BULLETIN PUBLISHED MONTHLY FOR THE MINNESOTA FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS. MFDA Bulletin Minnesota Funeral Directors Association 7046 East Fish Lake Road Maple Grove, MN 55311 Change Service Requested PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PRIOR LAKE, MN PERMIT NO. 23 SUMMER 2015 Newsflash! Children’s Grief Connection is Making Headlines ® ® www.adec.org ® October/November 2014 Volume 40, No. 4 Inside This Issue The Jones Family Goes To Grief Camp .................1 Connection, Imagination & Expression: The Power of Activities & Creative Arts at Grief Camp ........................................................1 President’s Message .............................................2 A Note From the Editor .........................................3 Evaluation of Bereavement Camps: A Positive Youth Development Perspective ...........................6 A University-Based Model for a Camp for Grieving Children.............................................8 Volunteer Training and Screening for Grief Camps................................................... 10 Journey into the Wilderness of Grief: Military Survivors Find Healing at TAPS Retreats ........... 11 Invisible Strings: Experience Camps for Boys ..... 12 Building Resilience with Grief Camps ................ 14 Plus ForumFeatures Teaching Thanatology ................................... 15 Clinical Issues in Thanatology ...................... 17 Diversity Issues in Thanatology .................... 19 ADEC News Student and New Professionals Division (SANP) ............................................. 21 2015 Annual Conference Report .................. 22 What’s New From ADEC Members............... 24 By Bethany Gardner, MA, LMHCA Despite the ex- pense, liability, and planning responsi- bilities, grief support programs across the country supplement their ongoing programming with grief camp. In fact, The Moyer Foundation’s National Bereavement Resource Guide (2014) currently documents nearly 300 grief support camps in the U.S. alone. Why has grief camp become a common addition to program offerings? Simply put and often stated, camp is magic. The impact of grief support ac- tivities facilitated in the camp setting is unique and significant. Camp as a Learning Environment Camp is a historically-proven, research-driven environment for learn- ing. In Camp as Educator: Lessons Learned from History, Ozier (2010) traces the birth and development of camp as a successful learning land- scape from the mid-1800’s to present. In a later article, Ozier (2013) explains that camps “give kids the space to prac- tice what they learn and opportunities to explore ways of making sense of what they know in new and different ways.” As the grief camp unfolds, skills and information are quickly integrated Connection, Imagination & Expression: The Power of Activities & Creative Arts at Grief Camp Beyond the Walls: Grief Camps and Programming By Coral Popowitz, MSW, LGSW, CT Mrs. Jones answers the door with her baby on her hip as her nine- year-old sleep- ily joins her. There is a police officer at the door telling them about the accident. While picking up their fourteen-year-old from a school dance, a drunk driver hit their car killing her husband and daugh- ter. Her daughter’s twin was upstairs sleeping, fourteen-year-old boys ‘don’t do’ school dances. Her eighteen-year-old just left home last month for his first year of college. After the funerals, the media may- hem, after the flowers wilt and the trays of food are consumed, the Jones family begin their grief journey. Individually and collectively, trying to make sense first of what has happened to their family and then to find meaning in their losses. Family systems models use the met- aphoric mobile to show the dynamics of a family, each individual member attached by the slightest string to each of the other members; when one mem- ber is ‘cut off’ the mobile, the balance is thrown wildly off. Balance needs to be restored for this family to survive their tremendous loss. At Hearts of Hope Family Camp, the Jones family, individually and collec- tively, have an opportunity to restore their balance. Arriving as a family the first night, they introduce themselves to other families searching for that bal- ance after loss. They come searching for other nine-year-olds who have questions they are afraid to ask their mother, other fourteen-year-olds who hold blame and responsibility that isn’t theirs and other eighteen-year-olds who now must be ‘the man of the family.’ Hearts of Hope Fam- ily Camp has other mothers with babies on their hips searching for help for their children, for next steps in their lives, wondering what to do now that their fam- ily has been thrown so far off balance. The Jones Family Goes To Grief Camp Continued on Page 3 Continued on Page 4 Cover Story By Patti Martin Bartsche Making the Connection Minnesota Funeral Directors helping families heal. Children’s Grief Connection has been making headlines these days (in a good way) with informational articles in two national industry publications. The Association for Death Educators and Counselors, (ADEC) certifies thanatologists and conducts grief research. Their fall quarterly, ADEC Forum, was dedicated to grief camps and reached over 1800 thanatology professionals, including funeral directors, around the globe. The article titled “The Jones Family Goes to Camp” was chosen for the front page. On acceptance to the publication editor Tashel Bordere commented, “This is cutting edge; we don’t see many family grief camps developmentally designed for every family member and we don’t see any programs run by funeral directors, our people need to know what you’re doing!” The other ‘people’ that learned a bit more about Hearts of Hope Family Grief Camp this last month were the subscribers to American Funeral Director magazine. An article on Children’s Grief Connection made the front cover of the magazine. With a reach of over 30,000 funeral and cemetery professionals making the cover of the magazine will spread the news nationally. Relaying the origin (at MFDA) and the history of funeral director partnership, the article highlights the work we do together. Please take the time to read these articles, they’ll make you feel good, smile and be prouder of our partnership - www.mnfuneral. org/?page=CGC
Transcript
BULLETIN PUBLISHED MONTHLY FOR THE MINNESOTA FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS.
MFDA BulletinMinnesota Funeral Directors Association7046 East Fish Lake Road Maple Grove, MN 55311
Change Service Requested
PRESORTED STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PRIOR LAKE, MNPERMIT NO. 23
SUMMER 2015
Newsflash! Children’s Grief Connection is Making Headlines
®
®
www.adec.org
®October/November 2014
Volume 40, No. 4
Inside This Issue
The Jones Family Goes To Grief Camp ................. 1
Connection, Imagination & Expression: The Power of Activities &
Creative Arts at Grief Camp
Beyond the Walls: Grief Camps and Programming
By Coral Popowitz,
MSW, LGSW, CT
Mrs. Jones answers
the door with her
baby on her hip as her
nine- year-old sleep-
ily joins her. There is
a police officer at the
door telling them about the accident.
While picking up their fourteen-year-old
from a school dance, a drunk driver hit
their car killing her husband and daugh-
ter. Her daughter’s twin was upstairs
sleeping, fourteen-year-old boys ‘don’t
do’ school dances. Her eighteen-year-old
just left home last month for his first year
of college.
After the funerals, the media may-
hem, after the flowers wilt and the trays
of food are consumed, the Jones family
begin their grief journey. Individually and
collectively, trying to make sense first of
what has happened to their family and
then to find meaning in their losses.
Family systems models use the met-
aphoric mobile to show the dynamics
of a family, each individual member
attached by the slightest string to each
of the other members; when one mem-
ber is ‘cut off’ the mobile, the balance is
thrown wildly off. Balance needs to be
restored for this family to survive their
tremendous loss.
