MEMENTO MORI

AN ICCFA MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2020

Understanding
Pet Grief
The Special Bond Between
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CONTENTS
VOLUME 80 | NUMBER 10 DECEMBER 2020

16 20
To Pet or Not to Pet? The
Disenfranchised Grief: Changing Landscape of the
Learning to Understand Deathcare Industry
the Bond Between by Daniel M. Isard, MSFS
Humans and Their
Animal Companions
by Maryglenn Warnock

24
Bringing Pet Cemeteries into the Modern Age:
A Growing Need for a Growing Industry
by Scott McAfee

28
Consistency,
Authenticity, and the
70/20/10 Rule
by Welton Hong

32
Prose for the Quietus of Life
A Loved One’s Lament
by Ron Wood

2 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

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©2020 Great Western Insurance Company. 43 114 5257 0620 US
MEMENTO MORI
VOL. 80 | N0. 10 DECEMBER 2020 DEPARTMENTS
ICCFA Officers
PRESIDENT
Jay D. Dodds, CFSP WASHINGTON REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Some of Us Are All Zoomed Out, but ICCFA Is Staying on Message
Gary M. Freytag, CCFE by Poul Lemasters, Esq.
VICE PRESIDENT ANOTHER BLACK DRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Shawna de la Cruz Looking Back, Looking Forward
VICE PRESIDENT by Stephanie Longmuir
Lee Longino
AFTER THE FUNERAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
VICE PRESIDENT The Men Behind Those Jaunty Jalopies of the Early 20th Century
Mitch Rose, CCFE, CCrE by Jim Kurtz & Alice Adams
TREASURER
Chris Keller DID YOU KNOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Celebrities Who Died on December 25
SECRETARY
Robbie L. Pape BUSINESS MANAGEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Stop Procrastinating and Start Focusing on Your Exit Strategy
Nadira Baddeliyanage by Tim Hermann, CFP®, CExP™
GENERAL COUNSEL
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Poul Lemasters, Esq. It’s Our Job to Show Our Families the Possibilities
poul@iccfa.com
by Phil Zehms
Magazine Staff MOMENTS OF REFLECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
The Angel Ceremony: Turning a Faux Pas into a New Tradition
Tatia L. Gordon-Troy, Esq. by Tanya Scotece, Ph.D., LFD, CFSP C

tatia@iccfa.com | 571.323.2983, ext. 1222

INDUSTRY UPDATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 M

SUPPLIER RELATIONS MANAGER

Rick Platter MEMBER NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Y

rplatter@iccfa.com | 800.645.7700, ext. 1213 Destination Kohler Unveils Straits Chapel on Lake Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 CM

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Making Old New Again with Expansion and Modernization, by Mitch Rose . . . . . . 44
Katherine Devins MY

kd@iccfa.com | 800.645.7700, ext. 1218

Garden of Remembrance Marks 20th Year of Service with Plans to Expand. . . . . . . 46
CY

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT
WilbertEDU Provides Free Online Courses for CEU Hours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
CMY
Jason Brown ICCFA NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
jason@iccfa.com | 800.645.7700, ext. 1224 K

DEAD Talks 2021: Back to Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND PUBLISHER
Nadira Baddeliyanage Take 5 on Us! ICCFA & NGL Team Up on a New Video Series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
nadira@iccfa.com | 800.645.7700, ext. 1225 Avoid Infringement Fines— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
SUBSCRIPTION COORDINATOR (HABLA ESPAÑOL) Get Discounts on Music & Web Licensing for 2021
Daniel Osorio Membership Benefit Spotlight: Nationwide Pet Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
danielo@iccfa.com | 800.645.7700, ext. 1215
Welcome New ICCFA Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
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Memento Mori (ISSN 1936-2099) is published by
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the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral
EVENTS CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
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iccfa.com. Published 10 times per year, with combined
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postage paid at Sterling, VA, and other offices. Copyright
2020 by the International Cemetery, Cremation and
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Individual written contributions, commentary and
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International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association.
—Sylvester Stallone

4 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

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WASHINGTON REPORT
Some of Us Are All Zoomed Out,
but ICCFA Is Staying on Message
by Poul Lemasters, Esq.
I
HATE TO BRAG , but recently I have had the opportunity to visit several congressmen and congresswomen
in their homes. It’s true. Well, sort of. This pandemic has provided us with a new way of visiting with our
elected officials—by way of the virtual meeting. Because we are meeting virtually, via Zoom, we are seeing
many elected officials in their homes or home offices. Of course, they are also seeing us in our homes, which,
admittedly, makes the interaction quite different.
In some ways, the meetings are less formal and
include almost an immediate ice breaker. I have seen
several congressional leaders in polos—something I typ-
ically wouldn’t see when visiting the Hill. For purposes
of discussion on topics important to ICCFA members,
the virtual meetings have provided great access and
platforms to stay in front of key political leaders.
[B]efore anyone thought about a possible
pandemic, ICCFA set up an online portal to
allow ICCFA members to donate to the PAC
from the comfort of their home!
Typically during this time of year, elected officials
are seeking contributions by way of luncheons, dinners,
and get togethers. Well, not this year. Due to COVID-
19, the Capitol is closed to all in-person meetings. Now,
the invitation says, “Come Zoom with Your Representa-
tive,” which is one I recently received.
We Are Staying on Message
With all the virtual meetings, there are some potential
downfalls that ICCFA is aware of, and making sure we
stay ahead of as we continue our virtual presence.
First, there are so many virtual meetings taking place.
One benefit of virtual meetings is that it allows more
people to attend and visit “face-to-face” with their repre-
sentatives. This means that representatives are meeting
more people, more often, and hearing more issues. The
downside is that scheduling meetings with key per-
sonnel can be more difficult, as their calendar fills with
more and more meetings. ICCFA continues to focus on
key leadership in D.C. and stays proactive with meet-
ings—and not waiting until the issue requires a meeting.
There is also a second potential issue, and that is the
white noise of virtual meetings. We are all experiencing
6 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020
it to some degree with so many virtual meetings that
they all seem to run together. Pretty soon you lose track
of what you’ve heard at which meeting, that’s if you
heard anything at all. Many times, people aren’t even
paying close attention during the meeting; they are
looking at emails while “listening” to others speak.
To help avoid this potential issue, ICCFA has
focused on the issues that are relevant to its members.
We also make sure that our points are concise and
directed to whom we are speaking. Lastly, we always try
to make sure that when we are on our virtual meeting,
a member that represents that district is on the call
as well. Representatives want to know about the big
issues—there is no argument there. However, they
really want to hear how the issue affects their home
(also known as their constituents.)
Your Involvement Is Key to Our Success
You may be asking how you can be involved and be part
of these virtual meetups. Glad you asked.
First, in either Nostradamus fashion or just a very
eerie coincidental moment, ICCFA took the PAC dona-
tion virtual almost one year ago. Yes, before anyone
thought about a possible pandemic, ICCFA set up an
online portal to allow ICCFA members to donate to the
PAC from the comfort of their home!
Truth be told, the plan was to roll out the online
PAC donation website at the 2020 annual convention
in San Antonio. Unfortunately, due to COVID restric-
tions, that event was the first to be canceled. While the
true goal of going virtual was to allow an easier format
for donating to the PAC, it now provides the perfect
tool for today’s world. As we sit here today, it is now a
crucial tool that we need you to use.
The process is simple. As a member of ICCFA, you
are allowed to make a personal contribution to the
PAC. The ICCFA Political Action Committee (PAC)
plays an important role in shaping the rules and regula-
tions that govern the deathcare profession. A PAC is a
www.iccfa.com
committee operating under federal election
regulations, which pools together individual
contributions and collectively contributes
them to key candidates in both houses of
Congress. The ICCFA PAC was established
in 2003 and is a bipartisan, multi-candidate,
federal, political action committee affiliated
with the International Cemetery, Cremation
and Funeral Association and registered with
the Federal Election Commission.
You can personally donate up to $5,000.
Just log-in to your ICCFA account (www.
ICCFA.com) and click the link that takes
you to the online portal! It really is that easy.
And if you need help logging in, you know
ICCFA is just a call away: 1-800-645-7700.
Second, you can get involved by attend-
ing—virtually, that is—future meetings.
Having members who are from the repre-
sentative’s district is truly a powerful way
to share the message. Consider this your
official invitation to join ICCFA and help.
And your help is crucial, both in dona-
tions of time and money, as this past year
has been an extremely taxing year of tack-
ling the response to COVID-19. We shared
the breakdown in the last issue’s “Wash-
ington Report”: Essential Workers; Federal
COVID-Response Legislation; Families
First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA);
Paycheck Protection Program; 501(c)(13)
Cemetery Inclusion; the HEROES Act; the
HEALS Act/Senate Proposal; and COVID-
19 Vaccine prioritization.
Of course, ICCFA also worked on FTC
Funeral Rule comments, tax reform changes
affecting funeral homes and cemeteries,
new overtime regulations implemented by
the Department of Labor, and H.R. 1835—
the Consensual Donation and Research
Integrity Act of 2019. Needless to say, it’s
been a busy year.
While D.C. has gone virtual, know that
ICCFA has been there virtually as well. So
much so, that ICCFA has created a virtual
PAC contribution portal, allowing all
ICCFA members to help, too—all from the
comfort of your living room/office.
Poul Lemasters, Esq., poul@iccfa.
com, serves as ICCFA general
counsel and cremation programs
coordinator. He also serves on the
Government and Legal Affairs
Committee. Poul is an attorney
and a funeral director/embalmer
with degrees from the Cincinnati College of
Mortuary Science and the Northern Kentucky
University Chase College of Law. He is a licensed
funeral director/embalmer in Ohio and West
Virginia and is admitted to practice law in Ohio,
Kentucky, and Virginia. As principal of Lemasters
Consulting, a deathcare consulting company,
Poul Lemasters offers ICCFA members in good
standing a free one-hour consultation relating to
cremation; in addition, members are entitled to a
free GPL review to check for Funeral Rule
compliance

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ANOTHER BLACK DRESS

Looking Back, Looking Forward

by Stephanie Longmuir

I
t turns out that writing these “notes from an Aussie Celebrant” has provided me with an interesting journal of
what has been a remarkable year in the funeral profession: from the blind optimism of that first article written
pre-pandemic, through the uncertainty of the early restrictions and the agility of our profession adapting to
enormous change, to the helplessness and fear that many of us have faced serving families affected by the virus.

Because of restrictions on travel and gatherings,

we have seen funeral services go from a celebration of I sign off with gratitude for
life to a simple farewell; in-person meetings in family the work that has sustained
homes have been replaced by Zoom meetings; overflow
rooms in chapels are unused as socially distanced seat- me through this pandemic
ing becomes the norm; onsite refreshments have been
postponed to family reunions or wakes at a later date; and for the families that have
and gone are the friendly greetings from correspon- entrusted me with
dence as we now sign off with “stay well and stay safe.”
As I write this final article for 2020, news of the pan- such an
demic only gets worse. It is spring here in Melbourne
and although in the midst of a second lockdown, the important job.
warmer weather and the audacity of nature brings some
optimism. I hope that I can be with my family in Sydney
over Christmas.
But for now, despite the hardship and uncertainty of
2020, I sign off with gratitude for the work that has sus-
tained me through this pandemic and for the families
that have entrusted me with such an important job.

With thanks for your emails and for reaching out

to me during this year, please stay in touch; it has
been so great to get your questions and feedback. I
wish you, and your families, health and happiness in
2021.

Stephanie Longmuir is an end-of-life

celebrant, podcaster, and consultant. She
has been serving the families of Melbourne
and Sydney, Australia, since 2009, creating
unique and meaningful services. Determined
to better prepare and inform families, in
2015, Stephanie founded www.myendnotes.
com, Australia’s first digital funeral planning service; in 2017,
she launched a podcast series, “Dying to Tell.” Stephanie is
a skilled writer and speaker and has been invited by ICCFA,
NFDA, and AFDA to present at their annual conferences.

