
Verify that the name on the
authorization for cremation corresponds to
the name on the container and the ID on
the deceased. After the identifcation has
been completed, a prenumbered stainless
steel disk needs to be assigned to the
deceased.
This number should be recorded on all
accompanying paperwork and written on
the container. Once the cremation process
starts, this disk is the only identifcation
that can track and verify the identity of the
cremated human remains.
The identifcation process should take
place with a representative of the funeral
home present. At the conclusion of this
process, the crematory should issue a
receipt of human remains to the funeral
home representative.
This documentation is critical to the
funeral home, as it demonstrates proper
chain of custody in the transfer of the
deceased from the funeral home to the
crematory.
5. Verifcation before placement
in the cremation chamber. Before the
human remains are placed in the cremation
chamber, it is critical to verify that the
name on the outside of the cremation
container/casket is the same as that on all
paperwork. In addition, the number on the
stainless steel disk must be the same as
that written on the cremation container/
casket and on the paperwork.
The stainless steel disk should be placed
inside the cremation chamber with the
remains. From this point going forward,
the disk will provide identifcation.
The paperwork also should accompany
the remains during the cremation process,
with no other cremation paperwork kept in
the same area. Why? So theres no chance
of paperwork for two different cases being
mistakenly switched.
6. Verifcation at the beginning of the
clean out of the cremation chamber. At
the start of the cleanout of the cremation
chamber, the tracking number on the
stainless steel disk needs to be checked to
make sure it corresponds to the number on
the paperwork. After the cremated human
remains have been retrieved and are in the
cleanout container, the stainless steel disk
needs to be placed on top of the remains.
Again, the name on the container should be the same as on all the paperwork.
If the paperwork says James, it should not say Jimmy or Jim on the container.
to page 28
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In cleaning out the cremation chamber,
all measures should be taken to remove as
much of the remains as possible. If there is
visible residue remaining, the crematorium
is not doing its job correctly, and is increa
sing the degree of co-mingling on each
case handled.
7. Verifcation at the start of pro
cessing. Before processing of the cremated
human remains begins, verifcation that
the disk number matches both paperwork
and container labels needs to be taken care
of. It is critical that no other paperwork,
cremated human remains or containers are
in the area while each persons remains are
being processed.
8. Verifcation before the cremated
human remains are placed in the urn/
container. Again, before the cremated
human remains are placed in an urn
or other container, the disk number,
paperwork and labels all need to be
verifed to make sure that all names and
tracking numbers correspond.
The stainless steel disk should be
placed in the plastic bag or attached at
the top of the plastic bag with locking
strips after the bag has been flled with
cremated human remains. This disk is the
main identifcation method for tracking
cremated human remains and needs to stay
with them at all times.
Also, all layers of packaging (plastic
bag, urn/temporary container and card
board box if used) need to have identifca
tion labels securely attached. If keepsakes
are being used, each keepsake needs to
have a small label placed on the bottom of
it at the time of flling.
9. Verifcation when the urn/
container is given to the funeral home.
A systematic series of procedures designed
to document activity and certify accuracy
is the most obvious way to ensure liability
safe cremation.
First, verify the name on the container
or urn, comparing it to the funeral homes
paperwork at the crematorium. The name
on the urn must be the same as that on the
authorization accompanying the deceased
to the crematory.
It is also critical to verify that the
name on the Certifcate of Cremation
corresponds to the name on the authori-
zation. And if a tracking number is used
and listed on the paperwork, the same
number must appear on all identifcation
documentation.
When someone from the funeral home
takes possession of the cremated human
remains, that person should sign a receipt
of cremated human remains for the
crematory. This documentation is critical so
that the crematory can demonstrate proper
chain of custody in transferring the remains
from the crematory to the funeral home.
10. Verifcation before the urn/
Shared courtesy of Starks Family Funeral
Homes, St. Joseph, Michigan
O
nce the cremated human remains are
back in control of the funeral homes
employees, remember that the remains were
someones mother, father, sibling or child.
A standard of care needs to continue
from the time the cremated human remains
arrive back at the funeral home until they
are claimed by the authorized representative
or taken to the cemetery for burial.
That means that, for example, storing
cremated human remains on hallway
shelves, an arrangers desk or behind the
offce managers desk is unacceptable, as
those are not secured locations.
Remember, cremated human remains
cannot be replaced if lost. To prevent loss,
we store the cremated human remains in a
secured location with limited access until
they are ready for release or transfer to a
cemetery.
While cremated human remains are
temporarily stored in a secured location,
they must never be stacked on top of each
other. Just as you would not stack human
remains on top of each other, cremated
human remains must not be stacked.
Locked closets or locked fle cabinets
are acceptable storage areas. However, as is
the case with many funeral homes, we dont
have an available area that could safely
hold cremated human remains.
Therefore, we purchased a Gladiator
cabinet, which comes with shelving and
a lockable door. The Gladiator cabinet
is made by Whirlpool Corp., costs about
$300 and is available at bigbox home
improvement stores.
Using this cabinet allowed us to create
a secured storage area that worked for us
instead of trying to carve out space in an
area needed for another purpose.
Along with the secured storage
location, a Cremated Human Remains
Log was developed. This log allows for
recordkeeping and tracking of cremated
human remains when they arrive back at the
funeral home.
We record the following information on
the log:
Name of the deceased
Date of death
Director
Date of cremation
Date placed in temporary storage
Metal ID disk number
Name and signature of person placing
cremated human remains in storage
Type of container or memorialization
Date checked out and released
Name and signature of person releasing
cremated human remains
Two whom the remains were released
Special instructions
Keeping the key for the Gladiator
cabinet with the Cremated Human Remains
Log is an excellent way to make sure the
log is completed when someone unlocks it
to place remains in the cabinet or to remove
them for return to the family. r
Proper temporary storage of cremated human remains
Olivia Starks keeps the Cremated
Human Remains Log with her as she
retrieves remains to give to a family.
from page 26
container is given to the family. Before
the cremated human remains are released
to the authorized family representative,
it is critical to verify that the name on
the temporary container or urn and the
Certifcate of Cremation match the name
on all other paperwork. If the crematory
uses an identifcation number on the
temporary container or urn and Certifcate
of Cremation, these numbers also must
match.
Before releasing the remains to the
family, also verify that the correct urn is
being used and that the cremated human
remains were placed in the urn.
It is not unheard of for a funeral
director to give a family member an empty
urn. This usually happens when an urn is
personalized. When it comes back from the
manufacturer, it is placed on a shelf, and
when the person authorized to pick up the
remains shows up, he or she is given the
still empty urn.
Before releasing a temporary container
or urn, check it not only to make sure it
contains the remains but also to make sure
it is not leaking and does not have any
residue on the outside.
Also, when the authorized represen
tative takes custody of the remains, com
plete a signed and dated receipt stating
that control was transferred. Make a copy
of the representatives identifcation and
attach it to the receipt.
This documentation can protect the
funeral home from future claims, such as a
claim that the remains were released to the
wrong person.
Following the procedures I have out
lined to identify remains before and after
cremation, at a total of 10 stages, reduces
your expoure to liability and assures the
families you serve that you are dedicated
to doing things the right way.
Whenever I write an article on crema
tion, I attempt to upgrade the cremation
procedures many death-care providers
currently follow. I realize that these
procedures may take more time and/or add
to an organizations expenses.
If that is the case for your frm, you
might want to research what you are
charging and adjust prices to refect what
it costs to provide the level of dignity,
respect and peace of mind everyone should
receive when choosing cremation. r
FDR/Osiris AD
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Funeral Call AD
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ACMC AD
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Kelly Dwyer, a fourth-generation
cemeterian and licensed funeral director,
is president and public relations director
of Michigan Memoriak Park, Flat Rock,
Michigan.
kellyd@michmempark.com
Dan Dwyer, a fourth-generation funeral
director, is CEO and general manager of
Michigan Memorial Funeral Home. The
funeral home is a separate company but is
adjacent to the memorial park.
ddwyer@michmemfuneralhome.com
www.mimemorial.com
CREMATI ON
Michigan Memorial Parks new Witness Crematory
was built to be seen and to welcome families to view
and even participate in their loved ones cremation.
Witness Crematory helps
families see value in services
I
n Michigan Memorial Parks new
crematory, its not the shiny new retort
that catches your eye frst, but wood and
marble surroundings. This is defnitely not
an industrial setting crematory.
Kelly Dwyer, president of the cemetery,
and husband Dan Dwyer, CEO and general
manager of Michigan Memorial Funeral
Home are justifably proud of the new
Witness Crematory.
Michigan still does not allow combina
tion operations, so the funeral home and
cemetery are separate companies. The
crematory is owned by the cemetery.
ICCFA Magazine asked the Dwyers to
talk about the Witness Crematory, what
makes it different and how it has affected
both the funeral home and cemetery
operations.
You had a crematory before this one?
Kelly Dwyer: Yes. Michigan Memorial
Park operated a crematory within the
cemetery for more than 20 years before
closing it in 2000.
In Michigan, families must use a licensed
funeral home to direct the crema tion and,
quite simply, funeral homes didnt want
to use ours for competitive reasons, so the
volume level just wasnt sustainable.
This new crematory facility is not just a
replacement for the previous one. Its more
of a suite that includes a witness/viewing
room, a crematory and a processing area,
all of which are always ready for the white
glove test.
Also, the original crematory was located
in a work area that was designed for funeral
directors to drop off the deceased for cre-
mation and then leave. It wasnt designed
for any type family participation, nor did the
surroundings welcome that, unfortunately.
The new crematory suite is designed to
welcome our families and make them feel
comfortable. We also want to help them
take control of the experience to the greatest
extent possible up to and including starting
the actual cremation process.
But the new crematory is located at the
funeral home, not the cemetery?
Dan Dwyer: The new crematory suite is
located inside Michigan Memorial Funeral
Home, but its owned and operated by
Michigan Memorial Park Inc., which is a
separately owned and operated company.
Why a viewing area?
Dan Dwyer: We decided to get a little
crazy, fnally, and actually listen to what
interview by ICCFA Magazine
Managing Editor Susan Loving
The retort is surrounded by wood-grain tile and marble,
making it an area the staff is proud to show families.
sloving@iccfa.com
ICCFA Magazine subject spotlight
Dan and Kelly Dwyer take a break in
the funeral home foyer during the open
house for Witness Crematory.
R&S Design AD
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Kryprotek AD
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our families were telling us. Overwhelm
ingly, they told us that they wanted time
after the arrangements and before the
cremationto spend with their loved one in
a private, comfortable area that didnt make
them feel cheap or rushed.
And, in many more cases than we
expected, they wanted to see the crematory
and their loved one actually in that area
for the peace of mind of knowing that
everything was being done as requested.
What did you do to make it nice for
families?
Dan Dwyer: We added a new witness/
viewing room that has the same dcor as the
rest of the funeral homewarm colors and
comfortable furniture. And privacy.
We didnt spare any expense. We even
renovated the garage area to give it a very
highend appearance. That area is always
available to all of our guests for their
inspection.
What makes your viewing area special/
better?
Dan Dwyer: Other than being the only
funeral home in Michigan with a witness/
viewing room onsite, we added a sleigh bed
for the deceased to be presented in. We have
many friends in funeral service who have
shown us the value of using a bed instead of
a cot or dressing table.
The bed allows for a real, warm and
homelike setting where the family can
spend time with their loved one before the
cremation and without the need to buy or
rent a casket.
We also fnished the crematory room and
autoloader with woodgrain tile and marble
to give it a detailed, fnished appearance.
People really do appreciate details, and the
idea that their loved one is being taken into
a dark, industrial type setting is immediately
dispelled when they see our facility.
What impact has the new facility had on
your operations?
Dan Dwyer: The funeral home cremations
increased from 178 to 196 in the frst 12
months. And, while that doesnt sound like
a lot, the number of those cremations that
converted from direct cremation to a full or
partial service was dramatic.
Kelly Dwyer: Michigan Memorial
Park saw its cremations performed go from
zero to 196 during that same time. So the
workload increased substantially, but so did
customer satisfaction and revenue.
What feedback have you gotten from
The viewing area at the Michigan Memorial Park Witness Crematory includes a window through which the retort area is visible
and a sleigh bed where the deceased can be placed for viewing as an alternative to a table or casket.
CREMATI ON
We decided to get a little crazy, fnally, and actually listen to what our families
were telling us. Overwhelm ingly, they told us that they wanted timeafter
the arrangements and before the cremationto spend with their loved one in a private,
comfortable area that didnt make them feel cheap or rushed.Dan Dwyer
Trigard AD
FULL PAGE
page 33
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families?
Dan Dwyer: The most common feedback
weve received is we didnt know we could
do all of that. Thank you.
Actually, part of our arrangement
process is a complete tour of the funeral
home facilities before arrangements begin.
That includes the viewing/witness room,
crematory and garage area. In general,
it makes for an impressive display with
nothing to hide. People truly seem to
appreciate that.
What is the cremation rate in your area?
Dan Dwyer: The cremation rate in our
market, Southeast Michigan, is right at 50
percent. Our overall funeral home volume
grew quite a bit last year so, were still below
that. In 2013, Michigan Memorial Funeral
Homes cremation rate was at 41 percent.
Michigan Memorial Park offers a lot of
creative cremation memorialization. (The
October 2009 ICCFA Magazine cover
story was on MMPs unique lighthouse
columbarium overlooking the Huron
River.) Is the new crematory affecting
the cemetery and your efforts to promote
permanent memorialization?
Kelly Dwyer: Michigan Memorial Park has
always been very creative and progressive in
fnding unique memorialization options for
cremation families. We currently offer more
than 20 types of cremation memorialization,
including niches in a lighthouse, a butterfy
garden, pedestals, fountains and fower beds,
to name a few.
Even so, as with many cemeteries, our
continual diffculty has been getting in front
of families who have chosen cremation.
Funeral homes, historically and in my
opinion, havent done a very good job of
explaining the value of memorialization to
their cremation families. So, unfortunately,
many families take the cremated remains
home, put them in a closet and forget about
them.
Operating a crematory of our own has
given us a great opportunity to have that
conversation directly with those families
and, consequently, were seeing a great
increase in permanent, above and below
ground memorialization.
Of course, another beneft of operating
our own crematory is that we can make
sure it rises to our standards, aesthetically
and operationally. Were very proud of
everything we have and do and that gives us
a great feeling. r
Above, the fune-
ral home. Right,
Michigan Memorial
Cremation Service
gets prominent bill-
ing on the funeral
homes sign, and
the Witness Cre-
matory brand is
promoted.
The cemetery and funeral home are separate companies but share branding and a
website, which includes a link to cremation on the home page. The link takes visi-
tors to information about both services and memorialization.
CREMATI ON
As with many cemeteries, our continual diffculty has been
getting in front of families who have chosen cremation.
Operating a crematory of our own has given us a great opportunity
to have that conversation directly with those families and,
consequently, were seeing a great increase in permanent,
above- and below-ground memorialization.Kelly Dwyer
MKJ AD
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Rossato AD
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SEP AD
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CREMATI ON/ MANAGEMENT
I
am old. I am old enough to remember
the days when it was impossible to
not make money owning a funeral
home. Back then, everything was package
pricing. You bought a casket and you got
the full service.
Funeral directors of the 1980s were no
more profcient at pricing then than they
are now. Back then, whatever the price of
the casket was, you marked it up six times,
so a casket that cost you $500 resulted in a
$3,000 funeral bill.
Even when the Funeral Rule introduced
itemization, almost every death resulted
in the purchase of a casket, the use of a
limo and one or two days of visitation. You
could not help but make money.
During those days of yore, cremation
did exist. It had been growing (slowly)
since its inception with the frst commer
cial retort in the U.S. in the 1870s. But
in 1985, if you messed up your price on
cremation, it was no big deal. Cremation
was, at most, about 5 percent of some
businesses.
The exception was those liberal
societies of the Northwest and parts of
California and Florida that were already
in the 30 percent range. Still, in 1985 you
were making good money no matter how
bad a businessperson you were.
The inability to render quality service
is not what makes a funeral home owner/
manager a bad businessperson. For the
most part, they all understand whats
involved in providing good quality service.
Simply put, a bad business operator
is someone who does not understand the
issues involved in running that kind of
business.
In my opinion, the two most important
business issues are pricing and marketing.
These are independent actions to some
people, but to me, they are related.
According to Federated Funeral Direc
tors, in 1984 the average proft margin on a
funeral was almost 14 percent of revenue.
In 1984, the national cremation rate was
about 14 percent, according to CANA.
It is only a coincidence these two
numbers are the same. However, as
the cremation rate has risen to almost
40 percent, proft margins in the U.S.
have gone down to about 8 percent. So
cremation is up more than 200 percent and
proft is down about 40 percent.
Pricing cremation services
When thinking about pricing of cremation
services, you have to start from scratch.
Dont look at your competitors. Dont look
at last years GPL. Start from scratch.
What I want you to do is go back to
1984. During the FTC investigation of
funeral service, the commission ultimately
agreed with the funeral homes position
that there should be one basic fee all
consumers should pay, and this fee should
be the only thing that is nondeclinable.
After much wrangling, we gave birth to
the basic nondeclinable fee. This BNDF is
a fee that every family should pay to cover
the common costs of serving families,
regardless of what merchandise or services
they choose, regardless of whether a body
will be buried or cremated or shipped
someplace.
The BNDF is intended to cover the
common costs of staying in business,
which include the services you perform
in conducting the arrangements confe
rence, planning the funeral, securing
the necessary permits, preparing the
notices and coordinating the cemetery or
crematory arrangements. This fee also
may include overhead that you have not
allocated elsewhere.
The BNDF is your friend, yet many
The question for funeral service providers today and in the future
isnt whether youre going to be serving more cremation families,
its whether youre going to be serving them while running
a proftable business, or serving them until you go out of business.
How to make money as a
provider of cremation services
1.800.426.0165
danisard@f4sight.com
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Isard is president of
The Foresight Companies
LLC, a Phoenix-based
business and manage-
ment consulting frm specializing in merg-
ers and acquisitions, valuations, account-
ing, fnancing and customer surveys.
He is the author of several books,
and the host of The Dan Isard Show.
http://funeralradio.com
More from this author
Educational information, including
copies of this article, can be found at
www.f4sight.com
You can follow Isard on Twitter
at @f4sight and like his page on
Facebook.
by Daniel M. Isard, MSFS
Live Oak Bank AD
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page 37
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C R E MAT I ON/ MA NA GE ME NT
treat it like a leper. You cannot have one
BNDF for cremation and one for burial.
You either have a common cost or you
dont.
Beyond the BNDF is the allocated
charge for itemized services. The key thing
to remember is the process of service. Let
me outline the work of the funeral home
in serving a burial consumer versus a
cremation consumer.
As you can see in the chart, steps 1, 2 and
3 are the same. Therefore, you would think
the cost to the consumer would be the
same up to this point, whether traditional
ground burial or cremation is involved.
But in our survey of funeral homes, we
have found that this is not the case more
than 90 percent of the time.
In simple terms, through Step 3, your
pricing would be (using algebraic terms):
So, before you know whether the family
is choosing traditional burial or cremation,
and before you know what kind of
services the family is going to choose, the
subtotaled charge to the family adds up so:
$A +$B +$C = $D
I am using algebraic equations rather
than prices so it wont look like were
suggesting price fxing. What I am trying
to fx is the logic behind funeral home
pricing, which has gone askew somewhere
since 1984.
If a family picks a cremation service,
you would add to your subtotal $D the cost
of that service, and if there is a need to
take a body to the retort, you would add a
transportation charge as well. So the fnal
pricing would be:
$D + Cremation service fee + Transport
to retort fee (if applicable) = Total charge
This service package, logically priced,
would be the same as the FTCmandated
Direct Cremation Package without a
container. The problem is, 90 percent of all
funeral homes discount that fee.
When cremation constituted 5 percent
of your services, you could do that. It
didnt make a big difference. In essence,
you were charging burial families more
in order to give a discount to the few
cremation consumers. It was wrong, but I
realize it did not change your bottom line
substantially.
When your cremation rate is 51 percent
or more, whom are you going to tax to
give cremation consumers a discount?
We have 50 states, and about 19 of them
are at a statewide cremation rate of greater
than 50 percent. If anyone in those 19
states thinks their cremation rate is going
to drop, that is laughable. If anyone in
the 31 states still at a less than 50 percent
cremation rate thinks their cremation rate
wont reach that level in the next 20 years,
that is laughable, too.
For my book, What Every Funeral
Director and Cemeterian Must Know
About Cremation, written almost 10 years
ago, I looked at the states that had low
cremation rates to understand why they
were low.
Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana
were all singledigit cremation rate states
back then. Now they are approximately
20 percent, 15 percent and 23 percent,
respectively. This growth over the past 10
years is huge.
In order to make money as a cremation
provider, you must conquer both pricing
and marketing.
As far as pricing is concerned, I hope
everyone comprehends that cremation is
not going awayits increasing. There
fore, if you are going to be in the funeral
business, you are going to be serving
as many cremation consumers as burial
families. Both groups must equally
contribute to covering the overhead of
your business. Therefore, both must
be charged the accurate amount for the
services they choose.
Cremation marketing issues
Allow me to focus now on cremation
marketing issues.
I was in a fancy steakhouse in Las
Vegas recently. On the menu they offered
grainfed steaks from $40 to $60. They
also had Kobe steaks at $150 to $180. My
frst reaction was that the grain fed steaks
were expensive but the Kobe steaks were
ridiculous.
I eat out quite a bit. I know the price
of steaks from different establishments.
I expected that this restaurants ambiance
would mean higher prices, but the Kobe
beef prices were just silly.
Then the restaurant did something that,
as a management consultant, I considered
brilliant: Someone brought out their
product and showed me three cuts of grain
fed steakbeautiful pieces of meat. Next
to them were the same cuts of Kobe. Now
I could see that, as good as the grainfed
beef was, the Kobe was better. Education
infuenced my decision.
Most funeral homes do not take the
time to explain the differences in what they
offer. If you cannot differentiate yourself
from your competitor, price is the only
differentiator.
This applies to burial consumers, but it
especially applies to cremation consumers.
When marketing your business, you cannot
market your ego; you must market your
differences.
Why are some cremation providers
more expensive than others? Some of the
key differentiators are:
Your funeral facility offers cremation
families more than just a preparation area.
You own a crematory.
Your crematory operator is a
professional and has more education.