At Hearts of Hope Family Camp, the
Jones family, individually and collec-
tively, have an opportunity to restore
their balance. Arriving as a family the
first night, they introduce themselves
to other families searching for that bal-
ance after loss. They come searching for
other nine-year-olds who have questions
they are afraid to ask their mother, other
fourteen-year-olds who hold blame and
responsibility that isn’t theirs and other
eighteen-year-olds who now must be ‘the
man of the family.’ Hearts of Hope Fam-
ily Camp has other mothers with babies
on their hips searching for help for their
children, for next steps in their lives,
wondering what to do now that their fam-
ily has been thrown so far off balance.
The Jones Family Goes To Grief Camp
Continued on Page 3
Continued on Page 4
Cover StoryBy Patti Martin Bartsche
Making theConnectionMinnesota Funeral Directors helping families heal.
Pg. 52 Childrens Grief Connection (Bartsche).qxp_Pg. 00 Ben Franklin 5/8/15 1:50 PM Page 52
Children’s Grief Connection has been making headlines these days (in a good way) with informational articles in two national industry publications.
The Association for Death Educators and Counselors, (ADEC) certifies thanatologists and conducts grief research. Their fall quarterly, ADEC Forum, was dedicated to grief camps and reached over 1800 thanatology professionals, including funeral directors, around the globe. The article titled “The Jones Family Goes to Camp” was chosen for the front page. On acceptance to the publication editor Tashel Bordere commented, “This is cutting edge; we don’t see many family grief camps developmentally
designed for every family member and we don’t see any programs run by funeral directors, our people need to know what you’re doing!”
The other ‘people’ that learned a bit more about Hearts of Hope Family Grief Camp this last month were
the subscribers to American Funeral Director magazine. An article on Children’s Grief Connection made the front cover of the magazine. With a reach of over 30,000 funeral and cemetery professionals making the cover of the magazine will spread the news nationally. Relaying the origin (at MFDA) and the history of funeral director partnership, the article highlights the work we do together.
Please take the time to read these articles, they’ll make you feel good, smile and be prouder of our partnership - www.mnfuneral.org/?page=CGC
7046 East Fish Lake RoadMaple Grove, MN 55311p: (763) 416-0124 f: (763) 545-9499e: [email protected] www.mnfuneral.org
Who We Are: Minnesota Funeral Director’s Association (MFDA) is the statewide resource dedicated to supporting our member’s growth professionally, ethically, and operationally.
What Is Our Mission: Our mission is to enhance and support funeral service excellence through our programs, legislative representation and service to Minnesotans.
How Accomplish This:• Essential and enduring principles that guide our
organization’s behaviors and actions
• Advancing the value of funeral service consistent with the changing needs of society
• Advocacy on behalf of consumers and members
• Visionary leadership - trust and confidence in staff and volunteer leadership
• Promotion of integrity; honest and ethical behavior within the funeral industry
• Collaboration with others in the interest of consumers and members
• Recognize the importance of education as a vehicle to enhance both public service and public image
4 MFDA Bulletin • SUMMER 2015
Executive Director’s Report
MFDA’S 126TH ANNUAL CONVENTION
May 23-25, 2016 Treasure Island Resort & Casino, Red Wing
Summer is here...and will be gone in a flash! The nice thing about Minnesota is fall is also a beautiful time of year! Hope you have had time to enjoy the warm weather on a lake or river, bicycle trail, resort, up north or down south...somewhere you can relax with your family and have fun. All of us tend to take care of everyone else first, a hard habit to break! I think I’m the poster child!
Thank you to all who attended the convention. From the looks of it, a great time was had by all starting Monday evening at the Gangster Funeral for Mort U. Ary (thank you to the 130+ people who joined us) through Tuesday’s presentation by Angela McArthur on working with implanted biomedical and therapeutic devices! There was something for everyone and that was our goal! By the numbers: we had 177 funeral directors from 80 different funeral homes, 95 guests, 23 students and 55 vendors with 135 people exhibiting.
As I’m sure I mentioned last year, the summer does not slow down at MFDA. In addition to convention follow-up, we are finalizing the summer Bulletin, September District Meetings, the Membership Directory, and new this year...the 2015 Inaugural Leadership Academy and the Digital Marketing Seminar. Oh yes…and the October 22-23 day insurance class and 2016 convention planning are on deck as well.
Leadership - I have been reading several articles and books on different Leadership models, partly because of the upcoming Leadership Academy, but primarily for my own benefit. Recently I listened to a webinar that indicated the true measure of leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less. How can I influence those around me...staff, members or acquaintances? Influence has several connotations, some rather ominous...sway, manipulate, persuade, induce or impel. (Do this OR ELSE!)I prefer
inspire, impact, encourage, guide, motivate and/or shape. I think this applies to all of us in our relationships with the people in our lives, both personal and business. How can we influence those around us?
• Relationships – how do you build strong relationships in your life and community?
• Trust –do people trust that you will do what you promise?
• Value – what values are you know for in your community?
When I look at any new endeavor for MFDA, I ask whether or not this will build relationships, trust and value to MFDA members. Am I clear about our mission, vision and key initiatives? Does it fall within the parameters of the strategic plan the board created last year? Building rapport and trust takes time, and my goal is to gain that trust by listening to what it is you want from the association and making it happen.
We may not be there yet, but we have covered a fair amount of territory in the last few years. My goal for the near future is to visit your funeral home on my travels during district meetings, and at other times as my schedule allows. Member or non-member, I want to have conversations that will help me gain a clearer understanding of what you want from the association. Thanks for hanging in there with us, it will only get better. That’s my plan and I’m sticking to it!
Darlyne EricksonMFDA Executive Director
http://shop.dodgeco.com ~ www.dodgeco.com Tel 1-800-443-6343 ~ Fax 1-800-443-4034
Below is Incoming MFDA President Shawn Kirby’s installation speech from this year’s MFDA Convention.
Members of MFDA, members of MFDA Board of Directors, and supporters of this industry; It is my honor and privilege to share the same profession and vocation with all of you. I look around and see many acquaintances and colleagues I have shared experiences with for many years. Some of you are just now starting the same journey many of us started 10, 20, 30, 40 and for some, 50 plus years ago. Some of you are continuing the work your father’s and grandfather’s started generations ago. For those just starting, you will find the success of this profession measured in care, love, and compassion. The fruits of your work will be the lifelong relationships you build with your families and communities. We are in a unique & delicate profession. It is a vocation with much balance of care and professionalism. It is this care and professionalism that solidifies our relationships with our families in our communities.
We are in this profession together for a very short time and it is a path, at times, that can be challenging. Most recently, we have discovered the vulnerability of this infallible profession. It has now become a race to the bottom. Who
can dispose of a loved one for the rock bottom price? Years ago, your competitor lived and worked down the street, not long ago we were competing with the rising cremation rate. Now our competitor is a minimum service many miles away. One that does not contribute to your churches or communities. One that does not live in your communities or know your families as intimately as you do. My challenge to our professionals is to compete with these competitors with your fairness, with your integrity with your compassion and with your grace. Never before, have we needed each other more than now. The Minnesota Funeral Directors Association is here for all of us as a resource of guidance, a source of experience, a source of information, and a voice to be heard.
