Thought Leadership

Deathcare’s Confusing Terminology Funeral Service is not alone in seeing changes to the terminology we use every day. Just like airline stewardesses have become “flight attendants,” secretaries have become “administrative assistants,” and waiters and waitresses are now “servers,” we have progressed from “undertakers” to “morticians” to “funeral directors” and even “deathcare professionals.” Bodies no longer lie “in repose” or lie “in state.” We prefer “visitations” and “family farewells.” Hearses have become “casket coaches” or “funeral coaches.” “Tombstones” gradually became “monuments and markers.” Today, they are now “cemetery memorials.” We no longer “retrieve the body,” we now “remove the remains.” And for those who feel “remains” sounds too cold and uncaring, they use “bringing the loved one into our care.” We avoid the term “ashes” yet “cremains” never really took hold. The proper term is now “cremated remains.” It is interesting […]

After almost 40 years in the profession, I never questioned the concept of the “size of a cemetery.” I have seen them 40 acres, 200 acres, and even family and church cemeteries that are only 1 or 2 acres. But those were cemeteries initiated 50 years to 200 years ago. As we exist today in 2022, how big will the cemetery of the future be? Cemeteries in the Past The creation of a cemetery was in many ways a requirement for a “town” to become a “city.” As the town wished to be elevated in sovereignty to a city, it needed to have a cemetery. Usually, that cemetery was built at the edge of the town. People would walk, ride their horses and buggies, and (for the past five generations) drive their cars to the edge of town for burial […]

Each year, American Funeral Director Magazine publishes a yearly forecast article where experts and innovators in the funeral and cemetery profession share their predictions for the year ahead. For 2022, they share their visions of the future of cremation, memorialization, technology, what a post-pandemic world looks like, and more. Chris Cruger had the honor this year to be part of this insightful article.  This article originally appeared in the January 2022 issue of American Funeral Director, published by Kates-Boylston Publications, and is being shared with permission. We have included his excerpt below.  You can also download the entire article Chris Cruger on his vision of 2022 I think we’re going to see quite a bit of the same in 2022 that we saw in 2021. Consumer attitudes and behaviors have changed so dramatically through COVID that it has completely shakin’ […]

Scenario: Ibanez Family Funerals & Cremations has been a successful family-owned funeral home business in Texas for the past 17 years. Due to the continued rising cremation rates in his market, Richard Ibanez decided to build out and expand his prep room space along with having a cremation area and retort installed about three years ago. Along with being licensed funeral directors, Richard’s two sons, Bill and Ricky, are also responsible for managing the prep room and the crematory, respectively. The Ibanez family has continued to serve their community extremely well with both their funeral and cremation service offerings. Unfortunately, Ibanez Family Funerals & Cremations has been dealing with two very angry families who might threaten to bring lawsuits against them. Both families have the last name of Smith. Adam Smith was a 28-year-old male who died in the line […]