8 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

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AFTER THE FUNERAL
The Men Behind Those Jaunty Jalopies
of the Early 20th Century
T
HE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES began in the 1890s
and, as a result of the size of the domestic market and the use of mass production,
rapidly evolved into the largest in the world.
Arguably, the first American car was
built by Oliver Evans in 1805. Patented
in 1789, the car that Evans built was
amphibious and could travel on land or
water using paddlewheels.
However, scholars say that the first
American car was built by the Duryea
Motor Wagon Company back in 1893.
Frank and Charles Duryea founded the
company and built a Ladies Phaeton
one-cylinder gasoline engine, 4-wheel,
open air car. Starting with Duryea in
1895, at least 1,900 different compa-
nies were formed, producing over 3,000
makes of American automobiles. World
War I (1917–1918) and the Great
Depression in the United States (1929–
1939) combined to drastically reduce the
number of major and minor producers.
During World War II, all the auto
companies switched to making military
equipment and weapons. However, by
the end of the next decade, the remain-
ing smaller producers disappeared or
merged into amalgamated corporations.
The industry was dominated by three
large companies: General Motors, Ford,
and Chrysler, all based in Detroit. Those
“Big Three” continued to prosper, and
the United States produced three quar-
ters of all automobiles in the world by
1950 (about 8 million).
The United States was overtaken by
Japan as the largest automobile producer
in the 1980s, and subsequently by China
in 2008. The United States is currently
second among the largest manufacturers
in the world by volume.
10 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020
by Jim Kurtz & Alice Adams
David Dunbar
Buick
• Born: September
17, 1854, Abroath,
United Kingdom
• Died: March 5,
1929, at Harper Hos-
pital, Detroit
A native of Scotland who came to the
United States at age 2, Buick was a Detroit
investor best known for founding the Buick
Motor Company. He headed the company
from 1899 to 1906, helping create one of
the most successful car companies in motor
vehicle history. Buick eventually became
part of the General Motors Company.
Prior to inventing the Buick automobile, he
was a plumber-inventor and held a patent
for a water closet discharge valve. He also
designed and raced speedboats.
Buick died a pauper’s death. He squan-
dered his fortune and spent the end of his
life teaching a new generation how to be
mechanics at Detroit’s YMCA. As he told
one reporter, “I see many cars on the street
that carry my name, but I don’t even have
the money to buy one.”
• Final Disposition: Interred at Woodmere
Cemetery in Detroit.
• Arrangements: The funeral director was
P. Blake’s Sons in Detroit; Wm. F. Blake,
funeral director.
Louis Chevrolet
• Born: December 25,
1878, La Chaux-de-
Fonds, Switzerland
•Died: June 6, 1941,
Detroit
Chevrolet was a
race car driver and
automobile designer with his brothers, Gas-
ton and Arthur. He founded the Chevrolet
Motor Car Company in 1911, which later
became an integral member of General
Motors. From an early age, he displayed
some highly developed mechanical skills. In
1912, his company introduced the Chev-
rolet Classic Six, carrying a sticker price of
$2,150, affordable only to the wealthy.
After several failed car companies, he
turned to boat racing; but in the end, GM
put him on the payroll simply because his
name was on one of the best-selling cars in
the line. Before his death, he was associated
with the Stutz Automobile Company in
Indianapolis. He died at his home in Detroit
of complications following surgery.
• Final Disposition: Interment at Holy
Cross and Saint Joseph Cemetery, India-
napolis, IN.
• Arrangements: The funeral director was
The Wm. R. Hamilton Co., Detroit.
www.iccfa.com
 Walter Chrysler
• Born: April 2, 1875,
Wamego, KS
• Died: August 18,
1940, Great Neck,
Long Island, NY
Chrysler was an
industrialist and
founder of the Chrysler Corporation and
built the Art-Deco-style Chrysler Building
in New York City in 1930, second only in
height to The Empire State Building. Chrys-
ler did not enter the automobile business
until he was 36, when he met Charles Nash,
president of General Motors (GM). In the
years to come, Chrysler would completely
revolutionize Buick’s manufacturing sys-
tem, introducing assembly-line processes
pioneered by Henry Ford and more than
tripling production.
• Final Disposition: Entombment in a
private mausoleum at Sleepy Hollow
Cemetery in North Tarrytown, NY.
• Arrangements: Funeral director was
Frank E. Campbell, “The Funeral
Chapel,” Manhattan.
• The Casket: A National Cast Bronze
Sarcophagi Design H.
Horace Dodge
• Born: May 17, 1868,
Niles, MI  1864, in Niles, MI
• Died: December 10,
1920, Palm Beach, FL
Horace Dodge,
along with his brother,
John, co-founded
Dodge Brothers Automotive Company in
1913. Horace was the mechanical expert.
His brother, John, was the business genius.
They emphasized the production of all-steel
bodies. The brothers’ automobile factory
was a resounding success, and they enjoyed
comfortable lifestyles. When Horace’s
daughter, Delphine Ione Dodge, married
in 1920, she received a $100,000 pearl
necklace, which the bride wore during the
wedding ceremony, and a fully furnished
mansion where Delphine and her groom,
James H.R. Cromwell, resided after their
honeymoon.
While attending an automobile show in
New York in 1920, Horace developed pneu-
monia while his brother, John, was diag-
nosed with the flu. Both were being treated
at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Manhattan.
Horace never recovered fully from pneu-
monia and died seven months later. The
cause of death was cirrhosis of the liver. He
was 54.
• Final Disposition: Entombed in a
beautiful Egyptian style mausoleum
along with his brother at Woodlawn
Cemetery, Detroit.
• Arrangements: Harold E. Ferguson,
Undertakers, Palm Beach, FL, and
accompanied body by private car back
to P. Blake’s Sons in Detroit; Wm F.
Blake, funeral director.
• Casket: National Cast Bronze Sarcoph-
agi Design H.
John Dodge
• Born: October 25,
• Died: January 14,
1920, New York City,
NY
Along with his
brother, Horace
Dodge, John was co-founder of the Dodge
Brothers Automobile Company in 1913.
After his public-school education, he served
an apprenticeship in his father’s machine
shop. In 1886, he moved to Detroit to follow
his trade. He was joined by his brother,
Horace, and for years the brothers worked
together as wage-earning mechanics. John
was regarded as one of the city’s most dem-
ocratic millionaires.
In 1920, while attending an auto show in
Manhattan, the brothers became ill. John’s
condition began deteriorating. Two weeks
later, he died of pneumonia. On January 15,
1920, his body was shipped to Detroit. He
was survived by his widow, a daughter, and
two sons.
• Final Disposition: When his body arrived
from New York at Michigan Central Sta-
tion, it was met by a contingent of more
than 200 of his employees from the fac-
tory. Although his employees requested
that the body be taken to the plant so
workers could have one last look at
their beloved leader, the family, instead,
closed the plant on the Saturday of the
funeral and invited the 18,000 employees
to come to the Embalming Rooms at
Blake’s to pay their last respects. Lines of
mourners took up the entire scheduled
visitation. John Dodge was moved to his
home. He was temporarily placed in the
family vault. Later, when a private mauso-
leum was completed, he was entombed
with his brother, Horace.
• Arrangements: The funeral directors
were Frank E. Campbell, “The Funeral
Church,” Manhattan. The remains
were shipped by rail to P. Blake’s Sons
in Detroit. Wm. F. Blake was the funeral
DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 11
AFTER THE FUNERAL
director. A group of 10 shop men, who
had worked with the Dodge brothers
in the early days, was selected to be
pallbearers. There were 55 honorary
pallbearers. Dr. Joseph A. Vance, minister
at First Presbyterian Church, officiated.
Music for the funeral was under the
direction of Frank Wrigley, organist at
the church.
• Casket: National Cast Bronze Sarcoph-
agi Design H.
Fred Duesenberg
• Born: December 6,
1876, Lippe, Germany
• Died: July 26, 1932,
Johnstown, PA
Fred Duesenberg
is known for design-
ing and building
the Duesenberg automobile that became
renowned as a race car as well as a luxury
car. He built his first car, “Old No. 1,” in
a bicycle shop in Des Moines, IA. Along
with his brother, August, they introduced
the eight-cylinder car and the four-wheel
brake. Later, the brothers moved their
factory to Indianapolis where they exerted a
strong influence in the founding of the Indy
500.
Proud Duesenberg owners included Wil-
liam Randolph Hearst, Clark Gable, Gary
Cooper, and Greta Garbo. The Duesenberg
12 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020
luxury cars were built until 1937, five years
after Fred’s death. The Model A sold for
$8,500. The J, a pricey $14,500. The Cord
Automobile Company bought out Duesen-
berg. He later died of pneumonia, which
developed as he was recovering from an
auto accident in the car he created. He was
driving from Philadelphia to Indianapolis
when he swerved to avoid striking two
other vehicles. His automobile crashed into
an embankment and rolled over twice.
Fred Duesenberg’s racing team won its
first Indy 500 in 1914. His driver: Eddie V.
Rickenbacker. This would be the first of
many wins for Duesenberg. Rickenbacker
went on to become America’s top flying
ace in World War I. The Duesenberg was
so well thought of, according to Webster’s
Dictionary, the phrase, “that’s a doozy,”
was coined to indicate something was
outstanding.
• Final Disposition: Interment at Crown
Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, IN
• Arrangements: John Henderson Under-
taking Company, Johnstown, PA, and
Flanner & Buchanan in Indianapolis, IN.
Services were held July 28, 1932.
Henry Ford
• Born: July 30, 1865,
in Greenfield Town-
ship, MI  or a class privilege.”
• Died: April 7, 1947,
Detroit
Henry Ford was an
industrialist and busi-
ness magnate, founder of the Detroit Motor
Company in 1896 after working for Thomas
Edison’s Illuminating Company in Detroit.
In 1903, the name of the company became
The Ford Motor Company. His invention,
the automobile, revolutionized transporta-
tion for many Americans; because of this,
he became one of the richest, best-known
men in the world.
Ford developed the Model T in
1908, and by 1918, half of all cars on
American streets and roadways were Model
Ts. Nearly all Ford cars were painted black
due to its faster drying time. Also, in 1918,
Henry passed the president’s position
to his son, Edsel, although he retained
final authority. In 1921, Henry purchased
the Lincoln Motor Co. The Ford Motor
Company became a rival competitor of
General Motors. 
Ford astonished the world in 1914 by
offering a $5 per day wage ($130 today),
which more than doubled the rate of most
of his workers. In 1926, he introduced the
five-day work week with 8-hour days. This
boosted productivity, and as Ford explained,
“It’s high time to rid ourselves of the notion
that leisure for workmen is either ‘lost time’
Ford died at his Dearborn property. The
cause of death was cerebral hemorrhage. He
was three months’ shy of his 84th birthday.
• Final Disposition: His body was taken
back to Detroit, where it lay in state
so hundreds of his employees could
pay their respects. He is buried in St.
Martha’s Episcopal Cemetery in Detroit.
The family had an iron cage built over
the grave to prevent angry union workers
from robbing the grave. He left a majority
of his estate to the Ford Foundation.
• Arrangements: The funeral director
was The Wm. R. Hamilton Co., Detroit.
Services were held at St. Paul’s Episcopal
Cathedral, while more than 20,000 mourn-
ers stood in the drizzle outside the church
to pay homage as the casket was carried
into the church and then as it was placed in
a hearse for the procession to the cemetery.
• Casket: National Cast Bronze Sarcoph-
agi Design H.
www.iccfa.com
 Edsel Ford
• Born: November 6,
1893, Detroit
• Died: May 26, 1943,
Grosse Pointe Shores,
MI
Edsel Ford served
as executive of Ford
Motor Company, son of founder Henry
Ford. His first name became the name-
sake of the Ford Edsel automobile. He
became secretary of Ford in 1915. Edsel
also founded the Mercury division and was
responsible for the Lincoln Zephyr and Lin-
coln Continental. He introduced important
features, such as hydraulic brakes, and
greatly strengthened the company’s over-
seas production.
Edsel helped finance expeditions,
including the historic flight of Admiral
Richard Byrd over the North Pole in
1926. Byrd, in his Antarctic expedi-
tions, also financed by Edsel, named
the Edsel Ford Range of mountains
after him. Other Antarctic homages
include Ford Massif, Ford Nunataks,
and Ford Peak.
Edsel developed metastatic stom-
ach cancer and undulant fever. Surgery
for the cancer was unsuccessful due
to the metastasis. After a six-week long ill-
ness, he died at Gaukler Point, his lakeside
home in Grosse Pointe Shores, at the age
of 49. His father resumed the presidency of
the company.
• Final Disposition: Entombment in a pri-
vate mausoleum at Woodlawn Cemetery,
Detroit.
• Arrangements: The funeral director was
The Wm. R. Hamilton Co., Detroit.
• Casket: A National Cast Bronze Sarcoph-
agi Design H
Lee Iacocca
• Born: December 15,
1924, in Allentown,
PA
• Died: July 2, 2019,
Bel Air, CA
Lee Iacocca was
the automobile
executive who was credited for developing
the Ford Mustang. He later was credited
for saving the Chrysler Corporation from
bankruptcy in 1980. Lee joined the Ford
Motor Company in 1946. He rose rap-
idly, becoming president of Ford in 1970.
Though Henry Ford II fired Iacocca in 1978,
he was soon hired by the nearly bankrupt
Chrysler Corporation. Within a few years
Chrysler was showing record profits, and
Iacocca was a national celebrity. He left
Chrysler in 1992 but returned for an ad
campaign in 2005. He was president and
CEO of Chrysler from 1978 and chairman
from 1979, until his retirement at the end
of 1992. He was one of the few executives
to preside over the operations of two of the
Big Three automakers.
• Final Disposition: Interred next to his
first wife at White Chapel Memorial Park
Cemetery in Troy, MI.
• Arrangements: Lynch & Sons Funeral
Directors in Clawson, MI.
• Casket: A Matthews/Aurora solid
mahogany Parliament. The hearse was a
custom 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring
Plus hearse made by Butler Coach Co.
Ransom Eli Olds
• Born: June 3, 1864,
Geneva, OH 
• Died: August 26,
1950, Lansing, MI
The son of a black-
smith and pattern
maker, Ransom Olds
founded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company
in Lansing in 1897, and the REO (Ransom
Eli Olds) Motor Car Company in 1901, after
whom the Oldsmobile and REO brands
were named. He claimed to have built his
first steam car as early as 1887; and his first
gasoline-powered car in 1896. The mod-
ern assembly line and its basic concept is
credited to Olds, who used it to build the
first mass-produced automobile,
the Oldsmobile Curved Dash (priced
at $650), beginning in 1901.
The Olds car, in 1902, was the
first auto to make a transcontinental
tour. He also was the first automaker
to advertise a car nationally (Feb. 15,
1902: The Saturday Evening Post).
The Olds Motor Works became part
of General Motors in 2004.
Like many of his auto designer/
engineer colleagues, Olds was
also famous for his auto racing on
the beaches of Florida at Ormond and
Daytona. He had the first timed run on the
beach in a solo run sometime between 1894
and 1897. In 1896 or 1897, rich automobile
DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 13
AFTER THE FUNERAL

pioneers Olds and Alexander Winton (Win-
ton Motor Carriage Company) staged an
unofficial event; Winton beat Olds by 0.20
second.
In the early 1900s, Olds built an elabo-
rate Queen Anne-style mansion on South
Washington Avenue in Lansing. Among
the home’s many technological innovations
was a turntable in the garage, which allowed
Olds to pull in at night and leave again the
next morning without driving in reverse.
The mansion was demolished in 1966 to
make way for Interstate 496, which was
then named for Olds himself. The archi-
tectural drawings of that house are in the
archives of the State of Michigan.
• Final Disposition: The entombment was
his private mausoleum at Mount Hope
Cemetery in Lansing, MI. His 84-year-
old wife, Metta Ursula Woodward Olds,
fell at her home the evening before the
funeral and broke her hip. She attended
her husband’s funeral in a wheelchair,
attended by her physician; she died a
week later and was entombed with her
husband. They were married 61 years.
• Arrangements: The funeral director was
Estes-Leadley Co. in Lansing. Olds was
eulogized by the Rev. Julius Fischbach,
pastor of the First Baptist Church in
Lansing.
• Trivia: The rock ‘n roll band, REO
Speedwagon, took its name from the
REO speed wagon light delivery truck,
an ancestor of pickup trucks. The band
pronounces REO as letters rather than as international acclaim, driving for the Mase-
a word.  rati and the Aston Martin racing teams. He
began racing while a student at Woodrow
Carroll Shelby Wilson High in Dallas, racing down Dallas
• Born: January 11, streets. Sports Illustrated magazine named
1923, Leesburg, TX  Shelby as Driver of the Year in 1956 and
• Died: May 10, 2012, 1957. He built the Shelby Cobra 427, his
Dallas, TX variation of the Ford Mustang, which went
Carroll Shelby on to beat Ferrari in Europe.
was a champion auto The Ford Motor Company had asked
racer who rose to Shelby to design a hot-rod edition of the