Burial call Cremation call
Step 1 Removal Removal
Step 2 Minimal body Minimal body
preparation preparation
Step 3 Arrangement Arrangement
conference conference
Name of charge Price call
BNDF* $A
Step 1 (Removal) $B
Step 2 (Body prep) $C
Step 3 (Arrangement) included in
BNDF
*Basic non-declinable fee
Cremation is not going awayits increasing. There fore, if you are going to be
in the funeral business, you are going to be serving as many cremation consumers
as burial families. Both groups must equally contribute to covering the overhead of your business.
Therefore, both must be charged the accurate amount for the services they choose.
to page 39
You are going to allow the family to
witness the cremation or participate in the
cremation process.
You also need to be prepared to discuss
your competitors vulnerabilities, such as:
Do they use unlicensed staff to do
removals?
Do they have a guaranteed
identifcation system?
Is their building where the deceased is
held until the cremation secure?
Is their retort used for multiple funeral
homes?
What sort of standards do they adhere
to?
The answers to these questions and
others that might apply in your market
can be used to enhance your standing and
explain your pricing.
The biggest marketing advantage
you have is time. The sooner you get an
arrangement in place, the better. There is
more priceshopping for atneed funerals
than for preneed funerals. This applies to
cremations as well.
However, the percentage of preneed
contracts written each year in which
cremation is chosen is far less than
the annual cremation rate. That is
because most people think cremation
is inexpensive, so they dont perceive a
beneft to prearranging. Therefore, you
have to change your focus.
Cremation is simply the method of
disposition; it is not the service. According
to the Wirthlin Survey, only about 11
percent of all consumers want a direct
cremation, which means that 89 percent
want something more.
We have to change our mindset about
cremation arrangements to focus on the
something more. This will bring your
business strengths into play.
You have two options when it comes
to being proftable in serving cremation
families. You can choose to be proftable
or you can choose to be broke.
I am not asking anyone to make an
unconscionable proft on either burial or
cremation, but I do think businesses need
to be proftable.
I think we have more problems (the
kind that end up with criminal charges and
negative publicity) with lowcost providers
than higherend ones. Poverty can cause
even good people to make bad decisions. r
C R E MAT I ON/
MA NA GE ME NT
from page 38
Forever Pets AD
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lacyn@jeffersonmemorial.biz
Barton is general manager at Jefferson
Memorial Funeral Home Inc., Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, part of Jefferson Memorial
Cemetery and Funeral Home.
www.jeffersonmemorial.biz
She is a licensed funeral director, em-
balmer and crematory operator, as well as
a Certifed Celebrant. She has an MBA de-
gree from Regis University and attended
the ICCFA University College of Funeral
Home Management this year.
The funeral home received an ICCFA
KIP (Keeping It Personal) Award in 2013
for Most Personalized Service, honorable
mention.
CREMATI ON/ TECHNOLOGY
People in the death-care business need to stay informed
about a wide range of topics, including technology
and not just in the area of communications.
Funeral directors and crematory operators
should be aware that a tiny pacemaker that would leave
no telltale scars or bumps is now undergoing testing.
New pacemaker in the works
could complicate cremation
ICCFA Magazine author spotlight
by Lacyn Barton
M
any years have passed, but Ill
never forget the look on the
funeral directors face as he fung
a sealed plastic bag onto my desk. It landed
in front of me with a metallic clatter. Fresh
from mortuary school and newly licensed,
I sat frozen and speechless, unable to fnd
the words to express how truly sorry I was
for what Id doneor, in this case, had not
done.
Of course I recognized the remnants of
the device sitting on my desk. There may
not have been a course in mortuary school
entitled How to Apologize to a Third
Party Crematory Operator When You Fail
to Remove a Pacemaker, but I knew I had
screwedup bigtime and I felt about 2 feet
tall.
It was a steep climb up the learning
curve that day as I sat through a lecture on
pacemaker placement and energy sources.
Lesson No. 1: Check the entire torso
for evidence of the device, even under the
armpit.
Lesson No. 2: When subjected to very
high temperatures, pacemaker batteries will
cause explosions that can damage crematory
equipment and put the safety of crematory
staff at risk, especially if a door is opened
for repositioning at an inopportune moment.
That day, I vowed never to make that
mistake again. Like many funeral directors,
I adopted a strict regimen of double
checking cremation authorizations to verify
the known presence of a pacemaker or other
potentially hazardous implanted device that
should be removed.
After reviewing the paperwork, we then
go a step further to physically check all
remains, including those that, according to
the paperwork, do not contain a pacemaker,
using palpation to detect any telltale lumpy
masses beneath the skin. If a device is
located, it is removed with a simple incision
and the cremation process can proceed, free
from worry of the explosions that occur
when lithium batteries are heated and gas
pressures cause casings to burst.
That longtime standard procedure
might not be enough in the future. A new
pacemaker being studied could change not
only the medical landscape but also the
funeral service environment.
Medtronic Inc., a Minneapolisbased
leader in medical technology, is testing
what would be the worlds smallest
pacemaker, the Micra Transcatheter Pacing
System (Micra TPS). About the size of a
multivitamin capsule, the Micra pacemaker
is implanted directly into the heart using a
minimally invasive procedure.
No more surgical incisions or implanted
leads with their risk of infection. No more
unsightly scars on the chest or lumpy masses
beneath the skin.
At this point, the device has entered the
testing stages for FDA approval.
This is all terrifc news for potential
patients, but those of us who might be
providing cremation services someday to
people with such tiny pacemakers in their
bodies have to wonder if this will make our
jobs more diffcult.
Consider the next of kin signing a
cremation authorization who has no
knowledge of the deceased having had
a Micra pacemaker implanted. Without
the telltale lumps and leads to palpate
beneath the skin, how are we, as funeral
and cremation service providers, to know
that one even exists? Since the pacemaker
is so small and has a more compact energy
CREMATI ON/ TECHNOLOGY
source, would we even need to worry about
it?
These were the questions running
through my mind when I picked up our local
newspaper and read the word pacemaker
in a headline. I dont know about you, but
when I see that word, visions of writing a
check for the rebricking of a crematory
retort fash through my mind.
Of course I read the article, and learned
that a physician participating in a national
clinical study for the Micra pacemaker had
recently successfully implanted the device
into two local patients.
I called the doctors offce to inquire
about Micra pacemaker detection and
removal. (Im sorry to report that I forgot
to preface my questions with Dont worry,
your patients are not dead, but I was just
curious)
I was told that the Micra pacemaker
could be detected only with medical imaging
technology, and that as far as removal goes,
it would need to be done by a physician
unless funeral directors everywhere become
specialized heart surgeons.
I decided to contact technology
specialists with my other question: Would
we even have to remove this tiny device at
all? I received conficting responses.
I contacted a technical support advisor at
Brady Tech Services, the technical services
department of Medtronic that specifcally
deals with the bradycardial devices.
I wanted specifc information on the
construction and power source of the Micra
pacemaker and was told that the device
would, in fact, need to be removed to avoid
forceful rupture of the casing.
But a clinical research specialist at
Medtronic said that preliminary research
studies indicated that the device had been
cremation tested and that cremation is not
a concern.
I learned that during these preliminary
research studies, there were small pops and
little noises (during the cremation process)
but the retort suffered no damage and
the Micra pacemaker was deemed safe for
cremation.
Maybe Im used to being extra cautious,
but when I heard there were pops and little
noises during the cremation process, I
thought, something is exploding, right?
Sturdy fre brick may not be at risk from
such small explosions, but what about the
vulnerable cornea of a crematory operators
eye if the retort is opened for repositioning
at that aforementioned inopportune time?
Funeral directors and crematory
operators everywhere will be interested in
knowing the fnal results of these ongoing
Micra pacemaker cremation studies and
whether we will need to institute new safety
procedures as this technology continues to
evolve. r
I was told that the Micra pacemaker could be detected only with medical imaging
technology, and that as far as removal goes, it would need to be done by a physician
unless funeral directors everywhere become specialized heart surgeons.
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copybycook@gmail.com
A Houston-based writer,
Cook writes for regional,
national and international
publications on topics such
as architecture and design,
arts and culture, gardening, fitness and
more. An expert on life and leisure in the
Houston area, she is the author of Relo-
cating to Houston and Surrounding Areas,
and the former the editor of Houston
House & Home and the Houston Visitors
Guide.
The National Museum of Funeral
History is located in Houston, Texas.
For more information, call 281.876.3063,
or go to www.nmfh.org
PUBLI C REL ATI ONS
At this museum, funeral directors can learn more
about their own professions history, but more important,
the general public can gain an appreciation for
the importance of funeral service and memorialization.
Funeral museum showcases
the importance of what we do
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
by Sandra Cook
H
ow do you demonstrate to the
public, as well as current and future
funeral industry professionals,
the importance of funerals? How do you
transport a persons heart and mind to that
moment of being the surviving family
member faced with burying a love one?
The National Museum of Funeral
History (www.nmfh.org) offers 12 perma
nent exhibits that do just this in its more
than 30,000squarefoot facility. The word
facility is quite appropriate, as the museum
facilitates conversations on the often
awkward and unspoken topic of what to do
when a loved one dies.
Opened in 1992, the museum is now
the largest educational center on funerary
customs in the United States. Its diverse
exhibits underscore the importance of funeral
services, burials and remembrance of the
Promote the museum with a link to the
museums website on your website, via
email communications and on Facebook.
Follow the National Museum of Funeral
Historys Facebook page to receive the
latest news and happenings.
Contact the museum to obtain brochures
to be displayed and distributed at your
location.
Request to be put on the priority list for
the museums upcoming membership
program.
The National Museum of Funeral History, located in Houston just
a few miles from Bush Intercontinental Airport, features more than
30,000 square feet of exhibits showcasing the history of funerals
and the need to acknowledge loss and celebrate a life well lived.
Introduction by ICCFA President Fred Lappin, CCE
Most of my colleagues have visited the funeral museum (as it is popularly called) at least
once. If, like me, you made your last visit several years ago, youre in for a big surprise,
because this one-of-a-kind landmark has expanded and is gaining an enviable reputation
in the museum profession as a world-class institution.
So I think its time we take a new look at this public treasure that has more antique
automobiles than many car museums, more U.S. presidential memorabilia than many
historical sites and more papal accessories and artifacts than you can fnd short of taking
a trip to the Vatican.
The National Museum of Funeral History is a living tribute to two centuries of men
and women who dedicated them selves to caring for the beloved deceased and their
grieving families. Everybody who works in our profession should support this monument
of service.
How you can spread the
word about the museum
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PUBLI C REL ATI ONS
dead for people and cultures across the world.
Does the National Museum of Funeral
History illustrate the importance of the
funeral service industry? Most defnitely,
it does, says Robert M. Fells, ICCFAs
executive director and general counsel and a
member of the museums board of directors.
And it is more eloquent and persuasive than
any form of advertising could possibly be.
The extensive exhibits offer touchstones
for all walks of life, connecting people to
the cultural signifcance of funeral services.
The sensational collection of vehicles in the
Historical Hearses exhibit instantly grabs
the attention of antique car admirers.
Those who like to learn about centuries
old religious customs can explore the
extensive Celebrating the Lives and Deaths
of the Popes exhibit featuring the formal
traditions and protocols of papal funerals,
which includes that of the recently canonized
St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII.
For American history buffs, the
Presidential Funerals exhibit walks visitors
through many critical periods in United States
history, with each featured presidents funeral
refecting the customs, mindset and methods
of the era.
Additional exhibits include the popular
Thanks for the Memories display, featuring
Gain a true sense of attending a popes funeral by touring the Celebrating the Lives and Deaths of the Popes exhibit, which
includes a full-scale replica of St. John Paul IIs original crypt, an exact reproduction of the coffn used in the funerals of three previ-
ous popes as well as replicas of other papal vestments by the tailor shop which has made the vestments of the last seven popes.
Above left, the Historical Hearses display ranges from elegant 19th century funeral carriages to the actual hearses used in
the state funeral services of U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford, as well as the funeral of Grace Kelly.
Above right, A Life Well Lived: Fantasy Coffns by artist Kane Quaye, displays 12 coffns, each uniquely created to capture
the essence of the departed, whether a character trait, an occupation or a symbol of ones standing in the community.
Johnson AD
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memorial folders, memorabilia and other
tributes to public fgures, celebrities and
famous animals from stage and screen.
The more technical History of
Embalming traces the meticulous practice
from ancient Egypt through the early 20th
century.
Visitors gain insights into global cultures
through the Ghana and Fantasy Coffns,
Day of the Dead and Japanese Funerals
exhibits, while remembrance of fallen
soldiers moves hearts through the tribute
to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
and Refections on the Wall, featuring
poignant images from the dedication of the
Vietnam War Memorial obtained from the
Smithsonian.
This past summer, the museum featured
the temporary exhibit The Rural Family
Funeral Home: Four Generations of Service
and Sympathy, which focused on 100
years of funeral industry memorabilia from
the Redinger Funeral Home in Seiling,
Oklahoma, and highlighted the shift we
are seeing in which many people entering
funeral service today are frstgeneration
professionals rather than the youngest
members of familyrun frms.
Funeral director now museum guide
Former funeral director Robert Hahn
volunteers at the National Museum of
Funeral History because it feels like home.
I grew up in a funeral home, my father
was a funeral director and I went to school
and ran my family business for a number
of years, said Hahn. When I closed my
funeral home in Pennsylvania a few years
after my father died, I donated many things
to the museum. It was a place I knew could
help future generations understand what this
business is all about.
Hahn now lives in Houston and
volunteers as a docent, guiding groups on
tours of the exhibits. The museum takes
visitors on a fascinating journey into not
only where we came from as an industry,
but also through the trends, customs and
traditions from around the world, he said.
The museum hosts a variety of groups on
a regular basis. Group tours for high school
students, medical and nursing students and
professionals, senior citizens and groups
organized by funeral homes explore the
museum throughout the year. Each visitor
takes away a deeper understanding of the
role of funerals, memorials and cemeteries
in our culture.
Our visitors span all ages and most
come back several times, bringing each
generation along to experience what we
have to offer, said Hahn.
The museum gives visitors a much
needed understanding of the funeral
industry, Hahn said. They can see
how customs were started, and why the
embalming process was so important in
many parts of our history. The exhibits also
show how taking care of our dead is an
integral part of how we cope with loss. We
tend not to look at death until it is directly in
front of us. At that point, it is a painful and
often emotionally taxing time. Our museum
demonstrates how caring for our decedents
has allowed the grieving to grieve and life
to continue and grow.
Voices of museum visitors
It makes sense that those working for or
with the museum have good things to say
about the museum, but how about the
visitors? We talked to some of those who
were touring the museum on a Wednesday
afternoon this past June.
Wayne Rischel of Smithfeld,
Pennsylvania, opted to visit the museum
on the recommendation of his cousin, who
owns a funeral home. I think its fantastic.
There is a lot of history here. Its very, very
interesting to see how they did things way,
way back and how they are done now. Its
similar to how doctors have revised their
methods over the years.
It makes you realize all the culture and
history of how society mourns, said Amy
Hearn of San Antonio, Texas. Seeing the
various caskets on display can stimulate a
discussion with your family. Hearn, who
lost her father last year, says it is comforting
to walk through the museum and realize
that for every individual funeral represented
in the exhibits there was a family that went
through the same emotions of loss and grief
that she did.
This place is awesome, said Larnya
Walker, a hospice nurse from Houston.
Walker said she is a trivia and history buff,
and spent much of her visit exploring the
Presidential Funerals and Thanks for the
Memories exhibits.
Its fascinating how beautiful and
PUBLI C REL ATI ONS
If you operate a cemetery or a funeral home and you dont have brochures for the National Museum
of Funeral History readily available to your families and visitors, youre missing an important
opportunity to promote your own business.ICCFA Executive Director Robert M. Fells
The History of Embalming chronicles the preservation of human remains, from
the mysterious rituals of ancient Egypt to the frst techniques used in America
during the Civil War and into the early 20th century.
detailed the carriages are for the horse
drawn hearses, said Cindy Ortiz of
Houston. Its interesting to see how funeral
history has evolved.
Brent Peavy, a mortuary student from
Dallas, Texas, took time to visit the museum
after hearing his classmates rave about
the exhibits. I could have spent hours
and hours in the History of Embalming
exhibit, said Peavy, who had to leave to
catch a plane. Visiting the museum is very
educational, excellent for anyone in the
industry. I will absolutely be back.
A resource for everyone
The museums role as an industrywide
resource is exactly what its founder
envisioned. The museum was started by
Robert Waltrip, a thirdgeneration funeral
director, because he saw that the history of the
funeral service industry was disappearing,
said Robert Beotticher Sr., the museums
CEO and board vice chairman. Originally
the museum was developed as a resource
for funeral directors, but over the years, it
has evolved, with most of the exhibits now
geared toward the public.
The museum has become an educa tional
center for the public to understand the human
need to have funerals and memorials and to
grieve as a community, and the therapeutic
value of acknowledging loss and the life well
lived, Boetticher said.
The museums library has grown to
include back issues of Mortuary Manage ment
magazine in a bound collection dating back to
1914. The archives also contain back issues
of ICCFA Magazine, American Funeral
Director and Southern Funeral Director, as
well as numerous books and video archives
on the subject of funerals, burials and
memorials.
The library collection is just scratching
the surface of its potential, said Boetticher.
For 22 years, the museum has established
itself as a resource for the industry and the
global community.
I hope more people across the funeral
industry will come and experience the
museum for themselves. They will see the
museum is a place to learn about death, how
to cope with death and how ceremonies and
funeral traditions celebrate life. It also gives a
glimpse into our profession. You can see what
funeral directors go through to help families,
guiding them through the process.
Not just anyone becomes a funeral
director, said Genevieve Keeney, museum
president and COO. The museums exhibits
demonstrate how funeral ser vice is a time
honored profession that is still evolving.
Theres a continuity of compassion over the
centuries that maintains a certain level of
respect and dignity.
Hahn encourages members of the industry
to make the effort to visit the museum. We
are constantly growing and offering new
exhibits and experiences. As an industry, it
is important for us to be open and share our
traditions, our processes, our history.
Funeral professionals can learn a great
deal by visiting the museum, said Boetticher.
Ive been a funeral director for 49 years, and
if I hadnt been involved with the museum
for the past 20 years, I wouldnt know
much about the early years. The museum
helps industry professionals and the general
public learn the meaning behind the terms,
practices and traditions of the industry and
our culture.
Keeney and Boetticher encourage
individuals and organizations to make
donations, whether of money or funerary
items, as well as to spread the word about the
museum and its purpose. Wed love to see
more industry support through attendance,
donations and membership, said Keeney.
The museum has become a repository,
flling the needs of the industry and the
general public to form a collection that
gives signifcance to singular items, said
Boetticher.
Getting more members of the general
public to experience the museum will
have a positive effect on the industry, Fells
suggested. The impact on the public is
different in the sense that individuals vividly
experience the importance that funeral service
has had throughout history. Nobody wants
to be forgotten, and funeral service, together
with memorialization, fulflls a need that
is instinctive in people. The goal should be
simple: if you want more funeral customers,
you need to let more people know about the
funeral museum.
The museum as a whole represents the
purpose of celebrating a life welllived,
Keeney said. This is the professions mu
seum; it belongs to funeral directors and
industry professionals all over the world. r
PUBLI C REL ATI ONS
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4-COLOR
CELEBRANTS
S
he was a beautiful young funeral
director sitting across the table from
me in the arrangement room. She
fdgeted, coughed and sighed, and was
clearly not comfortable.
She graduated from a well-known
mortuary college, fulflled all of her
requirements, passed the National Boards
and served a year as an apprentice in a
large city at a very busy frm. Yet when I
asked her how to begin an arrangement
conference, she looked at me in open fear
and said, I have no idea. I dont even
know how to introduce myself.
I swallowed hard and tried not to
look completely shocked. I asked how
many arrangements she had observed or
participated in during her apprenticeship.
None. None? None.
What did she do during her appren
ticeship? Spent most of her time in the
prep room or handling the minutia at the
funeral homecleaning, handing out
service folders, hauling fowers, washing
cars. She had never sat with a family in
grief, had never watched an experienced
funeral director guide a family through
those diffcult waters of emotion and
decisions, had never spoken to a family.
Never.
The frm where she currently worked
had brought me in as a consultant to do a
training all morning for their staff on how
to improve arrangement conferences. Then
they asked me to do some private coaching
with this young funeral director because
they wisely knew that she needed a lot of
help. Starting from point zero.
What all students should learn
but arent required to
Ive had the honor of teaching in a
mortuary program for seven years. My
favorite class is titled Communication in
Funeral Service. It has several different
topics that are supposed to be covered
theories of grief, family systems, compli
cated grief, arrangements and a whole host
of vocabulary words that will be included
on the National Board Exam.
I get these poor students for three hours
every week. Pray for them. I tell them at
the frst class session that this will be the
most important class they have. They give
me that give me a break look as only
college students can; all professors say that
about their curriculum.
I tell them that we will cover all the
required material they need in order to pass
their boards in the frst hour of each class.
Then, for the remaining two hours, we
are going to learn how to be good funeral
directors. We are going to learn how to talk
to families.
We discuss frst call and how to be
comfortable just sitting and listening at
those most diffcult and sacred moments
of handing over a loved one to the
professional they chose. We drill on
arrangements and how to put the pencil
down and be present and attentive while
the family tells their story. They have to
give speeches articulating the value of the
funeral.
I tell them this is the most important
class that they will have because if we
dont respond to families at arrangement,
we have lost them, and no amount of
excellent body preparation or creative
video tributes or immaculate cars will win
them back.
The American Board of Funeral Service
Education, the governing and licensing
board of mortuary programs, requires
each student to go through a practicum
experience where he or she serves in a
funeral home under the supervision of a
preceptor. Sort of like student teaching,
Teach your children well
Making sure the funeral directors of tomorrow
start out knowing how to handle arrangements
Do funeral directors just need to learn how to handle
cremation arrangements better, or do they need to learn
how to handle all arrangements better?
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Stansbury is vice
president of marketing for
In-Sight Books, Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma.
www.insightbooks.com
She is a licensed funeral director and em-
balmer and trains funeral directors, cemete-
rians and others as Certifed Celebrants who
meet with families to talk about their loved
ones and plan personalized funeral services.
