Alexandra Kathryn Mosca, Doris V. Amen, and Melissa Johnson Williams are three well-known and respected names in funeral service.
Our Blog
We Compost Trash, Not Our Mothers
The New York State Legislature will soon vote on whether composting (like we do with our kitchen waste) of human remains will become legal. If it passes (sadly,that seems likely), New York will become the third state to allow this desecration. The Morte Girls want to go on record as to our disgust. The human … Continue reading We Compost Trash, Not Our Mothers
A Dying Business
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, at … Continue reading A Dying Business
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, the … Continue 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.
Moonrise and the Morte Girls
Last night, the Morte Girls attended Moonrise, a most unique event at Green-Wood Cemetery. It was a two mile stroll through the grounds, after dark, on a perfect fall evening . Along the way, we encountered performance artists stationed in and around some of Green-Wood's many notable mausoleums and monuments. Food stations, too, were available. … Continue reading Moonrise and the Morte Girls
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 by … Continue reading Yet Another Trying Day at Pinelawn Memorial Park
Post Pandemic Funeral Service – Can We Find Some Normalcy?
As the winter of 2020 turned to spring, the death toll from Covid-19 seemed insurmountable. For funeral directors, it was the darkest and most challenging time we’ve ever faced. In an industry built on personal contact and a deep sense of tradition, we could count on neither. “The idea of not being able to do … Continue reading 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 an … Continue 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 all … Continue 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