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14 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

Mustang in the 1960s. In the 1990s, Lee
Iacocca and the Chrysler Corporation asked
Shelby to be a consultant on the Dodge
Viper.
During his racing days, Shelby became
known for the chili he cooked, so it’s not
surprising that he founded the Terlingua
International Chili Championship in Terlin-
gua, TX.
Shelby was born with a leaking heart
valve, had undergone heart and kidney
transplants, two bypass surgeries, numer-
ous broken bones, and had battled cancer.
He died at age 89 at Baylor University
Medical Center.
• Final Disposition: Cremated remains
inurned at Leesburg Cemetery, Leesburg,
TX.
• Arrangements: Sparkman/Hillcrest
Funeral Home, Dallas.
Clement
Studebaker
• Born: March 12,
1831, Pinetown, PA
• Died: November 27,
1901, South Bend, IN
Clement Stude-
baker was an Amer-
ican wagon maker and carriage manufac-
turer in 1852. He and his brother, Henry,
founded H&C Studebaker blacksmith shop,
a precursor of the Studebaker Corpora-
tion, which built Pennsylvania-German
Conastoga wagons and carriages during his
lifetime. In 1858, the Studebaker brothers
The eco-friendly
were filling orders from the U.S. Army for alternative to cremation
wagons. Their firm became the world’s larg- and burial
est producer of horse-drawn vehicles.
Clement, from an early age, was
interested in politics and was named a
congressional commissioner in the late
1880s. Clement died of natural causes at
his home. He was 70. His funeral was held
in the family home, December 1, 1901.
Thousands viewed the body as it lay in state.
Fifty honorary pallbearers were also named.
Indiana’s Gov. Winfield Durbin also was in
attendance.
Studebaker automobiles were manufac- Pet Systems
tured after his death, including electrical
autos in 1902 and gasoline vehicles in
1904. The company ceased operations in
1966. Clement Studebaker and his second
wife, Anna Harper Milburn, had three
children: George Milburn, Clement, Jr., and
Anne Studebaker Carlisle.
• Final Disposition: Entombed in the
Studebaker-Millborn Mausoleum at
Riverview Cemetery in South Bend. The
granite from the mausoleum was used as
grave markers for the Studebaker family.
• Arrangements: Services conducted by
Rev. James Campbell of St. Paul’s Meth-
odist Church. The undertaker was A.M. Human Systems
Russell of South Bend, IN.
Researched by Alice Adams and Jim Kurtz, “Since offering Aquamation
with historic burial information and photos from our market share has
the Kurtz Museum of Funeral History in Dallas. increased dramatically.
Additional information derived from Wikipedia Families have driven out of
and Automostory.com. their way to come to us,
passing 4 or 5 of our
competitors to ensure
Aquamation is used for
their loved one.”
www.aquamationinfo.com
(317) 386-3500
DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 15
Disenfranchised
Grief
Learning to Understand the Bond
Between Humans and Their
Animal Companions

16 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

 by Maryglenn Warnock

I
F I COULD SHARE ONE THING with anyone who is grieving
the loss of a pet, it is this: there is no right or wrong way to
grieve. Grief is intensely personal. Grief might mean feeling
overwhelmed, sad, angry, despondent, numb, guilt-ridden, and
even relieved. It’s all normal. And it’s all okay.

In my work as a pet bereavement counselor and pet funeral officiant, I’ve

noticed an interesting trend: there is a common thread among the things I
regularly hear grieving pet owners say.
“You must think I am crazy.”
“I know this isn’t normal.”
“I feel ashamed to admit how emotional I am about losing my pet.”
“I know there is something wrong with me.”
“I probably shouldn’t feel this sad, but …”
“I’m embarrassed to even admit how deeply I’m grieving.”
“This is even harder than when I lost my father/mother.”
I’ve heard countless grieving owners express concern that their intense
feelings over the loss of a pet aren’t appropriate. Some have even wondered if
they’ve “lost their minds” or if their feelings are abnormal or unjustified.

Losing an Animal Companion is Different …

Losing an animal companion is strikingly different from losing a human com-
panion. Can you imagine feeling the need to apologize for grieving the loss of a
spouse or a parent?
I think many pet owners are simply shocked by how intensely they feel the
loss. Maybe on some level, we believe we should somehow mourn the loss of our
human companions more, or that we should be more accepting of the loss of a
pet. Maybe we should simply come to terms with knowing that pets have shorter
lives than humans and that we shouldn’t hurt so much. Maybe we should be able
to bounce back more quickly. Quite simply, none of these is accurate.
Grief is hard enough. But throw in a healthy dose of fear, shame, anxiety and
worry, and it is quickly apparent that the grief faced by pet owners is unique.

Disenfranchised Grief
During my training to become a pet bereavement counselor, my instructor, Dr.
Wallace Sife, introduced an interesting concept. Dr. Sife referred to grief over
the loss of a pet as “disenfranchised grief.”
Disenfranchised grief, simply, is grief that is not validated by society,
friends, family, and others. Disenfranchised grief results from others’ lack of
understanding of the significance of your relationship with the deceased; or as
a result of the lack of awareness regarding the relationship and its importance
to the bereaved.
Pet loss is a perfect example of disenfranchised grief. Pet lovers—especially
those who are strongly bonded to their pets—tend to understand. However,
society as a whole does not always have an appropriate understanding or respect
for the bond between humans and pets and, consequently, does not understand
how painful it is to lose a beloved pet.

ISTOCK / HOWARDOATES / SHUTTERSTOCK / TRIOCEAN DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 17

DISENFRANCHISED GRIEF
Beware the Well-Meaning Person
All too often, pet lovers may experience well-meaning people say-
ing the absolute wrong thing in their time of need. For instance:
• “Are you going to replace the pet?”
• “Why don’t you just get another cat/dog/hamster?”
• “Don’t be sad. It was just a pet.”
While such statements can be hurtful at best, more often than
not, these come from people who simply don’t understand. Can you
imagine using such statements upon the loss of a human?
• “Are you going to replace the spouse?”
• “Why don’t you just get another uncle/friend/grandmother?”
• “Don’t be sad. He was just your best friend.”
Granted—this is an exaggerated example, but it is one that
makes an important point. Grief over the loss of a human compan-
ion versus grief over the loss of an animal companion aren’t always
treated the same.
When One Loves Deeply, One Grieves Deeply
There are many reasons why humans grieve so deeply over the loss
of animal companions. For starters, our relationship with a pet is
largely uncomplicated. Relationships with humans may leave us
with mixed or conflicting feelings, but our relationships with our
pets are typically pretty straightforward. We love them without
question, we don’t hold grudges (nor do they) and when we lose
them, the pain is excruciating.
Pets find a way of claiming a huge chunk of real estate within our
hearts. Pets can be goofy, completely unselfish, playful, adorable,
shameless, and irresistible. What’s not to love?
Our pets are an important part of our everyday routines. Nat-
urally, when we lose a pet, it is a huge disruption to every part of
our lives. The disruption can cause incredible stress in our lives.
Nothing is the same.
Pets bring so much joy into our lives by being constant, excited
to see us, and loving us unconditionally—and it is so hard to be
without that joy. It is only natural that we would feel despondent
when that joy is gone.
In addition, pets comfort us when we are sad, and somehow
know how to make even our worst days more bearable. Naturally,
losing that source of comfort can leave us miserable.
Many people consider their relationships with pets closer than
those with human family members. Our selves are often tied up in
our pets. When we lose a pet, and lose the bond that we cherish, it
is natural to feel overwhelmed with grief and sadness.
Serving the Grieving Pet Owner
This special type of grief requires immense compassion on the part
of service providers, and understanding—whether or not we have
ever had the joy of a special bond with a pet, or experienced the
agony of losing a beloved companion animal.
18 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020
Relationships with humans may
leave us with mixed or conflicting
feelings, but our relationships
with our pets are typically
pretty straightforward.
As service providers, it is crucial that we know how to skillfully
and tactfully validate the pet owner’s grief. The following tips offer
suggestions for communicating with grieving pet owners in a mind-
ful, tactful, sincere way:
1. ACKNOWLEDGE that the owner’s pain is real and valid. Offer
heartfelt condolences for the loss.
2. ASK questions. Are you comfortable discussing your pet? What
can you tell me about the pet? What was the pet’s name? How
did you come to name him or her? What do you remember
about the day you brought the pet home? From my experience,
most pet owners do want to talk about the pets they’ve lost.
Grant them the space to talk about the pet if willing and able. If it
seems appropriate, ask if the bereaved would be willing to show a
picture of the pet.
3. LISTEN more than talk. One of the most effective ways of vali-
dating a person’s grief is simple: listen. Allow the bereaved space
to talk about the pet, to share stories and memories. Invariably,
the most meaningful material I receive for pet memorial services
and funerals always comes directly from the pet owner.
4. USE THE PET’S NAME. While this is a small, subtle detail, it is
an important one, as calling a pet by name signals that the pet is
important—and that the relationship is important.
5. ALLOW the bereaved a safe space where he or she can talk
openly about his or her feelings, the circumstances of the loss, or
concerns. Talking with supportive, like-minded, or understand-
ing people can be key to healing.
Never Long Enough
The loss of a pet can be tremendously hard—for good reason—and
is often compounded by the feeling that the grief is not valid, or
reasonable, or understood.
Those of us who have loved and lost beloved pets understand
that the sad reality is this: we never have long enough with our
animal companions.
I saw a card recently that may have said it best: “Pets just don’t
live long enough. That’s really their only fault.”
It’s so true—but how lucky are those of us who have the
supreme joy of having such a close bond with a pet or pets. How
very lucky indeed.
Maryglenn Warnock is a certified pet bereavement counselor. She is also a
pet funeral officiant/pet chaplain who is ordained through the Universalist
church. A lifelong animal advocate, Maryglenn has served on the executive
board of the Nashville Humane Association and volunteered in animal
ISTOCK / DOMINICK
rescue for 20 years. Maryglenn graduated from Vanderbilt University with an
English degree. Shortly after, she founded a successful small business that
she has owned and operated for 24 years. Maryglenn lives in Nashville with
her husband, Tim, and their Old English Sheepdog, Major.
www.iccfa.com
 AL, DIANE, &
TOMMIE KAMM
ALL STATES CREMATION,
ALL VETERANS FUNERAL & CREMATION

“DURING A
TIME WHEN
EVERYONE IS
ISOLATED, WE
DON’T FEEL
ALONE.”

Before joining Foundation Partners Group,
we were always preparing for the unexpected.
However, none of us could have anticipated
what we’re facing today. From employee safety
and protective equipment to finding new
ways to serve families remotely, having an
experienced partner supporting us ensures we
can continue to serve our community safely
and without interruption.
Being part of Foundation Partners has given us
access to the resources and expertise that have
helped us not only survive these challenging
times, but continue to grow. With experienced
operations, HR, legal, marketing, and
technology resources, they provide support
when we need it and trust us to do what we do
best – serve our families with compassion and
care. With Foundation Partners, we feel more
supported than ever.