She is adjunct faculty with the funeral
service department at the University of
Central Oklahoma, where she teaches
courses in funeral service communication
and the psychology of grief and oversees
practicum students.
She and her father, Doug Manning, a
former Baptist minister who became a noted
author of books about grief, developed
the Certifed Celebrant program and have
recently added a new component, to train
celebrant trainers.
glenda@
insightbooks.com
by Glenda Stansbury, CC, CFSP
Contact Stansbury (glenda@insightbooks.com)
or go to www.insightbooks.com, the In-Sight
Books website, for information about celebrant
training sessions scheduled around the country.
How to become a celebrant
How to become a celebrant trainer
Contact Stansbury (glenda@insightbooks.com)
for information on the new training program for
Certifed Celebrants who would like to learn how
to train new celebrants.
NEW
Editors note
The ICCFA believes in celebrant training for
funeral directors and cemeterians who wish
to better help families and to be successful
in the 21st century. In addition to articles by
celebrant trainer Glenda Stansbury of the InSight
Institute, ICCFA Magazine is running, as a regu-
lar feature, stories by celebrants about specifc
services they put together for families.
Contact ICCFA Magazine Managing Editor
Susan Loving, sloving@iccfa.com if you are
a celebrant with a story about a service that
the family involved is willing to let you share in
order to inspire others or if you have any tips for
conducting good celebrant services.
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C E L E B R A NT S
Doug Manning, Teresa Dutko, Wanda Mullins Lee, Glenda Stansbury and
Kathy Burns at the frst training of Certifed Celebrant trainers, held in
Cincinnati. Manning, a former Baptist minister, and Stansbury developed
the training, done through the In-Sight Institute. Dutko and Lee are on
the faculty of the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. Burns is the In-
Sight Institutes mortuary college celebrant program coordinator.
if you will.
Our program at the
University of Central
Oklahoma requires that
the students complete 10
embalming cases, fve
arrangements and fve funeral
services and write case reports
on their experiences. As
practicum supervisor, I get to
visit with the preceptors and
encourage them to involve
these students in every facet
of funeral service so they will
graduate with a more complete
knowledge of being a funeral
professional. While I know that
10 cases is not nearly adequate
to prepare a student for all the
challenges of funeral service,
it is a start, and can be an
excellent opportuity with the
right preceptor.
I assumed that every program had the
same requirements. Imagine my surprise
when I found out that the ABFSE only
requires that the practicum include 10
embalmings. There is no requirement for
practicum to include arrangements. Let me
say that again: There is no requirement for
practicum to include arrangements.
As my dear friend Stephanie Kann,
president of Worsham College, observed,
In this day and time, we may get to em
balm 50 percent of the bodies. But we will
do arrangements with 100 percent of the
families. And yet there is no mandate or
emphasis put on the one area so vital to
creating a trusting and healing relationship.
We just send newly licensed funeral direc-
tors out into the world and hope they pick it
up. Some will be starting from point zero.
Are cremation arrangements
different?
Ive been privileged to be a part of the
ICCFA Cremation Arranger Training
this year. This is a great one-day training
designed by Poul Lemasters to provide a
different conversation about how we handle
the growing number of cremation families.
Everyone agrees that the funeral
profession reacted badly when cremation
frst walked into our doors and weve been
playing catchup ever since. Cremation
arranger trainings have been proliferating
for the past decade as more and more
funeral directors realize that the horse
is out of the barn; we are desperately
trying to bring those immediate cremation
families back to us.
But, as anyone who has read any of my
past musings can attest, Im always asking
why? Never quite content with accepting
the current situation, I want to peek behind
the curtain and get to the root of why we
do what we do.
In this case, it occurs to me that what
we are presenting in Cremation Arranger
Training is nothing more than Arranger
Training 101. How to talk to families. How
to engage the stories. How to be a present
professional as they decide how to honor
their loved one in a healing and healthy
way.
We throw the word cremation in
every once in a while, but all Im present
ing in my little segment of the training
is simply: This is how to do a funeral
arrangement.
Ive gotten good feedback from each of
the ones Ive been a part of. Why? (Theres
that word again!) Simply because Im
touching a place of need for almost every
funeral professional.
We are not
comfortable in the
arrange ment room. We
were not taught how
to engage and relate to
grieving people. We
were given no models
or guidance in all of
our training to become
a funeral profes sional.
We learned from
that guy who would
brag that he could do
arrangements in 15
minutes. We are all
starting from point
zero.
Part of my time
these past couple of
years has been spent
as a private consultant
for frms providing
training for staff. Some want me to talk
about Certifed Celebrants. Some want me
to talk about ceremony. Almost all of them
want me to talk about arrangements. Why?
Because as one owner put it when inviting
me to come train his staff, We suck at it.
So, is this an article about arrange
ments? No, not really. Its an observation
that we can no longer leave these vital
pieces of learning to chance. We must
take an active part in whatever mortuary
program is part of our area and be involved
in training new licensees.
Even if the ABFSE doesnt require it,
we should be ensuring that every student
in every program has plenty of experience
with arrangements, in dealing with
grieving families, in being comfortable
introducing himself or herself and starting
the conversation.
Whether they are practicum students or
apprentices, we are doing our profession
no good if we are relegating these new
members to vacuuming, mowing and
washing cars.
This is a plea to any person who serves
on a mortuary board or as a preceptor to
start asking questions about your program.
How are we equipping our future? How
are we preparing the next generation to
adapt and acquire the necessary skills to be
Even if the ABFSE doesnt require it, we should be ensuring that every student
in every program has plenty of experience with arrangements, in dealing with grieving families,
in being comfortable introducing himself or herself and starting the conversation.
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effective? How can we leave a legacy of
service that can be picked up by the ones
who will follow us?
Training celebrant trainers
As part of that collective effort to provide
a more complete preparatory program for
new directors, we do have some exciting
news. The InSight Institute has trained its
frst mortuary program Certifed Celebrant
trainers. This is a big deal.
For 15 years, as long as my father Doug
Manning and I have been doing celebrant
training, after every training session
someone would come up and say, Id like
to be a trainer. Wed pat them on the back,
tell them to go get some experience and
then, Well see. Every year some people
would ask, When are you going to train
trainers? Wed smile and say Well see.
As my father has gotten on up there in
years (dont tell him I said that, please!),
every year he says to me, What are you
going to do when I cant do this anymore?
Id smile and say, Ill think about that
tomorrow, Scarlet.
We created this baby we call Certifed
Celebrants. We took an idea and combined
training, resources, processes, code of
practice and years of experience into a
pretty comprehensive training.
People think we cant train someone
to conduct funeral services in just three
days. But you ask our trained celebrants,
and most of them will say that they left our
training feeling prepared to take on this
unique, special and important job.
Weve been very protective of the
training. We established it on the basis
that funerals are important to the grieving
experience, and we have grounded every
thing we do on that foundation. Each
element in a celebrant service is focused on
being the voice for families and giving them
a healthy start on their grieving path.
The pretty words and inventive take
aways are nice, but whats really important
is whether you have touched that family
and honored their loved ones life. Thats
the proving ground. And 2,400 Certifed
Celebrants have left our training room
understanding that this was their calling and
their mission. We didnt know if anyone
else could convey that deeply important
message.
But we understand that in order for
Certifed Celebrants to grow and to become
part of the normal fabric of funeral service,
C E L E B R A NT S
From left, Peter McNulty, chair of the
Institute of Civil Funerals; Padraic
Crawley, celebrant; and Jeffrey Baker,
IOCF council member and celebrant.
Editors note: This story is reprinted with
permission from the January 2014 issue
of (Britains) Funeral Service Journal.
I
t may seem surprising that civil funerals
are becoming more popular in Ireland,
as the population is renowned for its strong
Catholic faith. However, according to
Padraic Crawley, celebrant and member
of the Institute of Civil Funerals, who met
up with many ruralbased funeral directors
at the recent Funeral Times trade show in
Dublin, it is indeed a growing trend.
Crawley said there was a widespread
but mistaken perception that anyone who
has an aptitude for public speaking can
manage a civil funeral.
With over a decade of experience In the
funeral trade, I have also been an accredited
member of the Institute of Civil Funerals
since 2011, he said.
There is a period of rigorous training.
which all civil celebrants must undergo
before acceptance into the institute. This
is to ensure a consistency of professional
service and an understanding of what
exactly is required to ensure that the wishes
of the bereaved and their families are
appropriately met.
A civil funeral is defned as a funeral
that is driven by the wishes, beliefs and
values of the deceased and their family;
not by the beliefs or ideology of the person
conducting the funeral.
In essence, said Crawley, it is
a ceremony that is a bespoke service
celebrating the life of the deceased,
unconstrained by the structure or traditions
at a religious service. It is devised by the
family, incorporating poems, readings,
music and stories which best refect the
persons life.
However, unlike a humanist servioe,
a civil ceremony can contain elements of
religion if required by the family.
In terms of procedure, the process is
not unlike that of a normal funeral. The
civil celebrant takes the role of the priest or
vicar, spending time with the family talking
and learning about the life of the deceased
person. Working together, a funeral service
is devised.
Sometimes the role of the civil
celebrant is simply that of master of
ceremonies; at others it can be to lead the
service, including delivering a eulogy.
Locations tor such services can vary.
Generally they are held in a crematorium,
but they can also be held in a funeral home,
private house or graveside.
As a nation, the Irish have always had
a curious interest in funerals They are
occasions when people gather to mourn,
to celebrate the life of the deceased and to
offer support and sympathy to the bereaved.
The tradition of the Irish wake is still very
much in evidence and the convention of a
church funeral has always been very much
part of this custom.
Now, however, added Crawley, a
civil funeral ceremony can ensure that these
traditions are maintained while, at the same
time, honouring the beliefs of the deceased.
Undertakers in Ireland need to be
educated about this option for bereaved
families. At the recent trade show, many
were eager to learn more about this option.
Most were unaware that such a service
existed, believing that the only options
available were either religious or humanist.
The civil celebrant looks to bridge
that gap for the deceased, by offering a
dignifed, personal and in many cases
spiritual fnal farewell belore interment or
cremation. r
Celebrants offer Irish an alternative
to religious or humanist funerals
we are going to need to invite some other
trainers to join us. This has, quite honestly,
been a diffcult and agonizing process.
Heres the big secret: Im kind of a
control freak and I want this training to be
presented in a certain way. Im working
through my anxieties and have reached a
place where I accept that there are many
people out there who have the same
pas sion, the same vision and the same
capabilities for training. Sigh.
Our frst step was to develop a train
ing and franchise license that can be
incorporated into the mortuary programs
as part of the curriculum. We invited
schools that already had instructors who
had undergone our celebrant training
to participate in a training of trainers
experience. People from several mortuary
programs have indicated their interest and
hope to join us soon.
Wanda Mullins and Teresa Dutko
from Cincinnati College of Mortuary
Science were the frst ones to say yes.
We were scheduled to have one of our
Certifed Celebrant trainings in Cincinnati,
sponsored by the Ohio Cemetery Associa
tion in August of this year, so we invited
them to be a part of the training and to
have coaching sessions with Kathy Burns,
the mortuary college celebrant program
coordinator.
Both both attended celebrant training
several years ago and have some experience
in providing services for families. They
also have used some of the concepts in their
curriculum through the years. Now they
will be able to present the complete training
to their students, to graduate each of them
with a Certifed Celebrant certifcate and pin
and to have an entire graduating class going
out into the workforce with this skill under
their belts.
As anyone who has been through our
celebrant training can tell you, not only
do you learn how to provide services, our
training makes you a better arranger, a
better listener and a better professional.
I hope that as this grows among the
programs, well eventually have a genera
tion of funeral practitioners who understand
how to use celebrants, how to embrace the
concepts of ceremony, how to articulate the
value of service to those cremation or non-
traditional families, and who are prepared to
face the challenges that the next decade will
bring. They wont be starting from point
zero. Thats kind of exciting. r
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COMMUNI TY OUTREACH
When brainstorming community event ideas, the Friends
of Maple Grove Cemetery fnd inspiration easily at hand
in the lives of the cemeterys residents and the cemetery itself.
Events honor the dead, bring
life to Maple Grove Cemetery
A
Victorian funeral and a Victorian
wedding. A Civil War living history
presentation and a murder mystery
dinner. A jazz concert and holiday caroling.
A magic show and a buildabot workshop.
A Memorial Day observance and a genealogy
workshop. What do all of these events have
in common? They all brought people into
Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens,
New Yorkand they all had a tiein to the
cemeterys history.
Maple Grove is lucky enough to have
an active friends group with a passion for
bringing the cemeterys history alive. The
group is only nine years old, having been
formed in November 2005, but it has almost
100 members, led by a ninemember board,
and puts on an impressive list of activities for
young and old.
Those efforts got a boost in 2009, with the
opening of The Center at Maple Grove, an
18,000squarefoot building that includes a
community meeting room that can hold up to
60 people and the Celebration Room, which
can accommodate up to 150 people.
Carl Ballenas is president of the Friends
of Maple Grove Cemetery as well as ceme
tery historian (both volunteer positions),
and teaches history at a local school (not a
volunteer position). He said the goal of the
groups programs is to bring people into
Maple Grove. We try very hard with our
events to bring in people, and its sometimes
a little diffcult, because people think, What
would be interesting at the cemetery?
But once people actually come to
by ICCFA Magazine
Managing Editor Susan Loving
sloving@iccfa.com
Carl Ballenas is president of Friends of
Maple Grove Cemetery Inc. and the ceme-
terys historian. He is a schoolteacher.
carl.ballenas@gmail.com
www.friendsofmaplegrove.org
Bonnie Thompson Dixon is execu-
tive vice president and general manager
of Maple Grove Cemetery, Kew Gardens,
New York.
bonnie@maplegrovecenter.org
ICCFA Magazine subject spotlight
The Friends of Maple Grove Cemetery Board of Directors. From left: Carl Ballenas, Bonnie Thompson Dixon, Henry Vas Nunes, Lisa
Erdman, Andrea Crawford, Andrew Koslosky, Helen Day, Judy Close, Carol Goldman, Gavriel Manan and Alex Samaroo. Ballenas is
president of the group; Dixon is executive vice president and general manager of Maple Grove Cemetery.
Dressed in period clothing, volunteers
enact a Victorian-era wedding at Maple
Grove Cemetery. This event, and last
years Victorian funeral tea, honor the era
of the cemeterys founding.
Maple Grove Cemetery is a 65-acre
cemetery located in Kew Gardens,
Queens, New York. Founded as the Maple
Grove Cemetery Association in 1875, it is
listed on the National Register of Historic
Places. The cemetery includes a Victorian
section as well as a 20th-century memo-
rial park section. Maple Grove recently
developed Lakeview Memorial Garden for
people wanting cremation, alternate forms
of remembrance and burial.
www.maplegrove.biz
Maple Groves new Lakeview Memorial
Section.
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an event and see the center, they get a
whole new perspective, and you see a new
receptiveness to what were doing.
Even so, he said the No. 1 factor in
adding an event to the schedule is not simply
potential drawing power but a tiein to the
cemetery. I will not allow anything unless it
has a historical connection to Maple Grove,
Ballenas said. Its very important to me that
were honoring people from our past.
I think in todays society, were losing some
respect for each other, respect that I feel
should extend also to those who are gone.
Im a schoolteacher, and Ive always tried
to instill in students that they should respect
each other.
Fortunately, the eclectic residents of
the 65acre cemetery, established in 1875,
provide an endless source of material, for
those willing to do some researchand
Ballenas and other group members are.
According to (Maple Grove Executive Vice
President and General Manager) Bonnie
Dixon, we have 88,000 interments, and
theyre added to every year, he said.
Jimmy Rushing, who was a singer with
Count Basies Orchestra in the 1930s and
40s, is buried at Maple Grovejazz concert.
Many great scientists, including two of
Nikola Teslas assistants, are buried at Maple
Grovesummer science workshops.
Ive just scratched the surface in terms
of the people weve been doing research
on, Ballenas said. Every day, we fnd
new people who open up possibilities for
programsif youre creative, which is
something else I try to instill in students.
Maple Grove reenergizes him, Ballenas
said. I see it as a new outlet to teach the
community, to teach young people, about
history. He recently wrote an article for
Archivists Magazine about Maple Groves
connection to St. Johns University. Several
professors have created classes based on
research at the cemetery.
One professor did an incredible class
about the 191819 fu epidemic, Ballenas
said. She and her students looked at our
COMMUNI TY OUTREACH
Scenes from this
summers Victo-
rian wedding event
at Maple Grove
Cemetery. One of
Ballenas students
played the groom,
and a one of the
students friends
played the bride.
After the ceremony,
the actors and
visitors (who had to
purchase tickets)
attended a reception
held in The Center
at Maple Grove.
The Friends of Maple Groves Victorian wedding re-enactment featured a real couple buried at Maple GroveMary and Jona-
than Cowardbut not their actual wedding, which took place 50 years after the young people had been separated by the Civil
War. The Friends decided to imagine what the wedding would have looked like if it had taken place during the Victorian ers. The
wedding provided attendees not only with a living lesson on what a Victorian wedding looked like, but also a history lesson.
The wedding party was flled out with people whose history Ballenas researched and talked about before the ceremony. Balle-
nas told attendeees that Mary Coward was a direct descendant of Priscilla and John Alden of the Mayfower love story. A letter
that Jonathan wrote to his mother in 1861 about his experiences in the Civil War was read. The minister was the Rev. Charles
Camp (buried at Maple Grove), who helped lay the cornerstone for the foundation of the Statue of Liberty. Jacob and Elisabeth
Riis were chosen to serve as best man and maid of honor due to the fact that May 26, 2014, was the 100th anniversary of Jacob
Riis death. The celebrated reformer, journalist, author and photographer is not buried at Maple Grove, but his wife is.
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interment book for 1919. Back then they
listed the cause of death, so they were
able to pinpoint who had died from the
infuenza and related lung diseases.
They did a PowerPoint presentation on
the disease, the precautions people took and
how people reacted. They looked into some
of the individuals buried here and actually
found photographs of them.
Interested in history, in poetry, in womens
studies? You can research any of those topics
by focusing on individuals buried at Maple
Grove. Im trying very hard to get out the
story of Kate Hollady Claghorn, who in 1897
got her doctorate from Yale, Ballenas said.
She was a statistician. I just bought a map on
eBay that she had published in 1891, Map
of the city of New York showing the density
of population born of German mothers. Its
beautiful.
We just recently found, buried not far
away from her, deep sea diver Capt. Charles
Everett. He was the diver who went down
into the General Slocum, the steam ship that
burned and sank in the East River in 1904.
More than 1,000 women and children died in
that frethe largest loss of life in New York
City until 9/11. And those people came from
the Germantown section of lower Manhattan,
so theres a connection with her map.
Professor Daniel Kelly heard about it and
did a whole class on the General Slocum. A
lot of universities have classes now on local
history, so professors are always looking for
something they can cover.
He met Susan Horwich, who at the time
happened to be the president of National Doll
and Toy Collectors Club of New York City, at
one of Maple Groves events. She approached
him about doing workshops for children, so
he started thinking about how to make that
crucial historical Maple Grove connection.
I remembered that Martin Branner, the
cartoonist who created the cartoon strip
Winnie Winkle The Breadwinner, about a
working woman back in the 1920s, is buried
here, and there were Winnie Winkle cut-
out dolls. Also buried at Maple Grove are
the parents of Percy Crosby, who created
the Skippy cartoon for Life Magazine, also
inspiring dolls. So a doll-making workshop
would honor the creators of Winnie Winkle
and Skippy.
Networking, researching, making
connections and fnding materials
Ballenas networks with every group he can
think of that might contribute to the groups
mission. Ive always felt we should work
with all kinds of local groupsuniversities,
historical societies, businesseson events.
Some local organizations have members
predisposed to attend events at the cemetery,
so its worth asking them to distribute fiers of
events they might enjoy. Im a member and
on the board of the Richmond Hill Historic
Society, Ballenas said. Richmond Hill was
created in 1868 during the Victorian period,
and many of the people who belong love
Victorian-type events.
Its not only the stories of individuals
buried at Maple Grove that infuence the
development of events. The cemetery itself
also has inspired programs, in particular the
Victorian ones, which honor the period of the
cemeterys founding. That section is almost
frozen in time, with Victorian monuments and
statues, the angels and Victorian symbolism,
Ballenas said.
The friends group put on a Victorian
funeral tea last year, and that went so well
that a Victorian wedding was featured this
spring. The bridal party was comprised of
volunteers. The groom was a senior in high
school, one of Ballenas students. I know
him and his family very well. Hes interested
in acting. Many people with the acting
bug love being part of something like this,
especially if they love history. People do a lot
of research on the character theyre playing
and have such a deep sense of responsibility
to portray that person.
In addition to drawing visitors, the
COMMUNI TY OUTREACH
Ballenas describes the Victorian wedding
tea: Celebration Hall was decorated with
foral centerpieces and a long table cov-
ered with trays of silver and crystal. A dais
for the wedding couple had been set up
and decorated with satin, lace, china, crys-
tal and elaborate silver pieces. All dined
on delicious homemade foods with a cup
of piping hot tea as they were serenaded
by music on the grand piano. There was
a toast by the best man, the singing of an
old Victorian song by the maid of honor
and the cutting of the wedding cake.
You have to do your research, fnd out whats of value at your cemetery. If youre lucky enough
to fnd local people who love historyand love sharingthat helps.Carl Ballenas
by Bonnie Thompson Dixon
executive vice president and general
manager, Maple Grove Cemetery,
Kew Gardens, New York
bonnie@maplegrovecenter.org
O
ur events confrm our mission to
celebrate and honor the heritage of the
past, to serve and respect the needs of the
present and to anticipate and plan for the
challenges of the future:
by offering a wide range of burial,
memorial and spiritual options in a garden
setting of exceptional beauty;
by providing professional services,
caring and compassionate advice to
families planning for the burial of their
loved ones and commemorating and
celebrating the lives of family members
memorialized at Maple Grove; and
by celebrating, preserving, main -
taining and improving our natural, archi-
tectural, cultural and historical resources
for the beneft of families, friends and the
community. r
Scenes from some of the events organized by the Friends of Maple Grove Cemetery, including a Civil War living history demonstra-
tion, a computer lab for children, a Victorian hat-making workshop, a jazz concert and a murder mystery dinner.
