National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day is March 11. This day serves as an opportunity to express our gratitude and appreciation. We salute the dedicated professionals serving our community with compassion, dignity, and respect during some of life’s most challenging moments. Continue reading Happy National Funeral Director and Mortician’s Day
Tag: Funeral Director
National Funeral Director & Mortician Recognition Day
Did you know March 11 was National Funeral Director & Mortician Recognition Day? If not, do you feel bad you didn’t buy donuts or cake or candy or your local funeral director? Just kidding. Although we aren’t joking about liking sweets. I mean, who doesn’t love sugar? We need it, in fact, to stay awake almost around-the-clock to be available for our funeral families. But most of you probably let March 11 come and go without giving your local mortuary much of a thought. That’s okay. We thought about you. We always do. In fact, that’s pretty much the official/unofficial motto for our profession:
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Continue reading National Funeral Director & Mortician Recognition Day
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About your Funeral Director but Were Afraid to Ask
Part 1 of a 2-Part Series
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Your Funeral Director Genuinely Cares
Even though funeral directors are exposed to death every day, we are still sensitive when families have suffered a loss. We find the deaths of children particularly difficult to deal with, or deaths that occurred as a result of violent crime. We are, after all, only human. As Funeral directors, we have lost people that we loved ourselves, so we are able to truly empathize with how you are feeling. Like doctors and nurses, funeral directors have to be professional when we work with you, meaning that we have to put our own emotions aside so that we can better serve you.
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Funeral Directors are generally not Money-Hungry Salesman
Some people imagine that funeral directors rub their hands in glee when they hear about a death because they relish the opportunity to milk as much money as possible from a grieving family. Nothing could be further from the truth. Like any other profession that requires compassion and caring, funeral directors are inherently kind and thoughtful people. My primary role is to serve you and your family during a difficult time, and care for the body of the person who passed away. The overwhelming majority of our time and attention is spent to provide personalized service, rather than explaining products available for purchase. As an honest funeral director, I will support your choices, rather than trying and sell you products you don’t want or need.
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Not All Funeral Directors Are Stodgy Old Men
Stereotypical funeral directors are stodgy old men who skulk around in black suits, no matter how hot the weather. The extreme version is often seen in classic movies, where the undertaker is a gaunt old man who is totally devoid of joy, lurking around in a way that’s (frankly) creepy. This stereotype likely came about because funeral homes was historically a male-dominated industry. Today, however, young men and women are becoming funeral directors and are changing the face of the profession. People who didn’t grow up in a funeral home are choosing it as a first or second career and find it very rewarding. In fact, currently, around 60% of mortuary science students in the United States are women. Women possess skills and traits necessary to be an effective funeral director, including good listening skills, compassion, organization, and event-planning.
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Being a Funeral Director is not Easy
You might think that being a funeral director is another 9-to-5 job. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Few professions maintain availability to this extreme. As a funeral director, I have had to leave family occasions such as Christmas dinner, my daughters’ birthday party or soccer game, or a family wedding, because I have received a call from a family in need. The reality is that other people’s needs beat my needs and the needs of my own family. As a funeral director, my purpose in life is to serve others. It really is a selfless job that not everyone is equipped to do. Being a funeral director is not a vocation. It’s a calling. If your goal in life is to make lots of money, don’t become a funeral director.
Check back next week, when we conclude this two-part series about the interesting world of funeral directing.
About Foothill Funeral & Cremation
We know your loved one was very important to you. And we value the opportunity to celebrate his or her life or help you pre-plan a service for yourself. Feel free to contact us now to pre-plan your own memorial or at your time of need (626) 335-0615. Our relationship with United Methodist Church and Sacred Heart provide great places for mourners to host funerals and memorials. You’ll love the grandiose yet intimate settings in both locations.
We also specialize in helping with burial arrangements. FFC proudly serves the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Basin, Orange County and the Inland Empire. Finally, working in the mortuary industry since 1996, our reputation is one of quality, sincerity and trust. Please allow us to help you at your time of need or in the future. Call today (626) 335-0615 or contact us via email.