NEWS JULY 2022 Family Owned and Operated Since 1974 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY P O BOX 5 1 5 9 , YO U N G S T OWN, OH I O 4 4 5 1 4 1 - 8 0 0 - 3 2 1 - 7 4 7 9 WWW. NO M I SPU B L I C AT I O N S. C O M P r e v i o u s l y P u b l i s h e d a s t h e YB News • S t i l l t h e P l a c e f o r Yo u r N ew s ! S A L E S S E R V I CE R E PA I R S U P P L I E S EQU I PME N T MA I N T E NANCE The American Crematory Promise! QUALITY EQUIPMENT RELIABLE SERVICE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY Call Us Today at: (800) 396-2254 or visit AMERICANCREMATORY.COM MODEL A-350 Nasinec Funeral Home Opens New Location It has more parking space than the limited off-street parking at the old building. It also has an on-site crematory and an events center for funeral luncheons or celebration of life services for those without a church affiliation. “It can serve as a lunch area for after a funeral service,” Sue says. “But it is also available for rent for community events. In fact, the Wells Area Chamber of Commerce has already used it for their Vegas Night fundraiser. And we have had several graduation parties.” A lot of thought and planning went into the new build. It is a spacious area with a chapel that can be divided into Continued on page A2 WELLS,MN— The former Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home has a new name and new location. After over 100 years in operation and 60 years at the old location, the funeral home has moved to a larger location and has been renamed Nasinec Funeral Home and Crematory. Owners Sue and Nathan Nasinec initially wished to renovate the original location, but due to its landlocked position, they had nowhere to build onto. However, they felt they should expand due to the growing needs of the community they serve. “The old funeral home was pretty landlocked, being on the highway and in a residential area,” says Sue. “And it was small and had a limited parking area, so we wanted to expand but had no direction to go.” Sue worked at Bruss-Heitner for many years before she and Nathan purchased it in 2008. The former site is located on Highway 22, across from where the United South Central School used to be. The new location is inside the Wells Business Park on Highway 22 on the northwest side of the city. Nathan, Sue and Brandon Nas i nec Mixing the Funeral and Entertainment Industries S E E P A G E A 2 8 Petition for a Funeral Director Barbie S E E P A G E A 1 8 @Nomis.Publications www.nomispublications.com NFDA recognizes Anna Louise Bongiovi as a Pioneer for Women in Funeral Service S E E P A G E A 1 0 Classified Ads Shipping Directory Index of Advertisers
Page A2 JULY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A Published Monthly by: Nomis Publications, Inc. PO Box 5159, Youngstown, OH 44514 1-800-321-7479 FAX 1-800-321-9040 www.nomispublications.com info@nomispublications.com Subscription: United States $30.00 - Canada/Mexico $60.00 Circulation 21,000 per issue. Overseas rates available. Deadline for Press Releases: 5th of the Previous month. Advertising: Display Ad rates sent upon request. Classified and Shipping Directory rates published in each issue. All advertising must be received by the 5th of the previous month. Due to the vast amount of sources, the publisher is not responsible for the content of any news articles or advertisements. Nor is the publisher responsible for any loss of revenue by failure to insert an advertisement. 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ISSN 1944-1126 Funeral Home & Cemetery News Online at www.nomispublications.com Online Directories US & International Funeral Homes • Supply Companies Cemeteries • Pet Memorialization Companies Trade Associations • Plus Much More... www.nomispublications.com Like @Nomis.Publications FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS NOTICE The FUNERAL HOME AND CEMETERY NEWS is now sent in two parts. Section A, which includes pages A1-A44 and Section B, which contains the Classified Advertising and consists of pages B1-B20. If you do not receive both sections please call 1-800-321-7479 or email info@nomispublications.com. 8 0 0 - 3 2 1 - 7 4 7 9 ~ www. Nom i sPu b l i c at i o n s. c o m S E N D U S Y O U R N E W S W e w e l c o m e n e w s o f t h e i n d u s t r y Send us information on your firm today! FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Need Help Putting Your Press Release Together? Call Peggy at 800-321-7479 ext. 220 email Peggy@Nomi sPubl i cat i ons.com fax 1-800-321-9040 mail PO Box 5159, Youngstown, OH 44514 Send us any press release related to your firm which would be of interest to your fellow industry professionals. All press releases are published free of charge and at the discretion of the publisher. Be sure to include any photographs. Staff additions. . . Staff promotions. . . Anniversaries. . . Apprenticeships. . . Remodel ing. . . Moving. . . New Ideas. . . Community Service Projects. . . Graduates. . . Obituaries. . . etc. two, which has large screens for showing videos and photos. There is an adjoining large family room for the immediate family to retreat to prior to the showing or for children to stay. At the front entrance is a gathering place with a beautiful fireplace. On one side of the building there are offices and a casket display room. In the back is a viewing room, a large garage for four vehicles, and the prep room. On the other side of the building is the event center. Doors can separate the event center from the rest of the funeral home and it has an entrance directly from the outside for convenience during private events. Outside there on either side of the building are two parking lots and an outdoor patio has just been completed. The new building also has a flower room that allows florists to drop off flowers to the facility by using a passcode at a side entrance, without having to worry about interrupting staff who may be with a family. While they can make deliveries, their access to the rest of the funeral home is restricted. The private viewing room in the back allows families to see a loved one being brought into the facility when it’s not in their best interest to be too close to the body. Since viewing the body can help families with closure, the Nasinecs wanted to add this feature to their facility. The crematory can be seen through the same observation window. The building is beautifully designed inside and out. “And we are extremely pleased with how it looks,” Sue says. Nasinec Funeral Home Continued from Front Page Along with support staff, the Nasinec Funeral Home staff consists of Sue, funeral director and mortician; Nate, Chief Financial Officer and pre-need insurance agent; and their oldest son Brandon, funeral director intern. While working as an intern at BrussHeitner, Sue fell in love with the community and families in the Wells area. “My goal is to take the burden out of the details so that the families we serve can simply spend time with their family, which starts their healing process. My entire team strives to provide a seamless experience for every family we serve.” For more information, visit Nasinec Funeral Home’s website at https://nasinecfh.com. Columns Aftercare by Linda Findlay. .............................................................................. A8 Bright Ideas for Funeral Directors by Mark Bowser...................................... A18 Embalming 101 by Wally Hooker.................................................................... A16 HearseHub by Mike Jamar................................................................................ B6 Memoires des choix des Jacque by Kate Frediani-Gorman.......................... A36 Museum Corner............................................................................................... A38 Observations by Steven Palmer..................................................................... A12 Powerhouse Marketing With Welton by Welton Hong..................................... A6 Random Musings by Nancy Weil...................................................................... A4 Rest In Peace Mr President by Todd Van Beck.............................................. A22 Working With Widowers by Fred Colby.......................................................... A20 Monthly Features Educational News.......................................................................................... A35 Association News. ......................................................................................... A36 Death Notices. ............................................................................................... A42 Suppliers News................................................................................................B1 Calendar of Events........................................................................................ B2 Shipping Directory........................................................................................ B11 Classified Ads. .............................................................................................. B14
Page A3 JULY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A View Online For Pricing! MODEL # 4BX 4 Body Mortuary Cooler View Online For Pricing! MODEL # 3BX 3 Body Mortuary Cooler Cots not included Scan QR for our website View Online For Pricing! MODEL # TR3 Triple Cot Roll-In Mortuary Cooler 1-888-792-9315 Chicago, IL (312) 940-7084 • Atlanta, GA: (470) 833-1393 Los Angeles, CA: (323) 982-3515 • New York, NY: (917) 793-5391 Columbia, SC: (803) 769-8153 Pittsburgh, PA: (412) 515-3019 Dallas, TX: (469) 498-1935 View Online! QUICK SHIP Mortuary Storage Racks 100% American Made • Triple Powder Coat Finish • High Impact Swivel Locking Casters Fastest Lead Time in the Industry • Custom Sizes Available Weight Capacity: 600 lb. per tier DISCOUNTED FREIGHT 3 Tier Side or End Load 4 Tier Side or End Load View Online! IN STOCK SHIPS TODAY! 1-888-792-9315 • mymortuarycooler.com 140 Kwickway Lane, Building #7 • Johnson City, TN 37615 • Email: cool@mymortuarycooler.com MADE IN USA
Page A4 JULY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A R&S MARKERS FREE Sample Upon Request CREATE CUSTOM TEMPORARY GRAVE MARKERS FOR AS LOW AS $4.95 EACH PHONE: 561 .963.4732 EMAIL: INFO@RSMARKERS.COM WWW.RSMARKERS.COM By Nancy Weil I am updating an article I have written before for two reasons. The first is that I truly love this musical and it is my July 4th ritual to watch it and, if you have not seen it, I want to encourage you to give it a try. (You can rent it on Amazon.) The show is also coming back to Broadway this September with a re-imagined diverse cast similar to Hamilton. Whether you watch it in the comfort of your living room or on stage, this show has a lesson to teach us all. 1776 captures the months leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. While not entirely historically accurate, it does give us a peek into what life was like during that time. The Continental Congress is in session in Philadelphia, General Washington is sending dispatches of the situation out in the field and our nation is about to be birthed. Declarations are written, debates are held, tempers flare, alliances form and songs are sung about all of it. However, it is not just for the entertainment that I watch it over and over again. I gain such inspiration from being reminded of what people are willing to do for something they believe in. Many of the members of congress were well off. They left their farms, their families and their livelihoods to serve their country. They were lawyers, planters, merchants and shippers. They all came from different backgrounds, but they all came together to change the course of world history. Random Musings It was not an easy decision to serve in the Continental Congress. They did not see their families for months at a time. Children were born in their absence, others had children die from disease, crops failed, war time shortages impacted their families, yet they remained in Philadelphia. They were dedicated to their cause and no amount of hardship could keep them from their task at hand. Many of them were willing to risk everything, including being tried for treason by signing the Declaration of Independence. They were willing to wage war for freedom. They were willing to accept death as a possibility. They were willing to be seen by history as either traitors or patriots. While we now know the outcome, they did not as they debated each sentence of the Declaration committee’s proposal for independence from British rule. On July 2, 1776 independence was declared. On July 4, 1776 the Continental Congress passed the resolution and on August 2, 1776 it was signed. Today we celebrate the 4th of July with fireworks and barbeques. We gather, as safely as we can during a pandemic, with family and friends. We travel over the long weekend and never give much thought to the sacrifices it took in order for the United States of America to be born. It began with a group of men willing to risk everything to push forward the idea of independence. It began with a group of women willing to run the households, the farms and the family in order for their husbands to reside in Philadelphia. It began with an army 1776 Serving as Member Resources Director at the International Order of the Golden Rule, Nancy Weil brings her years of experience working in the funeral industry to funeral directors across the globe. Her