Community events confrm the cemeterys mission
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wedding received local press coverage, as
did the funeral. Visitors were encouraged
to dress in their best Victorian wedding (and,
last year, funeral) attire, but that was up to
them. The actual participants, of course, had
to dress their parts.
Ballenas wants costumes to be accurate,
and that can be a challenge. We found a
Civil War costume, but a gentleman who is a
re-enactor told me it was pure Hollywood. He
enlightened me about the different uniforms
and said the actor who was portraying one
of the Civil War veterans was wearing a
totally wrong uniformeach regiment had a
different style. A seamstress is going to help
me make a uniform for the actor portraying
a Zouave soldier buried at Maple Grove.
He will speak about how the Zouves were
founded.
The Friends have a notice on their
website asking for volunteers who can
sew. Its been up there for three years,
but we havent had any nibbles until very
recently. Asking volunteers to make or
rent their own costumes is one way to go,
but at Maple Grove the Friends have a
collection of costumes, and, as a not-for-proft
organization, also have access to Material
for the Arts, a New York City agency with a
warehouse full of donated items.
For example, Liz Claiborne donated
an overstock of ceramic jewelry boxes,
Ballenas said. Theater groups donate items
they no longer use. If your group takes
something, all you have to do is write a
thank-you letter, he said.
Ive gotten angel wings, trinkets Ive
used as party favors, Victorian costumes.
I have 15 costumes from the Metropolitan
Opera House. I found the costumes from
Samson and Delilah, from Romeo and
Juliet and from Tristan. I found a gentleman
buried at Maple Grove who was an opera
singer, so theres the historical connection for
a program.
Horwich and Ballenas went on a treasure-
hunting expedition at the warehouse to fnd
materials that can be used for a doll-making
workshop. Horwich also makes lace and
could do a workshop to teach that skill,
as well. How many people know how to
make lace? Ballenas observed. And not to
worrythere is a Maple Grove connection.
I found a lace maker from the 1870s buried
at the cemetery.
Hes picked up items that can be used as
small take-aways, such as the magnifying
Above left, Denny Daniels and Carl Ballenas doing a presentation during last years Victorian funeral tea. Above right, volunteers
Helen Day and Jo Anne Raskin dressed in appropriate Victorian mourning clothes. Day also provided baked goods for the tea.
COMMUNI TY OUTREACH
At last years
Victorian funeral
tea, mourning
cards and jewelry
and other items
were displayed.
A local dealer in
antiques donated
his time and
set up a whole
table of Victorian
jewelry to show
what people wore
at that time,
Ballenas said.
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glasses that will be used in the next murder
mystery event. Hes also gotten materials
such as loose pearls, buttons, thread, feathers,
boas and fabric, including lace. Those items
provided the raw materials for a Victorian
hat-making workshop the cemetery held
separately from but somewhat in preparation
for the Victorian wedding, to which people
were encouraged to wear their creations.
We put all these materials out and gave
each person a shopping bag, Ballenas
recalled. They put what they wanted in their
bag and went to their station, a little table
that held a glue gun and needle and thread.
They created their hats, and they came out
beautifully.
Groups without access to such an
incredible treasure of donated items could
solicit donations from the community (people
decluttering their homes come across all
sorts of things in their attics and closets) and
perhaps establish relationships with local
shops such as fabric stores that might be
willing to donate items, he suggested.
Board members donate not only time but
also their talents. For example, Helen Day is a
wonderful baker and specializes in Victorian
food, Ballenas said.
She fnds all the Victor ian recipes
and coordinates everything. Last year, she
learned what was served after a funeral in the
Victorian periodbiscuits and marmalades
and different things. We try to be historically
accurate with the food, too.
During the funeral tea, a singer provided
Victorian music and Ballenas gave a talk
about Victorian funeral attire. The women
had to wear black for two yearsyounger
members of the family could wear a little
bit of white after six months. There actually
were stores that just stocked funeral attire.
Those poor womenthe petticoats, socks,
gloves, parasols and hats had to be black;
the handkerchiefs had to have a black band
around the edge. And then you placed a black
wreath on the door.
The idea for this years wedding tea came
out of his desire not to repeat the funeral tea
every year. I thought, what would be the
opposite of a funeral, something white? A
Victorian wedding! Ballenas said.
When I was doing a Valentines Day
program, I found a couple buried at Maple
Grove that had a fascinating history. They
were pre-Civil War sweethearts, Mary and
Jonathan Coward, separated by the war.
Fifty years later, they reconnected and were
married. I decided to create the wedding they
missed as teenagers.
The only money the Friends spent on
the wedding event was to pay for the singer,
who also played the piano, a Steinway grand
owned by Maple Grove. It works great for
our classical and jazz concerts, Ballenas
said. He sometimes pays for extras out
of his own pocket. For the wedding tea, he
found someone who made 100 petit fours.
Some events, such as the concerts and
Victorian teas, are ticketed. The Friends
group obtains grants in order to be able to
offer free childrens programs such as the
science workshops.
We get a discretionary grant from
the New York City Council, through
our councilperson. Again, this is where
networking helps. I introduce myself to
every politician who covers our area, from
state senator to the borough president of
Queens.
Starting a friends group
Ballenas advises friend groups just getting
started to reach out to successful organiza-
tions. When I became president, the frst
thing I did was to make an appointment at
Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, where I
was graciously received.
They told me about their programs,
which are very successfulthey have to
turn people away. I was told, You know,
its a cemetery, and it took us 10 years to get
people comfortable enough to come and not
just think of it as a cemetery.
You have to do your research, fnd out
whats of value at your cemetery. If youre
lucky enough to fnd local people who love
historyand love sharingthat helps. Im
a local historian and I have photographic
collections Im willing to loan. Some people
want to charge you per photo.
I pound the pavement. I get out to
businesses that work with cemeteries, such
as forists, funeral homes and banks, and say,
Heres something I want to do that I think
you might fnd interesting.
For example, hes getting local banks lined
up to help with what will be the frst trunk
or treat event at Maple Grove, with local
organizations providing the decorated cars to
be stationed throughout the Victorian section
with trunks full of candy to give to the trick-
or-treaters.
I sent out a fyer to parents to see what
they thought about the idea, and the response
was positive, so I hope it will become an
annual event, Ballenas said.
Melrose Credit Union has taken us
under their wing and already sponsored the
Civil War living historians and re-enactors.
Theyve been extremely generous.
Dixon supports and appreciates the
Friends groups efforts and the idea of
bringing the community into the cemetery.
They do such an amazing job of envi-
sioning these activities, fnding or fabricating
the costumes, making and baking the food,
sourcing the actors, writing the scripts and
presentations, adding the musicians, doing the
research, planning the advertising and, fnally,
presenting an elegant, informative, tasty and
tasteful program, Dixon said.
Our community looks forward to
participating in the creative programming
highlighting the history within our cemetery
and surrounding area.
While Maple Grove is frst a sacred
place for souls to rest, it is also a place
where the lives and contributions of those
souls continue to be celebrated. The ancient
Egyptian belief that To speak the name of the
dead is to make them live again is inspiration
for cemetery historian Carl Ballenas to
research, document and speak the name(s)
of those in our care through our programming
and events.
These events build familiarity, a sense of
community within urban Queens and comfort
with our beautiful, park-like cemetery. Death
is the end consequence of being alive, but
refection on the deceased by the living can
be a great source of strength and learning.
The varied, multi-age-group events
encourage families to come together to
Maple Grove, perhaps foreverpast, present
and futureto bridge the transitions of life.
The events at the cemetery demystify the
stereotype of as a place of ending into a
place of continuing ones history in the
community. r
COMMUNI TY OUTREACH
These events build familiarity, a sense of community within urban Queens and comfort with our
beautiful, park-like cemetery. Death is the end consequence of being alive, but refection on the
deceased by the living can be a great source of strength and learning.Bonnie Thompson Dixon
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COMMUNI TY OUTREACH/ PRENEED
T
he end of October, with the
celebrations of Halloween, Dia de los
Muertos (Day of the Dead) and Create
a Great Funeral Day, is a great time to talk
about death and funeral planning. What, you
havent heard of Create a Great Funeral Day?
October 30, Create a Great Funeral Day,
frst appeared on the medias
go-to holiday guide, Chases
Calendar of Events, in 2000.
Over the past 15 years, Create
a Great Funeral Day founder
Stephanie West Allens
approach to funeral planning
has evolved.
Allen, the author of
Creating Your Own Funeral
or Memorial Service: A Workbook,
originally viewed funeral planning as an
autonomous, solo activity. She wrote the
book in response to seeing her husbands
reaction to the death of his mother.
Her husband struggled to pull together
a meaningful funeral for his mother, who
had left no directions. Allen observed her
husbands grief and heard him ask frequently,
What would Mom have wanted?
Allen came to believe that knowing her
mother-in-laws wishes would have made
holding her funeral so much easier. Allens
husband would not have been left trying
to fgure out what to do in the midst of his
grieving.
The idea behind Create a Great Funeral
Day is to help people consider how they
would like to be remembered. It is similar
to FAMICs Have the Talk of a Lifetime
campaign in discussing values and
experiences. When we all let each other know
how to celebrate our lives, the survivors
experience can be so much easier.
Ironically, even though Allens book helps
people plan their own funerals in a thoughtful
way, she was left without guidance from her
own parents. Neither parent undertook any
preplanning and left it to their two daughters
to decide what to do.
Allen and her sister were left to negotiate
their very different styles of decision-making
about their parents funerals. One of the
things thats happened over the 15 years
since I wrote the book is that I understand
how much more of a group effort [funeral
planning] is, she said.
Why the resistance?
Why is there such resistance to funeral
planning?
Social psychologists cite Dr. Ernest
Beckers terror management theory, spelled
out in his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, The
Denial of Death. The theory posits that all
human behavior is ultimately motivated by
the fear of death. As funeral directors and
cemeterians see daily, death creates anxiety.
The awareness of our own eventual
death, called mortality salience, affects
our decision-making. Many people simply
decide to avoid the topic. It takes great self-
awareness and self-esteem to consider ones
own mortality and take steps to prepare for
lifes only true inevitability.
Create a Great Funeral Day prompts
people to be mindful of mortality and plan
refectively in advance. When this happens,
families arent left disorganized and
stressed after a loved ones death.
Allen suggests one way families can start
advance funeral planning conversations
is sharing never again stories. Never
again stories focus on things you have
done that you would never do again and
what you learned from the experiences.
These stories highlight cherished values and
reinforce the lessons learned after going
astray from those values.
People planning a memorial service
could discuss other funerals theyve
How Create a Great Funeral
Day can promote preplanning
by Gail Rubin, CT, CC
Halloween and Dia de los Muertos arent the only
death-themed October events. Create a Great Funeral Day
is the perfect time for your funeral home or cemetery
to invite people into your facility.
Gail@
AGoodGoodbye.com
505.265.7215
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Rubin, The Doyenne
of Death, brings a
light touch to serious
subjects as a speaker
who uses humor and funny flms to attract
people to discuss mortality, end-of-life,
estate and funeral planning issues. She
is a Certifed Celebrant and Certifed
in Thanatology: Death, Dying and
Bereavement by the Association for Death
Education and Counseling.
www.AGoodGoodbye.com
A pioneering Death Caf
hostess, she is author and
host of the award-winning
book, TV and radio pro-
grams A Good Goodbye:
Funeral Planning for Those
Who Dont Plan to Die and
Mortality Minute radio spots.
Her award-winning 12-epi-
sode TV show, also called A
Good Goodbye, helps bring
the funeral planning conver-
sation home. The four-DVD
set is now available and the
program is rolling out to cable
systems across the U.S.
http://agoodgoodbye.com/
radio-tv/a-good-goodbye-tv-series/
Read Rubins 30 Funerals in 30 Days
Challenge under on her websites blog.
Her funeral planning conversation-starter,
The Newly-Dead
Game is available as
an electronic download
from the online store on
her website.
Allen
attended and what they never again
want to see happen in a service. These
discussions can prompt laughter and tears
as the service horror stories are recalled.
The value of these discussions emerges as
individuals hammer out what is appropriate
for their particular family.
Public outreach ideas
Create a Great Funeral Day falls this year
on Thursday, October 30. Take advantage
of the Halloween celebration season to start
the preneed funeral planning conversation
with community outreach. Put your funeral
home or cemetery in the media limelight
with an upbeat event. Here are some ideas
to get you started.
Host a Death Caf at your funeral
home or cemetery. Death Caf events
are sweeping the world. At these free
events, people come together in a relaxed,
confdential and safe setting to eat, drink
and discuss mortality issues. Find out
who is holding Death Caf events in your
market and learn the rules for hosting them
at www.DeathCafe.com.
Hold a pre-Halloween open house
or tour at your funeral home or cemetery.
Heres your chance to debunk the idea of
funeral homes and cemeteries as scary
places. Cemeteries can take advantage
of sharing their histories and stories of
residents buried there.
Host a movie night in the funeral
home or cemetery chapel. Funny flms
or television shows related to funerals
can attract an audience, and laughter
allows people to loosen up and relax into
discussions about anxiety-provoking topics
related to end-of-life planning.
Comedies to consider showing are
Death at a Funeral, Undertaking Betty,
Elizabethtown, Bernie and The Six
Wives of Henry LeFay.
TV shows can include Six Feet Under,
Dead Like Me, the Chuckles Bites the
Dust episode of the Mary Tyler Moore
Show and the Stretch Cunningham,
Goodbye episode of All In the Family.
You can get DVDs of these flms and
TV shows from Netfix, your local library
or other sources. Do a door prize drawing
to collect leads for preneed sales follow-up
contacts.
To legally show these flms free to
the public, youll need a license from the
Motion Picture Licensing Corporation
(www.MPLC.org).
Use radio to raise preneed planning
awareness. Consider using Mortality
Minute radio spots in your local market.
These are 60-second messages that provide
an ear-catching collection of tips about the
importance of preneed planning and having
a conversation today. You can listen to
examples and get detailed instructions on
how to work with a radio station at
www.AGoodGoodbye.com/radio-tv/
mortality-minute/.
Place an opinion column in your
local newspaper. Create a Great Funeral
Day presents a great opportunity to raise
awareness about advance planning within
your community. It doesnt cost anything
to send in an opinion piece on the benefts
of planning ahead to your local newspaper.
Provided its sent in a few weeks in
advance, you have a good chance of your
essay being used.
You are welcome to download the 500-
word opinion piece, October 30 is Create
a Great Funeral DayDont Fear The
Reaper from AGoodGoodbye.com. You
can edit it and make the column unique to
your community, or just sign your name
and state your title and establishment.
Visit www.AGoodGoodbye.com/op-ed/ to
download the document.
Take advantage of the Halloween season
and use one of these ideas to help foster the
preneed funeral planning conversation on
Create a Great Funeral Day. r
C OMMU NI T Y OU T R E A C H/ P R E NE E D
Lola, the Albuquerque Death Caf mascot.
Directors Choice AD
1/3 Square
4-COLOR
Supply Line
nAMERICAN COACH SALES, Cleve-
land, Ohio, has added an upgraded Mer-
cedes Benz Sprinter to its line of limou-
sines. Te car can carry up to 12 passengers
comfortably. An added feature is a designated
space for an urn, so tht it can accompany the
family for cremation services.
1.888.321.6613;
www.americancoachsales.com
nDUNCAN STUART TODD, Boulder,
Colorado, has introduced a combination
of custom accessories for use in dressing
rooms associated with prep room facili-
ties. Te set includes single and double glove
holders and a paper towel holder. Each of the
items is custom designed and crafed from the
fnest clear acrylic. In addition to the acces-
sory set, other pieces for the embalming room
include webril holders, tridye holders, sutureel
holders and splash guards for countertops.
1.877.832.6898; info@duncanstuarttodd.com;
www.duncanstuarttodd.com
nWILBERT FUNERAL SERVICES,
Broadview, Illinois, has introduced Te
Forever Program, a themed commemora-
tion package that ties together burial or
urn vault carapace images with keepsakes.
Available on many types of Wilbert burial
vaults or urn vaults, Te Forever Program
is ofered in two themes: Forever in Our
Hearts and Forever in Gods Care. Each
theme ofers a choice of images for the
carapace which may be personalized with
the loved ones photo and name. Forever
keepsakes are thematically tied to the cara-
pace and are given to family and friends
as a remembrance of the service and their
loved one.
Also, Wilbert has named Donald R.
Robinson as executive vice president-
licensee products and services. Robin-
son has served since 2009 as senior vice
president-supply chain management for
Suhor Industries Inc., which was recently
merged into WFSI. Since 2011 he has also
headed Signet Supply, a casket distribution
network now also part of WFSI, and will
retain his role as president of the Signet
Supply division. Robinson holds a bache-
lors degree in business and with a minor in
computer science from Taylor University.
1.888.WILBERT; www.wilbert.com
nPASSARE, San Francisco, California,
has developed and published a compre-
hensive resource on long-term care. Te
ebook Long-Term Care Options and Plan-
ning aims to help readers explore options,
understand the process and ultimately plan
for end-of-life management.
Te company also has started an inter-
view series addressing end-of-life sub-
jects; transcripts will be available on the
website. Scheduled are Robert L. Shepard,
an attorney specializing in wills, trusts and
estate planning; Evan Carroll, author of
Your Digital Aferlife and co-founder of
Te Digital Beyond; Nancy Rust, a Certi-
fed Senior Advisor; Karen Kelleher, an
end-of-life healthcare professional and
counselor; Jef A. Perry, an insurance agent;
Todd Carlson, vice president of FDLIC;
Dorian J. Carr, an expert on veterans ben-
efts; and Susan Lieberman, an end-of-life
consultant. 925.968.9495; renee@philoso-
phypr.com; www.passare.com
nMATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recently com-
memorated 20 years of being listed as a
publicly traded company. Matthews Presi-
dent and CEO Joseph C. Bartolacci, together
with members of the companys Board of
Directors, rang the NASDAQ Stock Market
opening bell today on July 17 at the NAS-
DAQ MarketSite in New York City. Te
companys initial public ofering was on July
20, 1994. 1.800.223.4964; www.matw.com
nHEART TO HEART LLC, Mobile,
Alabama, has announced the availability
of its Caring Organizer on a thumb drive.
Until now it has been available as a printed
binder which contains the printed letters
a family needs to send to inform everyone
from insurance companies to the DMV
about the death of a loved one. Te most
popular and easiest format has been on
CD, but many new laptop computers come
without CD drives, leading to the addition
of a thumb drive version.
1.866.269.0681; dperl@bellsouth.net;
www.hearttoheartsite.com
nNATIONAL MORTUARY SHIPPING,
Cleveland, Ohio, recently made improve-
ments to its technology, creating a one-of-a-
kind customer service management system
that handles the logistical aspects of a death
call. Tis proprietary system will expedite all
aspects of the frst call and shipping process
by generating all necessary documents and
delivering these to customers and representa-
tives. www.natlmortuaryshipping.com
nTRIBUTES.COM, Boston, Massachu-
setts, has partnered with research engine
FindTeBest to enrich its database of ge-
nealogy records. Tributes.com documented
between 70 to 80 percent of the deaths
in the country in 2013 and possesses the
largest, free consumer-facing databases of
online obituaries and death notices within
the United States. Launched in late 2010,
FindTeBest has become a leading research
engine with 25 million monthly visitors.
It is based in Santa Barbara, California.
media@tributes.com; www.tributes.com
READERS: To fnd the products and ser-
vices you need online, go to www.iccfa.com
and select directory to fnd the ICCFAs:
Supply Link Search
Engine, the fastest way
to fnd the products and
services you need at your
funeral home, cemetery or
crematory.
SUPPLIERS: Send your press releases
about your new products and services,
and about awards, personnel changes and
other news to sloving@iccfa.com
for inclusion in Supply Line.
Wilberts new Forever in Our Hearts
themed commemoration package.
Duncan Stuart Todds new clear acrylic
accessories for dressing rooms.
American Coach Sales upgraded Mer-
cedes Benz Sprinter.
to page 68
US Cremation AD
FULL PAGE
page 67
4-COLOR
nNEW ENGLAND CASKET CO., East
Boston, Massachusetts, ofers a full line of
hardwood caskets. Products include con-
ventional, traditional Jewish, green, oversize,
and specialty caskets, as well as a value line
and rental caskets.
617.569.1510; www.newenglandcasket.com
nPASSAGES INTERNATIONAL, Lake
Orion, Michigan, has introduced a new
blooming paw print card to its line of
Blooming Remembrances for pet memo-
rials. Te premium card is hand-crafed
in the U.S. and personalized to suit the
customers needs. Te blooming ornament
is attached to the card with a choice of
imprintinga poem, contact details and
logo or blank space for a handwritten note,
and planting instructions. Te ornaments
contain wildfower seeds. 1.888.480.6400;
amwehr@passagesinternationalcom;
www.PassagesInternational.com
nASTRAL INDUSTRIES, Lynn, Indiana,
has added upgrades to its product line. A
number of changes have been added to the
companys standard 20-gauge casket line to
increase value and eye appeal. Te inside
width has been increased to 24.5 inches, and
all 20-gauge caskets now ofer a memorial
record tube.
Also, Astral sales representative
Emanuel Tomas recently was recog-
nized as vendor of the year by the Cali-
fornia Funeral Directors Association. He
was nominated by Homer Alba, a CFDA
Board of Directors member and senior vice
president of Hollywood Forever Cemetery
and Funeral Home.
1.800.278.7252; sales@astralindustries.com;
www.astralindustries.com
nLIFE CELEBRATION INC., North
Wales, Pennsylvania, recently redesigned
its website. Te upgraded site includes a
Google virtual tour and a new YouTube
channel, a section showcasing the com-
ponents of the Life Celebration Memories
Collection and a location map listing
community member frms and identifying
available markets around the country which
ofer exclusivity for prospective frms.
1.888.887.3782;
jcummings@lifecelebration.com;
www.lifecelebrationinc.com
nCG LABS INC., Tunder Bay, Ontario,
has announced the appointment of Jef
Harbeson as president. He also was named
to the companys board of directors. Harbe-
son brings experience in business and the
military, along with expertise in the funeral
market, to his new position.
www.dnamemorial.com
nCOLDSPRING, Cold Spring, Minne-
sota, has received two 2014 Tucker Design
Awards for its work on the Lakewood
Cemetery Garden Mausoleum, Minne-
apolis, Minnesota, and the Schermerhorn
Symphony Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
Te awards are sponsored by the Building
Stone Institute. Featuring contemporary
design and natural lighting throughout, the
Lakewood Cemetery Garden Mausoleum is
a 24,500-square-foot, two-level design that
includes six crypt rooms, six columbaria
rooms, three family crypt rooms, commit-
tal room and support spaces. Two granites,
Academy Black and Charcoal Black granite,
were selected for the rough split-face veneer.