Foundation Partners Group Get in Touch

4901 Vineland Road, Suite 300 1-800-399-4635
Orlando, FL 32811 FoundationPartners.com
 ISTOCK / JPR03 / SHUTTERSTOCK
/ UJU DESIGN STUDIO

20 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

The Changing Landscape of the Deathcare Industry
by Daniel M. Isard, MSFS

M
Y FIRST ENTRY INTO THE FUNERAL BUSINESS came through the pet
business, at about age 5! One of my friends had a bird die, and we kids
wanted to have a funeral. We used a shoe box as a casket. My mother
had just dug a garden with rose bushes, so we placed the shoebox beneath
one of the rose bushes. A few days later, a kid had a turtle die and we went at
it again. We were enjoying ourselves while my mother could not figure out
what or who was digging up her garden. Then Herby’s gerbil got sick.
We got another shoe box and prepared to bury that gerbil. But when
my mother came to investigate, the gerbil escaped; and I was
never allowed in her garden again!
The pet business is big business. There are 85 million pet owners, almost 1
out of every 4 people in the United States own at least one pet. When viewed as
households, 67 percent of all households have at least one pet. It is much easier for
a student to get into medical school than veterinary school. And nothing about the
pet business is price sensitive.
When it comes to the death of a pet, this represents big business as well.
As you can imagine, since pets live a shorter lifespan than humans, we
have about 15 million people a year dealing with the death of a four-
legged loved one versus about 2.6 million people dealing with the
death of a human loved one.
“We realized the pet market There are approximately 800 to 1,000 pet crematories,
and very few are multiple ownership businesses. Not
is not about price.” Anyone everyone wants to cremate a pet, but in some locations
who spends $2,000 for a options are limited. For those who live in urban or suburban
locations, the only other option is to inter the pet above ground
weekend emergency for a or below ground.
pet that initially costs The Pet Business Is a Good Business
$50 knows that! Many years ago, I met with a private equity company that was investing
in a big box store selling pet food and supplies. The company wanted to
invest in funeral homes and retained me as a consultant. I was excited for the
assignment; however, I noticed a change in the pet store’s business model and
could not wait for the opportunity to ask about it.
As a dog owner, I’m always looking for a good deal. When visiting the pet store, I
typically go for the food but always wind up buying other things that I know Nugget
can’t live without. At first, the store advertised a low price. One day, I noticed that
the store had changed from focusing on price to focusing on selection. Nothing
else changed in the store’s decor or staffing. I asked about the change and was told,
“We realized the pet market is not about price.” Anyone who spends $2,000 for a

DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 21

 TO PET OR NOT TO PET?

weekend emergency for a pet that interment or above ground crypts,

initially costs $50 knows that! but the pet burial, interment, and
Therefore, it is natural for the inurnment is not so fussy.
three legs of our profession to give • LEG 2. For those in the funeral
serious thought to adding a pet business, should you offer an aligned
component to their business model. or unaligned pet business? I think in
• LEG 1. You must know your many markets the answer is, yes. The
state’s regulations in regard to number-one reason someone chooses a
cemeteries interring pets and humans. For funeral home is “previous service.” That means
argument’s sake, it is all about the new use of space. the consumer knows you and felt well served or had an
Imagine a grave interment for a human using 30 sq. feet (to acceptable experience. That experience can be provided through
keep the math simple) at a sale price of $1,200. That is $40/sq. per service to the family for the pet. The consumer experience is key.
foot for the interment right. In most communities, other than rural Should this be done under a different name or identity? Maybe.
where a pet can be buried on private farmland, the cemetery can Many owners start that way then realize the pet business name is
offer whole body interment for six pets in the same 30 sq. feet. The just a brand within a larger brand. Ultimately, they equate the pet
sale price could be $400/interment. That is double what that same brand with the larger human brand without any damage.
space will generate for human interment! Even if the opening/ • LEG 3. For those with a desire to be in the pet cremation business,
closing and markers are the same as for human, that means a 600 it should be a separate retort. It should be designated as “pets only.”
percent increase for the opening/closing in the same use of land.
We have seen people build beautiful pet mausoleums and The Pet Cremation Business Offers Choices
columbaria. Again, less space but based on per-square footage, the The pet cremation business often does not have one price for the
return is at least 100 percent more. Add the opening/closing and cremation as typically seen with human cremation. They might have
you generate much greater revenue. two variables. The first variable is the weight of the pet’s body. This
The location of the pet space can be in a less desired area. Maybe can be computed using per-pound or a range, maybe small, medium,
water tablesEAS
or roadways makeSheet.pdf
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22 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

 DID YOU KNOW? However, if you have a pet business and Dan Isard, MSFS, is president of The Foresight
Companies LLC, a Phoenix-based business and
a human funeral business, the pet earnings
In the United States, 67% of management consulting firm specializing in
are commingled with the human earnings
households own a pet on which they mergers and acquisitions, valuations, accounting,
so the pet business winds up selling for
spent $95.7 billion, according to financing HR services and family surveys. He
much more.
the 2019-2020 National Pet Owners is the author of several books and hundreds
In a world where cemetery interments are of published articles in industry magazines,
Survey conducted by the American
declining and human revenue and calls are including “The Director’s Finance 101” column. He
Pet Products Association. Based on
reaching an average apex, the pet business can be reached at 800.426.0165 or danisard@
multiple statistics, revenues for pet
could be a good addition to your cemetery, theforesightcompanies.com.
funerals/cremations are over $100
funeral, or combination business.
million annually and 20% of U.S.
funeral homes offer pet services at
families’ requests.

The second variable is how many pets

will be cremated at the same time. The pet
cremation business typically offers options:
• Communal cremation is the act of
cremating multiple pets at the same
time without segregating their bodies.
Families who want cremated remains
returned to them are not getting the
cremated remains of their specific pet,
rather a portion of the whole. Many
families do not want the cremated
remains returned, making this offering
the lowest price option. Where a 020
human cremation trade company Benet Hill Monastery /03/2
10
on
(Colorado Springs)
might charge $300 for one body, the
pet business might have 10 pets at
about $100 on average. We are Proud to Offer
• Semi-private cremation will have The Only True In-Ground Niche in the Market
multiple pets being cremated at the
same time, but each area of the retort
is bricked/blocked so each pet occu- Now Upgraded
pies its own space. In this case, the with Standard
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return of the cremated remains is not Security Systems
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perfect, but it is closer to the private
cremation discussed below. Incidental
commingling exists, but it is nominal.
The fee is often double or triple, due
to the work laying out the pets and
the work recovering the post-cre-
Double Deep
mated remains. In-Ground Niche
• Private cremation is where your pet is
the only one being cremated at the time.

The EBITDA
My company has run pet crematories as
well as cemeteries with pet sections. We
have valued many pet businesses or funeral
businesses with pet funeral businesses
within them. If you have a pet cremation Single Deep
business, it might sell for two to three times In-Ground Niche
EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, 3212 Richards Ln, Ste B
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DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 23

T
HE MAJORITY OF TODAY’S SOCIETY IS IMMERSED
in the benefits of technology, and the pet
cemetery industry should be no different. Millions
of Americans consider pets to be an essential part
of their lives and families. As an integral part of the
family, pets deserve a dignified treatment in death as
well as in life. Pet cemetery software can improve the
process of managing deathcare for pets, giving you more time to
spend caring for clients and their needs. As mundane as our jobs
can be at times, we all have to be reminded to keep the “care” in
“deathcare,” and the right technology can do that for our industry.

An Evolving Industry family and tend to their needs efficiently and

The deathcare industry is ever changing and con-
stantly evolving. An illustration of this evolution
is the growth of pet cemeteries in the industry.
According to the Cremation Association of North
America, the pet aftercare industry is one of the fast-
est growing deathcare markets in the United States,
with over 700 pet cemeteries in the country to date.
Certain management concerns accompany the
rapid growth of this industry. How can all of this
crucial data be tracked and organized? How can
records be located quickly? In order to provide
the best service possible, it is paramount for pet
cemeteries to stay organized and efficient, but it’s a
daunting task. Fortunately, these issues can be easily
addressed by using cemetery management software.
Pet cemetery owners know all too well the grief
experienced when a pet is lost. They are aware that
when a pet owner is overwhelmed with grief, they
are seeking sympathy and understanding; they
don’t want to sit across from someone rummaging
through stacks of papers or handwriting tons of
convoluted forms.
The incorporation of cemetery software gives pet
cemeteries a highly detailed way to track records.
It provides cemeterians the ability to focus on the
confidently. With the use of technology, pet
cemeteries can capture details that may have been
overlooked before. These digitized records can
easily include additional information not found in
traditional burial records—such as species, breed,
and pet owner information—all of which are of
interest to the customer and the cemetery.
With disorganized physical data comes the
possibility for errors. Implementing technology
minimizes clutter; it also allows you to provide
more memorialization offerings for pets.
Using Technology
Whereas traditional cemeteries offer some
products and services, pet cemeteries tend to offer
even more. Statistically, more money is spent on
pet aftercare products and services. Pet owners
purchase everything from memorial
stones to jewelry keepsakes to
urns in order to memorial-
ize their beloved pets.
Using technology to
make these items
easy to purchase
allows families

24 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

 Bringing
Pet Cemeteries
into the
Modern
Age A Growing Need for
a Growing Industry
by Scott McAfee

SHUTTERSTOCK / KLYAKSUN DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 25

BRINGING PET CEMETERIES INTO THE MODERN AGE

the ability to place orders instantly Don’t let your pet cemetery and A Work in Progress
and receive their online memorial or All types of cemeteries can benefit
keepsake more quickly. the communities you serve get from implementing a form of grief
With the assistance of a mod-
left behind. Start your journey support into their operations. This
ern-day website and software is particularly important in the pet
package, the process is made simpler into the digital landscape today. cemetery facet of the industry as
for families and the cemetery staff. losing a pet can affect all members of
No longer will your employees spend hours manually writing down the family differently. Virtual appointments can be booked directly
sales orders or visiting a stockroom to check inventory, as most cem- through your website.
etery software has the capacity to keep information up to date. This While it may take some time for the pet cemetery industry to
way, a transaction can be conducted from start to finish in a matter catch up to other industries in terms of technological enhancements
of minutes or even online by the customer. and advantages, there are a multitude of software, marketing, and
management solutions readily available right now. Don’t let your pet
Integrating Web Services cemetery and the communities you serve get left behind. Start your
Speaking of websites and memorialization, most pet cemetery web- journey into the digital landscape today.
sites are incredibly underutilized! Another way pet cemeteries can
adopt technology is by offering services on their website. Memorial Cemetery industry expert Scott McAfee is CEO and co-founder of
CemSites. His company provides complete, easy, and intuitive record
pages are a popular service pet cemeterians can offer through a
management software for cemetery organizations. Using cloud-based
cloud cemetery software provider.
technology, CemSites strives to improve the workflow of every cemetery
Owners can use this space to write a biography of their pet, with visual data tools, such as GPS grave navigation, finance management,
including memories and photos. This page can be interactive, so online product sales, and more. Scott is also the owner of Face2Face
other family members can share memories and anecdotes about Marketing, providing over 20+ years of experience and knowledge on how
the pet’s life from the comfort of their own homes. Having this to stay on top of technology adaptation. For more information on the
space to share memories and reflect can be a significant part of the technological uses of cemetery software, Scott can be reached at Scott@
healing process. cemsites.com or 877.783.9626.

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Aquamation business with a solution that is adaptable and
tailored to our industry.”

- Tyler Stewart, Owner/Heavenly Paws Pet Aquamation

26 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

Ad Name
Page 27
 Co n s i ste n cy,
a n d t h e
Tips for Moving
Cautiously yet
Boldly into 2021
by Welton Hong

28 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

Au t h e nt i c i ty,
70 / 2 0 / 1 0 R u l e
M
ANY OF US MIGHT BE A BIT SKITTISH about planning for 2021 in light of
how 2020 turned all of our plans upside down. Taking a cautious approach to
anything as you plan for next year is understandable.
But going into 2021 without preparing to market your funeral home, cemetery, or
cremation firm is tantamount to saying you don’t want or need new clientele next year.
I’m pretty sure that’s not the case.
By understanding current marketing trends and the ones that are likely to continue
into the near future, you can cautiously craft your marketing plan while supporting
growth for your business without putting too much on the line.
What will work for you depends on the needs of your business and your target
audience. Below are five tips to help you make safe investments in your 2021 marketing.
But prepare to include some risk. If you perform the research, gathering, and analyzing
of your data, you might discover where it could be beneficial to your bottom line to take
a chance or to press more boldly into certain marketing channels or methods.

SHUTTERSTOCK / HAKINMHAN / ANNA_LENI DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 29

CONSISTENCY, AUTHENTICITY, AND THE 70/20/10 RULE

1. Gear up to experiment with 70/20/10 marketing By 2022, experts predict that video will account for more than
Google the 70/20/10 rule of marketing and you’ll find a couple of 80 percent of internet traffic. That’s 17 times the presence video
definitions. Google used a version of this rule that said: had in 2017, which points to exponential growth for this marketing
• 70 percent of your content should add value for the reader channel. If you’re not investing in video, your message could get
and position your firm as an authority; lost in the crowd within a few years.
• 20 percent should be relevant content from others; and Deathcare firms can start small with video. Create short videos
• 10 percent should be promotional, specifically highlighting using just your smartphone for Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or
your goods and services. other social sites; all you have to do is provide basic explanations,
That’s actually a good interpretation of the 70/20/10 rule and introduce yourself, or share something engaging about your day.
one that can be easily implemented in deathcare marketing. That When you’re ready, move on to longer videos for YouTube
type of split in the content you share on social media and your blog and your website. Some ideas would be to create explainer videos
helps keep consumers engaged and ensures they come back when that talk about the steps for pre-planning or a virtual tour of your
they are ready to pre-plan or are experiencing a need. funeral home.
But the definition I’m talking about for your 2021 marketing
plan is actually that which is used by Coca-Cola. According to the 3. Don’t stop investing in SEO
brand’s Content 2020 video series, it broke its marketing budget You’re going to hear rumors that search is dead—that keywords
into a 70/20/10 split explained this way: and other onsite components no longer matter. Those types of
• About 70 percent of your marketing resources (time, money, declarations have been floating around for almost a decade, but
effort) in this model go toward what you know works. It’s the guess what? Search is still alive and kicking, and it will be for quite
type of content, SEO, and advertising that’s already driving at some time.
least some conversions. Almost 70 percent of all online activity starts in search engines,
• About 20 percent of your marketing resources should go to and SEO drives 1,000 percent more traffic than social media does.
innovations—to improving what works. For example, if you With organic search accounting for more than half of all website
know pre-need content works well for your audience, you traffic across the globe, it’s obvious that keyword research, on-page
might use part of your marketing budget to invest in video content, and other SEO measures remain highly relevant.
content on that topic to reach more consumers. If you’re
seeing positive trends on Instagram, you might start investing 4. Continue to build your email list
more time on that platform. Email marketing might be an oldie, but it’s still a goodie. It con-
• Finally, about 10 percent of your budget can be used on tinues to drive impressive average returns of $32 to $42 per dollar
higher-risk marketing. This is where you test new ideas or spent, which makes it a very sound business decision.
try engaging on a different Another reason to continue
social network or with media building your email list in 2021 is
you haven’t used before, such stability. In a world rocked by news
as podcasts or audio. Just be In 2020, more than 80 percent cycles—and on the internet where
sure to keep your brand repu- various platforms control what you
tation in mind and don’t swing
of businesses reported using can and cannot post and who sees
so far out of scope that you risk video in their marketing efforts. your content—it’s important to
alienating much of your core invest in what you can control.
target audience. That’s almost a 20 percent You don’t own your social profiles
Both concepts of 70/20/10 mar- increase from the year before. and followers; you can’t entirely
keting can help you approach 2021 control what happens with search
with a solid plan that works well in engine results pages, or SERPs, or
an uncertain environment. how Google will rank your pages.
Presumably, you do own—and do control—your website and
2. Invest in video (or simply more video) your email list. If your social profiles are locked or deleted tomor-
In 2020, more than 80 percent of businesses reported using video row, if a platform goes down for a few days, if your organic search
in their marketing efforts. That’s almost a 20 percent increase from rank plummets, you can still reach out to your audience via email.
the year before. Continue building a strong subscriber base by offering valuable
Wider adoption of video isn’t surprising. More than 60 percent downloads or other resources in exchange for email addresses.
of people would rather watch online videos than watch content on Deathcare firms might offer ebooks and checklists to educate
their televisions, and people retain more information about the people about planning memorials, veteran burials, pre-planning,
message when they get it via video when compared to text. Per- or cremation, for example. You could also offer free webinars,
haps that’s one reason why 72 percent of people would rather learn in-person events, or access to special service packages for those
about products via video. who sign up.