It is important to keep in mind that we are all sales people, we sell a product every day and that product is you. Our industry is completely different than any other. It’s extremely personal and intimate. When we are rejected, it hurts and it cuts into us a little every time. So when a family calls on you, it isimportant you create a real and memorable healing experience for your family. Remember that all your families are unique, different, and matter to you. It is your long standing relationship and confidence they are selecting. It is imperative we develop and nurture these relationships with our professional colleagues, communities, and families we serve. When you create these close and warm relationships, you become more valuable to them.
My challenge to all of you is to make your vocation real and memorable to you and your families.
Create value in yourself and your business.
1.Be active in your Association Promote our association to your colleagues, neighbors, and associates. Attend your district meetings and state conventions. You will gain the continuing ed credits you need, renew relationships, and share your professional experiences and knowledge. You will develop the networks you may need in the future. Be sure to take advantage of your MFDA Bulletin and MFDA website. The MFDA Bulletin and website shares career opportunities, new laws that affect your business, and can be a resource for so many connections and networks in your industry. Get to know your board and let them know what matters to you and your industry.
2.Be active in your Community Promote yourself and your business by being yourself. Fraternal, Civic and Church groups are suffering for participation today. So many of us today seem to find it difficult to balance time with work, family, and personal time. Employees, engage yourself and participate in your communities and churches. The friendship and relationships you develop will last a lifetime and creates a sense of security and trust in you. Employers, support you employees in their community and church interest. When you’re not professionally engaged, allow them the time they need to be away to perform these works of relationship building.
Continued on page 6…
6 MFDA Bulletin • SUMMER 2015
3. After Care It doesn’t need to be expensive, outlined, and complex. Follow up with your families after funerals. A simple card, a text, or even “Like” an event on Facebook with a family member. Attend a memorial benefit, remember birthdays of some of your special past family members and show your families you remember them and their loved ones. Don’t be afraid to be bold and hold these family members tightly well after the funeral is over.Your families may not remember everything said or everything done but they NEVER, EVER, forget how you made them feel.
4. Technology You all have at your fingertips, the ability to touch so many people. Today with social media, it costs nothing to send out a Tweet, thanking your Veterans for their services at a cemetery, a photo on Instagram of one of your employees volunteering at a benefit, a Facebook post wishing everyone a good holiday. These things have a rippling effect with no end. Maybe a granddaughter will see the Tweet, maybe a family member will see your Facebook post. These postings are shared, forwarded and reposted. It is impossible to measure the value of a positive posting.Share as much information as you can on your website. Links to other resources can be of a lot of value to your followers. People will remember the website they found their resources on.
5. Continuing Education This is what separates us from other industries. We are professionals. It is imperative we keep our skills sharp, our knowledge up to par, and our information current. Changes are happening at such a fast rate in every industry. There are many ways to meet your requirements online but conventions, district meetings, seminars and other professional engagements will keep you socially connected to your industry.
In closing, I am looking forward to serving you in this industry as your association president for the next year. I am anxious to meet our challenges of the upcoming year and meeting all of you at your district meetings this fall. Stay connected, share yourselves, and God bless you and those you serve.
Creating Value in Yourself continued…
www.mnfuneral.org 7
A new program for Minnesota funeral directors will be launched this fall. The MFDA Leadership Academy experience enables both experienced and emerging leaders to excel – now and into the future. Participants will learn leadership concepts and proven techniques, as well as gain important insights into the Minnesota Funeral Directors Association. The Leadership Academy is sponsored by Kelco Supply Co and MFDA Service Corp.
As a charter member of the MFDA Leadership Academy you will:
• Bring out the best in yourself and your team members.
• Make consistently sound, excellent decisions as a business leader and as a professional.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with consumers, colleagues, and vendors.
• Participate in MFDA leadership opportunities that will allow you to build on the legacy of past strengths, with a clear vision for the future.
• Gain the visibility and knowledge to prepare you for opportunities in MFDA leadership.
The Leadership Academy will meet six times from October 2015 to April 2016, with graduation at the MFDA Annual Convention in May 2016. Sessions will be mid-week on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. This program will teach you skills that will enhance both your funeral home and the impact in your community. You will learn strategies for personal growth and organizational development that will help you and your funeral home. You will build lasting relationships with classmates and fellow leaders in your profession. Your classmates today will be the people you call on tomorrow for advice, support, or to share a humorous moment. You will become a part of the MFDA legacy of leadership. Leadership academy alumni will participate in building the strong heritage of funeral service and advancing the mission of MFDA.
PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS: Full participation and mandatory attendance at all scheduled programs and events through the state is required for participation in the Leadership Academy from October 2015 through April 2016.
All costs associated with participation in the Leadership Academy will be covered with the $350 fee (for MFDA members), other than any travel (mileage) or overnight expense, which will be paid for by the Firm. Non-member fee is $700. Scholarships may be available through your local MFDA District. Please contact your district president for more information. If you need your district president’s contact info, please call the MFDA office at 763-416-0124.
Participants will be selected from the eligible applicants, taking into account degree of interest and commitment, aptitude for leadership and diversity of the class (including diversity in geography, personal backgrounds and experience). Selection of the first class is expected to be completed by early October 2015.
Application Deadline: September 30, 2015. Download the Leadership Academy application at www.mnfuneral.org.
New Leadership Program Available through MFDA Beginning this Fall
LEADERSHIPACADEMY
8 MFDA Bulletin • SUMMER 2015
2015 FALL DISTRICT MEETING SCHEDULERSVP details will be sent to members via email and posted on www.mnfuneral.org
Tuesday, September 8 District 3 Slayton, Key Largo on Lake Shetek Hosts: Marquis Madison / Nathan Stephens
Wednesday, September 9 District 2 Mankato, Loose Moose Saloon & Conference Center Hosts: Shawn Kirby / Tonya Booth
Thursday, September 10 District 1 Rochester, Whistle Binkies on the Lake Ashley Hoff / Daren Preszler
Monday, September 14 District 6/7 Minneapolis, Ramada Plaza Host: Darlyne Erickson
Tuesday, September 15 District 8 St. Cloud, Best Western Kelly Inn Hosts: Doug Dingmann/Doyle Hofer
Wednesday, September 16 District 4/5 Willmar, The Oaks at Eagle Creek Lance Peterson
Wednesday, September 23 District 10 Bagley, Fireside Grill & Patio Hosts: Dan Dahl /John Gilstad/Ernie Gieseke
Thursday, September 24 District 9 Detroit Lakes, Holiday Inn, Hwy 10 East Hosts: Steve Sheets/Conrad Barnes/Hans Larson
Thursday September 30 District 11 Chisholm, Valentini’s Host: Chris Jacobson
MFDA FALL DISTRICT MEETING2015 TENTATIVE PROGRAM AGENDA
2:00 – 3:00 PM .................OSHA Training Workshop – Free to MFDA Members, Non-Members $120 fee (1 hour of CEU)
3:00 – 3:10 PM .................Welcome District Business Meeting – District President
Note: District 4/5 has golf outing prior to meeting and lunch instead of dinner.
www.mnfuneral.org 9
MIDWEST MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE
Our board certified pathologists provide private postmortem examinations to answer questions families may have regarding the death of their
loved one. If we can be of assistance to the families you serve, please contact our office:
MIDWEST MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE
14341 Rhinestone Street NW Ramsey, MN 55303
(763) 323-6400
Normal business hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Weekends and Holidays
After business hours, we can be contacted through Anoka County dispatch at (763)427-1212
Spring 2015 Legislative UpdateBy Judy Cook, Cook Girard Associates
With the 2015 regular and special sessions now behind us, the Department of Health is working to inform funeral industry members of the changes to 149A. These changes have been sent out to industry members as well as posted on the Department’s website. Cook Girard Associates worked diligently throughout the session to ensure successful outcomes in the face of many proposed changes to the statute. We would encourage MFDA members to read through the changes to understand how your business may be impacted. We will continue to monitor how the new laws are affecting the industry and work with the Department going forward.