To represent the imperfection of life, a
coarse-textured exterior fnish was preferred
for the structures granite facing. Te area
is complemented by granite benches, a
pool and paved walkways in Coldsprings
subdued Diamond Pink granite, invoking
a sense of peaceful paths and quiet resting
places leading to the mausoleum.
www.coldspringgranite.com
nFINAL EMBRANCE, Eustis, Florida,
has introduced an optional patriotic cot
cover lining. Te lining option, which
replaces the standard black FluidBlocker
lining, is made to resemble an American
fag while still honoring the U.S. Flag Code
and providing the same protection as the
original lining. Te funeral home can use
the cover in a traditional way, with the patri-
otic lining hidden, until it is ascertained that
the deceased is a veteran, at which time the
removal staf can reverse the cover to expose
the lining to honor the service of the client.
1.800.986.0598; www.fnalembrace.com
nHEPPELL MEDIA CORP., Victoria,
British Columbia, ofers website design ser-
vices for funeral homes. Te company will
only work with one funeral home in each
market area. Heppell also develops crema-
tion arrangement websites.
1.800.810.3595; www.funeralfuturist.com
nFUNERAL DIRECTORS LIFE INSUR-
ANCE CO., Abilene, Texas, has named Ste-
ven Moore as market center manager for
the Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, areas.
His 39 years of funeral service experience
include service as a licensed funeral director,
funeral home manager, location sales man-
ager and preneed sales professional. He be-
gan working with FDLIC in 2011 as a select
producer. In 2013, the company recognized
him with the Jay Pittman Memorial Award,
presented to a sales professional in the
company who is an inspiration to the entire
sales force through leadership, professional-
ism, compassion and dedication to families.
He completed his associates degree from
S U P P LY L I NE
Astral sales representative Emanuel
Thomas, left, receives his award from
CFDA Board of Directors member
Homer Alba.
Passages blooming paw print card.
New England Caskets camofage-
themed hardwood casket.
Life Celebrations redesigned website.
from page 66
Worsham AD
FULL PAGE
page 69
4-COLOR
Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science and
received his bachelors from Fairmont State
University.
Also, the Ward Group recently named
FDLIC as one of the top 50 insurance
companies in the United States for 2014.
FDLIC was recognized for the fourth
consecutive year for achieving excellent
results in the areas of safety, consistency
and performance.
www.funeraldirectorslife.com
nTHE FORESIGHT
COMPANIES, Phoenix,
Arizona, has hired Erin
Whitaker, CFSP, CPC as a
fnancial and management
consultant. She has an MBA
in international business and
is a licensed funeral director
and embalmer. She previ-
ously worked for Eastman
Kodak Co. and most recently as the opera-
tions manager in a family funeral business.
She is a third-generation funeral director.
1.800.426.0165; danisard@f4sight.com;
www.f4sight.com
nHOMESTEADERS, Des
Moines, Iowa, has named
Steve Shafer COO, efective
October 1. In 2010, Shafer
co-founded and served as
president and CEO of Founda-
tion Partners Group LLC. He
led an organization created
to combine the best aspects
of conventional end-of-life
care with new ideas and technologies that
enabled families to plan, prepare, acknowl-
edge and share the purpose of a life. He was
a co-founder and CFO of Keystone Group
Holdings Inc. between 1996 and 2010. Shafer
has served as a Funeral Service Foundation
Trustee since 2010 and will serve as 2014-15
board chair. Also:
Homesteaders has released a rede-
signed online dashboard for afliated pre-
need insurance agents. It presents data such
as sales performance, policy information and
commissions in a secure, user-friendly inter-
face. It also provides robust reporting features
for preneed contract details and production
trends. In addition, users receive email no-
tifcations to help them stay informed about
policy activity. Te dashboard also includes a
customizable goal management tool.
Homesteaders has expanded the
availability of its new product feature
Security Option Plus, which can help reduce
the amount and frequency of shortfalls on
insurance-funded prearranged funerals. Te
option is now available in a total of 30 states
and the District of Columbia. It increases the
initial face amount of the insurance policy.
Policy growth is applied to the increased face
amount, providing further protection for the
funeral home and allowing it to continue to
ofer guaranteed protection to families.
Ward Group, a leading provider of
benchmarking and best practices studies for
insurance companies, has included Home-
steaders Life Co. in its 2014 list of 50 top
performing life and health insurers in the
United States. Tis recognition marks the
sixth consecutive year that Homesteaders has
been included in this list.
Homesteaders VP-Compliance Gerry
Kraus has been named to the National Alli-
ance of Life Companies Board of Directors
again. 1.800.477.3633;
www.homesteaderslife.com
nLIVE OAK BANK,
Wilmington, North Caro-
lina, has announced a part-
nership with Gober Strate-
gic Captital. Doug Gober,
who has been Live Oaks
director of death care mar-
keting, is leaving to launch
the new business, which will
help funeral business professionals with the
demands of a rapidly changing industry.
Gober will provide consultation services on
a wide range of issues, including fnancing.
Te company will refer people to Live Oak
when fnancing is needed.
1.877.890.5867; www.liveoakbank.com
nJOHNSON CONSULT-
ING, Scottsdale, Arizona,
has hired David Adams
for the companys mergers
and acquisitions program.
Adams graduated from
Southern Illinois University
in 1977 with a degree in mor-
tuary science and subsequently served as a
partner/licensed funeral director/embalmer
at a funeral home in Southern Illinois. In
1984 he joined Batesville Casket Co., a lead-
ing manufacturer of burial and cremation
products. During his more than 25 years
with Batesville, he served in a variety of sales
and management positions. He also served
as vice president of sales and marketing at
a leading funeral/cemetery complex in the
Greater San Francisco Bay area. For the
past four years, he was director of cor-
porate development for a publicly traded
funeral service company. 1.888.250.7747;
info@johnsonconsulting.com
www.johnsonconsulting.com
nFRONTRUNNER PROFESSIONAL,
Kingston, Ontario, has acquired a new
6,500-square-foot, $1.6 million facility
that will house its new Technology and
Training Center. Te new state-of-the-art
facility will feature a robust schedule of
weekly training sessions, advanced stra-
tegic marketing presentations, mastering
Photoshop workshops and other key topics
designed to help clients grow their business-
es. Each new solution sold will now include
a full day of training at the center at no cost.
Existing clients can also attend for refresher
training and to learn how to maximize the
features their systems include. Te facility
will showcase all FrontRunner products and
feature the new Wyland Tribute Art Gallery
that will be open to visitors from around the
world.
Also, FrontRunner recently released
the latest version of its mobile manage-
ment system, Mobile Manager 3.0. Te
new release improves clients access to their
systems from any handheld mobile phone
or tablet. 1.866.748.3625;
www.FrontRunner360.com
Trigard, Danville,
Illinois, recently
awarded a $250
scholarship to Gypsy
Antra, a Mid-America
College of Mortuary
Science student.
From left, Trigard CEO
Linda Darby; Antra;
Gary Bridgewater,
Mid-America Admin-
istrator; and Blake
Swinford, Trigard
project manager.
1.800.637.1992;
www.trigard.com
Gober
Whitaker
Schaffer
Adams
S U P P LY L I NE
nSOUTHWEST AIRLINES CARGO,
Dallas, Texas, has received the Quest for
Quality Award 18 consecutive years.
Given by Logistics Management Magazine,
it evaluates transportation service provid-
ers based on ontime performance, value,
information technology, customer service,
equipment, and operations.
www.swacargo.com
n AP LAZER, Lansing, Michigan, is
designed for engraving cemetery monu-
ments, caskets and cremation urns, as well
as nearly any two-dimensional surface. Te
system was invented by the president of
SuperNova International. 1.800.449.2481;
www.aplazer.com
nVETERANS FUNERAL CARE, Clear-
water, Florida, has announced its 2013
award winners. Frankie Stewart, Stewart
Funeral Homes, Lawrenceville, Georgia,
received the 2013 VFC Executive of the Year
Award. Highlights of his award winning
year were participation in Veterans Funeral
Cares Operation Toy Soldier campaign,
which provides Christmas gifs for the
children of local deployed soldiers, work-
ing with Dobbins AFB to provide back to
school supplies and participating in the
Retire your fag with Honor program.
Stewart Funeral Homes also hosted the
Lima Company Memorial twice, since the
response was so good. Te memorial honors
22 Marines and one Navy corpsman who
died in Iraq in 2005.
Cremation & Funeral Care by Danielle
Andy Belusko in McMurray, Pennsylvania,
received the 2013 Presidents Award. Staf
members include Danielle Andy Belusko,
Phylicia Kesterson, Stephanie Ritter, Darla
Tripoli and Jef Ross. Tey collected over
4,000 toys for the Operation Toy Soldier
campaign, put a wreath on every grave at
the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies,
hosted a citywide fag dedication ceremony
that included former Central Command
Gen. John Abizaid as the keynote speaker
and hosted the Lima Company Memorial.
1.800.467.7850;
www.veteransfuneralcare.com
nMEMORIES OF YOU, Fort Wayne, Indi-
ana, has made nationwide franchises avail-
able of its memorial retail store. Te store
focuses on a variety of memorial products for
people and pets, include plaques, urns, garden
decor and custom caskets. 260.451.0555;
www.memoriesofyouonline.com
nHUNTER INDUSTRIES, San Marcos,
California, has named Robb Kowalewski
as a product manager. He has several years
of leadership in micro irrigation product
development, marketing and sales, and a
bachelors degree in communications.
760.744.5240; www.hunterindustries.com
nLIQUIDBREAKER, Brea, California,
ofers a product to stop foor drain odors
in embalming facilities. It also will stop any
pests in drains, such as drain fies, cock-
roaches and rodents, from coming into the
building. 1.866.444.0212
www.liquidbreaker.co
nINVENTIONS RESOURCE INTER-
NATIONAL, Phoenix, Arizona, has a new
product, Your Music For Eternity, available
for licensing. Te concept incorporates a so-
lar powered digital music player located below
the base of the grave marker in a watertight
plastic housing. Te player would contain
prerecorded music piped underground. Visi-
tors could listen to the music via an audio-out
jack. 1.800.778.8814, ext. 618 r
Madelyn AD
1/4 H
4-COLOR
Cremation Coverlets AD
1/4 H
S U P P LY L I NE
U P DAT E
by Brian J. Nilges
Park services coordinator
City of Olathe, Kansas
bnilges@olatheks.org
T
he Olathe Memorial Cemetery in Olathe,
Kansas, recently opened a cremation
garden that greatly expands its offerings to
families. Families can now choose from 14
different cremation memorialization options.
The cemetery was founded in 1865
by an Olathe citizen and the property was
purchased by the City of Olathe in 1869 to
fulfll the needs of burial land for its citizens.
We have always maintained the cemetery
with a park-like setting with many large trees
and shrub/fower beds for the enjoyment of
our families.
We see the cemetery as not only a place
of rest for the deceased members of our
families, but also as a park for families to
come to and spend time remembering their
loved ones lives in a peaceful setting.
We have always had several options for
full-size burials but not much for cremation.
We have had some success over the years
using limited space areas with memorial
trees for cremation burials and also added a
columbarium in 2000. These spaces gradually
began to fll and were almost all sold out,
which left only full-sized spaces for the burial
of cremated
remains.
After studying
the cremation
market trends
throughout the
country, seeing
the growing need
for cremation
interment options
in the Olathe area,
where the cremation rate is 50 percent, as
well as continuing requests from families, we
came to the conclusion that we needed to add
to our cremation inventory.
We then researched cremation options
throughout the country to understand current
offerings and unique designs and sat down
Olathes cremation garden blooms with options
Benches, pedestals and pavers are among the memorialization options in Olathe Memorial Cemeterys new cremation garden.
Another area of
the garden with
benches and
a small niche
wall.
US Metalcraf AD
FULL PAGE
page 73
4-COLOR
U P DAT E
The entrance to
Olathes cremation
garden features an
arbor comprised
of two columbari-
ums with an arbor
connecting them
over the path.
Far left, the
cemeterys
chapel, near
the entrance.
Left, the
landcaped
scattering
garden next
to the chapel.
Above, a family estate niche wall.
Left, the steps leading to the central
feature from the back of the cremation
garden. The fountain in the center of
the cirlcle is surrounded by plants and
gravel and offers 128 ground burial
spaces.
Sauder AD
FULL PAGE
page 75
4-COLOR
U P DAT E
with our in-house team to design and
build a garden that fts with the Olathe
area as well as takes into account all of the
cremation needs of the community.
We wanted to continue the park-like
setting with our cremation garden, so our
design brought in park ideas with water
bubbling up through granite boulders and
trickling down through rocks as the central
feature to create a peaceful atmosphere where
people can just sit and reminisce and enjoy
the beauty of a natural setting.
We then wanted to take into account any
and all options that families may want so that
we could offer a place of remembrance for
all citizens. The design that we implemented
and opened in August 2013 includes the
following cremation inventory:
1. Existing columbarium, 59 remaining
spaces.
2. New columbarium, 71 spaces.
3. Ossuary, 300 spaces: vault provides
common interment space for multiple
cremations.
4. Memorial trees, 40 spaces: ground
burial spaces around fowering memorial
trees.
5. Cremation benches, 10 spaces: benches
each hold two sets of cremated remains.
6. Cremation blocks, 125 spaces: single
and double granite blocks that are cored out
for urns and have a memorial plaque that can
be etched.
7. Cremation pedestals, 16 spaces:
pedestals with unique sculptured tops that are
cored out for urns.
8. Fountain burials, 128 spaces: ground
burial with an urn vault in the gravel circle
area around the fountain.
9. Cremation arbor, 48 spaces: entrance
columbaria with arbor over the pathway.
10. Columbarium estates, 150 spaces: six-
person columbaria for individual families.
11. Ground burials, 113 spaces: grass area
set aside for ground cremation burials.
12. Cremation boulders, four spaces:
Granite boulders cored out for urns.
13. Memorial wall, 300 spaces: bronze
butterfy plaques mounted to the limestone
block wall for those who have scattered
elsewhere and would like a place of
remembrance.
14. Scatter garden, 300 spaces: garden
behind our chapel for scattering remains with
name and date on a cenotaph wall.
This phase of the garden is approximately
1 acre. We have allowed additional room for
expansion within this garden as the existing
inventory begins to sell, and we have an
additional adjacent 1.35 acres for a later
phase of expansion. r
A butterfy
theme runs
through
Olathes
cremation
garden.
Far left, the
entrance
sign.
Left, bronze
butterfy
cenotaphs.
Below, a
niche bank
and ped-
estal urns
topped by
butterfies.
We wanted to continue the park-like setting with our cremation garden,
so our design brought in park ideas with water bubbling up through granite boulders and
trickling down through rocks as the central feature to create a peaceful atmosphere setting.
Progressive AD
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Update
Send in news about your cemetery, funeral home, crematory or association to sloving@iccfa.com. If you publish a newsletter,
please email a copy to sloving@iccfa.com or mail to: Susan Loving, ICCFA, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164.
nGUARDIAN ANGEL CEMETERY,
part of Mt. Elliott Cemetery Associa-
tion, Rochester, Michigan, recently held
the formal dedication for its Orthodox
Garden. More than 40 individuals attended
the dedication which included prayers,
blessings and fellowship from several
nearby Orthodox Christian churches,
priests and members. As of August 1, there
had been 37 burials in the garden and more
than $400,000 in property space had been
sold. Te garden opened in 2012, but the
addition of the Orthodox Garden Cross
Monument feature prompted the formal
dedication.
nTe CREMATION ASSOCIATION
OF NORTH AMERICA, Wheeling,
Illinois, recently installed ofcers and
directors. New board members are Vin-
nie Faccinto, vice president for growth
and development for Smart Cremation in
Cookeville, Tennessee, and Scott Hun-
ger, owner and president of Gateway Pet
The memorialization options in the Garden of Grace include mahogany
granite benches with niches and niches in berms.
Above, Glen Eden Me-
morial Parks new Gar-
den of Grace. Left, the
focal point of the new
Garden of Grace is the
stately sixlevel carnelian
granite columbarium
with domed roof.
nGLEN EDEN MEMORIAL PARK,
Livonia, Michigan, recently opened its
Garden of Grace cremation garden. Te
Garden of Grace, features dramatic garden/
cloister ambiances for heartfelt, natureen-
hanced connections with lost loved ones.
Notable are the intimate cul-de-sac areas
with perimeter graves on berms, encircling
visitors for visual and physical closeness.
Te focal point of one cul-de-sac is a lovely
carnelian granite columbarium with a
domed top. Te landscaping palette is vi-
brant with traditional fower gardens against
a backdrop grove of lush pine trees, and the
music of gently fowing waters nearby.
The formal dedication of the Orthodox Garden at Guardian Angel Cemetery, Rochester, Michigan
U P DAT E
Memorial Services, Guelph,
Ontario.
Robert M. Boetticher Jr. has
installed as CANA board presi-
dent. Sheri Stahl, vice president
and business manager of Island
Funeral Home, Hilton Head,
South Carolina, is president-
elect. Te associations frst vice
president and treasurer is Tim
Borden, Louisville, Kentucky,
founder and president of
Borden Mortuary Group.
CANAs Second Vice President
is Michael Sheedy, market di-
rector for Service Corporation International,
Ottawa, Ontario. Mitch Rose, CEO and presi-
dent of Te Woodlawn Cemetery, the Bronx,
is now third vice president.
nSELECTED INDEPENDENT FU-
NERAL HOMES EDUCATIONAL TRUST,
Deerfeld, Illinois, recently awarded two
Second-Career Scholarships. Christopher
Allen of Portland, Oregon, is a full-time stu-
dent enrolled in the funeral service education
program at Mount Hood Community College
in Gresham, Oregon. He is expected to gradu-
ate in 2015. Allen has spent the last 11 years
working with Alpha Supported
Living Services, a non-proft
organization supporting adults
with developmental disabilities.
Jayanna Weaver, of Carbon-
dale, Ill., is expected to gradu-
ate in May 2015 from Southern
Illinois Universitys Mortuary
Science and Funeral Program.
Formerly a nursing student,
Weaver spent four years pro-
viding private in-home care for
elderly and disabled patients.
nFAIRHAVEN MEMO-
RIAL PARK & MORTUARY, Santa Ana,
Califonia, recently named Phyllis Straight
as recipient of its Oliver Halsell Care Award
for July. Afer retiring from the electri-
cal power industry fve years ago, Straight
opened two BrightStar Care locations for
at-home quality care. Fairhaven Memorial
Park & Mortuary, with locations in Santa Ana
and Mission Viejo, created the recognition
program in 2012 to pay monthly tribute to
individuals who have demonstrated excep-
tional care in their profession and commu-
nity, improving the lives and spirits of those
they help. Winners come from many felds,
Duncan Stuart
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ICCFA President Fred
Lappin, CCE, with new
CANA President Bob
Boetticher Jr.
Six PIMS students recently were award-
ed the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary
Science Scholarship. The selection was
made by the American Board of Funeral
Service Education Scholarship Com-
mittee. Pictured are, from left, Brandon
McNair of Baltimore, Maryland; Ashley
Baldauf-Kreil of Pittsburgh, Pennsylva-
nia; Kyra Mangold of Munhall, Pennsyl-
vania; and Joy Tubero of Independence,
Ohio. Not pictured are PIMS online stu-
dents Mark Marstin of Gretna, Virginia,
and Roger Meyer of Edison, Ohio.
U P DAT E
In memoriam
Adrian F. Boylston
Adrian F. Boylston, 87,
a leader in the funeral
service profession who
served as publisher of
American Funeral Director
and American Cemetery
magazines and the American
Blue Book of Funeral Directors for more
than four decades, died on August 29 in
Hilton Head Hospital, South Carolina.
He was preceded in death by Joan, his
wife of 63 years, and a daughter. He is
survived by four children and fve grand-
children.
Called the publisher of publishers
for the profession at his induction into
the National Museum of Funeral History
in 2003, he was a venerable presence at
funeral service functions since he joined
Kates-Boylston Publications as advertising
manager in 1959.
Boylston was born one year afer Kates-
Boylston Publications was founded by his
father, Adrian, and Albert R. Kates. His
grandfather and great-grandfather were
funeral directors.
Taking heed of the familys work ethic,
If you want money, you have to earn it,
Boylston spent summers working in the
farm felds on Eastern Long Island.
In 1945, Boylston enlisted in the U.S.
Marine Corps. Following his discharge,
Boylston took a job with the New York
Herald Tribune and also attended City
College of New York. He also took a side
job selling ads in the American Blue Book
and subscriptions to the American Funeral
Director.
In fall 1959, he located to Park Ridge,
Illinois, taking over as sales manager for
the Midwest territory for Kates-Boylston
Publications. With this position came
some 30,000 annual driving miles spread
over 15-20 weeks on-the-road with a dozen
or so state and national conventions to at-
tend he once said.
Following the sudden death of his
father in June 1967, Boylston became vice
president and co-publisher of the company
which necessitated a move to Long Island,
New York. In 1975, he became the presi-
dent of Kates-Boylston Publications. In
2002, he sold Kates-Boylston Publications
to the United Communications Group. He
continued as publisher emeritus until 2004.
Aside from his induction into the
National Museum of Funeral Services Hall
of Fame, Boylston was recognized by a
number of the national and state funeral
service associations. He was inducted into
the International Cemetery and Funeral
Association Suppliers Hall of Fame in 1997
and was the recipient of resolutions of rec-
ognition by the National Funeral Directors
Association in 2002, the South Carolina
Funeral Directors Association in 2002
(when he was given honorary membership
to the association) and by the Casket &
Funeral Supply Association in 2003.
A Mass of Christian burial was said at
Holy Family Catholic Church, followed by
burial at Six Oaks Memorial Park. Ar-
rangements were handled by Te Island
Funeral Home and Crematory.
Charles Freeman Pennington
Charles Chuck Freeman Pennington,
71, died August 1 in Sacramento, Califor-
nia. He worked as a funeral director for
52 years., starting in his late teens, when
he became a licensed funeral director and
embalmer. He worked for many years in
California before purchasing Betts Funeral
Home in Wenatchee, Washington, which
he owned for 15 years. Upon returning to
California, he worked as a manager and
executive with Service Corporation Inter-
national, the Neptune Society and Smart
Cremation. Still working at the age of 71,
he was the vice president of operations for
Smart Cremation at the time of his death.