professional experience includes serving as Director of Grief Support and Community Outreach at Veterans Funeral Care in Clearwater, FL and at eleven cemeteries in Western New York. Nancy travels throughout the country offering presentations on how to reduce stress, combat compassion fatigue and offer support for those who are grieving through her company, The Laugh Academy. With certifications as a Grief Services Provider and Grief ManagementSpecialist, FuneralCelebrant, Soul InjuryAmbassador and Laughter Leader, Nancy is uniquely qualified to bring new perspectives into how to best meet the needs of the families you serve. For more information on how Nancy can help you and your company grow, visit her website: www.TheLaughAcademy.com or email Nancy@TheLaughAcademy.com. F U N E R A L H O M E & C E M E T E R Y N E W S w w w . N o m i s P u b l i c a t i o n s . c o m Monthly Columnsonline at of young soldiers on both sides who fought a long war before our independence was achieved. Our country was born 246 years ago by a group of men who had the foresight, the integrity, the commitment and the courage to put forth to the world our right to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” May we take a moment or two this month to remember what so many sacrificed, both then and in so many wars since, in order for us to live in the freedom we take for granted. May we never take for granted the fragility of this democracy and do our part to keep it going into the future. God Bless America. G L E N D A L E , C A — Forest Lawn Memorial-Park Association is proud to announce the appointment of R. Scott Jenkins to the role of chairman of the board, effective May 24, 2022. Forest Lawn Announces Appointment of R. Scott Jenkins as New Board Chair R. Scott Jenkins Jenkins has served on the board of directors of Forest Lawn Memorial-Park Association since 2003 and assumes this role following the passing of John F. Llewellyn, former Forest Lawn Memorial-Park Association chairman of the board, in April 2022. “We are thrilled that Scott is stepping into the role of chairman after so many years of generous service to Forest Lawn. His business acumen and natural leadership will be invaluable, as we continue to grow and support our communities. I’m personally grateful to have his steady hand at the helm of our board of directors,” shares Darin B. Drabing, president and CEO of Forest Lawn. A resident of San Marino, CA, Jenkins is an Attorney-at-Law and Partner (former Managing Partner) at Hahn & Hann LLP in Pasadena, where he has worked since 1985. His practice involves general business matters and real estate, with a specialty in land use. Jenkins is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he earned his J.D., previously graduating with honors from the University of Berkeley with an A.B. in Economics. Active in the community, Jenkins currently serves on the boards of directors for Huntington Memorial Hospital and Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association (past president). He is also a past president of the San Marino School Board and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Jenkins is active with San Marino Community Church, where is an elder and past president of the Church Foundation. Jenkins has been honored with awards from the Pasadena Senior Center and San Marino Unified School District and was named San Marino Citizen of the Year in 2002. He and his wife have two grown children and two grandchildren. For more than a century, Forest Lawn has been an integral part of Southern California. Since its founding, Forest Lawn has committed itself to providing outstanding service and beautiful environments for family outings, remembering loved ones and commemorating holidays. Forest Lawn’s locations in the Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties serve all faiths and cultures, and offer a wide range of celebrations and special events with competitively priced cremation and traditional funeral services throughout Southern California. Glendale – FD 656. @Nomis.Publications Like us on
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Page A6 JULY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A www.vischerfuneralsupplies.com Landau Bars, Vehicle Nameplates, Bier Pins, and more www.GBURNSLLC.com Order online and use code NOMIS10 to save 10%* *Offer expires 8/31/2022. Valid for online purchases only. Not valid on past purchases or redeemable for cash. Cannot be combined with other offers. Funeral Vehicle Accessories By Welton Hong Getting around in the old days wasn’t as simple as pulling up Google Maps on your phone or your vehicle’s navigation system. Explorers of bygone eras didn’t have GPS built into their ships or wagons. They relied on stars and constellations, using ever more accurate tools to measure the location of the heavenly bodies and their distance from the horizon. Those calculations helped them navigate. While sailors relied on numerous constellations for this purpose, for those in the northern hemisphere, the star Polaris—aka the North Star—was perhaps the most important pinpoint of light in the night sky. No matter where they were in the northern hemisphere, Polaris let them know which way was north. What does this have to do with funeral marketing? It turns out modern marketers have their own North Star, and you can use this tool to grow your funeral firm. What Is a North Star Metric? It’s a single key performance indicator you look at to guide the growth of your business and understand how its performing. This doesn’t mean you don’t have other metrics for success. After all, sailors of old didn’t just navigate using Polaris; they started with Polaris and used other stars and constellations to fine-tune navigation. Why Is a North Star Metric Important? Identifying a North Star metric creates focus for your death-care firm’s entire business. Your team can then look at the North Star metric and ask, “What actions can we take to improve this number?” That often makes it easier to concentrate on growth and marketing efforts that make a real difference in business performance. The North Star metric also provides a high-level, “at-aglance” look at your firm’s overall health. If you choose the right metric, you can use it to gauge whether near-future revenues are likely to remain healthy and whether your business is growing, remaining stagnant, or shrinking. What’s a Good North Star Metric? Choosing the right metric is critical, and many businesses default to revenue. While revenue is obviously important, it’s not a great North Star metric. Instead, try to pick a metric that’s aligned with the overall health of your funeral home as well as customer value. For example, consider the