With our successes this past session and favorable outcomes, we have numerous key legislators to thank. It is clear that legislators of both parties value what funeral directors and the
funeral industry add to their districts and local communities. The MFDA PAC will be sending a fundraising letter in the near future and any contribution, no matter the size, is extremely important for MFDA to thank legislators for their work this past session as well as their contributions to our MFDA district meetings coming up this fall.
The 2016 session has a later start date than usual due to capitol construction, with both the House and Senate chambers being renovated. While the 2016 session officially begins on March 8th, the legislature will certainly be holding committee hearings in the early months of 2016. Cook Girard Associates will work with the MFDA Legislative Board and other MFDA members for input on any initiatives we will pursue for 2016.
To view the entire 2015 Legislative Updates for the Minnesota Mortuary Science Industry document, please visit www.mnfuneral.org/?page=Legislative
Willmar
Precast
Company
IN THE HEART OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA
Serving the burial vault needs of funeral professionals in:
• Big Stone • Brown• Chippewa • Kandiyohi• Lac qui Parle • Meeker• Nicollet • Pope• Redwood • Renville• Sibley • Stearns• Swift • Yellow Medicine
Call Ron Jasperson at Willmar Precast320-235-8527; Toll Free: 1-800-559-8527
10 MFDA Bulletin • SUMMER 2015
2015 Annual Convention a Huge Success
Thank you to all that attended MFDA’s 125th Annual Convention on May 18-20 at Earle Brown Heritage Center! More than 300 people attended convention including 53 exhibitors. Convention was kicked off with an amazing night of dinner and swing dancing at the Wabasha Street Caves in St. Paul for the Gangster Funeral Event. Then two-days of professional education were held the following days with opportunities to network with colleagues and visit with exhibitors. We greatly appreciate our convention sponsors and exhibitors who were part of our 125th event!
Save the date for MFDA’s 126th Annual Convention on May 23-25, 2016 at Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Red Wing.
Thank you to our Title Sponsors • Doric Dealers of Minnesota • Funeral Directors Life Insurance Co • MFDA Service Corp
Thank you to our Keynote Sponsors • Batesville Casket Co • Brown-Wilbert • The Dodge Company
Thank you to our Education Sponsor • National Funeral Directors Assn
Thank you to our Coffee Break Sponsors • Aurora Casket Co • Homesteaders Life Co • LifeSource Organ and Tissue Donation • Messenger, Inc.
Thank you to our Service of Remembrance Sponsors • Bertas Funeral Home • Brown-Wilbert, Inc. • The Dodge Company • Federated Insurance • Minnesota Lions Eye Bank • Sympathy Florists • United Heritage Life Insurance Co
Congratulations to this year’s 50-year funeral director license award recipients!
Ronald Anderson • James Arendt • A.D. Benson James Bradshaw • Thomas Gearhart • Richard Roth
John Rothfork • Roger Sheets
See many more Convention photos on MFDA’s Facebook page.
www.mnfuneral.org 11
Change is Far More than Coins in One’s PocketBy Jerry J. Brown
In the News
The ever-shifting, undulating sands of time produce billions of some small, some monumental ‘changes’ every moment of everyday.
In the realm of politics, environments, episodes, events, sociologies, technologies, education, governments and even religion, change is perpetual. There must be thousands of speeches, oratories and presentations that bear the title, “The Challenge of Change.” It is of interest to note that all are much the same i.e. ‘Change with the times or fall behind and miss the boat.’
In many ways, the history of ‘change’ will be graded as either a ‘yawn’ or a ‘dawn.’ The ‘yawn’ represents an era of stagnation and societal unrest. The late 1920s, with the ‘29 Crash of Wall Street and the rise of Cosa Nostra and Union Wars was such a period of turmoil and cyclonic change.
The ‘dawn’ began to break in the 1960s with John F. Kennedy’s moving call-to-arms…”Ask not what your country can do for you…Ask instead, what you can do for your country.”
Fortunately for the future of Funeral Service, the Minnesota Funeral Directors Association has served as the thermometer, barometer and compass for the profession since 1895. It has met and won the challenges evoked by change.
• 1895- N.F. Warner of Minneapolis served as President of the first of a new Funeral group known as the Minnesota Funeral Director’s Association. ‘Change’…Individual Funeral professionals realized the power of plurality (strength in numbers) and hence the collective- organizing of America’s Funeral Service.
• 1916-Funeral Service projected an aura of calm, concern, cohesiveness, sensitivity and professionalism to the legions of families struggling with
the horrors of war. ‘Change’ became internationally therapeutic.
• 1929-MFDA President R.P. Lee sheparded Funeral Service through the dark days of the depression. ‘Change’ emerged on the contrails of economy, service, conservatism and a general restructuring of the Funeral ceremony.
• 1943-During the height of World War II, the Minnesota Funeral Service membership and its Board of Directors dramatically altered its mission statement to provide Funeral Service free-of-charge to the fallen heroes in the war of horrific proportions.
• 1963-Known and remembered as the Year of “The Jury Rests on the Matter of Mitford.” Her book, The American Way of Death, was just another attempt at sensationalizing the religious and cultural values of the Funeral.
• 1981-Uncle Sam, in the guise of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), entered the sacred halls of the traditional Funeral by promulgating ‘the Funeral Rule.’ Once again, President Robert Caturia and the MFDA Board and membership met the ‘challenge of change’ with common sense and professional aplomb in a ‘win-win’ for Funeral Service nationwide.
• 2015- a decade and a half has witnessed the intrinsic human values of Funeralization. As a result of the creativity and commitment of leaders like Darlyne Erickson, Coral Popowitz, current and past presidents and directors of MFDA, and the positive effects of the Children’s Grief Foundation and allied supply organizations, Minnesota Funeral Service will prevail for at least the next 125 years.
Commensurate with the miracles of ‘change,’ Minnesota remains ‘numero uno’ as the paragon of American Funeral Service.
Statement from the McReavy family and Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapels & Cremation Services
We are pleased to announce that effective this date, Washburn-McReavy has acquired the Miller-Methven-Taylor funeral business (except Anoka). We believe this will be a positive transition for funeral service in the Columbia Heights, Blaine and New Brighton communities.