He is survived by his wife, LaDonna
Pennington, four children and numerous
grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at New Life
Church in Alamo, California. Interment
was at Lakewood Memorial Park, Hughson,
California. Memorial contributions may
be made to A/G World Missions, Africas
Hope, Account #682769 Class 50, 1445 N.
Boonville Ave., Springfeld, MO 65802. r
Boylston
including private care, hospice, social work,
counseling, assisted living, nursing, therapy
and volunteer work.
Also, Family Mortuary was recently
honored by the Mexican Consulate for its
work with the Latino community. Family
Mortuarys parent company is Fairhaven. In
addition, Erika Rodriguez, Family Mortuarys
public relations coordinator, was recognized
by the consulate at Alzheimers Association,
Orange Countys Latino Caregiver Recogni-
tion Day for her work with AAOC and the
Latino community.
nMatthew Smith recently
took over as sole owner of
SPICER-MULLIKIN FU-
NERAL HOMES, Newark,
Delaware. He takes over from
his father, Harvey Smith.
nFLANNER AND
BUCHANAN FUNERAL
CENTERS, Indianapolis,
Indiana, has announced that the Lawrence
Funeral Center in Indianapolis has become
Legacy Cremation & Funeral Services. Legacy
is a division of Flanner & Buchanan that pro-
vides cost-sensitive funeral
options. It was opened in
2000. Tis will be the third
location.
Company Presi-
dent Bruce Buchanan
recently was featured in
an article in Te Indian-
polis Star. He discussed
the fact that the company
hosts weddings, corporate
meetings and birthday
parties as well as funerals
at its event centers. He
predicted that consum-
ers will take increasing
control of end-of-life pro-
cesses. Te company also
has announced the retirement of Brian
Buchanan. A licensed funeral director, he
has been with the company since 1980.
nBUTHERUS, MASER & LOVE, Lincoln,
Nebraska, recently raised $2,100 for the
Food Bank of Lincoln. Guests enjoyed
an evening of entertainment at the PlaMor
Ballroom, including dancing to music from
the Bobby Layne Orchestra, cookies and
punch, and the opportunity to have a photo
taken in a photo booth. In line with this years
theme, A Christmas in July, Santa and Mrs.
Claus were present. Butherus, Maser & Love
has been a funeral provider and active in the
Lincoln community for over 125 years.
nTe ASSOCIATION OF ALABAMA
CEMETERIES recently installed new
ofcers. Executive Board is Julian Boyd,
Meadowlawn Memorial, Enterprise, presi-
Butherus, Maser & Love owners Jim Love and Patrick
McCashland, Food Bank of Lincoln representatives John
Mabry and Mariana Schell, and Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Smith
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New Members
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE ICCFA AND MEMBERSHIP:
Go to www.iccfa.com/membership to download a benefts
brochure and an application form.
Call 1.800.645.7700 to have membership information faxed or
mailed to you.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Admission to ICCFA membership normally requires a majority vote
of those present and voting at any meeting of the executive commit-
tee. The names of all applicants must be published in this magazine.
ICCFA members objecting to an application must do so in writing
to the ICCFA executive director within 45 days of publication. In the
event of an objection, the executive committee will conduct an in-
quiry. If an applicant is rejected, they will be granted an appeal upon
written request. The decision of the Board of Directors shall be fnal.
Providing exceptional education, networking
and legislative guidance and support to
progressive cemetery, funeral and cremation
professionals worldwide
Regular
Grose Funeral Home
Myerstown, Pennsylvania
Keith D Biglow Funeral Directors Inc.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery
Royal Palm Beach, Florida
Peach Tree Cremation Services LLC
Leesport, Pennsylvania
Star of David Mem Chapel
West Babylon, New York
Sterling Cemetery
Sterling, Virginia
Professionals: Pet loss services
4everinmyheart.com
Bridgeport, Pennsylvania
Edenhills Pet Cremation
Maddingley, Victoria, Australia
Lawnswood Pet Cremation & Cemetery
Malaga, Western Australia, Australia
Natures Pet Loss LLC
Brooksville, Florida
Professional/Supplier
Granite Leasing
Ephrata, Washington
Oneworld Memorials
St Paul, Minnesota
Ryebread Architects
Mt Holly, New Jersey
The Law Offces of Hoyt & Bryan LLC
Oviedo, Florida r
U P DAT E
dent; Clarence Haynes, Pine Hill Memo-
rial, Talladega, frst vice president; Edward
Buddy Noogin, Serenity Memorial, second
vice president; and Judy Scott, Rainbow Me-
morial Gardens, Gadsden, secretary-treasurer.
Board of Directors members are Eddie Seal,
Jeferson Memorial, Trussville; Chipper Hoyt,
Tuscaloosa Memorial, Tuscaloosa; Benny
Pinckard, Green Hills Memorial, Troy; Caro-
lyn Porter, Franklin Memory, Russellville; Joe
Mull; Roger Gasque, Colbert Memorial, Shef-
feld; Robin Tennant (supplier representative);
Jimmy Tindol; Phil Currie; and Joy Willis.
nTe SOUTHERN CEMETERY, CRE-
MATION AND FUNERAL ASSOCIA-
TION recently named its ofcers and
directors for 2014-2015. Te are President
Josiah Everly, Service Corporation Inter-
national, Jeferson, Louisiana; President-
Elect Linda Cotten, Greenleaf Memorial
Park, New Bern, North Carolina; First Vice
President John Gouch Jr., Gethsemane
Cemetery & Memorial Gardens, Charlotte,
North Carolina; Second Vice President Kyle
Nikola, Savannah Family of Cemeteries,
Savannah, Georgia; Secretary Sharon Wise,
Westlawn Gardens of Memory, Chemmons,
North Carolina; Treasurer William Gregory,
Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens; Execu-
tive Director Mary Perl; and Immediate
Past President Alan Blevins, Polk Memorial
Gardens, Columbia, Tennessee.
Directors are Rita Augenstein, Louisville
Memorial Gardens, Louisville, Kentucky;
Lauren Blevins, Polk Memorial Gardens, Co-
lumbia, Tennessee; Doug Coleman, StoneMor
Partners, Greensboro, North Carolina; Bob
Case, Holly Hill Memorial Park, Tomasville,
North Carolina; Buddy Ewing, Seaside Fu-
neral Home, Corpus Christie, Texas; Delbert
Tag Helt III, Service Corporation Inter-
national, Greenville, North Carolina; Wini
Hemphill, South-view Cemetery Association,
Atlanta, Georgia; Spencer Hines, Service
Corporation International, Pensacola, Florida;
Justin Hollingsworth, Saber Management,
Kokomo, Indiana; Linda Mayle, StoneMor
Partners, Mount Clare, West Virginia; and Jef
Riggins, Lancaster Memorial Park, Lancaster,
South Carolina.
Past president representatives are Harry
Sharp, Greenlawn Gardens Cemetery,
Vicksburg, Mississippi; Ken Stephens,
The installation of the offcers of the Mississippi Cemetery Association, the Louisiana Cemetery Association and the Southern
Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association.
Calendar
E-mail calendar listings and additions or
corrections to Association Pipeline to
bclough@iccfa.com
For continually updated meeting listings
and direct links to websites for professional
associations, go to www.iccfa.com; select
Directory, then Industry Association Directory.
To see all industry conventions and meetings
for a particular month, go to www.iccfa.com;
select Directory, then Industry Calendar.
October 7-8: Workshop by Dr. Alan Wolfelt,
Kansas City, Missouri. 970.226.6050;
www.centerforloss.com
October 7 & 9: Ohio Cemetery Assn. Fall
Maintenance Seminars, Woodland Cemetery,
Dayton; and Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland.
www.ohiocemeteryassociation.com
October 7-9: Ontario Assn. of Cemetery & Funeral
Professionals Annual General Mtg., Conf. &
Tradeshow, Nottawasaga Resort, Alliston.
www.oacfp.com
October 9-12: International Assn. for Animal
Hospice & Palliative Care 4th annual Conf.,
Indianpolis, Indiana. www.iaahpc.org
October 10-11: California Assn. of Public Ceme
teries Ed. Seminar/Area Mtg., Embassy Suites
Resort Hotel, South Lake Tahoe.
publiccemeteries@aol.com
October 10-11: Order of the Golden Rule Fall
Forum, Renaissance Nashville Hotel, Nashville,
Tennessee. www.ogr.org
October 11: Green Burial: Exploring Issues and
Options Workshop and showing of A Will for the
Woods, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. msh.
rush@gmail.com
Orlando, Florida. 970.226.6050;
Mobile, Alabama. 970.226.6050;
Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 970.226.6050;
October 21-22: Workshop by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, St.
Charles, Missouri. 970.226.6050;
October 23: Workshop by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, St.
Birmingham, Alabama. 970.226.6050;
October 28-30: 21st Century Summit by Creedy
& Co., Camino Del Sol Funeral Home & Cremation
Garden, Sun City, Arizona, and Thunderbird
School of Global Management, Glendale, Arizona.
funeralhomeconsulting.org
October 28-30: TANEXPO, Moscow, Russia.
info@tanexpo.com
October 29-30: Workshop by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, St.
Palm Harbor, Florida. 970.226.6050;
November 5: Funeral Directors Service Assn. of
Greater Chicago 9th Annual Trade Show,
www.fdsachicago.com
November 8: Arizona Funeral, Cemetery &
Cremation Assn. Cowboy Fall Fest, Greasewood
Flats, Scottsale. www.azfcca.org r
At the Cemetery Association of Tennessee and Kentucky Cemetery Association
joint convention, from left: Tyler Tetrick, CAT president, Heritage Family Cemeter-
ies & Funeral Homes; Chris Stephens, program chair, Williamson Memorial Park &
Funeral Home; ICCFA Immediate Past President Nancy Lohman, CFuE, one of the
keynote speakers; Allen Blevins, president of the Southern Cemetery, Cremation
and Funeral Association, Polk Memorial Park & Funeral Home; Rita Augustein, KCA
2013-3014 president, Louisville Memorial Gardens East & West; and Chris Rowan,
KCA 2014-2015 president, Cave Hill Cemetery.
easier way
theres an
Powered by Multiview, ICCFA Supply Link is a
superior tool for our unique community that
streamlines your efforts to fnd products and services.
Start your search at
www.iccfasupplylink.com
Service Corporation International, Dallas,
Texas; and Jack Frost II, Lincoln Cemetery,
Atlanta, Georgia. Supplier representative is
Jon Parham, Matthews International, Pitts-
burgh, Pennsylvania.
nPAWS TO ANGELS, Omaha, Nebraska,
recently became the only total end-of-life
care services for pets in Nebraska. Te
company was already the states only full-
service pet loss center. Cherie Fry, CPLP, is
the companys owner and founder.
nHARTSDALE PET CEMETERY, Harts-
dale, New York, recently welcomed a delega-
tion from Chinas fourth largest insurance
company. Te seven-member delegation was
given a guided tour of the fve-acre cemetery.
Taikang Life Insurance is expanding its life
insurance model through a combination of
funeral services, cemeteries and insurance.
Over the next 10 years Taikang is planning to
spend $10 billion in healthcare, senior living
communities and funeral service. r
U P DAT E
IMSA AD
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4-COLOR
This years ICCFA University included
students and teachers from 35 states;
four Canadian provinces; and Curaao,
Guam, Guatemala and Colombia.
Many organizations provide scholar-
ships to ICCFA University, including
the ICCFA Educational Foundation and
many state associations. (See a photo of
this years scholarship winners on page
94.) Start your research now and apply
for a scholarship to help you take advan-
tage of the best educational experience
in the funeral, cemetery and cremation
business, ICCFAU 2015, July 17-22,
at the University of Memphis Fogelman
Executive Center, Memphis, Tennes-
see. Start your research by checking out
these organizations:
ICCFA Educational Foundation
The Central States Cemetery
Association scholarship for applicants
from Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,
Missouri, Oklahoma or Wisconsin (award-
ed by the ICCFA Educational Foundation)
Cemetery & Cremation Association of
British Columbia
Colorado Association of Cemeteries
Florida Cemetery, Cremation &
Funeral Association
Southern Cemetery, Cremation &
Funeral Association
Massachusetts Cemetery Association
ICCFAU 2014 consisted of seven
colleges. College photos are on pages
86-88. Watch for information about next
years curriculum in this magazine and
at www.iccfa.com/Events.
f
Find more photos on
Facebook! Like us and
friend ICCFA Staff.
Check out the networking,
learning & fun, and tag
yourself!
I CCFA NEWS: I CCFA UNI VERSI TY
Left, students in the
College of 21st Century
Services.
Below, Gary OSullivan,
CCFE, dean of the
J. Asher Neal College of
Sales & Marketing, talks
to students informally
after classroom hours.
Discussions and net-
working in small groups
of students and teachers
is a major component of
the ICCFAU experience.
Left, sales
college
students
work on an
assignment.
Below,
Mike Burke
and Marke
Krause,
CFuE, play
during the
Cryptones
concert.
Right, students enjoy the recep-
tion that followed orien tation.
From left, Jasmine Navarre, D.W.
Rhodes Funeral Home, Gretna,
Louisiana; Yvonne Slonaker,
Cress Funeral & Cremation
Services, Madison, Wiscon-
sin; Christen Leblanc Birkholz,
Schnider Funeral Home, Great
Falls, Montana; Audrey Hoffman,
Columbia Wilbert Vault, Cayce,
South Carolina; and Tamala
Randolph, StoneMor Partners,
Wellford, South Carolina.
The J. Asher Neel College of Sales & Marketing. Dean Gary OSullivan, CCFE, is sitting in front.
The College of Leadership, Management and Administration. Dean Gary Freytag, CCFE, is sitting in front.
The College of Cremation Services. Dean Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE, is on the front row, second from right.
The College of Funeral Home Management. Dean Todd W. Van Beck, CFuE, is in the back row below the
word center.
The College of Embalming, Restorative Arts & Other Care. Dean Joseph Mar-
saglia is far right in the frst row.
Students during
a class in the
College of Leader-
ship, Management
& Administration.
Students during a class in the College of
Funeral Home Management.
Professor Poul
Lemasters. Is it a
good sign when
your lawyer wears
this shirt?
The College of 21st Century Services, with Dean Mark Krause, CFuE, and celebrant trainers Glenda Stansbury and Doug Manning in the
center holding up the sign. People who complete this college earn celebrant certifcation during the training.
The College of Land Management & Grounds Operation. Dean Gino Merendino is at far right, front row.
Students in
the Masters
and CEO
programs with
Chancellor
Ernie Heffner,
CFuE, left,
and ICCFA
President Fred
Lappin, CCE,
right.
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by Richard Winter
director of sales and marketing, Letum Inc., operating out of
Forest Park Funeral Home and Cemeteries, Shreveport, Louisiana
famserdir@letuminc.com
I
would like to thank Chancellor Ernie Heffner, the deans and all
the professors for their work ensuring that ICCFAU remains the
premier educational resource for our industry. I would also like to
give my sincerest thanks to the senior class for allowing me this
chance to speak on their behalf.
Before working in this profession, I achieved a bachelors degree
in political science and was halfway through a masters degree in
leadership. I intended to work in student affairs. It was sheer chance
that I had the opportunity to network with a cemetery owner who
offered me an internship at a cemetery in Louisiana. Being a poor
college student at the time, I accepted.
I had worked at the cemetery for two weeks when my
grandmother passed away in Pennsylvania. I returned home and,
now knowing more than they did, helped my family with some of
ICCFAU 2014 graduates with Chancellor Ernie Heffner, CFuE, back row left, and ICCFA President Fred Lappin, CCE, back row
right. Front, from left: Lorraine Piller, Town of Olds, Alberta; Greg Coury, Mountain View Funeral Home & Cemetery, Mesa, Arizona;
Eunice Davis, Boston, Massachusetts; Jean Breeggemann, Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation, Jordan, Minnesota; Richard
Winter, Letum Inc., Shreveport, Louisiana; Dan Dwyer, Michigan Memorial Funeral Home, Flat Rock, Michigan; and Jared Tetrick,
Happy Valley Memorial Park, Elizabethton, Tennessee. Back row, from left: Heffner; Robert McNerney, Green Hills Mortuary, Rancho
Palos Verdes, California; Dyanne Matzkevich, Pine Forest Memorial Gardens, Wake Forest, North Carolina; Debbie Budke, Spring
Grove Cemetery & Arboretum, Cincinnati, Ohio; Pasquale Richetti, Catholic CemeteriesDiocese of Brookl yn, Middle Village, New
York; Thomas Hernandez, Merendino Cemetery Care, Linden, New Jersey; Monica Bracho-Hernandez, Inglewood Park Cemetery,
Inglewood, California; William Aylestock, Fairfax Memorial Park, Fairfax, Virginia; Lisa Curtis, Mount Elliott Cemetery Association,
Detroit, Michigan; Becca Ehlert, Pinelawn Memorial Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Lappin.
Becoming more in order to
better serve grieving families
Valedictory speeches
Learning the need for a unified
profession, and teamwork
by Becca Ehlert
Pinelawn Memorial Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
beccae@pinelawn.net
W
ho would like to nominate themselves to serve as
valedictorian of the class of 2014? Ernie Heffner asked the
2014 ICCFAU senior class. Hands slowly started going up and then
the bomb hit. Sit up on this stage and tell us in two minutes why
you feel the class should vote for you.
If you want the truth, the essense of a person, blindside someone
with a question about themselves and watch how he or she answers.
Lucky for me, I love to share my story.
Keeping it under two minutes was harder. How do you tell your
story, your reason for getting into this profession, your reasons for
staying, your reasons for attending ICCFAU and what you received
from the program in less than two minutes?
On Tuesday July 22, 2014, I stood in front of my mentors,
colleagues and friends. This is what I said:
From the bottom of my heart, I am honored to stand here before

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you today, thanks to some of the most
amazing people I have ever met, people
dedicated to becoming the best of the best our
industry has to offer and those dedicated to
this program.
I love telling people what I do and seeing
their expression. I love stepping close as I tell
them I work in a cemetery and watching them
take 10 steps back as if being in my presence
is going create the need for my services.
There was a time, however, that I didnt
know what it was like not to feel broken. I
had no direction in my life. I was working
in a dead-end job, searching for something
when an unexpected pregnancy shook things
up even more. Sad to say, my son survived
for only three hours.
Have you ever had a moment in your life
where everything changed for you? Austins
death was that moment for me. It led me to
realize my purpose is to help people the way
people helped me through that devastating
time.
It is diffcult for me to put into words what
I have learned from my time at ICCFAU.
I could tell you how amazing each class is,
how dedicated our deans and professors
are, even where you can get some awesome
barbecue, but something tells me everyone
in this room already knows that. Instead, I
would like to thank the deans I have studied
with.
Gary OSullivan, thank you for my
MERRCLE.
Nancy Lohman, one of my favorite quotes
is, Hold yourself to a standard of grace, not
perfection. She is the defnition of grace, and
I try hard to carry that with me daily.
Gary Freytag taught me to expect anything
from anyonethe devil was once an angel!
Gino Merendino has shown me that
integrity is doing the right thing even when
no one is watching.
Last but not least, Jim Starks has taught
me that learning is a two-way street, and
youre never too old to learn.
In closing, I may not have gone where I
intended to go, but Im darn sure Ive ended
up where I needed to be.
What I didnt get to say
As I choked back tears, received hugs and
handshakes from our deans and snapped a
photo with my co-valedictorian, I thought
of how much I didnt share.
First, a few other thank-yous. A huge
thank-you to my boss, the cemetery diva
herself, Christie Toson Hentges, CCE, who
took a chance on a lost young lady years
ago and has never given up on her. Through
ups and downs, learning curves and a little
fun along the way, it has been an adventure.
Christie has supported my desire to complete
this program and be the best I can be. She
always gives me the push I need to excel, and
for that I am eternally grateful.
I also would like to thank those who have
traveled this ICCFAU journey with me. From
Michigan, Ohio and Texas to California and
Massachusetts, you know who you are and
how important each of you are to me. Lasting
friendships are one of the many things we
leave Memphis with.
Years ago, when I began my path in
the death care profession, I wanted to help
people. I wanted to go home every day with
that warm and fuzzy feeling I thought would
come from helping families. I thought if I
could just hold their hands, be a shoulder to
cry on and make decisions for them, I would
alleviate all their pain.
the arrangements. I attended the services,
scrutinized both the funeral home and
cemetery and grieved with my family.
While traveling back to Louisiana, I
thought about the whole experience and knew
I had to help people so they wouldnt go
through the confusion my family had gone
through.
When I frst moved to Louisiana three
years ago, I was an administrative intern;
today, I am director of sales and marketing
for the entire company and have fnished my
masters degree. I have enjoyed every second
of the ride.
I think I can speak for the entire senior
class when I say that time spent here at the
university is a series of a-ha moments:
I learned that innovation fuels progress,
that without changing and adapting we
cannot move forward to effectively service
the families we see.
I learned that cremation rates continue
to rise and we as professionals have to
consciously make the choice to become event
planners or disposal companies, and should
we decide to choose neither it will take a
merrcle for our frms to continue to survive
in the changing consumer culture.
I learned that all parts of an organization
need to work in unison, as a team, for success
to be achieved.
Finally, I learned that great leaders, like all
of us in the graduating class, pioneer change,
continue to raise the bar and challenge
everyone to break the status quo.
The university provided me with a great
education in all facets of our industry, but this
education is useless unless the knowledge
gained is transferred into action.
I choose to continue my career in this
business because I believe in assisting at the
time of needassisting our families, our
communities and our profession. I continue
my career because I believe, as a next
generation leader, that there are problems we
need to face together, problems that threaten
the very existence of our profession.
Everyone who attended the university
this year has shown a commitment to better
serving families by bettering ourselves and
our profession as a whole. Leaders, new and
old, need to continue to work on changing the
culture of our profession to ensure success.
The No. 1 focus should always be better
service to families during their time of need.
We need to break the mold by fostering
friendships and cooperation between funeral
homes, cemeteries, crematories and vendors.
We need to stop talking about unity and
teamwork and start making it a reality.
