Late Fall 2009      www.thedead-beat.com      Volume 10 Issue 4

 

Columns

Spotlight

Kenneth J. Doka

Mortuary Muse

Behind the Back Fence

 After Thoughts 

Dear Counselor       

Tips from the Back Room

Archives            

Chuckles

Funeral Home News

News Shorts

Odd Bits

Extras

Comments

Crypt-ic Commentary

Obituaries

As we Drive By

Amy's Gallery

On the Net

 

 

 

Mortuary Muse*    

*to think or consider deeply; meditate By Lowell

Mortuary school curriculums, obituary headaches and online discounters selling caskets have taken up a lot of space in the industry publications and online comments lately.  Change, lack of change and/or fear of change  in the preceding categories furnishes lots of fodder for the experts, pundits and benchwarmers to feed on —self included.

It seemed to me that a consensus of colleagues writing to one journal were of the opinion that mortuary schools were doing a good job of preparing students to pass licensing exams.  They just aren't’ preparing them very well for the real world of funeral service.  Students should also have learned a little more about funeral service before they spent time and money on funeral service education.

In previous issues we expressed concern that poor body presentation may contribute to the rising cremation and no services trend.  We also questioned the reasons behind a perceived increase in poor body presentation.  Melissa Johnson Williams, CFSP, Executive Director of the American Society of Embalmers and Steve Palmer, Westcott Funeral Home, Cottonwood, Arizona both responded with thoughtful commentary (see The Dead Beat, Vol. 10, Issue 1, Late Spring ‘09).  Articles by these two professionals have appeared many times in funeral service publications.

The same questions about poor body presentation were also presented to the department heads of more than a dozen mortuary schools and college programs.  None replied.  I guess they feel body presentation is a moot point—or that I am.

Several letters and columns circulated have discussed the pitfalls of obituary writing.  There has been criticism of Legacy.com for making money off of funeral home’s labors and information gathering.  A retired director in Florida thought obituaries would be better handled by the families with the funeral directors providing the newspaper contact information without having to hassle deadline and editing along with the possibility of missing survivors.  Others have complained about lengthy obits becoming the actual funeral service with the funeral home handling minimal services.  Another industry writer complained on his blog about a journal refusing to print his piece about the need for large life history obituaries resulting in additional comments in the journal’s letters section and remarks from the publisher.  Most funeral directors we have spoken to plan to continue to assist families with obituary writing and placement.  A good idea since online discount casket sellers have not yet put in an obituary department.

The big discount store’s funeral merchandise website raises some interesting questions.  Is their line of pretty much mainstream—18 gauge steel casket retail prices uncomfortably close to a lot of funeral home’s wholesale costs???  Offering credit terms???  The discounter buys the caskets from Star Legacy Funeral Network.  Rick Obadiah, CEO, insists the caskets are American-made, but would not disclose the manufacturer????  In an interview with Funeral Monitor, Obadiah said they would also welcome funeral home business.  The caskets are delivered by Fed-Ex.

I wonder how a casket manufacturer’s margin would be sufficient to allow a distribution system to operate at a profit for the amount that allows a discount retailer to sell at the price points they demand.  Will the discounter ultimately set the manufacturer’s price, or look overseas, as happened in the soft good market?  Perhaps casket company margins have been greater than we thought?

At least when you shop prices online they can’t throw you out of the store.  Oh, by the way, have they made provisions for oversized caskets?

About the Author:

Lowell Pugh has funeral director and embalmer licenses in Missouri and Texas and continues the operation of the 105-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. 

 

 

ADVERTISERS

Directory

Classified

Aaron Beasley Embalming Service & Crematory

American Crematory Equipment Co.

American Macular Degeneration Foundation

ASD, Inc.

Baxter Vault Company

Brian Simmons Springfield Mortuary Service

CFL Pre-need

Cherokee Casket Company

City Wide Mortuary Service L.L.C.

Clear Creek Coach

Columbia Cremation Care Center

Custom Air Trays

Dallas Institute of Funeral Service

Federated Insurance

5 Star Mortuary Service

Fraley Funeral Supply

Global Mortuary Affairs

Great Western Insurance Company

Hardin Mortuary Service

Highland Hills Transport Service, Inc.

Hoefer Associates

ICCFA

Lamcraft

L J Enterprises

Last Ride Motorcycle Co.

Mid-States Professional Services

Miller Coach & Limousine Sales

Mooney-Keehley

NOMIS Publications

Pierce Chemicals  & Royal Bond

Preneed Marketing

Schaefer Mortuary Service

Security National Life

Springfield Mortuary Service

Stillwell-Taylor Mortuary Services

Superior Mortuary & Crematory Service

Texas Funeral Directors Association

Thomas & Sons Service Company

United Heritage Life Insurance Co.

Vantage Products Corporation

Weatherford Mortuary Service