30 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

5. Create plans for showing up consistently and regular pace, they begin to trust you more. That trust can increase
authentically the likelihood of a conversion when a family is in need or someone
No matter what happens with your business or the world in gen- is ready to begin pre-planning.
eral in 2021, have a plan for showing up regularly and authentically That’s especially true in uncertain times such as these, when
on your marketing channels. people look to trusted businesses and brands to set the tone and
Close to 90 percent of all consumers rate authenticity as a key provide consistent guidance where needed.
factor in whether they choose to work A lot of people focus on frequency and
with a business. Some ways to remain Close to 90 percent length: how many times a week or day
authentic in your marketing: you should post and the ideal length of
• Ensure all messaging stays true to of all consumers rate blog posts or social media status updates.
your mission, vision, and values. Those are important considerations,
• Connect with consumers in human
authenticity as a key factor and you should definitely test to find
ways, such as introducing your staff in whether they choose to out what’s right for your business and
via your social feed or showing audience.
them engaging in volunteer work in work with a business. But more than anything, you need
the community. to show up regularly. It’s better to keep
• Offer true value and share your expertise, such as blog posts things simple or you risk being overwhelmed. Choose to post on
that explain concepts people might be confused about. your blog once or twice a week consistently rather than starting
• Respond to comments, reviews, and other communications, with four times a week only to end up unable to maintain that
both privately and publicly, to demonstrate that there are schedule.
caring people behind your brand. Here’s to an uneventful 2021 and solid conversions and revenue
And don’t just be authentic some of the time. Consistency is a for you all. Start planning your marketing efforts now to help make
huge part of success with online marketing, especially with organic that happen.
efforts such as SEO and social media.
When people can count on you to show up with content at a Welton Hong is the founder of Ring Ring Marketing and the author of
Making Your Phone Ring with Internet Marketing for Funeral Homes.

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DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 31

Prose for
Quietus
A Loved One’s Lament
the Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free

Life
I’m following the path God has laid you see.

of I took His hand when I heard him call

I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way
I found that peace at the close of day.
If my parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Oh yes, these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full, I savoured much
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts, and peace to thee
God wanted me now; He set me free.
by Ron Wood

SHUTTERSTOCK / EAKACHAI LEESIN

32 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

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 DID YOU KNOW …
Celebrities Who Died on December 25

1996 2006 2008 2016 2018

Jon Benet Ramsey James Brown Eartha Kitt George Michael Nancy Roman
Colorado child beauty “The Godfather of American singer [Georgios Kyriacos American, NASA’s
queen, murdered at 6 Soul” rhythm & blues, (Santa Baby), dancer, Panayiotou], English first chief of
gospel, jazz, soul, and comedian, actress singer-songwriter astronomy, “Mother
funk singer dies of (Catwoman-Batman), and pop superstar of the Hubble,” dies
heart failure at 73 and activist dies at 81 (Wham!, Faith), dies at 93
of suspected heart
failure at 53

34 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

You may not find Rainbow City, AL on any list of popular destinations. But if you’re
a funeral home depending on a family’s insurance to cover the expenses, it’s the
biggest red dot on the map. It’s the headquarters of C&J Financial, the largest and
most responsive insurance assignment firm serving the funeral profession. With all
the tools, technologies and high-touch service to assure blazingly fast turnaround
when you need it most. If cash flow is vital to your business, welcome home.

To 3,000 funeral home owners,

Rainbow City, AL is the
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& You
CJF.com | 800.785.0003 | 200 Market Way, Rainbow City, AL 35906
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Stop Procrastinating and Start Focusing on

Your Exit Strategy
by Tim Hermann, CFP®, CExP™

O
NLY 21 PERCENT OF BUSINESS OWNERS have a written exit plan for their Framing the Problem During
business, according to a recent Business Enterprise Institute (BEI) survey. This Uncertain Times
number is way too low. Baby boomers currently own a large portion of successful As a Certified Exit Planner™ and Certified
businesses in America. With the youngest baby boomer turning 55 this year, time is of the Financial Planner®, I have worked with quite
essence when it comes to forming an exit plan. a few businesses owners on developing their
exit plans. But I have seen my fair share
Exiting a business means transferring To frame the issue for readers, I think it of business owners who delay or avoid it
wealth, which almost always has major is important to share a few more statistics altogether.
implications for the owner, the owner’s fam- from the BEI survey. The key question is: For many, the uncertainty of the current
ily, and the business itself. Waiting is not an Do any of these criteria apply to you? economic climate is a sticking point. I
option when it comes to developing an exit • Over 74% of business owners rely on often hear, “I’ll work on my exit plan when
strategy—the best time to start is now. their businesses for more than half things settle down and the economy and
For many funeral home and cemetery their personal income. world return to normal.” For others, the
owners, the pandemic has created a lot of COVID-19 pandemic has been a setback for
uncertainties and hardships. But in some
• Over 58% of business owners would their business, and the thought of devel-
exit today if their financial security
cases, the pandemic is fueling new business oping an exit plan now feels overwhelming
were assured.
opportunities—the opportunity to evolve and poorly timed. How could you possi-
bly develop a plan in a time of such high
[M]ost funeral home and cemetery owners just want uncertainty?
I certainly understand this sentiment
to exit the business on their own terms and with and empathize with the personal and pro-
fessional stresses of the moment. But in my
financial security. The problem is that few business view, the current uncertainty should actu-
owners have defined what their “own terms” actually ally increase the urgency to make a plan! By
definition, the goal of a good plan is to turn
are, and many do not have a clear picture of what an unknown into a known. And that’s what
financial security looks like. many funeral service business owners need
right now, especially if recent events might
have changed their thoughts on a timeline
a business, to increase use of technology to • Over 81% of business owners want to for exiting the business.
meet family needs, or to offer new products stop working in their businesses in the Business owners have other reasons for
and services. Whatever the outcome, busi- next 10 years. waiting. Many funeral home and ceme-
ness may look a bit different than before, tery owners are waiting to find a buyer
which makes now the time to plan and In short, most business owners rely or successor that meets the goals for the
strategize a clear path forward. heavily on their businesses for income and business. Some funeral home and cem-
Every funeral home and cemetery owner wealth, but many are also ready to wind etery owners are undecided as to who
will eventually leave the business. In a per- down their career. Developing a successful should take over the business. Data from
fect world, an owner will exit the business business is an incredible accomplishment the National Funeral Directors Associa-
on his or her own terms—financially secure, that takes years and possibly generations tion (NFDA) in 2019 shows that close to
ready to retire, with a willing heir or buyer of hard work, persistence, strategy, and 50 percent of owners plan to transfer the
at the ready. But in many cases, exits hap- luck. But building the business is not quite business to a child, but there are many
pen for unexpected reasons: health issues, enough—you also need a way to extract the other possibilities.
financial necessity, or death. Forming an wealth you’ve created, or at least ensure it Other funeral home and cemetery own-
exit strategy can ensure a smooth transition, stays in your family. That’s where an exit ers are waiting until the business gets a little
no matter what the circumstances. strategy comes in. better, generates a little more revenue, or

36 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

is worth enough to sell at an attractive price. Some owners just
want to reach a specific age before selling or handing over the
business. Finally, there are owners who have no interest in ever
leaving, selling, or transitioning the business (to note: as you
know better than anyone, no one actually lives forever).
In my experience, most funeral home and cemetery own-
ers just want to exit the business on their own terms and with
financial security. The problem is that few business owners have
defined what their “own terms” actually are, and many do not
have a clear picture of what financial security looks like. An exit
plan will define both.
Developing an Exit Plan Isn’t Hard
Creating an exit plan for a funeral service business you’ve spent
years growing may seem like a daunting task. But with the right
help and expertise, developing a plan can be easier than you
think.
It starts with a review of your goals and objectives. When do
you want to leave the business? Do you know who you want to
sell or leave the business to? Would you prefer drawing income
from the business after you leave, or do you want to sell it for
the maximum amount possible? Have you received an indepen-
dent and objective appraisal of your business’s value? How will
you invest the proceeds of the sale so as to meet your financial
needs? What are your income/cash flow needs in retirement?
These business-oriented questions need to be considered in
tandem with your personal financial plan. By understanding your
current financial situation in detail, a Certified Exit Planner™ and
Certified Financial Planner® can think through all the different
variables in play, ultimately determining how to monetize your
business in such a way as to address your long-term goals.
You can turn unknowns into knowns.
Over time, your financial situation will almost certainly
change, and the business will evolve. But having an exit plan
and a financial plan does not mean you’re stuck following a
rigid step-by-step process—the plan actually makes it easier to
evaluate new options, changes, or strategies that come along
over time.
Your successor might drop out, or a new buyer may come
along and make a better offer. Your family may decide they
want to keep the funeral service business going, or they may
decide that the legacy of the business should move into new
hands. Are these new offers/approaches better or worse for your
business and your wealth? An exit plan can help you answer that
question.
The end results are two-fold:
(1) you will have a plan for how to
leave your funeral service business
and monetize your exit, and
(2) you will have a comprehensive
financial plan in place to ensure
financial security after you leave.
Factoring in the Pandemic
The BEI survey and the NFDA Personal Financial and Succes-
sion Planning study were conducted before the COVID-19 pan-
demic arrived, so it would be understandable if many business
owners’ ideas and thinking about the future are quite different
now than they were nine months ago—all the more reason to
make a plan.
One final statistic from the BEI survey: 11 percent of
business owners said they had not given any thought to their
business exits at all. While I would strongly advise all funeral
home and cemetery owners to think about their exits early
and often, this statistic does indicate that a large majority of
owners are at least thinking about their exits. That’s a good
start. The next step is to turn thoughts into plans, and there is
no better time than the present to get started.
Tim Hermann, CFP®, CExP™ is the vice president and
senior investment counselor of the Private Client Group
at Roosevelt Investments. He has over 18 years of
experience in financial services and has spent the last 10
years working with funeral homes, cemeteries, and their
owners and operators. Tim can be reached at thermann@
rooseveltinvestments.com. Roosevelt Investments, www.
rooseveltinvestments.com, is a privately held, boutique advisory firm
located in Midtown Manhattan.
All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of Roosevelt Invest-
ments at this time and are subject to change. This material is not
intended as an offer or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any financial
instrument or investment advisory services. Information has been
obtained from sources considered reliable, but we do not guarantee
that the material presented is accurate or that it provides a complete
description of the securities, markets or developments mentioned.
DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 37
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

It’s Our Job to Show

Our Families the Possibilities
by Phil Zehms

O
VER THE LAST FEW MONTHS , most of us have learned to slow down. In our them about what is possible and take the
personal lives, we’ve reached out in different ways to those we care about. We’ve time to share options and the possibilities.
had more family meals, enjoyed the outdoors, and taken time to simply breathe. Adapting our offerings with creative
While our professional lives have become more complicated, COVID has actually created solutions like curbside condolences and
the opportunity for funeral professionals to communicate the value of funeral service. drive-in and live-streaming services, we
have created real opportunities for many to
Due to the ongoing restrictions imposed the families we serve and the community at feel a part of the funeral service and begin
by senior living communities, many families large. their grief journey. Being courageous and
have become disconnected from those they We cannot waste this opportunity and creative builds value in what we do. Maybe
love. What’s worse is when families and obligation as funeral professionals to take we can’t do everything, but we can do
health care workers assume that cremation the time to slow the family down and find something. And that which we can do, we
with no viewing is the only option for a out, as Dr. Alan Wolfelt says, “their spoken ought to do.
COVID-related death. We must educate and unspoken needs.” We must educate I often say, “Families don’t know what

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38 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

 We are in a unique time, and we must identify what matters
to the families and creatively meet their evolving needs.

they want because they don’t know what’s
possible … it’s our job to show them the
possibilities.”
Both pre-need and at-need arrangers
need to have the daily courage to guide,
direct, and lovingly challenge families to
take the time to honor a life well lived. As
professionals, we have a responsibility to
facilitate healthy grieving.
One of our funeral directors, Bennie
Smith, shared with our team: “This is our
opportunity to fix what we have done
wrong as funeral directors when it comes
to cremation …” He is right. We must give
families the permission to honor their loved
ones.
I realize this is nothing new, nor pro-
found; yet we can’t miss this opportunity to
prove our worth to the communities we are
privileged to serve. It is easy for all of us to
take the path of least resistance, especially
when there is an international pandemic
and we get busy. We are in a unique time,
and we must identify what matters to the
families and creatively meet their evolving
needs.
Here’s to a healthy, happy, and produc-
tive 2021.
Phil Zehms, director of Operations
for the Parklawn Corporation,
oversees the operations in the
Kansas City market. His uniquely
balanced career gives him a
perspective, appreciation, and
understanding of small, medium,
and large businesses. Phil’s career in funeral
service began in 1998, making video
biographies. He learned best-in-class service
through experiences in pre-need and at-need
funeral, cemetery and pet services. He is a certified
cremationist and a certified celebrant, a 2018
graduate of the ICCFA University, and he serves as
secretary of the Associated Cemeteries of Missouri. 

