December 2019

Page A34 DECEMBER 2019 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A mymortuarycooler.com Are you state compliant? • Family Owned and Operated • 20+ Years Industry Experience • New Product Increases Settlements • No Contracts... Free Recycling Tote Cremation Metal Recycling 800-664-8365 cremation metal recycling - responsible recycling charitable foundation cmr@metrocast.net www.cremationmetalrecycling.com Museum Corner www.nomispublications.com Funeral Home & Cemetery News Contributors share insights and exchange ideas. B logs The National Museum of Funeral History located in Houston, Texas, houses the country’s largest collection of funeral service artifacts and features renowned exhibits on one of man’s oldest cultural customs. It belongs to YOU and everyone in the funeral industry. Visitors can discover the mourning rituals of ancient civilizations, see up-close authentic items used in the funerals of U.S. Presidents and Popes and explore the rich heritage of the industry that cares for the dead. The Museum is located at 415 Barren Springs Drive, Houston, Texas 77090. Visit www.nmfh.org for more details. what it’s like to attend a Pope’s funeral and insight into the sacred traditions observed when a pope dies. Now, with more than 30,000 square feet of exhibit space and 15 permanent exhibits, the museum has be- come the largest educational center on funerary cus- toms in the United States and perhaps the world. Each year, thousands of visitors explore the museum’s permanent exhibits on a broad spectrum of funeral-re- lated topics ranging from the ancient embalming ritu- We thank you for your continued support and generos- ity and we wish all of you, a happy holiday season. continues to ex- pand and fasci- nate visitors. As years passed, there was a lot of growth, in physi- cal space, as well as its collections, through generous 2019 Was a Very Good Year als of Egypt to presidential funerals. On the evening of September 16, 2018 the National Mu- seum of Funeral History celebrated the opening of its new- est permanent exhibit, The History of Cremation . More than 200 guests attended the opening reception to celebrate. donations and acquisitions of significant items that continue to help document the history of the industry. A major expansion of the museum was necessary after the museum began its collaboration with the Vatican in 2005 for what was to become one of its hallmark exhibits, Celebrating the Lives and Deaths of the Popes . A 10,000 square foot expansion of the museum took place to accommodate the 5,000 square foot exhibit, which opened in 2008 and featured premium sound and lighting, three-dimensional scenes and audio/visual multi- media presentations, which provide visitors with a true sense of We want to take this opportunity to thank all our do- nors and sponsors who support the museum’s mission to honor the compassion and dedication of the funeral services industry. This is the industry’s museum. Your continued support is greatly appreciated and allows the museum to continue its mission to enlighten visi- tors on one of man’s oldest cultural rituals. Where it all began… As we reflect on significant milestones, we pause to re- member how it all began – with an idea that grew from Robert L. Waltrip’s 25-year dream of establishing an insti- tution to educate the public on man’s oldest profession and preserve the heritage of death care. The NMFH ground- breaking in Houston, Texas on February 1992 was followed later that year by the opening of a 20,500 square foot facility to house artifacts of the funeral service industry; items Mr. Waltrip had realized were otherwise being discarded as tech- nologies evolved and new methods were embraced. The museum became a place to collect and preserve the history of the industry, including how it began and how it has evolved over time. The first major exhibit was a collection of vintage hears- es, which is still a popular component of the museum that News Association ContinueD The Catholic Cemetery Conference Continued from Page A33 Continued on Page A35 and Drs. Michael Cherry and Sheila Boysen-Rotelli , Assistant Professors in the Department of Organization- al Leadership at Lewis University, speaking on “Creating Leaders for the Future – Succession Planning”. Other speakers included: Mitch Rosen , President of CANA speaking on “Cremation Sales: Presentation, Prop- erty Offerings and Closing”; Dr. Barton Sharp , Profes- sor of Entrepreneurship at Northern Illinois University speaking on “Strategic Thinking: How Do We Define and Achieve Success”; Michael Kelly , Director of The START Group, speaking on “Safety Planning for Active Shooter Situations”; Arbie Goings , President of Goings Consult- ing Services speaking on “Cemetery Disaster Response”; and finally, a Cemetery Jeopardy panel discussion with Poul Lemasters , Debra Paradowski , Cathy Vail , Sher- ri Peppo , Andy Schafer and Leon Glon . During the annual Diocesan Delegates meeting, Joseph W. Lange , CEO/Director of Catholic Cemeteries & Fu- neral Homes from the Diocese of Phoenix was elected to a three-year term as the Director-at-Large for the Western US Region, Western Canada and Oceania including Australia. During the closing banquet, six cemeterians were recog- nized and awarded the 2019 Certified Catholic Cemete-