The Miller-Methven-Taylor Columbia Heights real estate will be sold for an alternative use and the phone line will be moved to the Washburn-McReavy Columbia Heights Chapel and Davies Chapel for 24-hour customer service. All of the Columbia Heights arrangements, visitations and services will be directed from the present Washburn-McReavy Columbia Heights Chapel. We will temporarily close the Blaine and New Brighton locations for construction and upgrades.
We have had excellent cooperation with the former owner, Tim Taylor, who will continue to own and operate his Anoka chapel and chapels in Brainerd. No staff will be joining our organization but Tim will continue to consult with us during the transition. This will offer great continuity to the families that call the Washburn-McReavy Columbia Heights, Blaine and New Brighton chapels for funeral and cremation services. We are proud to carry on the tradition and legacy of these chapels.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our staff for their hard work and dedication to funeral service. We greatly appreciate all they do to serve the families who call on us at a difficult time in their lives.
Jerry Brown is a well-known funeral service columnist who once raised buffalo in Ingomar, Montana.
12 MFDA Bulletin • SUMMER 2015
Children’s Hospice Services Available through Crescent Cove
Crescent Cove, formerly Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota, is a non-profit organization dedicated to offering care and support to children and young adults with a shortened life-expectancy, and their families.
As a music therapist, founder Katie Lindenfelser saw firsthand how music could raise the spirits of pediatric hospice patients and their families. She noted how it transported them to a place of pure joy, providing a much-needed diversion from the unrelenting demands that accompany terminal and life-limiting illnesses.
The beneficial impact of music therapy, along with other complementary therapies such as massage therapy and reflexology, left an indelible impression. It fueled a mission to advocate for children with life-limiting conditions to ensure they could enjoy such precious moments with their families.
The number of children that can benefit from a children’s respite and hospice home is considerable. There are thousands of children in the state of Minnesota living with a life-limiting illness, such as neurological or neurodegenerative disorders, rare chromosomal disorders, heart and lung conditions, and various types of cancer. An additional 500 children are newly diagnosed each year. It’s also estimated that many of the 700 children that die each year in Minnesota could benefit from a place in which to receive end-of-life care—a home like Crescent Cove.
There are more than 4,700 dedicated hospice homes for adults in the United States, but only two for children (infancy to age 21). These include: George Mark Children’s Home in California and Ryan House in Arizona. In contrast, there are more than 45 children’s hospice homes in the United Kingdom, some of which have been in existence for three decades. Crescent Cove seeks
to model its home based on the best practices and advice shared with us from these successful models.
The home envisioned by Crescent Cove will include eight rooms for children, three family suites, and will be equipped to help with physical, spiritual and emotional needs of the children and their families.
As Katie explains, “This home will be a place where children and families can not only receive optimal palliative care for respite breaks or at the end-of-life, but also a place where life happens and their journey is supported.” Crescent Cove is committed to offering services to children and their families such as: respite care, pediatric palliative care, end-of-life/hospice care, daily personal cares, integrative therapies, spiritual care, and family support.
Crescent Cove continues to build momentum and support to build a children’s hospice home that will provide respite and end-of-life care to children with life-limiting conditions and their families. The site currently under consideration is in Chaska, co-located with a residential adult hospice owned by Ridgeview Medical Center. With continued generous philanthropic support from those who care deeply about children and their families, the reality of this building moves ever closer.
As funeral directors, you may serve families of children who benefited or could have benefited from hospice services, maybe even a residential location at the end-of-life. As you hear families consider memorial gifts, please share the wonderful mission of Crescent Cove as an opportunity for a memorial gift from families.
Please contact our President Bob Tift at 952-426-4711 or [email protected].
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Keeping up with social media and your funeral home website can be a full-time job in itself! Staff from Hubbard Interactive will present how you can make your funeral home stand out on social media and search engines. And OSHA Trainer Mark Arnold will present OSHA Training before the seminar.
Join us on Wednesday, August 12 for the MFDA Digital Marketing Seminar and OSHA Training. OSHA Training (1 CEU) will be held at 2pm, with the Digital Marketing Seminar from 3-5pm at Cooper Irish Pub, 1607 Park Place Blvd, St Louis Park. Appetizers and soft drinks provided by FDLIC (cash bar available).
MFDA members: FREE
Non-members: $120 OSHA Training, $40 Digital Marketing Seminar (pay at door)
To RSVP, please visit http://www.mnfuneral.org/events/event_list.asp
How to Utilize Social Media to Grow Your Business
Presented by Bernie Laur, Digital Sales Manager & Melissa Budensiek, Digital & Social Media Consultant at Hubbard Interactive
Description: Getting your brand noticed via social media becomes more difficult with each passing day. Users upload 100 hours of video to YouTube every 60 seconds and share more than 4.75 billion pieces of content on Facebook every 24 hours. Add to that 500 million new tweets per day, and the chances of breaking through the clutter can seem almost impossible. Attend this seminar to learn how to effectively utilize social media to grow your business. Hubbard Interactive will discuss the importance of using social media, show you what a typical social media campaign looks like and perform a social media audit with ideas and strategies that your business can use today! All attendees will receive a free social media audit for their own business.
Get Found on the Internet: A Crash Course in SEO & PPC
Presented by Ruth Tambornino, Digital Brand Strategist at Hubbard Interactive
Description: An important aspect of SEO and PPC is making your website easy for both users and search engine robots to understand. Although search engines have become increasingly sophisticated, they still can’t see and understand a web page the same way a human can. This seminar will get right down to business, with the nitty-gritty details of converting customers and how SEO and PPC come into play. All attendees will receive a free SEO audit for their own business.
Digital Marketing Seminar and OSHA Training Coming in August IMPORTANT
Historical Highlights of MFDA: Part III Excerpted from MFDA History by former MFDA Executive Director Gary Larsen
MFDA was very active in the ’30’s led by Ruele P. (R.P.) Lee who had been a Minneapolis chemist, prior to entering funeral service in 1916. Education of funeral directors was his passion, serving as Chair of the Education Committee for fourteen years. He worked closely with the University program to expand it, while also working on a national level, inspiring the first National Institute for Funeral Directors & Embalmers. It was held at the University of MN in 1925.
In 1931, MFDA hired Henry Dooley as the first full-time executive secretary. There were many strong issues that faced the association, most notably; burial insurance and burial associations (co-op’s).
The first crisis of the decade was “burial insurance”. These were not technically insurance at all - - but private arrangements between companies (usually southern-based) and “funeral parlors” to provide goods and services at need for “policyholders”. The fraud was wide spread before the trusting laws. These insurance companies simply didn’t deliver on the sold policies – often times they were bogus companies.
MFDA went to the State Legislature with the State Insurance Commissioner to enact a law banning these burial plans. Led by State Senator George Siegel, St. Paul attorney, MFDA had a bill introduced to protect the public. With newspaper exposes helping, the bill was passed.
MFDAers were also faced with a problem, as they perceived it, in the growth of burial associations in the 1930s. Burial associations were cooperatives with the aim of burying their members for no fee or low fees, from “dues” or dividends. MFDA was successful in getting a State law to require licensing burial associations as companies (i.e. members as owners), thus paying some taxes and fees like private business. MFDA President Oscar Sathe of Jackson spearheaded this successful move.
