Behind the Back Fence

The past few weeks the e-mail and fax machine have spit out a half of ream of paper informing, speculating or just blathering about National Prearranged Services, Lincoln Memorial Life, their trusts, life insurance transactions, investigations and actions by various state regulatory agencies. Comments also come from funeral directors whose preneed contracts may be affected, other trust and insurance providers, associations and elected state representatives and senators considering various preneed law revisions. In Missouri, the amount to be trusted is likely to be challenged, but the folks that still want an 80/20 percent split may have the edge. As this is written it appears that the legislative session is too near the end to come up with a major revision before adjourning. Study by legislative committees in the interim is likely. It may be a long, hot summer.

From STLTODAY.COM, an article by Todd C. Frankel, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sunday, May 11, had a comprehensive account of the history of the Cassity family with it’s adventures in funeral service Hollywood-style. It also spoke of National Prearranged Services’ (NPS) birth and growth and their various Clayton, Missouri-based, Forever Enterprises. Frankel pointed out that Ohio was the first state to start investigating NPS, but Texas was the first state to go public and regulators now control three of the Cassity companies.

Hopefully NPS can still make the necessary changes in their insurance/trust operations to keep everyone happy. There will surely be new developments faster than we get The Dead Beat out.

Two noble occupations: Insurance-which provides fiscal protection and security and Compassionate Funeral Service-which takes care of families during tragic times, should be a perfect match. Judging from the activities of some of their offspring (third-party preneed sellers) they should not be allowed to breed.

Contrary opinions will be granted equal time, 48 words, send opinions to The Dead Beat.

About the Author:

Lowell Pugh has funeral director and embalmer licenses in Missouri and Texas and continues the operation of the 104-year-old family funeral home. He is publisher of The Dead Beat which began in 1999. He can be contacted at The Dead Beat address.