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DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 39

MOMENTS OF REFLECTION

The Angel Ceremony

Turning a Faux Pas into a New Tradition
by Tanya Scotece, Ph.D., LFD, CFSP

T
HIS CEREMONY IS A RESULT OF SERENDIPITY. When something in your
business or field goes “wrong,” what do you do? Some fields of business do not have
a second chance of making something right. Within the funeral service industry in
particular, we have one chance to make sure all the details are met; but what happens when
something is overlooked?
When I was in mortuary school, one of
the first things we learned was to always
make sure we checked the casket and the
person in it before we showed it to the
person’s loved ones.
On one occasion, when I was a new
funeral director, I forgot to check the cas-
ket. While I was in the back of the funeral
parlor, I saw before my eyes about 20
family members at the casket with their
backs to me, and I realized that I had
forgotten to add the four angels, one on
each corner of the casket, as the family
had requested.
What to do? At that point, I had two
choices—to excuse the family while I added
the angels or to do nothing and see if any-
one noticed.
I pondered those choices but then I
came up with a third one. I enlisted the
aid of three funeral administrative folks
and asked my funeral attendant to turn on
some loud music, which got the audience’s
attention.
I placed an angel and a bottle of holy
water in each of my attendant’s hands and
told them all to follow my lead. With the
music playing, we proceeded down the
aisle, and each stood in front of a family
member and handed him or her an angel
and a bottle of holy water.
I then told each family member to do a
blessing or say a prayer for the deceased.
Each family member was to pass the angel
to another person, who would repeat the
process until everyone had the opportunity
to hold an angel and pay respects.
Afterward, my attendants took the
angels from the family, moved up to the
front of the funeral parlor, and together we
opened the foot end of the casket. While
the music was still playing, we placed the
angels in their appropriate places in the cas-
ket, closed the foot end, and left the room
so the family could reflect until the end of
the visitation.
The family never knew that I had
forgotten to put the angels in the casket;
instead, they thought this was a planned
ceremony.
In a morning meeting, a few years later,
one of our directors said, “This family
called and is requesting the female funeral
director who performed the angel ceremo-
nies. Does anyone here know what they are
talking about?” I smiled and then described
what the angel ceremony was.
Since that time, I have taken care of this
family twice more. The family even wrote
a beautiful thank-you note commenting
on how special the “angel ceremony” is for
their family. It has now become a family
tradition at the service of any of their loved
Each family member ones.
was to pass the Tanya Scotece, Ph.D., LFD, CFSP
is a professor in the Funeral
angel to another Service Education program at
Miami Dade College. After nearly
person, who would 20 years, Tanya decided to
change careers and attended
repeat the process mortuary school, graduating in
2005. She then obtained a bachelor’s degree in
until everyone had criminal justice and a master’s in criminal
forensics followed by a PhD in adult education
the opportunity to from the University of South Florida. Tanya is a
licensed funeral director and embalmer, a
hold an angel and licensed pre-need insurance agent, and a trained
funeral celebrant through the ICCFA University
pay respects. College of 21st Century Funeral Services. She can
be reached at tscotece@mdc.edu.

40 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

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NEW PARTNERSHIPS
In response to the nationwide need for morgue vehicles and PPE,
Mopec—a national leader in mortuary equipment and supplies—has
announced a collaboration with Acela Truck Company and the hiring
of government sales director Richard Leach. The collaboration with
Acela will launch a new program, allowing for the rental of custom-built
refrigerated morgue trailers across the country. The short-term need
for these trailers in communities throughout the country has become
increasingly evident, as the death toll of COVID-19, the wildfires on the
West Coast and other natural disasters continues to rise. These trailers
will help communities properly handle surges of fatalities and will
provide a safe and secure area to store decedents.
NEW PRODUCTS
Optronics International, a leading manufacturer of vehicle harnesses,
electronic control systems, and LED lighting for the global transporta-
tion industry, has announced the introduction of its new Modular LED
Strip Light model ILL23CB. The versatile new light is 17.25 inches long
and only 0.75 inches thick and can be mated together to form a solid,
linear light source measuring 6.939 feet in length. Its design makes
it easy to install, even in corners, and its automotive styling and end
caps give the light a clean, finished look. Optronics’ Modular LED Strip
Light is designed for total adaptability and can be used in virtually any
interior environment. Individual lamps have a streamlined ABS housing
with an integrated acrylic lens and require just two fasteners for surface
mounting. For information on international sales and distribution of
Optronics products, please contact Dorian Drake at +1 (914) 697-9800,
or visit http://doriandrake.com.
The popular funeral webcasting
platform known formerly as Midwest
Streams has announced a rebranding,
with a new website, new features, and a
new name—MemoryShare. The
platform, featured in Forbes earlier this
year for its rise in interest due to
COVID-19, allows funeral homes to offer in-house webcasting and
livestreaming for funeral ceremonies. “We wanted our new name to
reflect the heart of why we built this platform, and that is to bring
families and friends together to share their memories of a loved
one—no matter where they are,” said Kyle Fogarty, co-founder and
CEO of MemoryShare.

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42 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

MEMBER NEWS
Destination Kohler Unveils
Straits Chapel on Lake Michigan
Destination Kohler has announced the unveil-
ing of Straits Chapel, a secluded non-denom-
inational venue for hosting life’s celebrations,
events, and milestones. Straits Chapel was
created by Herb Kohler to offer guests a
place surrounded by the beauty and serenity
of nature embodying peace and light. The
picturesque setting of Straits Chapel, com-
plemented by its unusual modern design and
proximity to Whistling Straits, will captivate
guests looking to celebrate as well as seeking
a place for tranquility and meditation.
Nestled in the woods on the edge of
bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan, the design
features a vaulted ceiling throughout, white
steel exterior and interior, and six cascading
bells above the entryway. Once inside, guests
will be overwhelmed by lake and natural
landscape views through a 22-ft. tall center
window framed by two 8-ft. windows.
The chapel includes hand-carved sister property, The Old Course Hotel, Golf
pews reminiscent of Washington National Resort & Spa, resides in St. Andrews, Scotland,
Cathedral’s elaborate benches; a bell the birthplace of golf, and is recognized as
system offering dozens of musical one of the more luxurious resorts in the world.
compositions—from somber to joyous; re- In 2017, Kohler Co. opened LODGE KOHLER, a
movable artifacts to accommodate guests Four-Star, in the heart of Titletown, in Green
of any faith; and an interior lighting sys- Bay, WI.
tem with options ranging from bright daylight
to candlelight. The dark blue carpeted space
seats 150 guests and includes two private
rooms intended for wedding parties or other
special event preparations. The “Bride’s
Room” includes a full-length mirror, make-up
vanities with lights, ample electrical outlets,
and a spacious coat room.
“Straits Chapel expands our event venues
for wedding ceremonies. It is a memorable
and intimate experience,” said Christine Loose,
Vice President Lodging and Wellness for
Kohler Co. “It is also an exceptional setting for
recitals, lectures, and celebrations of life.”
Straits Chapel is now open and taking res-
ervations. Shuttle service from The American
Club and other Destination Kohler lodging is
available. For more information, contact Justin
Gephart at 920.457.4441.
The Kohler Co. Hospitality & Real Estate
profile includes The American Club, which is
the only Forbes Five-Star resort hotel in the
Midwest and the Three-Star Inn on Wood-
lake. It has world-renowned golf venues of
Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run. Straits
will host the Ryder Cup in September 2021. A
DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 43
MEMBER NEWS
Making Old New Again
with Expansion and Modernization
THE WOODLAWN CEMETERY is 400
acres, but much of it is already developed,
so in order to keep up with nearly $9 million
in annual cemetery interment right sales, our
Master Plan is fluid, subject to revision and
diversification based on demand and supply.
Additionally, as with many cemetery inventory
development projects today, it is also more
focused on creating a wide offering of crema-
tion interment property.
One of the more recent inventory devel-
opment approach changes we have made
is to evaluate “sold out” existing sites with
consideration of making what was new before
new again. We do this by taking a closer look
at developed areas that may not seem to have
expansion opportunities at first glance. The
largest example of this is our latest construc-
tion, or perhaps to provide greater context,
the restoration, refurbishing, and recladding of
the Knollwood Mausoleum.
The Knollwood Mausoleum is a commu-
nity mausoleum built in 1990 and consisted
of interior crypts, sky lighted roof, and an
exterior façade comprising carnelian polished
granite and rock pitch granite stone blocks. It
is constructed in-between a fork in the road
and backs up against other cemetery lots, so
Knollwood Mausoleum before construction
44 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020
by Mitch Rose, CCFE, CCE
space certainly was a major consideration.
When you drive past it, one thing is very
obvious: there are no exterior crypts or niches
whatsoever. This building inventory was “sold
out” and all that appeared to remain in its fu-
ture was perpetual maintenance, so it seemed.
But after a visit I took to Hollywood Forever
Cemetery in California years ago and seeing
one of its mausoleums get “re-cladded,” I took
a second look at Knollwood Mausoleum and
saw a new opportunity.
We decided to use the architectural ser-
vices of JST Architects to design the interior
and exterior construction and the construction
services of Carrier Mausoleums Construction
to build exterior crypts, niches, and an interior
glass-front niche addition. Throughout the de-
sign and construction, many challenges were
faced in building against an existing structure.
Some we found out the hard way, after the
early phases of completion.
The architectural considerations of this
article are detailed below by John Gary, vice
president of JST Architects. It addresses the
architectural opportunities and constraints
of re-purposing and re-inventing this old
structure.
• Updated Exterior Design with Practical
Inventory: The design objective of this project
was to provide additional mausoleum invento-
ry as well as give a dated mausoleum building
an “extreme makeover.” The goal was to come
up with an updated exterior façade and at the
same time provide new inventory to make the
project cost effective. This was to be accom-
plished by “wrapping” mausoleum crypts and
niche banks around the exterior of the existing
building which had no exterior inventory.
• Careful Site Plan Design and Road System/
Sidewalk Modification: Space allocation was
critical in order to provide the new crypt
space, provide pedestrian walkways, and
keep the existing roadway functional. Couch
crypt configuration was utilized for most of
the exterior inventory, but some conventional
crypt spaces were also included. Landscape
areas were reduced in size, but still included
to soften the hardscape and granite surfaces
around the building.
• Photo Realistic 3D Studies Pre-construc-
tion: The building was modeled in 3D color
rendering views during the design process to
take much of the esthetic guess work out of
the design process. Several granite colors/fin-
ishes/and trim colors were studied before the
plans were finalized. These rendering views
helped in presentations to cemetery decision
makers to convey the confidence of achieving
a pleasing design result before construction.
• Attention to the Interior: Not only was
the exterior a priority with this project, but
the building interior was also included to
complete a whole new esthetic experience.
The main entrance was upgraded and a “back
lighted” glass front niche library added for
additional inventory while creating a new
entry experience. New wall finishes, carpet,
and a custom central furniture piece was also
designed into the lobby directly under the
skylight.
The construction in progress section of this
article is detailed below with the assistance
of Daniel Gibb, Carrier Mausoleum Construc-
tion regional director. It outlines some of the
www.iccfa.com