case of the music streaming service Spotify. Some potential North Star metrics for the company could be revenue, the number of paying subscribers, or the number of artists serving music. However, none of those is Spotify’s North Star. The music streaming services gauges growth on time spent listening. That’s a great North Star metric because it’s measurable, directly related to Spotify’s success, closely tied to customer value, and supports further analytics. Spotify can dig deeper into this metric, looking at factors such as time spent listening on the weekend, time spent listening to podcasts versus music, or time spent listening to certain artists or genres. Tips for Choosing Your North Star Metric Potential North Star metrics for cemeteries might be the number of families served, the number of preplanned arrangements, or the number of packages sold. Getting to the right North Star metric for your firm requires a bit of thought. Answer the following questions to help find a Polaris-style KPI you can use to enhance growth: • Does the potential metric apply to all or most clientele? The number of luxury burial packages sold is not a good North Star metric unless your firm only sells luxury services. Digging too deep into a single aspect of your business with a North Star metric can cause you to focus too much on that aspect, eventually leading to a lopsided marketing and growth structure. It Determining Your Firm’s “North Star Metric” Powerhouse Marketing with Welton also creates risks that you may alienate a portion of your target audience, which leads to missing out on potential conversions and revenue. • Can you measure it? A North Star Metric is only good if you can easily measure it to understand where you stand. The percent of satisfied families may be a great metric on which to base the success of your services, but you need a consistent plan for measuring those results if you want to use it as your North Star. • Do you have control over it? The entire point of coming up with a North Star metric is that you can work to impact it, growing your firm in the process. If you choose a metric that’s out of your control, you can’t do this. For example, the number of at-need services provided per month might be a metric to consider. But one of the biggest factors in that number is more people passing away (and their families choosing your firm). You can use marketing tactics to help persuade people to pick your business, but you can’t impact the death rate in your area. Here’s the good news when it comes to picking your North Star metric: You’re not stuck with it forever. If you find that your metric isn’t serving you well, you can change it. In fact, you should reconsider the metric periodically, because as your firm grows or the market changes, how you determine success evolves. Welton Hong is the founder of Ring Ring Marketing® and a leading expert in creating case generation from online to the phone line. He is the author of Making Your Phone Ring with InternetMarketingforFuneralHomes. Formore information, visit www.FuneralHomeProfits.com. F U N E R A L H O M E & C E M E T E R Y N E W S w w w . N o m i s P u b l i c a t i o n s . c o m Monthly Columnsonline at and their community in the manner it has come to expect, which led them to Greg Rollings. “We didn’t want a large corporation partner. We wanted to be able to continue our 85-year legacy and we felt like Greg best represented our values and the concentration on service to families,” mentioned McClain. In this new partnership, McClain is looking forward to what being a part of a greater organization will mean for the funeral home, saying “We’ll now be able to take advantage of new resources available to us that will help us serve our families better.” With over 80 locations, Rollings Funeral Service is one of the largest private funeral home owners in the eastern United States. With each of their firms operated on the local level, their managers work directly with Rollings Funeral Service to establish budgets, pricing, and best practices. They also pride themselves on being a great alternative to selling to a publicly traded company and they continue to search for firms that will be a great fit to their growing family of funeral homes. Rollings Funeral Service Announces Addition of Their First Mississippi Funeral Home Charles “Chuck” A. McClain, Jr and his wife Kim McClain-Hays Funeral Service TYRONE,GA— Rollings Funeral Service is excited to announce their recent addition of McClain-Hays Funeral Service in Philadelphia, MS. The funeral home, which was founded 85 years ago, was formerly owned by Charles “Chuck” A. McClain, Jr. and his wife, Kim. Greg Rollings, president and CEO of Rollings Funeral Service, said “Starting with Chuck’s grandfather in the 1930s, the funeral home has become synonymous with exceptional service in Philadelphia. As a family organization since its founding, Chuck has helped continue that legacy of service and family values and I know this partnership will be a great fit for our company.” Rollings also mentioned that this marks his first location in Mississippi. McClain-Hays Funeral Service was founded in 1937 by Jack McClain (Chuck’s grandfather), Willard Hays and Jethro Holland. Since its beginning, the funeral home remained in the McClain family when direction was later passed on to Charles A. McClain, Sr. and longtime partner, Barney M. Nowell and then eventually being passed on to Charles A. McClain, Jr. Speaking with Chuck McClain, he mentioned that he and his wife wanted to start looking at options for the future of McClain-Hays. Their biggest consideration when choosing a partner was being able to continue to serve and care for their families
Page A7 JULY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A “Over the past ten years we have found C&J Financial always goes the extra mile to insure prompt filing and payment of insurance claims. You can trust they will always have your best interest on each policy they process.” Kenny Howe Holman-Howe Funeral Homes & You CJF.com | 800.785.0003 Everyday we are committed to amping up the profits and overall success of each one of our clients. While you know us for insurance assignment, we’re here to provide you with insights and programs that many of our client partners have used to help their firms reduce accounts receivables, increase cash flow andmaybe best of all, help increase their revenue per call up to 30%! Everything we do is driven by our passion to be a trusted partner to the many thriving funeral homes we serve. But don’t just take our word for it. Listen to what our partners have to say and then call or visit us online to learn more. Promises kept, revenues increased, success achieved.