The frst step is the hardest, and some have
already taken it. When I think about what I
do, I dont identify myself as a cemeterian,
a funeral director or a cremationist. I am a
funeral service professional, here to assist
families through the loss of their loved ones
by guiding them through a celebration of the
life they lived.
I challenge each of you to change your
thinking and start focusing on what we all
have in common, instead of how we are
different. r
WINTER from page 90
EHLERT from page 90
ICCFAU Chancellor Ernie Heffner, CFuE,
center, with valedictorians Becca Ehlert
and Richard Winter.
to page 94
Elegante AD
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Tribute AD
1/2 H
Zontec AD
1/4 V
Many students receive scholarships to attend the
university. Back row, from left,- ICCFA Chancellor
Ernie Heffner, CFuE; Samantha Renner, River-
view Cemetery, Jefferson City, Missouri; Brent
L. Dotson, Dotson Funeral Home, Marysville,
Tennessee; Denise Goodwin, Curlew Hills Memo-
rial Park, Palm Harbor, Florida; Lorraine Piller,
Town of Olds, Alberta; Rebecca Ehlert, Pinelawn
Memorial Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Phillip
Lauriault, Smiths Funeral Service, Burlington,
Ontario; and ICCFA President Fred Lappin, CCE.
Front, from left: Tamala Randolph, StoneMor
Partners, Wellford, South Carolina; Heather
Leigh, Greenhaven Memorial Garden, Elgin,
South Carolina; Michael Sanchez, Green Hills
Mortuary, Rancho Palos Verdes, California;
Zachary Carnley, Emerald Hills Funeral Home &
Memorial Park, Kennedale, Texas; and Linda Wil-
son, City of Prince George, Prince George, Brit-
ish Columbia. Not pictured is Lisa Vaeth, Jewish
Federation of Greater Hartfords Association of
Jewish Cemeteries, West Hartford, Connecticut.
Scholarships are provided by the ICCFA Educa-
tional Foundation, ICCFA Next Generation Committee, the Funeral Service Association of British Columbia; the Central States
Cemetery Association Scholarship and the Southern Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association. Merendino Cemetery Care
funds the Next Generation Armed Forces Veteran Scholarship; Educational Foundation scholarships are funded by many
individual donations and funds provided by Live Oak Bank, Regions Bank and the Memorial Classic Golf Tournament.
It took me about a week to fgure out my
ideas were completely idiotic. Lets be real,
it is a rare occasion that anyone wants to
hold our hand, rarer that they cry and share
how much their heart is hurting. While we
are trained to pick up emotional cues from
families, trained to see when to push a bit
harder or take a step back, and trained to ask
and answer questions, it is rare for families to
openly share things with us.
Its just human nature. Most times we are
strangers to the people sitting across the table
from us; they simply dont know us well
enough to show the raw emotion that comes
from losing someone you love.
Acknowledging and accepting that I was
way off base with my initial view of my new
profession, I realized I needed to be more for
the people I met with daily. I needed to better
myself to improve their experience.
Every day, we strive to go above and
beyond what our families expect from us.
We look for ways to provide a higher level of
excellence than our competitors. We attempt
to fnd new and innovative ways to say a fnal
good-bye for the families we serve. We aspire
to be the best we can be, not only for our
businesses, but for ourselves.
I am a frst-generation member of this
profession; I am blazing my own trail and
taking every opportunity to learn along the
way. ICCFAU gives each and every one us
that opportunity. It provides students a chance
to surround themselves with the best our
profession has to offer. I have incorporated
many ideas that have come directly from the
U into my everyday work life.
I am now part of the elite group that can
say they have graduated from this superb
program. The knowledge I have gained
has helped me become a better family
service counselor, a better manager, a better
administrator and a better person for the
families we serve.
As my career progresses, my voice
becomes louder for our profession. It isnt
morbid, it isnt sad. It is empowering. r
Above, Lisa Curtis, a member of the ICCFAU gradu-
ating class of 2014, processes into the auditorium
for the graduation ceremony. Left, students and
professors mingle during a reception.
EHLERT from page 92
McCleskey AD
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4-COLOR
American Columbarium
AD
1/4 V
4-COLOR
Withum AD
1/4 V
Dear fellow funeral professionals,
I write this note as the new president of the
Jewish Funeral Directors of America. I am very
grateful and appreciative of all the support that I
have received via emails and telephone calls.
I took this position after some long, hard
thinking and decided that sitting on the sidelines
was not for me. I wanted to see some change and
growth.
The most important item is communication.
Without this basic principal, we are going
nowhere. We are looking forward to working
side-by-side with the staff and management of
the ICCFA to further build our relationships and
grow our membership.
I would like to introduce the leaders of the
Jewish Funeral Funerals Directors of America.
In addition to myself, the offcers are Bob
Zimmerman, vice president, and Jim Cohen,
secretary/treasurer.
The current members-at-large of the JFDA
Executive Board are Joel Simon, Riverside
Chapel, New York, New York; Richard Stein,
Berger Memorial, St. Louis, Missouri; Michael
Benjamin, Benjamins Park Memorial Chapel,
Toronto, Ontario; Matt Levinson, Sol Levinson
& Brothers, Pikesville, Maryland; and Paul
Goldstein, Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary,
Los Angeles, California.
Sincerely yours,
Randy M. Ziegler
Communication is the key to the future
J F DA R E P OR T
randy@
malinow
silverman.
com
Ziegler is
president
of Manilow
and
Silverman
Mortuary,
Los Angeles, California.
www.malinowsilverman.com
He is president of
the Jewish Funeral
Directors of America,
which was organized
in 1932 and has members
throughout North America.
www.jfda.org
lgregory@iccfa.com
1.888.477.5567
In October 2011, the JFDA
and the ICCFA entered into an
affliation agreement, giving
JFDA members full ICCFA
membership, including the right
to attend ICCFA meetings at
member rates.
by JFDA president
Randy M. Ziegler
JFDA Executive Board
President Randy M. Ziegler
Malinow & Silverman Mortuary
7366 Osage Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Phone: 1.800.710.7100
randy@malinowsilverman.com
Vice President
Robert Zimmerman
Ascher-Zimmerman
Funeral Home Inc.
44 Sumner Ave.
Springfeld, MA 01108
Phone: 413.734.5229
ascherzimmerman@aol.com
Secretary/Treasurer Jim Cohen
Feldman Mortuary
1673 York Street
Denver, CO 80206
Phone: 303.322.7764
jim@feldmanmortuary.com
Immediate Past President
Mindy Moline Botbol
Shalom Memorial Funeral Home
1700 W. Rand Road
Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004
847.255.3520
mbotbol@shalom2.com
Members At Large:
Joel Simon
Riverside Memorial Chapel
180 W. 76th St.
New York, NY
Phone: 212.362.6600
Richard Stein
Berger Memorial
St. Louis, MO 63132
Phone: 314.361.0622
richard.stein@dignitymemorial.com
Marc Benjamin
Benjamins Park Memorial Chapel
2401 Steeles Ave. West
Toronto, Ontario M3J 2P1
Phone: 416.663.9060
marc@benjamins.ca
Matt Levinson
Sol Levinson & Brothers
Pikesville, MD 21208
Phone: 410.653.8900
info@sollevinson.com
Paul Goldstein
Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Phone: 310.641.0707
pgoldstein@hillsidememorial.org
The 2014 JFDA roundtable discussion during the groups annual convention, held annually as
part of the ICCFA Convention & Exposition.
I C C FA NE WS
ICCFA Payment Acceptance
Program: TSYS Merchant Solutions
was recently named as the exclusive
payment processing member beneft
provider for ICCFA. Serving merchants
for more than 30 years, TSYS Merchant
Solutions offers ICCFA members a
discounted payment acceptance program
tailored to their business needs. By partnering with TSYS, you
may be able to reduce your operating costs and improve cash
fow. Call 1.888.749.7860 for a free cost savings analysis or
check out www.tsysmerchantsolutions.com. The TSYS websites
Resource Center contains more information on best practices,
white papers and on-demand webcasts. Benefts of the program
include:
free business, social media and reputation tracking analysis
tools to help your business growlearn more at
www.tsysmerchantinsights.com
Meet or Beat Guarantee: If TSYS cannot beat your rate we
will pay you up to $500
full line of payment acceptance products customized to your
specifc business needs
24/7 live customer support
free online reporting
ICCFA Freight Savings
Plan: Save up to 27 percent
on select FedEx Express
services and up to 15 percent
on select FedEx Ground
services. In excess of an 80 percent discount is available on
less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments with an extensive network
of regional, interregional and national LTL carriers. Take
advantage of this valuable membership beneft to save when you
ship. Enrollment is free, fast and easy and theres no minimum
shipping requirement. Learn more at www.siriani.com/iccfafsp
or call Siriani at 1.800.554.0005. The program extends to:
overnight documents
sales and marketing materials
equipment and supplies inbound to your business
equipment and supplies outbound to your customers
exhibiting materials for conventions and expositions
international shipments
Funeral Service Credit Union: Funeral
Service Credit Union has been providing
a sound fnancial foundation to the funeral
service community for more than 30 years.
Funeral service associations, companies,
employees and retirees all rely on FSCU
for fnancial services specifcally attuned
to their needs. They work to provide growth and security to our
community, as you reach out to help yours. Learn more at
www.fscunet.org.
Cremation Hotline:
The ICCFA has partnered
with Answering Service
for Directors (ASD)
to create a cremation
hotline to answer any
questions or concerns
you may have regarding
cremation, completely FREE of charge. This means that the
greatest pool of cremation experts ever assembled is now at your
service, 24/7! ICCFA members can call 855.388.CRM8 to speak
directly to a cremation expert.
LegalZoom: The
ICCFA is excited to offer
its members access to
LegalZoom products and
services for 10 percent off the already low prices offered to the
general public. LegalZoom is an easy-to-use, online service that
helps people create their own legal documents and access attorneys
through its legal plans. They can help you and your clients:
create wills and trusts tailored to the requirements of your
state(s). Offer the link to your clients. Packages include
attorney review and unlimited revisions.
form your business (S corporation, C corporation, LLC)
or register a DBA (doing business as) namepackages
include attorney and tax advice
create partnership agreements
fle for a trademark and/or copyright registration to better
protect your companys intellectual property
Visit, or have your clients visit, http://bit.ly/1rLs6j8 to access
the discounted services area. q
SUPPLIERS: Were looking for companies to offer ICCFA members discounts.
Companies who offer ICCFA members discounts are included in our Buyers Guide & Membership Directory, are included on
the member discount program page on the associations website and are spotlighted regularly (like above) in ICCFA Magazine.
To participate, contact Rick Platter, supplier relations manager, at rplatter@iccfa.com or 1.800.645.7700. These offers may be a
percentage off, buy one get one free, free estimates/consultations, buy a certain dollar amount to receive a discount, free shipping
the possibilities are endless! We appreciate your support and thank the above suppliers on behalf of our members.
Take advantage of your newest membership benefits
In case you missed them the frst time around, ICCFA recently added the following member benefts. These companies are
members in good standing, though ICCFA makes no endorsement of their products or services. Discounts and services may be
subject to certain limitations.
CREMATION
CENTRAL
I C C FA NE WS
THANK YOU FALL MANAGEMENT
CONFERENCE CORPORATE
PARTNERS
Anderson McQueen Funeral Homes
Aurora Casket Co.
Batesville Casket Co. Inc.
Carriage Services
Coldspring
Cypress Lawn
Fairhaven Memorial Park
Florida Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral
Association
Flowers for Cemeteries Inc.
Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries
Forethought Financial Group Inc.
Funeral Directors Life Insurance Co. (FDLIC)
Funeral Services Inc.
Gibraltar Remembrance Services LLC
Guerra & Gutierrez Mortuary
Homesteaders Life
Implant Recycling LLC
IMSA
Independence Trust Co.
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Johnson Consulting Group
Krause Funeral Homes
Live Oak Bank
Los Parques
Matthews International Corp.
Memorial Business Systems Inc.
Memory Glass
Merendino Cemetery Care
National Guardian Life Insurance Co.
Northstar Memorial Group
Precoa
Regions Trust
Riviera Tailors
Service Corporation International
Star Granite
StoneMor Partners LP
SunTrust Bank
The Signature Group
The Tribute Companies Inc.
F
or the past seven
years, ICCFA has
had two directories
from which you may fnd
industry suppliers and
related professionals:
A text-only list of
member companies
categorized by the
products and services
they provide; and
Supply Link, located at
www.iccfasupplylink.com: a
search engine of suppliers that also
categorizes them, but also allows
companies (for a fee) to add their logo,
company profle information and be
featured higher in category listings.
As you may glean from above, Supply
Link is defnitely the more powerful
directory. Thats why ICCFA is getting
rid of its simple text listings in favor of
Supply Link effective October 1.
What does this move mean?
For suppliers, ICCFA members will be
listed in Supply Link and also receive a
package of benefts for free that would
have cost them $395 before. This includes:
Listings in up to 10 predefned
categories of their choosing (versus
being listed in only four in the current
text-only listings)
A corporate description
A link to the company website
A link to a company email address
Having an ICCFA Member logo
next to all of their category listings
Multiview, a company that specializes
in creating and maintaining robust
directories like Supply Link, will be
contacting supplier
members to introduce
themselves and to ask
if they would like to
upgrade their listings
to be ranked higher on
category listing pages,
purchase ads or spotlight
a product on the Supply
Link home page.
We think the deal we have negotiated
with Multiview will make our suppliers
happier by giving them a better platform
where they may showcase their products
and services, said Rick Platter, ICCFA
supplier relations manager. Moving to
just one supplier directory, making it more
dynamic, while also allowing companies
to upgrade their listings if they choose
to, increases the amount of exposure our
suppliers receive. Thats what we strive
for every day.
For funeral, cemetery and cremation
members, focusing on one directory
will cut down on confusion, said Robert
Treadway, director of communications and
membership services.
It was a bit awkward having more
than one directory, Treadway said. Now
we have just one location where industry
professionals may search to fnd the latest
goods they need to provide outstanding
services to their clients. We think its
a win-win for suppliers and funeral
professionals alike.
The old text-only directory will go away
October 1. Any feedback may be given
to Rick Platter at rplatter@iccfa.com or
1.800.645.7700. You may contact Multiview
at 1.800.816.6710 or iccfa@multiview.com
with any technical questions. q
Supply Link to be sole online ICCFA
supplier directory beginning October 1
Caseload survey online at ICCFA Caf
H
ow many families do you work with on a daily basis? How many hours per
day do you spend working on each case? How about weekly? Would you like
your caseload to be increased or decreased? What months are busiest for you?
Is your caseload on par with the rest of your industry colleagues?
Tell us about your workload and your thoughts on related topics by completing the
latest Pulse of the People surveys (one for funeral directors and one for cemeterians).
Youll fnd them at the top of the ICCFA Caf page at www.iccfa.com/cafe. These
polls will remain open through October. Results will be made available to ICCFA
members in November. q
I C C FA NE WS
T
he ICCFA is pleased to present
its members with a smartphone
application that allows you to have
the ICCFA available at your fngertips
24/7/365.
The ICCFA app primarily contains
guidebooks built around the associations
four large annual conferences:
Annual Convention & Exposition
ICCFA University
Wide World of Sales Conference
Fall Management Conference
We will let you know when guidebooks
are available for upcoming conferences.
Each guidebook will have the following sections:
General Info
Schedule
Speakers
Sponsors
Facebook
Twitter
A link to the ICCFA website
An inbox to receive messages from the ICCFA about meetings
To-do List (create your own)
You may rate speakers, sessions and events using the
app. Also, after the early bird deadline for each conference,
an Attendee Directory will be added so that you may start
networking even before you arrive at the conference.
Where to begin?
Its easy.
1. Go to the Apple Store (for iPhone users) or the Google Play
Store (for Android users).
2. Search for ICCFA.
3. Click on The ICCFA App.
4. Click on Install.
5. Click on Open once installed.
6. To download a guidebook for the frst time, simply click on
Download your frst guide. For future events, click on
the symbol.
7. Click on the guide you wish to download.
8. Once downloaded, click on the guides cover image.
9. Once in the guide, click in the top left corner for a dropdown
menu to appear at any time.
Here are some screenshots of the different tabs you
may navigate to from the menu.
t When using the app for the frst time, a tutorial
will pop up. We encourage you to
take a minute to use it to take a tour
of the app.
General Info: Basic details about
the conference. As you can see, you may rate the
event at any time. u
t Schedule: A list by day of the agenda for the
program. You may rate each session directly from
the app.
Speakers: Click on a speaker to
see a bio, photo and a link to his/
her website. You may also rate each
speaker. u
t To-Do List: Make your own list
of things to do while at the meeting.
Twitter: Post to your Twitter feed
with the meetings hashtag (i.e.,
#fmc2014), or with @iccfa
already included. u
t Facebook: Post comments and photos to your
Timeline or to the ICCFA page.
Inbox: Receive messages regarding
the meeting in your inbox. u
t Sponsors: Find out
information about meeting
sponsors, including a link to the
company website.
Website: Theres a link to the
meeting webpage from within
the app. u
t Attendee List: This is similar to
the hard copy version of the attendee
directory. You may use it to begin
networking even before the event.
Maps: View maps of the meeting venue, or the area
surrounding where the meeting is taking place. u
There you have it!
A new way to engage and enjoy ICCFA
conferences. As new features are released, you will be notifed
via a message in the app inbox, and in ICCFA publications. There
will be training sessions on how to use the app at the ICCFA
registration desk at each meeting.
The ICCFA app is compatible with iPhones, iPads, iPod
Touches and Android devices. Windows Phone 7 and
Blackberry users can access the same information via our
mobile site at http://guidebook.com/browse/; search for
ICCFA.
Questions? Contact the ICCFA communications department
at 1.800.645.7700. q
Smartphone app lets you take ICCFA anywhere you go
I C C FA NE WS
Monthly Webinar
Schedule
PLPA offers monthly webinars on topics important to not only pet
loss professionals, but also to traditional funeral service providers
interested in learning more about adding pet loss services.
Most webinars take place from 5 to 6 p.m. Eastern time except
where listed below.
Cost: $30 for members/$39 for non-members.
All webinars are conducted by Coleen Ellis, CPLP, along with
the special guests mentioned below.
October 7: Sales and You: What Are the Finer
Points of Educating Versus Selling
You might be thinking... I dont really want to educate my
prospects; I just want them to buy something. But the frst step
of a successful sale is educating people about your product or
service. Learn to:
Stress whats so special about your services
Use educating as a way to lure potential buyers who may
not be in the buying mood
Position yourself as an expert
Become a trusted advisor
November 4: The Joys of Pet Trusts with Peggy Hoyt
Attorney Peggy Hoyt will provide an in-depth look at how your
clients may plan and prepare for the care of a pet in case their pet
outlives them.
She will offer practical advice that you may offer pet parents for
creating estate plans beyond treating pets as property, but rather
as members of the family.
You will discover how to create an enduring legacy for your pet
in creative ways, plan for a natural disaster and keep pets out of a
court-ordered guardianship.
December 2: Business Planning Basics for 2015
Its never too early to get a jump-start on planning for next year.
Do you know how many customers you need (or how many sales
you need to make) today to make a proft?
How about to break even?
Do you have a systematic way to generate consistent cash fow?
How many prospects do you need in your sales pipeline to
produce enough customers to make your proft margin?
What is your proft margin?
Get a handle on these questions, and youll get a great grasp of
how to achieve a successful 2015.
Register now at www.myplpa.com. q
2014 ICCFA KIP Awards
deadline: November 28
The KIP (Keeping It Personal)
Awards recognize outstanding
examples of personalization
of services or products in the
death care profession. Catego-
ries are: Innovative Personal-
ize Product (suppliers-only
category), Most Personal-
ized Service or Memorial,
Event, Best Practice and Most Personalized Pet Ser-
vice or Memorial. For more information or to obtain an
entry form, please visit www.iccfa.com. Entries must
be postmarked by November 28, 2014. q
ICCFA, CANA partner for Ohio
cremation training in October
I
CCFA and the Cremation Association of North America
are proud to again partner to offer two types of cremation
training October 28 and 29 at the headquarters of the Ohio
Funeral Directors Association in Columbus, Ohio.
CANA Crematory Operations Certifcation Program
TM

(October 28): Crematory Operations training is REQUIRED
in 15 states to become a licensed crematory operator. Learn
about the science, technical and legal aspects needed to run
a crematory. Also, ICCFA and CANA are the only industry
associations specifcally identifed in several state laws as
approved cremation training providers.
ICCFA Cremation Arranger Certifcation Program
(October 29): This training is NECESSARY for anyone who
works with families to create meaningful tributes for their
loved ones. Learn how to stress the value of services, offer
attractive options to families, increase customer satisfaction
and boost revenue.
Instructors include Cole Imperi, owner and creative
director, Doth Brands; Victor Imperi, COO, Doth Brands;
Poul Lemasters, Esq., ICCFA cremation programs
coordinator; Nctar Ramrez, director of sales for Options
by Batesville; and Larry Stuart, president of Crematory
Manufacturing & Service Inc. Each attendee receives
a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation and script on
cremation and the many options besides direct cremation
that they may give in his/her community! Learn from the
creators of the presentation (the Imperis) how to deliver
this powerful information.
COST: $395 per certifcation. Both programs are 8 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m., with breakfast beginning at 7:30 a.m. Both are
approved for six hours of continuing education credit. Register
by visiting www.ohio-fda.org and clicking on Events.
Please note that you do not have to send the same person
for both days of training. q
8 to 8:15 a.m.
Welcome/
Opening Remarks
Program Co-Chairs:
Paul Goldstein
Hillside Memorial Park &
Mortuary
Los Angeles, California
Wanda Sizemore
Homesteaders Life Co.
Indianapolis, Indiana
8:15 to 8:30 a.m.
Kickoff!:
An Opening Pep Talk
Nicki Wiedeman
Chairwoman, ICCFA Sales
& Marketing Committee,
and assistant fce president,
sales support, Forethought
8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
KEYNOTESPEAKER
Level 4 Value Creation
Anthony Iannarino
Every interaction you
have with customers and
prospects must center
around the value you
bring to them. There are four levels of

value: 1) product, 2) service, 3) return on
investment and, the most important, 4)
strategic partnership. Delivering Level 4
Value means that you are a thought leader,
an industry expert and seen as a valuable
partner to your clients business. Anthony
Iannarino (pronounced annahreeno)
will share with us how to evaluate the
level of value you are delivering today
and, more importantly, how to ensure each
interaction is at a Level 4 Value Creation.