Knollwood interior view after construction
construction challenges and what we learned
to overcome.
• Exploratory Excavation: The first step
was to perform an exploratory excavation
consisting of four test pits being dug against
the existing mausoleum. This process assisted
us in determining the footing design, footing
depth, and structural integrity of the existing
foundation to ensure it would interact proper-
ly with the existing structure.
• Soil Testing: The next step was to have a
soil testing company perform (5) soil borings
on the North and South sides of the mauso-
leum at various locations to determine the
subsurface conditions beneath the project
footprint and to provide a Geotechnical
Report to assist in our foundation design. It
was determined that beneath the roadways at
depths from 6" to 4'6" granular uncontrolled
fill including boulders, cobble stone, roots, and
silty sand/clay were encountered.
• Adjoining Structures: Marrying the eleva-
tions of the existing mausoleum with the new
crypt and niche addition while maintaining
industry standards for crypt dimensions and
providing adequate storm water drainage for
the new addition and existing mausoleum
was a challenge. All existing drainage struc-
tures including catch basins and manholes
were demolished. New drainage structures
were relocated and installed beyond the
footprint of the crypt and niche addition.
New drainage alcoves and sloping roofs were
constructed in the new crypt addition back
toward the existing structure and into the
drainage alcoves.
Looking back, the easiest part of this pro-
cess was to agree on an addition that provid-
ed architectural harmony from which we could
make a suitable ROI. That meant the cost of
restoring the inside beauty with new carpet
and replacing skylights would need to be
more than recaptured by the market value of
newly developed inventory. The most difficult
Knollwood Mausoleum after construction
aspect of recladding is during construction
when “stuff” happens even with geotechni-
cal reports, soil borings, and careful design
considerations. In our case, this included
unexpected below-grade backfilling, modify-
ing sidewalks, and curbing originally designed
with no margin for error but still requiring
further modification while under construction.
Lesson learned: there is no substitute for care-
ful inspection during construction in progress
to limit the change orders and subsequent
cost impact.
At Woodlawn, we were convinced that the
assistance of both an architect and a design
build company right from the start would
give us the opportunity to take a second look
and turn it into a new reality. The design and
construction on an existing mausoleum adds a
series of known and unknown conditions into
the process when compared to constructing a
building on undeveloped land.
The Knollwood Mausoleum Crypt and
Niche addition provided an additional 114
exterior casket spaces and 252 urn spaces, in-
cluding interior glass-front niches to what was
essentially a “sold-out” mausoleum. By the
end, the recladding and revitalizing of what
was once new was made new again, and both
our existing and new property owners have
voiced their satisfaction with the outcome.
Mitch Rose is president & CEO of the Woodlawn
Cemetery.
DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 45
MEMBER NEWS
Garden of Remembrance Marks
20th Year of Service with Plans to Expand
The Garden of Remembrance celebrates its
20 years of service to the Jewish community
by expanding its service by building a memo-
rial chapel on the premises. In the planning
and fundraising stages for nearly 20 years, the
memorial park has plans to break ground on
the 150-seat chapel and memorial center in
the spring of 2021. The new memorial chapel
will be located across from the beautiful gaze-
bo that has hosted memorial services, musical
programs, and family gatherings for over a
decade at the memorial park.
Twenty years ago, the Greater Washington
Jewish community was experiencing a short-
age of burial options for its nearly 300,000
Jewish residents. The historic synagogue and
46 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020
community Jewish cemeteries, some of which
date back to the mid-1800s, were nearly full.
Several were in disrepair, not fully funded, and
in neighborhoods that were inconvenient for
loved ones to visit.
By the late 1990s, it became clear that the
Washington Jewish community needed a new
cemetery to serve the community for the next
100 years. After studying the successful Jew-
ish cemeteries in other American cities and
exploring the availability of appropriate land
in the Greater Washington area, the leadership
of Washington Hebrew Congregation spear-
headed the creation of a Jewish, nonprofit,
community cemetery, the Garden of Remem-
brance (Gan Zikaron) Memorial Park.
The goal was to establish a memorial
park that would address the religious needs
and practices of the entire Jewish com-
munity—Orthodox, Conservative, Reform,
Reconstructionist, Renewal, and unaffiliated
Jews. Twenty-seven Partner Congregations
representing the full spectrum of religious
observance and affiliation each have sections
for their members, and more than half of the
152-acre memorial park is available for the
unaffiliated in Community Gardens.
Another service to the Jewish Community,
in accordance with Jewish tradition, the Gar-
den of Remembrance accepts and buries worn
prayerbooks, Torah scrolls, and other sacred
texts containing the Hebrew name for God in
its “genizah” of six burial sites.
“I feel blessed to have been given the op-
portunity to build upon the strong foundation
and most meaningful mission of Gan Zikaron,”
shares Glenn Easton who previously served
as executive director of both B’nai Israel and
Adas Israel congregations. In January 2020,
Glenn, a 35-year Jewish communal profession-
al and synagogue administrator with extensive
cemetery and bereavement experience, was
hired as the new executive director to manage,
expand, and sustain the memorial park. “It is
inspiring to work with a board of directors and
a 27 congregation advisory committee that are
always looking for ways to expand our service
to the community and sustain that service for
generations to come,” he concludes.
www.iccfa.com
 WilbertEDU Provides
Free Online Courses for CEU Hours

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Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc.
TM
is supporting funeral profes-
sionals seeking CEU hours with
a new complimentary online
program called WilbertEDU™.
WilbertEDU fills the gap in E-learning for today’s funeral professionals
this current environment of
restricted in-person events, such as industry receive updates on WilbertEDU sessions,
conventions and local and state meetings, dates, times, and registration.
where CEU-earning opportunities are often Established in 1880, Wilbert Funeral
provided. Services, Inc. is a licensor of, and supplier to,
Launched in November 2020, WilbertEDU independently owned concrete burial vault
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business during these challenging times; Lin- including the sale of cremation products, vault
da Stuart, Celebrant extraordinaire, discussing forms, liners, and other related products to
the importance of ceremony, especially with the licensees.
cremation families; Lance Ray of Pierce Chem-
ical, covering time management and work/life
balance, prep room tips, and why ethics are
even more important today; and Mike Forbes
of Wilbert’s Granite Choices division, discuss-
ing the many options available to generate
revenue in the cemetery environment.
Other WilbertEDU topics will address
burial vault basics and simple presentation
of outer burial container options to families;
effective marketing of caskets; legal issues to
keep you and your business protected; the
importance of engaging youth in ceremonies;
and many more topics in development.
“We are excited to offer an excellent series
of educational sessions to funeral profes-
sionals who are in need of CEU hours but
also looking to enhance their skills in funeral
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Bates, President and CEO of Wilbert Funeral
Services, Inc. “WilbertEDU is designed to
bring together professionals to learn and
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While there will be no fees involved for
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for the many children’s chaplaincy programs
across North America. Go to www.wilbert.
com/wilbertedu to see upcoming topics and

DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 47

MEMBER NEWS
ON THE MOVE
Homesteaders Executive VP-Sales & Mar-
keting Lyndon Peterson has announced
that Jill Muenich will head a new subsidiary,
Homesteaders Solutions Group. Jill joined
Homesteaders as vice president-Business
Development in March 2019 and has already
made significant contributions to the compa-
ny during her short tenure. She feels this role
is a natural and exciting career progression.
“When I joined Homesteaders 18 months ago,
I expressed my enthusiasm for aligning with
a company that everyone knows has a strong
brand and is an innovative leader in the funer-
al space,” she says.
National Mortuary Shipping and Cremation
has announced the successful transfer of
ownership from Diane Smith to her current
business partner, Angie Berwald. Diane and
Angie have worked as a cohesive team that
has increased sales, created better service
delivery systems, fostered a positive work en-
vironment for their employees, and continued
to elevate the original business created by
Bob Smith. Angie and Diane have worked on a
seamless transition for themselves, manage-
ment, employees, customers, and vendors.
Foundation Partners
Group, a leading provider
of innovative funeral and
cemetery experiences and
products, has announced
senior leadership changes
that will position the
company for continued growth and innova-
tion. Bob Bukala, formerly president and CEO,
remains CEO and assumes the additional role
of vice chairman of the Foundation Partners
Group Board of Directors. Chief Operations
Officer Kent Robertson, who joined the
48 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020
company in March 2020, has been appointed
president and continues to have responsibility
for operations. Earlier this year, Foundation
Partners expanded its leadership team with
the appointment of Tom Kominsky as chief
financial officer; and in September 2020,
digital marketing veteran Lee Cohen Sen-
derov was appointed to the newly created
position of chief marketing and digital officer.
Tom will lead the areas of accounting, finance,
capital markets, mergers & acquisition and IT,
while Lee will oversee the company’s
marketing and digital initiatives.
Selected Independent Funeral Homes has
announced the election of new board officers
to lead the world’s oldest association of
independently owned funeral homes. Select-
ed’s new officers were officially installed on
October 2, 2020, as part of the association’s
first-ever virtual annual meeting. Paul C. St.
Pierre of Wilson St. Pierre Funeral Service
& Crematory in Greenwood, IN, will serve as
president. He and his family have a strong
connection to Selected, with his father,
Michael St. Pierre, having served as president
(1991) and his great grandfather being an
active part of the organization at its inception.
Eric R. Trimble of Trimble Funeral Home &
Crematory in Moline, IL, will serve in the new
position of board chair. Eric is president of his
146-year old firm and states that Selected has
been an important part to the firm’s culture.
ACQUISITIONS
Park Lawn Corporation has announced the
acquisition of Bowers Funeral Service Ltd.,
a three-location funeral home business in
Salmon Arm, Golden, and Revelstoke, British
Columbia. The Bowers businesses perform
approximately 390 calls per year; the purchase
of Bowers will be funded from cash on hand;
and the agreed-upon purchase price multiple
is within PLC’s publicly stated targeted EBITDA
multiple range for transactions of this nature.
Edward Sagel and Albert Bloomfield, co-own-
ers of Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg
and Value Choice Cremation and Funeral Care,
have announced the expansion of their death-
care service businesses with the acquisition of
two area crematories in Woodbine, MD (Carroll
County). The combined locations employ over
35 people. On September 4, 2020, Ed and Al’s
parent company, ESFD, Inc. acquired Going
Home Cremation, renaming it Going Home
Cremation & Funeral Care by Value Choice.
It also expanded into the pet cremation and
funeral industry with the purchase of All Pet
Crematory, renaming it Forever Faithful Pet
Cremation & Funeral Care by Value Choice.
This will allow families from several Maryland
counties and surrounding areas to utilize the
option and cost savings of cremation. In addi-
tion to its cremation services, Going Home by
Value Choice offers its customers online funeral
options through its technology-driven website
and software. Families select, sign, and pay on
their computer, tablet, or smartphone while
the company assists in creating a budget-con-
scious funeral or cremation.
NEW PROJECTS
Indianapolis-based Flanner Buchanan held
a groundbreaking ceremony for its new
Prairie Waters facility at Hamilton Memorial
Park in Westfield, IN, on October 2, 2020.
The building will serve as both a funeral and
event center with a planned opening during
the summer of 2021. Since 1995, Hamilton
Memorial Park has offered local residents a
“garden oasis” of life celebration, bringing
funeral, cremation, and cemetery options to a
single, beautiful location. Participating in the
ceremony are Flanner Buchanan executives
(left to right): Bruce Buchanan, owner; Ted
Mau, Chief Administrative Officer; Tony Lloyd,
President/COO, John Snell, board member;
and Westfield Mayor Andy Cook.
www.iccfa.com

Johnson Consulting Group has announced
the launch of its new sister company, J3Tech
Solutions (J3Tech). With an innovative
tech-driven focus, J3Tech is committed to
creating user-friendly, intuitive, and dynamic
digital solutions within the funeral home and
cemetery profession. J3Tech has dedicated
resources to building cutting-edge tools for
success within the digital landscape. “It’s not
news that consumers are now planning their
functions online and through applications:
parties, weddings and appointments – we are a
completely mobile society,” says Jake Johnson,
president and CEO of Johnson Consulting
Group. “Our goal through J3Tech is to create
platforms that easily integrate into consumers’
everyday lives.” Among this talented team is di-
rector of Technology, Lori Salberg, an executive
and leader with proven success in the develop-
ment of SaaS cemetery software programming
and technical solutions. Lori has over 19 years
of funeral home and cemetery experience that
drives her passion to define and develop tech-
nology solutions within the space.
NEW PRODUCTS
Thumbuddies
pendants keep a loved
one’s memory as close
as a hug. Thumbies®
Inc., creator of
one-of-a-kind jewelry
and keepsakes worn or carried in memory of a
loved one, announces the launch of its newest
product line, designed in the spirit of a life
celebrated, and of memories kept close. The
heartwarming pendants in the new Thumbud-
dies® line provide the comfort of a friendly
“buddy” shape, with options that include a
bear, kangaroo, mouse, monkey, turtle, and
dragon with Thumbies’ signature fingerprint or
thumbprint embedded within. These exclusive
character pendants are cast in bronze, plated
in rhodium, and fully sculpted on both sides. A
stainless-steel chain is included. Visit www.
thumbies.com for more information.
New Memorials Direct
has announced a
brand new unisex
pendant style: the
Anchor. This has been
created for their
extensive collection of
cremation jewelry after requests for a new
option for families of fishermen, boaters, Navy
servicemen, or those simply of the nautical
persuasion. This new necklace features a flat
back for personalized engraving of up to 10
characters vertically down the shank of the
anchor or 6 characters horizontally across the
arms of the anchor. The back of the pendant
also features a discreet chamber accessible
via a rubber gasketed square screw that can
be used for cremation ashes, sacred soil, or
even sand from a favorite beach. It may be
ordered in your choice of metal: sterling silver,
14K gold plated, 14K solid gold (yellow, white,
or rose), or platinum. To inquire about this
new pendant or to obtain a wholesale
account, contact New Memorials Direct via
telephone at 1-877-995-8767 or visit www.
NewMemorialDirect.com.
Messenger has announced the release of its
new Solutions Guide: Inspire, Engage, Grow.
The 48-page guide showcases on-trend
products and service solutions to help funeral
professionals better serve the changing needs
of today’s families. “As with all our products
and services, we have invested much care
to develop this guide into something more
than just a standard product catalog,” says
Alicia Norman, director of Product Services at
Messenger. “It’s meant to serve as a look-book
of fresh ideas, concepts and inspiration to
showcase the very best of what Messenger
and our partnering companies have to offer.”
Inside the guide, funeral professionals will be
introduced to Messenger’s full suite of per-
sonalization solutions. Messenger’s catalog is
currently available online at www.messenger-
stationery.com/catalog. Watch a promotional
video featuring the catalog at https://youtu.
be/jUnU_Oii4Vo.
ANNIVERSARIES
Duncan Stuart Todd,
The Preparation
Room Specialist, is
celebrating its 30th
anniversary in 2021.
For three decades,
Duncan Stuart Todd has been creating
modern, state-of-the-art preparation rooms
and care centers. Company head Duncan
Todd remarked: “This is an incredible
milestone for any company. Duncan Stuart
Todd has achieved this success through the
hard work, passion, and dedication of our
team members, the continued improvements
in our products and services, and our culture
of customer service.”
DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 49
 NEWS