Page A8 JULY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A Scan QR for our website 1-888-792-9315 • mymortuarycooler.com Mortuary Coolers starting at $5,899 “DUNCAN STUART TODD KNEWWHAT WE NEEDED.THEY MADE IT SIMPLE IN HAVINGTHE TOTAL PACKAGE.” -THEWOOD MORTUARY PREPARATION ROOM Design + Equipment 720 - 583 - 1 886 info@duncanstuarttodd.com www.duncanstuarttodd.com SINCE 1991 By Linda Findlay Aftercare privilege to care for and bury their dead. All aftercare is not created equal. Is what you are doing for your families building relationships with your families? Aftercare is more than mere words. It’s not about saying “thanks for your business.” Rather, when packaged and presented in a timely and compassionate fashion, Aftercare speaks to the funeral home’s client families. It allows a funeral home to say to its clients, “You matter and we care.” It’s about providing a grieving parent, child, spouse or family member a glimmer of hope and an answer to “how to” navigate grief. A gesture that says “We are with you still.” Yes, Aftercare is being eager to comfort a funeral director’s clients, to serve and to assist a family in mourning after close family and friends have moved on. There are many excellent options for your firm to consider using to help you support your families. Listing resources on your website with a link will give your families access to quality support that they probably would not easily find on their own. Are you using your social media presence as a valuable educational resource or are you using it to post obituaries? It is important to always consider resources that will provide support and understanding. Additionally, an opportunity to connect with other bereaved people, who have a similar loss, is what is most helpful. I always suggest that you include a “aftercare resource information” sheet in the “at time of need” packet of information. I know that sometimes families don’t really look at that information during the first few weeks following a loss, but at least they will have it. It is also a good idea to mail that sheet to the family, with a personal note, sometime after the first month after the date of death. Do any of us really know what any one individual needs when they experience the loss of a loved one? Is there a formula that we can come up with that will provide a solution to solve grief for each person who experiences it? Is there one book, one resource, one person, one support group, one article, one experience, that facilitates a turning point on the grief journey? Obviously, the answer to both of these questions is no! In an ideal world, that would be a perfect scenario. But our world is not ideal. Worse yet, most people don’t know how to support someone who is grieving. The only people who have any understanding to what the journey of grief looks like, is those who experience it. Even then, there are distinct differences according to so many factors. As a funeral service professional, what can you provide to a grieving family that will make a difference? Especially when the rest of the world has not caught up to the realization that grief affects people much deeper and for much longer than one would imagine. When considering an aftercare program, your tasks begin with planning. Planning is essential to set you on a path of successfully reaching out to families. Equally important is, your entire staff needs to be on board and know how you will be following up with families. Ideally, if you can designate one person who will oversee your aftercare program, that would be best. There are many questions you will need to answer while planning your aftercare program. Who will you provide aftercare for? Will you reach out to your families, your community, how long will you reach out to families, will you explore hosting a support group, community educational seminar, or holiday program? What are your budgeting concerns? How much time will be required to fulfill an aftercare program? Most importantly, what will you provide for families? You will need to explore options of what is available. Does your current funeral home CRM solution include an aftercare module? Does the preneed company you work with offer aftercare material? What companies serve the funeral industry with products and services that are specifically marketed for aftercare? There are many options. One very important point to remember. Aftercare is best received “down the road”. Connecting with families at three, six or eleven months is a time when most family and friends no longer speak the lost loved one’s name-support is usually non-existent. The value in connecting with families during the first year is priceless! Some ideas to consider are: • Monthly or quarterly mailings. Either an email newsletter or regular mail that includes grief support content and local or national support group listings/links • Regular social media posts that include grief support material or memes • Follow up telephone calls to the next of kin • Hosting a support group. Training for you is essential if you consider hosting a group unless you can financially sponsor a group already running in your community. • Hosting a holiday program, an information seminar or workshop. Find “experts” in your community who can provide instruction to manage finances, for example. There are many useful, supportive ways that you can reach out to your families and provide aftercare. They do not have to be costly or too time consuming. With planning, making some decisions, choosing the best resources and providing aftercare consistently will show your families your continued commitment to their well-being, long after the funeral is over. Success of an aftercare program is hard to measure, but you will feel good about your commitment to caring for your families. You will, no doubt, contribute to their healing journey that will help them to find hope and peace in the aftermath of loss! How powerful is that? In