Another 1930s crisis was benevolent societies’ “trusts”. The State Insurance Commissioner with MFDA Exec. Sec. Dooley at his side announced rules governing benevolent societies’ funeral payments. Societies were not stopped, but regulated and prohibited from claiming all costs would be paid by member assessment.
In 1933, MFDA was instrumental in getting its Past President Thomas G. Bell of Duluth appointed by the Governor Floyd Olson to the State Health Board. Bell was reappointed in 1936.
It was the GOLDEN JUBILEE YEAR of MFDA in 1940. MFDA was 50 years old. Donald R. McReavy was Convention Chairman and Walter Quast was President. Walter W. Tharsell of St. Paul was Secretary and Robert Towey of Rochester was Treasurer. It was a well-attended convention with over 1,000 plus 300 from out-of-state.
An era of good feeling existed in 1940, about funeral service and the growth and power of members acting together through MFDA. The ‘40s were also filled with many trips to the legislature, especially after the United States entered World War II. Executive Secretary Dooley left MFDA after an illustrious career and the Association hired Eugene Young in 1942. John Werness served as MFDA President three terms – 1942-45. He eventually would become NFDA President in 1968.
During this time MFDA lobbied for and won a reduction in fire insurance rate s as well as auto insurance rates.
The new Executive Secretary and President Werness faced many issues as a result of the war. In 1945. Ruele (R.P. ) Lee was elected NFDA President. He praised the leadership of MFDA with employing the first full time executive secretary; the first to divide the State into districts; and leading NFDA to divide the country into districts.
He summed up the war years as a time when NFDA and State Associations efforts during the war years to “protect and preserve funeral services.” He told of the more liberal gas rations for funeral directors, freeing up tires for hearses; lifting restrictions on casket-making; the draft deferments for embalmers; and cooperation with the military.
www.mnfuneral.org 15
IN MEMORIAM
Mary A. Vierzba, mother of Minnesota funeral director Edward Vierzba, 98, of St. Cloud, died on March 8, 2015.
Mary was born in Staples, MN to John and Nellie (Kaveney) Vasecka. She married John E. Vierzba Jr. on August 26, 1940, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Staples. Mary attended the St. Cloud Normal School and taught in a number of one room schools in Stearns County. Before retiring in 1978 she taught 2nd and 3rd grades at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Waite Park. Mary was a charter member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church. She loved gardening, (especially flowers) and in retirement continued to work first at Northside Floral and then Southway Green House and Floral. She enjoyed playing cards, dancing, singing old songs; her favorite of late was “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”
Mary is survived by her children, Mary Nell Latterell of Sauk Rapids, John (Mary Jo), James, Robert (Terri), and Edward (Lori) all of St. Cloud; sisters, Kay Hebrink, of Woodbury, and Emily Becker of Holdingford; sisters-in-law, Joyce Vasecka, of Pine River, and Kay Vasecka of Milaca, 15 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, John on November 24, 1978; son, Gary; son-in-law, Edmund Latterell; brothers, Tom, John, Joe and Jim and sister, Helen Thorsett.
Mary’s family would like to thank St. Benedict’s Senior Community (especially the third floor staff) for their excellent care of Mary for the past 11 years.
Mass of Christian Burial was held March 14, 2015, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud, with visitation on March 13 at the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in St. Cloud.
Robert E. “Bob” Hamilton, Minnesota funeral director, age 69 of St. Peter, died on Monday, April 20, 2015, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.
Born August 9, 1945 in Omaha, Nebraska to Dwain and Marjoline (Meyer) Hamilton. A 1963 graduate of Omaha North High School and graduated from the University of Minnesota, Department of Mortuary
Science in 1968. On December 14, 1968 he married Janet McKay in Hopkins, Minnesota. Served one year internship in Sidney, Nebraska at the Gehrig Funeral Home. Worked the next three years in Omaha for the Roeder Mortuary. Began employment at the Klein Funeral Home in St. Peter, Minnesota in July of 1972. Founded St. Peter Funeral Service in the fall of 1997, along with a partner bought the Klein Funeral Home in December of 2001 and founded St. Peter Funeral Home-Klein Chapel.
Bob was a Minnesota certified eye enucleator, attended MFDA sponsored Disaster Training (FBI training), plus numerous awareness sessions through the Boy Scouts of America. Was a member of First Lutheran Church, St. Peter Lions Club, past Scoutmaster for BSA Troop 58, past Order of the Arrow Lodge Adviser, served as an adviser on the Nicollet County Disaster Committee, past drive chairman for the St. Peter United Way, has taught gun safety to the youth for the St. Peter Police Department and the Nicollet Conservation Club, past member of the St. Peter U.S. Postal Customer Advisory Council, the Friends of St. Peter Hospice Advisory Committee, and co-chaired the St. Peter Hospice Banquet. A member of Masonic Lodge #54, member of Ivanhoe Commandery #31. Also a member of St. Peter Red Men Lodge having held several offices in both Masons and the Red Men. Bob was an avid photographer, having numerous photos published nationwide; enjoyed most all outdoor sports, with the greatest interest in camping. He enjoyed collecting pocket watches, with an extensive collection of American Waltham watches.
Surviving is his wife Janet, son Jason; sister Joleen and her husband Ron Meyer of Orchard, Nebraska; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews. Bob was preceded in death by his parents and parents-in-law.
Funeral service was held on April 25, 2015, at First Lutheran Church in St. Peter with burial at Resurrection Cemetery, St. Peter. Visitation was held April 24 at St. Peter Funeral Home - Klein Chapel.
Ruth A. Jacobs, Minnesota funeral director, 95, of St. Charles, died Tuesday, April 21, 2015, at Chosen Valley Care Center in Chatfield.
Ruth was born February 11, 1920, in St. James, MN to Arthur and Alvina (Engelbrecht) Luther. She graduated from St. James High School and attended beauty school in Minneapolis. On August 3, 1947, she married Arthur Jacobs in Janesville, MN. She owned and operated her own beauty shops in St. James, New Ulm and St. Charles. In 1949, Ruth and Art purchased the Sasse Funeral Home in St. Charles. Ruth graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1950, becoming a licensed funeral director. She and Art built the Jacobs Funeral Home in Lewiston, operating both locations until retiring in April 1976. Art passed away in 1978. Following her retirement, she spent winters in Florida. She also was able to travel to many parts of the world.
Ruth was a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary, VFW Auxiliary where she also served as president; and was active in 4-H, also serving as president. She was a member of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church where she was very active, serving as the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League President in 1978, teaching Sunday school and was Care Group chairman for over 10 years. Ruth enjoyed playing cards and taking part in the activities at the nursing home.
She is survived by 15 nieces and nephews.
Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Art in 1978; parents; brother, Wilbur Luther; sisters, Laura Stradtman, Doris Buerkle, Dorothy Sodeman and Mildred Witte; newphews, David Stradtman, Ronald Stradtman and Marvin Witte.