Herald in the New Year with a Week of Actionable Sales Content, Advice & Guidance
Taking advantage of the flexibility that virtual meetings afford, the annual ICCFA DEAD Talks Rounding out a jam-packed and powerful
sales conference will span an entire week, January 11–15, 2021, from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm EST sales week on Friday, January 15, keynote
daily. Easily accessible to everyone who desires to improve their sales, customer service, and speaker Dana Potthoff of Southwestern
technology skills, DEAD Talks 2021 will feature: Consulting will share her knowledge of per-
1. A different keynote speaker each day. • Tacye Vogel: “Pre-need: The 2020 After- severance, teamwork, leadership, and mental
2.. Three daily “DEAD Talks.” math and Rebooting Our Sales Mindset fortitude to help you maximize your personal
3. A daily Conversation Café where you can Operating System” potential and increase productivity. Building
join your colleagues and discuss relevant On Wednesday, January 13, researcher, upon this theme of personal and team growth
issues regarding management, ceme- author, and speaker JC Quintana will speak on will be our last group of DEAD Talks:
tery sales, or funeral home sales. These building authentic relationships and the seven • Erin Creger: “Recruiting and Onboarding in
concurrent Cafés will be open Zoom rooms most important elements to forging personal a Virtual World”
moderated by industry leaders. and business relationships. We’ll continue this • Mark Weaver: “Building a Winning Sales
On Monday, January 11, Victor Adefuye theme with three DEAD Talks: Process Today”
from Winning by Design will teach a “hands- • Jill Lazar: “Stack the Deck: Fundamentals • Andy Lopez: “Determination, Transforma-
on” workshop focused on remote selling. of Sales” tion, and Growth”
You will learn how to optimize your sales • Honnalora Hubbard: “The Power of As an added bonus, we’ll have On-Demand
processes, develop a data model based on the Storytelling” content from Gary O’Sullivan, CCFE, co-cre-
conversion rate per meeting, learn the latest • Justin Stivers: “Generating New Business ator of The System University. Gary will share
advances in tools for online meetings and from Your Existing Business: How You Can tips on how to ensure your sales are more
meetingless interactions, and how to enable Create an Army of Raving Fans That Will controllable, predicable, and most importantly,
your team in real time with training, content, Promote Your Business for You” more repeatable. You will also learn how to
and best practices. On Thursday, January 14, keynote speaker manage the objections you get when setting
On Tuesday, January 12, we will focus on Ryan Thogmartin of DISRUPT Media will focus appointments and the elements of an impact-
“back to better” with keynote speaker Lori on how to take advantage of technology in ful, yet practical, pre-need presentation.
Salberg, CSE, CXE, of Johnson Consulting the “new normal” and will share his insight An entire weeklong sales experience for
Group. She will show you how to plan and get into how to win new families online through only $99! Thanks to a generous donation
ahead to be even better than before. relationships and transparency. Continuing the from the ICCFA Educational Foundation. The
Then the fun starts with three, 18-minute tech conversation, we’ll have: Foundation is also making 200 scholarships
DEAD Talks: • Mitch & Nimia Rose: “That Was Then, and available to ICCFA members who qualify
• Doug Gober: “The Consumer is Speaking, This is Now” (www.iccfa.com/sales/scholarships). The
Are We Listening? A Look at What We’ve • Ben Upton: “Sales Success in a Virtual deadline to apply for a scholarship is Decem-
Learned” World” ber 18, 2020.
• Olga Piehler: “Future-Backwards: A New • Laura Langsdorf: “Communicating What Please visit www.iccfa.com/sales for more
Way of Leading Organizations on a Highly People Don’t Want to Hear and Increase DEAD Talks details and to register.
Complex and Changing World” Your Revenue While Doing It”

Victor Adefuye Lori Salberg JC Quintana Ryan Throgmartin Dana Potthoff

50 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

 Sharing
Legacies

Join us for the 2021 ICCFA

Annual Convention & Exposition
on May 12–15, 2021, at the
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
in Las Vegas, Nevada!
Learn more at
iccfaconvention.com
AC21_MM_Generic_Updated.indd 1 11/16/20 4:49 PM
 NEWS

Take 5 on Us! Want the

Sound of
ICCFA & NGL Team Up
on a New Video Series Music at Your
The ICCFA and National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) are proud to
Events?
announce a new collaborative project, Take 5! Cameron Black, vice president of
Avoid Infringement Fines—
Sales and Business Development at NGL, and Poul Lemasters Esq., ICCFA General
Counsel, sit down together (digitally, not literally!) to discuss topics relevant to the Get Discounts on Music &
deathcare profession. In our first video, check out Cameron and Poul’s thoughts on Web Licensing for 2021
the following: “How has the pandemic propelled the profession to re-think the
sales process especially the typical in-person meetings & interactions?” Use the
video below as an opportunity to take 5* from your busy schedule to look on the
bright side of things.
*Take 5 may not actually take 5 minutes. Your experience will vary.

Current music licensing is required for any

U.S. funeral home, cemetery, crematory, or
related funeral service business that plays
live or recorded performances of copyright-
ed music. ICCFA offers music licensing with
July:Layout 1 6/10/20 8:16 AM Page 1 ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC at the discounted
rate of $289 per location if purchased by
January 31 and $300 per property after
January 31. There are no additional fees or
membership requirements.
ICCFA’s music license rate is a direct
pass-through of the combined annual fees
TM
from ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. Failure to ob-
tain a music license can result in fines of up
Keep
sake Pendants to 30,000 for each song infringed.
In addition to music licenses, webcast-
The opportunity to choose a ing licenses are available for $50 per URL/
Keepsake Pendant website address if purchased by January
presents itself only once. 31 and $51 after January 31. A webcasting
The comfort license is an additional music license that
a Keepsake Pendant offers, allows a business to stream a funeral ser-
lasts a lifetime. vice—including the songs played during the
Known for quality materials service—on its website without violating
and craftsmanship,
copyright laws. You must purchase a music
Madelyn Co. Keepsake Pendants
are hand-made using jewelry-grade metals. license before you purchase a webcasting
license. For more information and to pur-
call about monthly specials or visit our website chase licensing, visit www.iccfa.com/legal/
800-788-0807 Fax 608-752-3683 www.madelynpedants.com e-mail orders@madelynco.com music.

52 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

 I CC FA M E M B E R S H I P B E N E F I T S P OT L I G H T

Nationwide Pet Insurance

Preferred pricing. Cash back. Use any vet.
You treat your fur-babies like family, so you
should have the best pet insurance available!
Nationwide Pet Insurance provides affordable
pet health coverage that ranges from pre-
ventive care to significant medical incidents.
ICCFA members are eligible for a 5% discount
(or more for multiple pets), which makes this
peace-of-mind protection even more afford-
able, including:
• Savings with preferred pricing
• Receiving cash back on vet bills
• Use any vet, anywhere
To access membership benefits and ser-
vices, visit http://users.iccfa.com, log in with
your username and password, and click on
Member Discount Programs.
800.475.5235
WWW.CLASSICPLASTICSCORP.COM
Available in 5 stocked sizes
▪
▪ Made from durable nylon reinforced polyethylene
▪ Envelope style zippers
Also in stock:
Alkaline Hydrolysis Bags- Human & Animal Sizes
Jumbo Cadaver Bags- Cremation Safe

th e ultimate in

Welcome CASKET&
New ICCFA MAUSOLEUM
Members! PROTECTION
MausoGuard
TM

• Kiri Bio Group LLC

North Miami, FL A state-of-the-art casket
• Cremation Plus enclosure for your
Puyallup, WA
mausoleum
• Matrax Inc.
Newfoundland, NJ
• Metropolitan Mortuary PATENT 6,253,503

Jurupa Valley, CA

MausoTray TM

For more information about ICCFA and A low-cost “insurance”

membership, visit for your mausoleum
www.iccfa.com/membership
and download an application form. VKM International Inc.
Or call 1.800.645.7700 to speak to a CALL: 800.886.2417 • FAX: 352-861-2473
membership associate. www.vkminternational.com

DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 53

 NEWS

Statement of Ownership, Management & Circulation

1. Publication Title: Memento Mori Magazine
(formerly ICCFA Magazine)
2. Publication Number: 1936-2009
3. Filing Date: October 1, 2020
4. Issue Frequency: Monthly with combined
issues (March/April & August/September)
5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 10
6. Annual Subscription Price: $39.95
7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of
Publication: International Cemetery, Cremation
& Funeral Association, 107 Carpenter Drive,
Ste. 100, Sterling. VA 20164-4468; Contact
Person: Tatia Gordon-Troy; Contact Number:
571.323.2983
8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or
General Business Office of Publisher: Interna-
tional Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Associa-
tion, 107 Carpenter Drive, Ste. 100, Sterling. VA
20164-4468
9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Address-
es of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor:
Publisher: Nadira Baddeliyanage, International
Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association, 107
Carpenter Drive, Ste. 100, Sterling. VA 20164-
4468; Editor: Tatia Gordon-Troy, International
Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association, 107
Carpenter Drive, Ste. 100, Sterling. VA 20164-
4468; Managing Editor: Same as Editor
10. Owner: International Cemetery, Cremation
& Funeral Association, 107 Carpenter Drive, Ste.
100, Sterling. VA 20164-4468
11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other
Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or
More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or
Other Securities: None.
12. Tax Status. The Purpose, Function, and
Nonprofit Status of This Organization and the
Exempt Status for Federal income Tax Purposes:
Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months
13. Publication Title: Memento Mori Magazine
(formerly ICCFA Magazine)
14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: Au-
gust/September 2020
15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average No.
Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months:
(a) Total Number of Copies–8085; (b) Legitimate
Paid and/or Requested Distribution: (b1) Outside
County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions:
7160.8; (b2) In-County Paid/Requested Mail
Subscriptions: 0; (b3) Sales Through Dealers
and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and
Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside
USPS: 454.2; (b4) Requested Copies Distributed
by Other Mail Classes Through USPS: 10; (c) To-
tal Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 7625; (d)
Nonrequested Distribution: (d1) Outside County
Nonrequested Copies: 0; (d2) In-County Non-
requested Copies: 0; (d3) Nonrequested Copies
Distributed Through USPS by Other Classes of
Mail: 0; (d4) Nonrequested Copies Distributed
Outside the Mail: 37; (e) Total Nonrequested
Distribution: 37; (f) Total Distribution: 7662; (g)
Copies Not Distributed: 463.1; (h) Total: 8125.1; (i)
Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 99.5
16. Electronic Copy Circulation: 0
17. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a
Requester Publication is Required and Will Be
Printed in December 2020 issue.
18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Busi-
ness Manager, or Owner: Nadira Baddeliyanage,
Publisher

Pet Memorialization
We offer a full range of products in bronze,
aluminum and stainless steel and specialize in
customization. From small grave monuments to
glass niches, Strassacker Bronze can partner with
you to help serve the needs of your customer, in
providing your families the ultimate personal touch in
honoring and remembering their furry friends.

Strassacker Bronze America LLC

www.shop.strassacker.com | 859.534.5218
sales @ strassackerbronze.com

54 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

 Celebrating 2019 KIP Award Winners
Pet Pilgrimage Crematory & Memorials
FIRST PLACE WINNER: Most Personalized Pet Service or Memorial
"Honoring Mooresville Police K-9 Division, Mooresville, NC
submitted by Leslie Reid, Director, Pet Pilgramage Crematory & Memorials
Pet Pilgimage Crematory & Memorials wanted
to honor the Mooresville Police K-9 Division
at our Eighth Annual Pet Life Celebration. We
as a community have suffered tremendous
loss this past year. We lost one of our K-9
handlers, Officer Jordan Sheldon, in a routine
traffic stop. He was shot and killed before he
could release his K-9 partner, Ramon, from the
squad car. Jordan was only 33. He was hon-
ored by nearly every police department—from
our mountains to the very tip of our coastline
in the Outer Banks.
We also suffered the loss of K-9 Gunny
from our Mooresville Police Department, K-9
Pegi with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Depart-
ment, and K-9 Lord from our neighboring
town of Troutman. Our police department
is just a few hundred yards from our facility.
They participate every year in our Pet Life
Celebration and bring their K-9 partners for
the community to get to know. We wanted to
dedicate our Pet Life Celebration, not only to
honor their service to our community, but as
family companions to these brave officers.
After honoring the retired K-9s with
engraved dog bowls and lots of toys to play R E L A M PI N G
with upon their retirement, we took some time
in our celebration to play a montage video
LED light bulbs
of the three K-9s we had lost, ending with a fo r C r y p t s & N i ch e s
presentation of a canvas portrait for each. All
proceeds from this event were donated to a D O I T YO U R S E L F
local charity called Save the Clefts Rescue, a
group of volunteers who save and tube feed s e p te ch n o l o g i e s .co m
1 8 7 7 5 1 5 - 4 67 2
cleft palate/cleft lip puppies.

DECEMBER 2020 MEMENTO MORI 55

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 11–15, 2021 February 8–11, 2021 March 2021

“Back to Better” “Creating Meaningful Funeral Johnson Consulting Group Summit
DEAD Talks Virtual Conference Ceremonies” Four-Day Workshop 2021
Visit www.iccfa.com/sales for more Facilitated by educator Dr. Alan Wolfelt Stay tuned for more information and
information. Scottsdale, AZ early-bird registration.
For more information and to register, call
970.226.6050 or visit www.centerforloss. May 12–15, 2021
com. ICCFA Annual Convention & Expo
Las Vegas, NV
Stay tuned for more information.

ADVERTISER INDEX

American Cemetery/Mortuary Consultants Inc. (ACMC) . . . . . . 49 Keeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Answering Service for Directors (ASD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 KMI Columbaria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Aquamation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Kryprotek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Bio Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Madelyn Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Bogati Urn Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Merendino Cemetery Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
C&J Financial, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Nomis Publications Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Classic Plastics Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Obermayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Columbarium by Design, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Premier Columbaria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Continental Computer Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2
Regions Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Ensure-A-Seal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
SEP TECHNOLOGIES INC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Flowers for Cemeteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Springfield Coach Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3
Foundation Partners Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Strassacker Bronze America, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Funeral Call Answering Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Supply Link—Multiview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
funeralOne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4
THE SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
Global Bronze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Great Western Insurance Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 U.S. Metalcraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Halcyon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 VKM International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Holland Supply Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Withum, Smith & Brown, PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

International Memorialization Supplier Association (IMSA) . . . . . 9 World by the Tail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Johnson Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Zontec Ozone Generators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

56 MEMENTO MORI DECEMBER 2020 www.iccfa.com

Introducing
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V-Class
Funeral
al Solutions
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r

SCG Line-up of A
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vailable V-Class Models:
Limo Hearse Hearse Fa m i ly C a r
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