today’s world, funeral directors should be searching for the means to differentiate their product and services, not to mention their brands, from those offered by their competition. To remain competitive, to stay viable, you must review, evaluate and at times, change what you are doing. The funeral home industry must provide more because clients expect more. But where does a funeral home operator begin? With the essential basics! Aftercare is one of those essential basics that all funeral homes should embrace. But all aftercare is not created equally. Once you have the basics well in place, you can then safely move on to even more sophisticated enhancements to your funeral home’s business. The funeral industry is about people, trust and loyalty. Before we fully embrace the future – and we should – we can’t afford to do so at the expense of not executing the basics eloquently. Aftercare is a cornerstone of funeral service. Without aftercare, you may be seen as just another funeral home on a corner. The point is this, while it’s easier to maintain the status quo or be satisfied with merely surviving, funeral homes need to embrace continual refinement of their businesses. When people are grieving, they need understanding and hope-there is no doubt about this statement. Hope in and of itself is meaningless without action. Hope is about the possibility that “things” will be better someday. Hope has to be coupled with action in order for change and healing to occur. If you hope that you will win the lottery one day, and don’t buy a lottery ticket, your hope to win the lottery is meaningless. So, here is a question you should be asking yourself about the aftercare services that you provide: Is my aftercare program providing hope and understanding and do I offer the “how to” in navigating grief after the funeral is over? The “how to” is of utmost importance as well. Even with today’s accessible and ease of use global Internet, availability of community support groups and all kinds of grief support literature and resources, people who are grieving are lost! They don’t have the bandwidth to search for support for themselves! The funeral professional has the unique opportunity to provide hope, understanding and the “how to”, with a well thought out and quality aftercare program. Quality aftercare offers useful information about what grief is and how to find the support that is so desperately needed for the long haul. Anything less should never become or be what aftercare is. Good old-fashioned care and quality support go significantly further in building relationships with families and will bring them back to your funeral home to allow you the honor and Linda Findlay is the founder of Mourning Discoveries, Grief Support Services. She is a 29-year career Aftercare Coordinator, a published author, and an advocate for bereaved families. She is the founder and co-creator of The Grief Cruises and managing partner with The International Grief Institute. Linda can be reached at 315-725-6132 or Lf6643@yahoo.com. Visit www.mourningdiscoveries.com, www.thegriefcruises.com or www.internationalgriefinstitute.com. F U N E R A L H O M E & C E M E T E R Y N E W S w w w . N o m i s P u b l i c a t i o n s . c o m Monthly Columnsonline at The Value of Aftercare BROOKLYN,NY— Sparrow is pleased to announce the expansion of its Brooklyn-based team with the hire of Russell Gonzales as Senior Director, as the company positions itself for continued growth. Russell comes to Sparrow after nearly a decade of working for Riverside Memorial Chapel and Frank E. Campbell in New York City. “I am so excited to join Sparrow and to play a part in bringing to life its one-of-a-kind vision for the funerSparrow Expands Team with Hire of Veteran Funeral Director Russell Gonzales Russell Gonzales al industry,” says Gonzales. “In a very short time, Sparrow has become an integral part of the community and a trusted partner for families and loved ones. It is an honor to be part of this dedicated team of professionals and to continue to be of service to those in need, both in person and online.” Sparrow Founder and CEO Erica Hill noted, “As Sparrow continues to grow and open in new cities, our success depends on having the right people to provide the best support for those who need our services. I am so pleased to have Russell leading the way at our Brooklyn location.” Sparrow is a full-service contemporary funeral home with offerings ranging from the traditional to the unique. With its first location in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Sparrow is a light-filled space, consisting of two “celebration rooms,” a street-facing retail store offering comforting goods, and a staff that is compassionate, thoughtful, and thorough. For more information, visit www.sparrowny.com SEND US YOUR NEWS! PO Box 5159 Youngstown, Oh 44514 1-800-321-7479 info@nomispublications.com
Page A9 JULY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A Celebrate the beauty of a life lived. Designed for ID viewings and private farewells, the Artisan Series offers an affordable eye appealing, environmentally responsible, and strong cremation container for funeral homes and their families that reflect the beauty of a life lived. Stone Bier Additional Themes Available $162.00* Each Delivered, 4 QTY. Printed Corrugated Fiberboard Construction ARTISAN VISTA 1 $50.00* Each + Freight. Printed Corrugated Fiberboard Construction Added Logo Customization Available PRINT BIER 2 2 NOMISJUN2022 Vista Beechwood Additional Themes Available 1 26” x 48” x 20” ID: 25” x 78” x 13” / OD: 27” x 80” x 15” *Pricing is subject to change without notice. CALL (888) 366-7335 TO ORDER OR VISIT STARMARKCP.COM TO VIEW ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS. Copyright © 2022 Starmark Cremation Products. All rights reserved. Specific portions of Starmark products may be covered by one or more patents. Visit starmarkcp.com/patents for more information.