Ruth’s family would like to express a special thank you to Chosen Valley Care Center for their loving care and comfort.
Funeral Service was held on April 27, 2015, at St. Matthews Lutheran Church in St. Charles with the Reverend Samuel Morsching officiating. Share a memory of Ruth and sign her online guestbook at www.hofffuneral.com.
Imagine you get that middle-of-the-night call every business owner dreads: There’s smoke coming from the roof at your main location. When you arrive, the entire building is in flames. The fire gets put out shortly after dawn, but it’s evident the fire and water damage is extensive. That shiny new equipment is now scrap, the shelves, light fixtures, inventory, carpet, family photos—anything and everything—ruined.
Now imagine finding out that, while the walls and roof were insured at their full replacement value, not much else was. Not calculating replacement value for property contents is a costly mistake some business owners make when valuing their business insurance limits. Don’t be one of them!
When discussing insurance values with your provider, be sure you include anything that could affect value: new machines or equipment, inventory (raw material, in-process and finished product, etc.), property of others, remodels, etc. And, don’t forget to consider inflation and other valuation factors. The amount you have on your balance sheet or the item’s cost new may not be an accurate reflection of your contents’ replacement costs. Remember, you probably had time to shop around and buy the items at the best possible price, but you won’t have that luxury when you need to get your business back up and running as fast as possible.
Determining the replacement cost of your business personal property (contents) is involved, and it requires
your time and expertise. Yes, it may be time-consuming to do a walk-through to list floor-to-ceiling contents and determine accurate costs, but it is the best way to calculate true value to help ensure you’re adequately covered if you have a claim. Federated Insurance uses one of the finest building value estimation tools in the marketplace to help business owners determine adequate values. Doing what you can to make sure you are insured to value offers an added layer of peace of mind.
The extra time spent now will be much appreciated in the unfortunate event of a loss. And, to protect all your hard work, you will want to store the documentation in a safe, off-site location to make sure you can readily access it when it’s needed most.
Are Your Property Limits Accurate? by Federated Insurance
16 MFDA Bulletin • SUMMER 2015
www.mnfuneral.org 17
TO MFDA’S 2015 ALLIED MEMBERS
MFDA thanks those individuals who have shown their commitment to MFDA and its members by becoming Allied members. To contact a member, call the MFDA office at 763-416-0124, refer to your MFDA Directory, or visit the online MFDA Buyer’s Guide at www.mnfuneral.org.
SPECIAL THANKS
Anatomy Bequest Program Jake Anderson, Andrew Ashton, Paul Hill, Angela McArthur, Sarah Paulsen, John Straub, Tamara Voss www.bequest.umn.edu
Answering Service for Directors Jason Bathurst www.myASD.com
Artco Casket Company, Inc. Al Whitmer, Steve Doscher, Wally Gelecinskyj www.artcocasket.com
Assured Decontamination Services Perry Ebner www.deconservices.com
Aurora Casket Company Roger Ruth, Andi Waterhouse, Brent Wermes www.auroraadvantage.com
Avalon, Inc. Daniel Seman www.avalonsecurity.com
Baines Professional Vehicles John Baines www.4hearse.com
Batesville Nicki Mikolai www.batesville.com
Brown-Wilbert, Inc. Dave Gavin, Christopher Brown, Andrew Brown, Bruce Bratton, Brett Jacobsen, Maleia Kavitz, John Schmitt, Jeff Bauer, Jerry Brown www.brown-wilbert.com
Contemporary Concepts Ryan Bergan www.contemporaryconcepts.net
Cousineau McGuire Michael Sharkey www.cousineaulaw.com
Dodge Company Gregg Bright www.dodgeco.com
Doric Dealers of MN Matt Wieser, Todd Weiser www.wieser-doric.com
Federated Insurance Jeff Stephenson www.federatedinsurance.com
Forest Lawn Memorial Park Association Kari A. Hubbard www.forestlawnmn.com
Funeral Directors Life Insurance Company John Harrington Scott Tufto www.funeraldirectorslife.com
Funeral One Harry Joachim www.funeralone.com
Gorder Mortuary Supply James Messer www.gordersupply.com
Homesteaders Life Company Steve Byhre www.homesteaderslife.com
Keith M. Merrick Co., Inc.Kyle Grimes www.keithmerrick.com
Kelco SupplyAlicia Carrwww.kelcosupply.com
Keystone Funeral Home Design BuildRuss Karaschwww.keystone.db.com
Laker InsurancePatrick Zalusky
LifeSource Organ and Tissue DonationMike Burakowski www.life-source.org
MAS CommunicationsMary Reeves www.mascommunications.net
Medical Disposal Systems, Inc.Warren Winkelman www.mds-mn.com
Memorial ProductionsHeidi Edwards www.memorialproductions.com
MessengerBob Hoaglund www.messengerstationery.com
Midwest Medical Examiners OfficeAngie Chalmers www.midwestmedicalexaminer.com
Minnesota Lions Eye Bank Sara McFee www.mnlionseyebank.org
Northern Design Caskets Scott Haiby
Northwestern Casket Co. David Koll www.nwcasket.com
Peterson Law Office Bill Peterson www.petersonlawoffice.com
Pinnacle Group Bob Michaelson, Cory Michaelson www.pinnaclegroup4u.com
Pluto Legal Cheryl Vos www.plutolegal.com
Robert L. Archbold, LLC Robert L. Archbold www.robertlarchbold.com
Scene Clean, Inc. Randy Burg www.scenecleanmn.com
Shepart Dawson Grover www.shepart.com
The Purple Cross PlanDenis Nordlum www.purplecross.com
United Heritage InsuranceBob Hanson www.unitedheritage.com
University of Minnesota Mortuary Science Michael LuBrant www.mortuaryscience.umn.edu
Willmar Precast CompanyRon Jasperson
18 MFDA Bulletin • SUMMER 2015
Family owned and operated funeral home, has openings for licensed funeral director, intern, and management positions in Montana and North Dakota. For more information, visit our website at www.stevensonandsons.com. If you are interested or have any questions please call Joe or Todd Stevenson at 406-853-4460 or office number 406-232-4457 or email your resume to [email protected].
Cooperatively owned funeral home in a Northwest Iowa community has opening for additional licensed funeral director. Interested individual must be an enterprising, detailed oriented, self-starter with knowledge and experience in all facets of funeral service. Position requires strong prep room abilities, excellent communication skills and computer/graphics knowledge. A desire to provide a high level of service and compassionate care to families in our area is a must. Iowa funeral directors license and Iowa life insurance license, or ability to attain, required. Management opportunity possible in time for ideal candidate. We are a progressive 70-80 call firm in a growing Christian community with excellent school system. We provide above average salary, personalized benefits and commissions. Contact: Chad Vogel / Memorial Funeral Home, 12 16th Street SE, Sioux Center, IA 51250 [email protected].
