One upon a time, a young woman walked into a funeral home in Queens, New York. She needed an after-school job to earn some money, while she worked her way through college, and the funeral home was hiring. She had dreams of one day becoming a great writer. Well, if not a great one, atContinue reading “A Dying Business”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Let’s Be Truthful
The Morte Girls are often asked by young people (and some not so young) about how to forge a career in funeral service, and what it’s like. We explain that the hours are long, that most of us work nights, weekends and holidays, and that the pay is generally little more than adequate. Additionally, theContinue reading “Let’s Be Truthful”
Our Latest Interview
In our recent interview with Authority Magazine, we reiterate the importance of funeral service & how we continue to uphold cherished traditions. Clearly, the Covid pandemic underscored (in a major way) what any funeral director can tell you: #funeralsmatter.
Yet Another Trying Day at Pinelawn Memorial Park
In the past, I’ve written about the horrific conditions I, and my family, were subjected to at the funeral (if you can call it that) of my mother in 2015. Then again, at the funerals of my uncle in 2017, and my aunt in 2019, we were treated badly. Having experienced such callous treatment byContinue reading “Yet Another Trying Day at Pinelawn Memorial Park”
POST PANDEMIC FUNERAL SERVICE – CAN WE FIND SOME NORMALCY?
This post originally appeared on sixtyandme.com POST PANDEMIC FUNERAL SERVICE – CAN WE FIND SOME NORMALCY?
I Want to Watch
An essential component of our role as funeral directors is to maintain the sanctity of our work and protect the privacy of those in our care. Something that continues to trouble me is the prurient interest some have in the most private part of funeral service. “I want to watch? Can I?” It is anContinue reading “I Want to Watch”
A Funeral Home Director’s View of the Pandemic
A Funeral Home Director’s View of the Pandemic In this article I wrote for Next Avenue, three seasoned, and respected, NYC funeral directors shared their thoughts and experiences with me. They were hard to hear, and even harder to write about, but such is the reality in these dark days. Funeral directors are doing allContinue reading “A Funeral Home Director’s View of the Pandemic”
RIP Dr. Jacquie Taylor
We were saddened to learn about the recent passing of Dr. Jacquie Taylor. Funeral service lost an excellent champion in her. An educator, who was also licensed as a funeral director, Dr. Taylor truly “walked the walk and talked the talk” unlike so many others today. In 2013, I attended a continuing education seminar Dr.Continue reading “RIP Dr. Jacquie Taylor”
HOW TO WRITE CONDOLENCE NOTES: 8 TIPS THAT MIGHT COME IN HANDY
This post originally appeared on sixtyandme.com HOW TO WRITE CONDOLENCE NOTES: 8 TIPS THAT MIGHT COME IN HANDY
Five Things
Five Things I’ve learned in my long career as a funeral director I was pleased to share my view of funeral service with Life. Death. Whatever., gleaned from the work I’ve done, the experiences of my colleagues, and the perspective of the thousands of families I’ve served over the years. Despite what you may readContinue reading “Five Things”