Page A10 JULY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A 800-331-9093 For over thirty years Rick and Elizabeth Roberts have been supplying the funeral industry with superior quality handcrafted hardwood chapel furniture, still handcrafted by Rick & his craftsmen on a custom built to order basis. Large Baby Bier/Cremation Altar as the base of the Urn Carrier, offers multi-purpose functionality. Guaranteed 1 Unit in Stock on the 1st of Each month! Urn Carrier Provincial Large Baby Bier/Cremation Altar RD/129 Cherry Queen Anne Formal Altar pictured with optional lighted Urn Riser Queen Anne Collection Introducing the Formal Altar Pictured with Urn Carrier and Flag/Bible Holder Visit for Web Specials! robertsanddowney.com Cots, Caskets, Cremation Cases. All you need is a Remote Control and One Hand! 585-330-5772 .com Work Smarter, Not Harder! Affordable • Automated • Safe Loading and Unloading MIAMI,FL— NFDA and the Funeral Service Foundation has recognized Anna Louise Bongiovi for pioneering and advancing the role of women in funeral service for decades. The ceremony, which took place during the NFDA Professional Women’s Conference in Miami, thanked Bongiovi for all she has done and continues to do to elevate women in funeral service. Bongiovi’s parents, Anthony and Frances Bongiovi, owned and operated a funeral home in Raritan, NJ. Anna Louise grew up assisting her parents in the funeral home, which she now owns and manages. Bongiovi had a vision for service that went beyond the doors of Bongiovi Funeral Home and her community of Raritan. She was a pioneer among women in the funeral service profession, having served as president of the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association in 1981. Bongiovi recognized that women shared many responsibilities in funeral homes across the country and that not all women would have the opportunity to become funeral diNFDA Recognizes Bongiovi as a Pioneer for Advancement of Women in Funeral Service (L to R) NFDA CEO Christine Pepper, Anna Louise Bongiovi, Foundation Chair-elect Lisa Baue and Foundation Executive Director Lee Wiensch during a ceremony celebrating Bongiovi. rectors, owners or leaders in the profession as she did. In 1983, David Baue established the National Foundation of Funeral Service’s Women in Funeral Service Program, the predecessor to today’s NFDA Professional Women’s Conference. In 2021, the Baue Family established David C. Baue NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Scholarships to honor their father’s legacy and commitment to women working in the profession. Bongiovi was one of Lisa Baue’s early mentors and the driving force behind the growing success of the Women in Funeral Service Program. Bongiovi was one of the first instructors and was instrumental in its success. She continued to support the program for more than 20 years and continues to be a strong advocate for women in funeral service today. “Anna Louise encouraged many states to start their own women’s program, and it was because of her voice, persistence and personal contributions that women became recognized as professionals in funeral service,” said Lisa Baue. “Many of the state association programs are still growing strong.” Unfortunately, Bongiovi hasn’t been able to attend the Professional Women’s Conference for a few years since she also continues to run an 80-call funeral home. “Thank you for all you have done over your career to cheer on other women in this profession,” said Christine Pepper, NFDA CEO. “We are so pleased to recognize your efforts to elevate your fellow female funeral professionals today.” Reprinted courtesy NFDA/Memorial Business Journal. “Quite Possibly America’s Finest Line of Professional Cosmetics” • Cover Cremes • Lip Color • Liquid Tints • Powder • Brushes • Wax www.derma-pro.net 1-800-531-9744 Fax 903-641-0383 E-Mail: sales@derma-pro.net www.nomispublications.com Now offering a Personalized Memorial Line cu s tom gr e e t i ng ca r d s • f un e r a l p rogr ams memor i a l i nv i tat i on s • t- s h i r t s • magn e t s p r ay e r ca r d s • Canva s P r i n t s • f u l l color b ann e r s Members of the Funeral Industry Save 10% Every Day! Call today for your FREE Sample Kit 8570 Foxwood Court Youngstown, Ohio 44514 800-321-7479 info@boardmanprinting.com www.boardmanprinting.com
Page A11 JULY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A Scan and save us as a contact to start chatting with our team today! FAST. EASY. CHAT. P. 415.949.2428 | www.expressfuneralfunding.com Receive live notifications and connect with our team on insurance assignment claim questions through your mobile device at 415.949.CHAT. The FASTEST communication platform in the industry.
Page A12 JULY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A www.vischerfuneralsupplies.com Shkarivska stated, “It is very important to bury everybody in a proper way who was killed.” In Mariupol, deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov told the BBC, “Some we can’t identify but some had documents.”He went on to reveal that the situation was so dire that street cleaners and road repair teams were collecting bodies in the streets because municipal services have collapsed. Reporter Emily Cleary wrote, “Orlov said that thousands of residents are hiding in cellars beneath the city, and some are burying family members privately in courtyards or gardens.” Dozens of “Ukrainian Telegram Groups” have formed with tens of thousands of members.They have one purpose: “Ensuring the thousands who died during the Russian assaults are given a proper burial.” In many cases they are also ensuring that the remains are found in the first place. The members collect and coordinate any piece of information they can find – lists of missing citizens, where graves are known to be, pictures and videos of the missing, graves or grave markers – checking all forms of social media. One member reported: “I joined the group to let people know that my father had been killed and, I don’t know, to share my grief.” Her father had been killed putting out a fire and her mother was forced to bury him with her own hands. She had no choice but to inter him next to the building where they lived. Their daughter vows to return to that area and give her father a dignified burial. Anthropologist Dimitris Xygalatas has stated, “The right to a burial is acknowledged even for one’s foes. The Geneva Convention stipulates that the belligerent must ensure that the bodies of enemies are ‘honorably interred’ and that their graves are respected and ‘properly maintained and marked so that they can be found.’” He points out that the need for closure is indispensable. Any organization that deals with death, especially sudden death, has the same philosophy as the military: the return of all our dead. History reminds us that this may take years, even decades, but their identification and a dignified burial will be done. “Funerary rites are ostensibly about the dead. But their importance lies in the roles they play for the living.” —Dimitris Xygalatas Observations “War is synonymous with death, but its emotional toll extends beyond the loss of life. The inability to say farewell to one’s loved ones and lay them to rest can often be just as