Kirk Funeral Home in Rapid City, SD and the beautiful Black Hills, has an immediate opening for a full time South Dakota licensed funeral director with a minimum of 2-4 years of experience. Responsibilities would include all aspects of funeral service. We offer an excellent compensation and benefits package that is second to none and we are employee owned. We value outstanding customer service and communication skills. Please email your resume to [email protected]. For more information about our firm you may visit www.kirkfuneralhome.com.
Licensed Funeral Director/Manager in Crookston, MN. We are looking for an experienced Funeral Director who is interested in being part of a progressive company in the beautiful city of Crookston, Minnesota. Our organization offers competitive compensation, as well as many benefits including employer paid medical insurance, flex plan, health savings account plan, flexible schedule, 401K Plan with a 5% employer match, and paid vacation. Crookston is the county seat of Polk
County, with a population of approximately 7,800, where the banks of the Red Lake River rise, the pulse of the Red River Valley beats, and where life gets a little simpler away from it all. To learn more about our organization and about Crookston, please visit the following websites: www.vertin.com, www.crookston.mn.us and www.stenshoehouske.com. If you are interested, please send your resume and cover letter to [email protected] or simply call to visit confidentially about this opportunity.Don Kiffmeyer Email: [email protected] Office:218-643-5595 Cell: 701-640-9454.
Holcomb-Henry-Boom-Purcell Funeral Homes and Cremation Services, St. Paul and Shoreview, MN is currently seeking applicants who are interested in a long-term career with our family owned funeral homes in St. Paul and Shoreview, MN. Call volume 300+ annually. We offer a rotating flexible on-call schedule, competitive compensation, paid vacation, medical insurance, long-term disability insurance, profit sharing. You must be professional, compassionate, interested in being a part of a dedicated team of directors who regard the profession as a ministry rather than just a job, community minded and able to perform all aspects of funeral service. If interested, please send your resume, or call to visit confidentially about this opportunity. Richard Purcell, 536 North Snelling Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104 651-646-2844
Henry W. Anderson Mortuary (Apple Valley/Minneapolis) is looking for an experienced full time MN licensed funeral director with experience as an arranger as well as in the embalming room. Job responsibilities include: arranging, embalming, working funeral/memorial services, dressing, casketing, community PR, taking and making first calls, evening visitations, light maintenance, working with the MR&C system, and other normal office duties, etc. NO NIGHT REMOVALS OR NIGHT EMBALMING! Contact Tim Anderson, 612-729-2331 [email protected]
Great opportunity available for a Licensed Funeral Director or Intern. We are currently seeking applicants who are interested in a long-term career with our funeral homes in Ortonville, MN and Milbank SD. We offer a great work environment, flexible schedule, competitive compensation, paid vacation, employer paid medical insurance, health savings account plan, flex spending plan,
profit sharing, and retirement. If you are interested, please send your resume, or call to visit confidentially about this opportunity. For more information, you may visit our website at www.mundwilerfuneralhome.net . Please contact: Tim or Tana Mundwiler, Mundwiler Funeral Home, Phone: 605-432-4545, Email: [email protected]
We are currently looking for a licensed funeral director to join us at Vosseteig Funeral Homes. We serve approximately 140 families per year from our five rural funeral homes. We are located in the southwest part of Wisconsin (Vernon County) with our main funeral home in Viroqua. We have four satellite facilities located in Westby, Viola, DeSoto, and Gays Mills. This position requires proficiency in embalming, restorative art, and all aspects related to funeral service. Excellent communication skills, compassion, and integrity will help define the successful candidate. Applicant needs to be detail-oriented and able to work both independently as well as in a team. 3-5 years of experience is preferred. We are looking for someone interested in a career with us, not just a job. The call schedule is every other night and every other weekend. Temporary housing is available as well as a retirement plan and contribution toward health insurance.
Please send cover letter, current resume, and salary requirements to [email protected] or mail to Vosseteig Funeral Homes P.O. Box 88 Viroqua, Wi 54665.
Minnesota Valley Funeral Homes & Cremation Services is seeking a full-time licensed funeral director or intern to add to our current staff. This person will be involved with the complete duties of a funeral director from the removal to the final disposition. We offer a competitive salary and year-end bonus along with benefits such as full company paid family health and dental insurance, retirement plan, license fees, continuing education costs, vacation, several community paid benefits, and bi-annual clothing allowance. You would be joining a staff of 4 other licensed morticians. The on call schedule and the holiday schedule would be evenly rotated between all the licensed staff.
For more information on the funeral home and how it operates as a “Community owned co-operative” go to www.mvfh.org. For information on the New Ulm community, go to www.newulm.com and request a relocation
Licensed Funeral Director/Funeral Director Intern Opportunities
CLASSIFIEDS
www.mnfuneral.org 19
guide. Please e-mail your cover letter and resume to General Manager, Bruce Savoy, at [email protected] or mail to Bruce Savoy, C/o Minnesota Valley Funeral Homes, P. O. Box 393, New Ulm, MN 56073.
Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapels is a family-owned and operated funeral business in the Twin Cities with 16 locations that serve the Twin-Cities Metro Area. We have an immediate opening for an experienced licensed funeral director. We provide a competitive compensation package with excellent benefits including medical, dental, profit sharing, paid-time-off, and a fair work & on-call schedule. We value compassionate customer service and communication skills, and are looking for a qualified director to join the Washburn-McReavy team.
Please email resume and references to: [email protected], or mail to Washburn McReavy Attn: Bill McReavy, Jr, 2301 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis MN 55405.
A family owned, progressive funeral home in St. Cloud Minnesota is looking for an experienced funeral director or intern who is committed to providing excellent client satisfaction to every family and possess a positive attitude with the ability to work in a team environment. Company provides excellent benefits, competitive salary, 401K, ongoing training, and opportunity plans. If you are looking for an innovative funeral home, have the ability to exceed the expectations of the families you serve, and enjoy being part of successful team, please send your resume to: Williams Dingmann Funeral Home and Crematory, c/o Doug Dingmann, 1900 Veterans Drive (Eighth Street North), St. Cloud, MN 56303 (320) 252-2522 [email protected]
Virginia/Hibbing, Minnesota - Range Funeral Home, cooperatively owned, has an immediate opening for a full-time licensed funeral director or intern to join our team. Duties include but are not limited to removals, embalming, family arrangements, working funerals and visitations. Applicants must be able to work well on a team as well as independently. Funeral Directors are on a three person rotation. Please send cover letter and current resume to [email protected], ATTN: Bryan or mail to Range Funeral Home, 911 16th St. N. PO Box 4, Virginia, MN 55792, (218)741-1481.
Mahn Family Funeral Home in Red Wing, Minnesota, a family-owned funeral home, has a position for a full-time Minnesota licensed funeral director or intern. Responsibilities would include all aspects of funeral service. Individual must be a self-motivated person that is able to think independently and work without direct supervision. This position comes with competitive salary based on experience, flexible schedule, paid vacation, retirement plan, health insurance and other benefits.
The historic and scenic community of Red Wing, located in Southeastern Minnesota on the Mississippi River, has plenty of year around social, community and recreational activities. Please send resume to [email protected] or call 651-388-3343. Inquiries will be kept strictly confidential.
Licensed Funeral Director/Funeral Director Intern Opportunities
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