Anthony Iannarino, CEO of B2B Sales
Coach & Consultancy, is one of the most
infuential sales and marketing leaders
in the world and a top thought leader on
the subject of value creation. Iannarino
travels the globe delivering keynotes and
workshops for Fortune 500 organizations
such as Abbot Laboratories and CH
Robinson, as well as working with
companies with annual sales revenues of
$100 million to $1 billion. Iannarinos
invaluable insight on how to leverage
value in our highly commoditized world
helps clients elevate their competitive
disposition to drive more revenue and
build better long-term client relationships.
These results are achieved by the
frameworks, tools and methodologies he
has developed that promote and sustain
more effective sales management and
sales force results. Iannarino has a
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. SALESPEOPLE OF ALL AGES. STEP RIGHT UP!
T T H A
2 0 1 5 WI DE WOR L D OF S A L E S C ONF E R E NC E
4 to 5:30 p.m.
Fireside Chat with
Gary OSullivan
Gary OSullivan, CCFE,
returns to hold another of his
famous freside chats, which
are usually standing-room
only. With his mix of humor, personal
experience and straight talk, OSullivan
mentors, encourages and motivates
salespeople not only to be the best in
our profession, but to achieve all we can
as individuals. Gary O. will share his
vast experience from his sales and sales
consultancy career and discuss a wide
range of topics including, but not limited
to, integrity, leadership, corporate culture,
sales concepts and professionalism. You
may submit your questions ahead of time
by email to wws2015@iccfa.com, or do
it the old-fashioned way by raising your
hand during the discussion.
5:30 to 7 p.m.: Welcome Reception
Meet sales colleagues from around
the world while enjoying heavy hors
doeuvres and an open bar
Find out how to DAZZLE your audience with outstanding
service. Discover how to prove youre not a PITCHMAN,but
rather an expert and trusted advisor to your clients. Learn
that your value is not just the price of ADMISSION to your
services. LEARNHOWTOPROVIDE...
JANUARY 14-16, 2015
BALLYS/PARIS RESORTS & CASINOS
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
HOTEL ROOM RATE: JUST $89/NIGHT
EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: DECEMBER 8
CONFERENCE
The worlds largest sales & marketing
conference for end-of-life professionals
Take a look at the program highlights below.
Find complete program and registration
details at www.wideworldofsales.com.
14
J A N U A R Y
WEDNESDAY
15 J A N U A R Y
THURSDAY
unique insight into todays challenges, as
he is also president and chief sales offcer
of SOLUTIONS Staffng, a best-in-class,
$40 million, regional staffng frm. Here
he services companies such as Coca-Cola,
Proctor & Gamble and Bare Escentuals.
9:30 to 9:45 a.m.: Break
9:45 to 10:30 a.m.
I Didnt Know We
Could Do That!
Kevin Gaffney and
Todd Carlson
Nothings worse than a
customer who thinks your
goods and services are just
average. If a family doesnt
walk out of your funeral home
or cemetery being an evangelist
for your products and services,
youre leaving money on the table and
giving away business to your competitors.
Sure, you cant read customers minds
to fnd out exactly what they want, but are
you asking the right questions? Without
knowing what they want, you cannot
exceed their expectations.
Join Kevin Gaffney and Todd Carlson
from Funeral Directors Life Insurance
Co. as they give you a blueprint for never
again having a standard funeral or burial
on your property. Theyll also share their
personal stories of cases they experienced
as funeral directors that started off as a
challenge, but ended up with families
singing their praises.
The importance of product knowledge
will also be stressed, as will the benefts
of learning to not say no. Stop saying
no, do the leg work to investigate all
possibilities, and start hearing yourself
and your customers say I didnt know we
could do that.
Kevin Gaffney is a regional sales vice
president with FDLIC and is based in
Cincinnati, Ohio.
Todd Carlson is executive vice
president of sales with FDLIC and is
based in Abilene, Texas.
10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Providing Service & Fostering Stronger
Relationships with Hospice
Kim Medici Shelquist, moderator, with
Caressa Hughes, Lauren Blevins, Lacy
Robinson and Glenda Stansbury
Hospice providers have the
daunting task of caring for
people when they know the
end of their life is near. Not
only the patient but also his
or her family often needs
physical and emotional care.
Have you ever thought about how you
may provide service and help lighten
the incredible load with which these
caregivers are burdened?
Come hear from members of the ICCFA
Hospice Committee about outstanding
examples of outreach, branding and
assistance they are providing to hospice
organizations around the country. Learn
how you may develop relationships
that may more deeply root you in your
community and pay dividends long term.
Kim Medici Shelquist is vice president
of planning and development for Home-
steaders Life Co., West Des Moines, Iowa.
Caressa Hughes is managing director
of government affairs with Service Cor-
poration International, Houston, Texas.
Lauren Blevins is chief operating offcer
of Williams Funeral Homes & Crematory.
Columbia, Tennessee.
Lacy Robinson, CFSP, is director of
professional development for Aurora
Casket Co.
Glenda Stansbury, CFSP, is vice
president of InSight Books and the InSight
Institute, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
11:30 a.m. to Noon
Service Recovery: Turning
Bad Customer Experiences
Into Great Word of Mouth
John Bolton, moderator
We all have experienced
some failure in products or
services, either as a customer or as the
service provider. Service recovery
refers to the actions a service provider
takes in response to service failure. A
growing body of literature on service
recovery suggests that a good recovery
has a positive impact on satisfaction,
recommendation intention, word-of-
mouth, loyalty, image and trust.
Have a great story about how you
rectifed a problem, or how another
company fxed a sticky situation that you
were in? Were looking for 10 or so
attendees to share their stories of great
service recovery in three minutes or less
to inspire fellow salespeople to follow
suit across the country. Have a tale to
tell? Send us a brief description of your
experience to wws2015@iccfa.com.
John Bolton, CCE, is the director of
cremation gardens and special projects for
Matthews International in Johnson City,
Tennessee.
Noon to 1 p.m.
Lunch (provided)
1 to 1:45 p.m.
Creating WOW Experiences
Dan Kientzel
There are so many ways to
provide exemplary customer
service. And when a WOW
level of service is provided, it
fosters an incredible preneed opportunity
through the enduring relationship that is
created. Are you making the most of the
opportunities to wow your customers?
Service Corporation Internationals
sales trainer Dan Kientzel will help
you develop a plan that delivers a
wow factor to every family, a plan that
includes sales counselors, managers, your
frontline personnel and funeral directors/
cemeterians.
Hell walk with you through the initial
call, to the moment you meet the family,
through the arrangement process and the
services, all the way to aftercare, and
pinpoint numerous touches you may add
to your routine that will yield increased
customer satisfaction and revenue.
Kientzels presentation will include tips on
how to create WOW service throughout
the preneed process as well.
Dan Kientzel is SCIs market sales
manager within the Houston market.
Previously, he was a facilitator of SCIs
National Sales Manager Development
Program for three years.
1:45 to 2:30 p.m.
Cremation Paperwork &
Forms As Sales Tools.
No, Really!
Poul Lemasters, Esq.
State and federal laws typically
regulate your contracts and
forms. So many providers worry about
JUST being compliant that they miss so
many opportunities to brand, market and
educate. Your forms and contracts are the
only thing most families will keep after the
arrangement, but are they working for you?
There is an art to how forms are structured;
a science to the numbers; and, of course,
there are legal requirements as well.
This seminar provides information so
you may:
better understand legal requirements
for your forms, including the General
Price List, Cremation Authorization
Form and Standard Purchase
Agreement
learn how to use forms to market your
business
understand some of the science behind
forms, including pricing strategies
Poul Lemasters presents this informal
lecture with audience participation,
including audience sample scenarios,
relevant hands-on stories and Q&A.
Poul Lemasters, Esq., is the ICCFA
cremation programs coordinator and
also serves as a special counsel to the
ICCFA on cremation legal issues. He is
an attorney and principal of Lemasters
Consulting, a funeral profession
consulting company.
2:30 to 2:45 p.m.: Break
2:45 to 3:45 p.m.
Revive Your
Aftercare Program
Denise Hall Brown Rollins
Many of our aftercare
programs are on life support.
This presentation will give you
the tools to breathe new life
into the way you serve your clients after
the funeral is over. You will be inspired
to replace labor-intensive and impersonal
cookie-cutter aftercare programs with
unique, benefcial and simple outreach
that is manageable and serves your
communities, all while increasing profts.
This session will highlight strategies for
injecting comfort, peace and restoration
(CPR) into aftercare programs. You will
walk away with effective tools for helping
clients regain control and reclaim their
lives via relationships, resources and
release.
Denise Hall Brown Rollins knows both
grief and grace. Following the sudden and
tragic deaths of her mother, son, aunt and
husband between 1995 and 2009, Rollins
walked away from a 25-year career in
corporate America to pursue her passion:
helping others heal from grief. Her
background includes a bachelors degree
in accounting and a masters degree in
thanatology (the study of grief and death)
and she is currently working on her
doctorate in marriage & family.
3:45 to 4:15 p.m.
Educating, Not Selling
Coleen Ellis, CPLP
You might be thinking: I
dont really want to educate
my prospects. I just want them
to buy something! But the
frst step of a successful sale is educating
people about your product or service. In
this session, Coleen Ellis will share how
looking at sales as education will allow
you to view the process in an incredibly
positive light. Youll learn techniques for
selling both B2B and B2C. Find out:
is sales listening or presenting? This is
the million dollar question!
do you have a sales script?
whats so special about your services.
Do you know your fve whys?
what is your personal why?
how to use educating as a way to
break through the barrier of the fear
of being sold for potential buyers
who may not see the need for what
you have
how to position yourself as an expert
how to become a trusted advisor
Coleen Ellis, CPLP, is founder and
president of Two Hearts Pet Loss Center
in Greenwood, Indiana, and is co-chair of
the Pet Loss Professionals Alliance. Her
experience includes being vice president of
sales & marketing for Newcomer Funeral
Service Group, national sales manager
of Cornerstone Preneed and 11 years at
Forethought Financial Services Inc.
4:15 to 5 p.m.
Personal Empowerment,
Execution and Development
Anthony Iannarino
Part motivational, part how-
to, Anthony Iannarino
will wrap up day one of
the conference and give you some food
for thought and tips on how to actually
execute all that you learn. Youll be armed
with great ideas that could transform your
life and the sales and marketing functions
of your company. In the right hands, the
ideas are worth millions in sales. In the
wrong hands, theyre worthless. Dare to
be great!
8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Tech Tock Goes the Clock:
A Technology Breakfast Panel
Wake up and smell the money that you
could be making by integrating technology
into your marketing plan. This session
includes some of the greatest innovators in
our profession today. A Q&A session will
follow as time permits.
Leveraging Mobile
Technology for Your
Cemetery
Nick Timpe, moderator
Nick Timpe will guide you
through best practices and
case studies of how cemeteries
across America are currently using mobile
technology in diverse ways to reinvent
their image in the public eye, create new
revenue streams, offer higher levels of
customer service and empower their sales
staff. This session will cover a range of
applications, from free iOS and Android
apps to custom apps built by cemeteries.
Attendees will be equipped with free apps
to download from app stores and strategies
for creating their own mobile apps for
their business.
Nick Timpe is director of sales and
marketing at webCemeteries.com, a
company offering custom technology
solutions to cemeteries and funeral homes.
Case Study: Spring Groves
Facebook Presence
Debbie Budke
Are you doing everything you can to build
your companys ties in the community?
Is your organization the frst one that
families think of in a time of need? Learn
how you may do both through Facebook.
Public relations specialist Debbie Budke
will share with you some techniques that
have worked for Spring Grove Cemetery.
By the end of this class, youll walk away
with the knowledge and actionable advice
necessary to grow your Facebook fan base
and dramatically increase its engagement
and effectiveness.
16
J A N U A R Y
FRIDAY
Debbie Budke is public relations
manager for Spring Grove Cemetery &
Arboretum in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Facebook + Email: The Dynamic Duo
of Digital Marketing
Greg Young
Effectively marketing your frm via
Facebook and email is critical to
winning market share in todays digital
environment. And when used together,
their power is magnifed. Through real-
world examples, funeral and cemetery
professionals will learn a detailed
gameplan for marketing themselves on
Facebook and through email, including:
how to effectively grow, engage and
target your community on Facebook
how to deploy and distribute an
effective email marketing campaign
best practices for increasing your
email open rate and reducing
unsubscribes
how to combine your online channels
into a coherent marketing strategy
how to maximize the results from
your sales message without turning
people off
By the end of this session, you will
have actionable knowledge for growing
your Facebook and email marketing
strategy and dramatically expand your
customer base.
Greg Young is a co-founder of Funeral
Innovations and brings broad software
experience to the death care industry.
Moving Your Seminars Online To
Increase Consumer Education and
Generate More Leads
Mike Regina
Seminars are a very popular marketing
activity and a great way to generate
qualifed leads, increase your brand
recognition and educate consumers about
funeral services. But by moving your
seminars online, you can increase the
number of leads generated and educate
consumers about your services, while
decreasing the expense associated with
live seminars. Hear how you may convert
your current seminar into a webinar, how
to coordinate registration, the software
options and best practices to make your
webinars more successful.
Mike Reginas family has been in the
cemetery business for more than 60 years.
His company, FuneralDecisions.com,
specializes in funeral home and cemetery
lead generation along with software
solutions to help maximize sales and
marketing.
9:30 to 9:45 a.m.: Break
9:45 to 11 a.m.
KEYNOTESPEAKER
Sales Communication
Skills A to Z
Nancy Friedman
Learn the language of sales
from Nancy Friedman (The
Telephone Doctor
TM
), an
expert in capturing and
navigating the customer contact from lead
to sale. From soup to nuts, front to back,
and A to Z, this dynamic and interactive
program is bursting with tips, skills and
techniques youll use forever. Coupled
with Friedmans electric energy, this
session is sure to stick with you for a long
time to come. Whether youre a seasoned
sales executive or just starting out, youll
walk out of this session prepared to handle
every sales situation like a pro.
Your company spends big bucks
to make their phones ring and attract
prospective customers. If those contacts
arent handled just right, that money is
wasted. Friedman will pack this session
with her unique insights and techniques to
ensure you never waste another dollar of
your marketing budget.
Friedman will share nuggets of wisdom
shes learned over the years, like:
the fve most frustrating voicemail
phrases
words that confuse, annoy or stop the
conversation
some common sense communication
skills that are not so common
There will also be an invaluable Q&A
at the end that is worth the entire program.
Nancy Friedman is founder and
president of Telephone Doctor Customer
Service Training. Telephone Doctor
continues to grow and now includes
ServiceSkills.com, an eLearning platform
offering 91 training modules on customer
service, customer loyalty, communications,
internal customer service, sales training,
and management & leadership programs.
Corporate America has embraced
Friedmans teachings, including Subway,
Goodyear and Dish Network.

11 a.m. to Noon
Serve More, Sell More
Dan Lodermeier and
West Foulger
Sit back and get ready to
be engaged and entertained
while you learn the right
way and the wrong way to
provide great service. You will
receive reinforcement on the
things that you do well and
will walk away with ideas to
implement immediately. Dan Lodermeier
and West Foulger, with cemetery, funeral
and supplier experience, will focus on the
following elements and more:
how to handle diffcult clients
phone inquiries
outreach, aftercare, family follow-up
the little things that make a big
impression
surveys and unbiased feedback
generational differences and their
expectations
how to conduct yourself as if everyone
is your customer
West Foulger has been with Larkin
Mortuaries Cemeteries, a family-owned
frm in Utah, for more than fve years. His
experience includes working with a small
SCI frm in Oregon, at multiple funeral
home and cemetery locations in Oregon,
Nebraska and Utah, and as an area
sales executive for Stewart Enterprises,
overseeing the preneed funeral and
cemetery program in Nebraska and Iowa.
Dan Lodermeier joined Homesteaders
in 1991 as the frms frst-ever account
executive. Today, as vice president of feld
sales, he is responsible for setting and
helping nearly 40 sales professionals meet
their goals.
Noon: Prizes and Closing Remarks
Look for a printed program to hit
mailboxes within the next couple of
weeks. Register by December 8 to receive
the early bird discount.
Reserve your hotel room as soon
as possible as they may sell out. Call
1.800.358.8777 no later than December
15 and ask if you may be included in the
ICCFA room block. q
2 0 1 5 WI DE WOR L D OF S A L E S C ONF E R E NC E R E GI S T R AT I ON F OR M
Name _________________________________________________ Nickname (for badge) ___________________
Title ______________________________________________________________________________________
Company __________________________________________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________________________________________________
City _____________________________________ State/Prov __________ Zip/Postal Code ________________
Phone ( ) ____________________________________ Fax ( ) _________________________________
E-mail address ______________________________________________________________________________
Web address ________________________________________________________________________________
q If you have a disability that requires special accommodation, please check this box and attach a statement of your needs.
Indicate if you are a: q CCE q CCrE q CFuE q CCFE q CSE q CPLP q CFSP q CCCE
Is this your frst ICCFA Sales Conference? q Yes q No
Are you a: q Counselor q Manager q Owner q Other _________________________________________________
Are you attending as part of a sales contest, or because you are a top producer at your location? q Yes q No
PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY REGISTRATION FORM IN ORDER TO RECEIVE EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNT
YOUR REGISTRATION FEE INCLUDES: Two days of educational seminars, ICCFA take-home binder flled with handouts and how
to instructions, registration directory (to facilitate networking), Wednesday Fireside Chat with Gary OSullivan, Wednesday
evening Welcome Reception, Thursday luncheon, morning breakfasts and coffee breaks.
By 12/8/14 After 12/8/14
$_______ ICCFA Member: $499 $550
$_______ Non-ICCFA Member: $649 $649
Or send multiple staff and save even more!
$______ 2-4 attendees: $475 each
$______ 5-9 attendees: $450 each
$______ 10 or more attendees: $425 each
EXTRA RECEPTION TICKETS FOR SPOUSES/GUESTS
The following event is included in your full registration fee.
Extra tickets may be purchased for spouses/guests.
$_______ Wednesday evening Welcome Reception
( _____ tickets @ $40 each)
$_______ TOTAL DUE
q CHECK (Please make payable to ICCFA)
q Discover q Visa q MasterCard q American Express
Name on credit card ________________________________
Credit card # _____________________________________
Exp. Date ________________ Security ID#* ____________
Signature _______________________________________
Cards Billing Address (required) _______________________
_______________________________________________
*3-digit number on back of card or 4-digit number on front of American Express card
CANCELLATION POLICY: Registrants canceling their registrations by December 8, 2014,
will receive refunds. All cancellations must be in writing and will be subject to a $100
per person processing fee. Registrations canceled after December 8, 2014, will not be
refunded. Ticket refunds will be offered
if cancellation request is received in
writing by December 8, 2014, less a
$10 processing fee per ticket.
REGISTRATION LIST: Registrations
received by December 8, 2014, will be
included in the Conference Pre-Regis-
tration List.
ICCFA Use Only
Date Recd ______________________
Ind ID# _________________________
Co ID# Check# ___________________
Total $ _________________________ Please return this form with payment to:
ICCFA, 107 Carpenter Dr., Ste. 100, Sterling, VA 20164
or fax to 703.391.8416.
R E G I S T R A T I O N A N D P A Y ME N T
January 14-16, 2015 Ballys/Paris Hotels & Casinos Las Vegas, NV www.wideworldofsales.com
|800|426
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Classifeds
Check the classifed announcements at www.iccfa.com/employment.htm
To place a classifed, contact Rick Platter, rplatter@iccfa.com
Sales careers
available
Attention
funeral sales
professionals:
Why look for a job, when you can
have a career?
Excellent earnings potential.
No confusing comp plans, just top
pay for top producers. Immediate
openings available. Advance
funeral planning experience
preferred but not required.
TRUST 100, a leading funeral
home marketing company, has
sales positions available now for
licensed funeral directors and
non-licensed sales professionals.
Opportunities exist in many states,
including Connecticut, Michigan,
North Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas and more. Our visit will be
confdential.
Send your resume to
cstewart@trust100.com or call
me, Craig Stewart, FD, CPC, at
610.334.5094.
A D I NDE X
81 Abbott & Hast
29 American Cemetery/Mortuary
Consultants
95 American Columbarium
91 ASDAnswering Service for
Directors
5 Astral Industries
2 Biondan North America Inc.
41 BlindCheck
13 Carrier Mausoleums Construction
53 Cherokee Casket
4 Coldspring
21 Continental Computer Corp.
71 Cremation Coverlets
89 Custom Air Trays
25 Dakota Granite Co.
65 Directors Choice
79 Duncan Stuart Todd Ltd.
7 Eagle Granite Co.
89 Eickhof Columbaria Inc.
93 Elegante Brass Co.
17 Ensure-A-Seal
47 Eternal Branding Plus
29 FDR-Osiris Software
91 Flowers for Cemeteries
55 Forethought Life Insurance
Companies
39 Forever Pets Inc.
29 Funeral Call
19 Funeral Home Gifts
63 Great Western Insurance Co.
91 Holland Supply
27 Homesteaders Life Co.
84 IMSA
45 Johnson Consulting
83 Kanet Advertising
31 Kryprotek
81 Lamcraft Inc.
37 Live Oak Bank
71 Madelyn Co.
11 Matthews International
95 McCleskey Mausoleums
59 Meadow Hill Corp.
51 Merendino Cemetery Care
81 Messenger
53 Milne Construction Co.
35 MKJ Marketing
53 Mortuary Financial Services
108 National Mortuary Shipping
39 Nomis Publications

35 Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell &
Hippel
61 Paradise Pictures
107 Passages International
77 Progressive Environmental Services
31 R&S Design Gallery
35 Rossato Giovanni SRL
75 Sauder Funeral Products
35 SEP Technologies
3 SRS Computing
43 Star Granite & Bronze
9 Starmark Funeral Products
49 SuperNova International
79 Supply Link
81 SVE Portable Roadway Systems
93 The Tribute Companies
33 Trigard
23 Triple H Co.
67 U.S. Cremation Equipment
73 U.S. Metalcraft
15 Vision Casket
57 Wilbert Funeral Services
95 WithumSmith + Brown
69 Worsham College
93 Zontec Ozone r
To inquire about advertising, contact Rick Platter, rplatter@iccfa.com

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