painful.” —Dimitris Xygalatas Olena Koval’s husband was shot by Russian soldiers in their Bucha, Ukraine home. Olena was in a safe place elsewhere. The notification of his death came by text. It was winter with the harsh cold and her physical problems. Olena tried to get back to her home to get her husband buried and soldiers turned her away. Olena and her family were forced to leave the onslaught. She left a note with a neighbor to plead that he would be buried. Dimitris Xygalatas, an anthropologist and cognitive scientist, states, “Humans have always cared for their dead – so much that archaeologists often consider mortuary rites among the traits that distinguish homo-sapiens from other species. In other words, it is a fundamental part of being human.” His statement reminds us that people need to mourn properly and the war in Ukraine, as have many wars before it, cruelly prevents that from happening. Mykola Yevhen and his brothers were forced into a basement where they were kept for several days by Russian soldiers, CNN reported. They were interrogated and tortured. They were blindfolded and Mykola was beaten with a metal rod. On the fourth day, the brothers were shot. Mykola was shot in the cheek, the bullet exiting through his right ear, but he played dead and was kicked into a shallow pit grave with his brothers. His feet and hands were bound, but, after he was sure the enemy was gone, he raised himself from the grave by pushing his older brother Dymytro’s dead body off of him. He staggered through fields to a friendly home, received medical care and recovered from his wounds. When the Russians retreated from the area, he went to find the pit that contained the bodies of his brothers. “He knew he had to find his brothers to give them the decent burial they deserved.” It was a month later that he was able to lay his brothers to rest. He did so with an “elaborate tombstone and a welltended grave.” Many Ukrainian fatalities did not have the opportunity for a family burial. When the morgues and holding faciliBy Steven Palmer ties for the dead could not handle any more, city officials took matters into their own hands and performed mass burials. The AP reported that “a deep trench 27 yards long dug into an old cemetery,” was filled with the dead from “morgues and private homes.” The workers did their jobs with no family members present and no ceremony. A shell landed in the cemetery, delaying the burials. The cemeteries of Cherniv are filled. They must inter new burials upon the old. According to the Daily Mirror, Cherniv’s mayor said, “The city cemetery cannot handle all the dead, so we are keeping people in morgues and refrigerators longer than normal…We are burying people in the old cemeteries that haven’t been used in a while.” In Kharkov N18 Cemetery in Bezlyudivka, a burial of three Ukrainian soldiers included a military chaplain reading prayers, incensing of the caskets, and one relative, another soldier, was present. It was one of the few times that respects like these could be held. NBC reporter Phil McCusland reported the tragedies in Bucha. Inna Leschenko, 45, left her hiding place in the basement of her apartment building to find clean water. When she ventured outside, she was hit by shrapnel from a Russian shell and was killed. After the bombing ceased, her family went out, retrieved her body, and buried her in “a small grass island.” When Ukrainian forces took back Bucha, Leschenko was exhumed and taken to a morgue for identification. A month later, released to her family, she was properly laid to rest. In the capital Kyviv, it was ghastlier. Four hundred or more were killed, some laid inmass graves and some were left where they died. As safety would permit, the recovery effort began and officials sought to identify the dead. Their work to find the dead, and to find living relatives to help with identification, was arduous at best. Several volunteers sat outside the morgues interviewing family members to get identification information about their missing relatives. Complete strangers buried the dead where they could. Gardens and any available open area were used for these burials. Exhumations are now taking place in war crime investigations, identification is being made and released to the families. Those killed and temporarily abandoned are now being buried by loving family members. An advisor to the mayor of Bucha, Mykailyna SkorykWar & Grief Steven Palmer entered funeral service in 1971. He is an honors graduate of the New England Institute of Applied Arts & Sciences. He has been licensed on both coasts, he owned theWestcott Funeral Homes of Cottonwood and Camp Verde, AZ, where he remains active in operations. Steve offers his observations on current funeral service issues. Hemay be reachedbymail at POBox 352, Cottonwood, AZ 86326, by phone at (928)634-9566, by fax at (928)634-5156, by e-mail at steve@westcottfuneralhome.comor throughhiswebsite at www.westcottfuneralhome.com or on Facebook. F U N E R A L H O M E & C E M E T E R Y N E W S w w w . N o m i s P u b l i c a t i o n s . c o m Monthly Columnsonline at Jack “Sonny” Meyer Appointed to Kentucky Board Jack “Sonny” Meyer LOUISVILLE,KY— Jack “Sonny” Meyer has been appointed by Governor Andy Beshear to the Kentucky Board of Embalmers & Funeral Directors, effective as of June 1, 2022. Meyer is a third-generation embalmer, funeral director, and chairman of the board of Herman Meyer & Son, Inc in Louisville. Meyer previously served two terms on the board under Governor Steve Beshear, father of Governor Andy Beshear. “I’m honored to be nominated and look forward to serving on the board,” Meyer said of his appointment, announced on May 13, 2022, “I am happy to give of my time and experience.” SNFC Reports Financial Results for the Quarter SALT LAKE CITY,UT— Security National Financial Corporation (SNFC) (NASDAQ: SNFCA) announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, SNFC’s after-tax earnings from operations decreased 73% from $12,129,000 in 2021 to $3,229,000 in 2022, on a 17% decrease in revenues to $102,426,000. Scott M. Quist, President of the Company, said: “While obviously we are well below 2021 income levate to remove macro distortions. So, if we compare Q1 2022 to Q1 2019, trying to remove the Pandemic effects somewhat, our Q1 2022 results are 83% above our Q1 2019 results. To me, that is a solid performance. In our Death Care Segment, demand has been and continues to be very high. Meeting that demand and providing the level of care and service has become more difficult and more expensive as the labor market has tightened and costs for just about all goods have increased. Congratulations to our dedicated staffs who have worked significant overtime trying to meet families’ needs. Despite the increased costs, operationally we had good results. All things considered I believe we should have justifiable pride in our operational performance.” For more information and full results, visit www.securitynational.com. els, I believe we had a very solid first quarter. Our goal is always to improve our financial performance every year, but sometimes to measure that incremental progress, it is appropri- @Nomis.Publ ications Like us on
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