American Funeral Director

A highly esteemed publication in the funeral service industry for 140 years.

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The Enduring Power of Memory: How One Man's Loss Sparked a Mission to Help Grieving Children

6 days ago | kates-boylston.com | Anthony Russo

Bob DiPasquale understands the profound void left by a parent’s death at a young age. He was only three when his father, Joseph, died of a heart –attack. “I never got to know my dad, but my mom (Mary Ellen), who was a schoolteacher and raised me and my five siblings until I was 10, got colon cancer and passed away,” DiPasquale said.
Continuing Education, Grief Support, Brewing Scandals, and Direct Cremation

6 days ago | kates-boylston.com | Anthony Russo

In this week’s Funeral Service Insider, we have an interview with Joél Maldonado, also known on social media as the Grave Woman. She built a continuing education business by teaching people how to deal with textured hair and melanated skin in an effort to expand on the embalming and cosmetic techniques taught in mortuary school. The other feature we have this week is an interview with Bob DiPasquale, who lost his parents at an early age.
Ryan Reyes: From Funeral Assistant to Global Consultant

2 weeks ago | kates-boylston.com | Anthony Russo

Ryan Reyes and Dignity Solutions got a lot of attention recently for leading a lobbying effort that changed the way LinkedIn saw funeral service, but the account of why he even knew about the social media site’s death-care blind spot is salient. At the bottom of it, there’s a story about finding an alternate route into funeral service and then plotting another alternate route for the future.
Navigating the Horizon: A New Bill and the Future of Death Certificates

2 weeks ago | kates-boylston.com | Anthony Russo

A while back, we mentioned the move in Colorado aimed at expanding the death certificate process to allow funeral directors to report a person’s gender at death, even if it is different than the assigned gender at birth. Recently, the measure passed both houses of the Colorado legislature and is bound for Gov. Jared Polis’ desk and his expected signature.
Beyond Service: Crafting Unforgettable Experiences with Damon Wenig

2 weeks ago | kates-boylston.com | Anthony Russo

Damon Wenig understands the funeral service industry from the ground up. As a licensed funeral director and embalmer, he’s sat with families navigating the difficult journey from preneed planning to aftercare. Now, as director of partner marketing at Homesteaders Life Company, he’s bringing a fresh perspective to the industry, emphasizing the crucial shift from mere customer service to a holistic customer experience.
Service Beyond Stereotypes, Australian YIMBYs, and Interactive AI Memorialization

2 weeks ago | kates-boylston.com | Anthony Russo

In the April edition of American Cemetery & Cremation, there is a story that I wrote about a direct aquamation company that has become a full-blown funeral home and tripled in size in the last year–and–a–half or so. The story felt like the latest in a series of young people with no funeral home experience starting a company from scratch and becoming wildly successful by undermining expectations about funerals and funeral homes.
Leadership Changes, Green Innovations, and a Little LinkedIn Love for Last Responders

4 weeks ago | kates-boylston.com | Anthony Russo

It’s always a little odd when stuff happens “on deadline” because it’s so rare. Funeral service news tends to develop over time, so quick, out-of-the-blue announcements can be tricky. That happened this week when we got the news that Jack Lechner had resigned as president of the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.
Calvin Amato Takes His Death-Care Education Beyond the Basics

1 month ago | kates-boylston.com | Anthony Russo

If a mortuary school student can be said to have burst upon the scene, that’s what Calvin Amato seems to have done. Part of it is a timing thing; his particular skills and views fit well with what many believe will be required of a funeral director of the future, though that’s not why he took the route he took. Instead, there’s something of an openness to experience, a combination of “can-do” and “why not?” that has positioned him well for a future on the shifting sands of death care.
Great Expectations, Buying and Selling Problems, and Remembering COVID

1 month ago | kates-boylston.com | Anthony Russo

Happy belated National Funeral Directors and Morticians Recognition Day. Before we get started, I want to let you know (also belatedly) that we have a new look for our newsletter email. We’ve made a bunch of changes that I’ve been teasing for the last year, and I want to give you a sense of them going forward. Each Sunday we send out a news and commentary email that acts as a wrap-up of the week’s news (you’re reading it now).
Nebraska Funeral Home Unveils Patriotic Hearse

1 month ago | kates-boylston.com | Anthony Russo

SCHUYLER, Neb. – A small-town funeral home has found another way to honor the veterans they serve. Moravec Johnson Mortuary, owned by Michaela Moravec and Zach Johnson, recently unveiled a hearse newly adorned with a patriotic wrap. The vehicle, a first in the area, is a testament to their commitment to the community and their deep respect for those who have served their country. The idea for the patriotic hearse was sparked by a chance encounter on social media.