Possible new house. You'll all be invited!

New house time interruption. We are going thru the process of moving a structure to a piece of undeveloped land we have. So I will take a hiatus from my home funeral posts and plan to share some moments on our moving process. Just enjoy!

Coming: Judge the Mortician... Trying my hand at short story writing—told in snippets and inspired by true events. Names and details have been changed to protect the innocent (and the guilty). Full story drops on my Substack (free edition); I’ll post a few clips here as I write. Thanks for reading!

Utah family steals body from funeral home, buries it in secret www.nydailynews.com/2012/11/15/u...

Should Children Be Shielded from Funerals? A discussion arose about shielding children from funerals to protect them from trauma. Our perspective on death is shaped by how we learn about it as children. Instead of avoiding the topic, we should help them understand and process loss in a healthy way

The hospital CEO gave us a printout claiming his staff was right to deny the family’s request but failed to address their legal right to care for their deceased. Realizing he was misinformed, he called his attorney and said, “You’d better know your stuff—these two are sharp cookies.”

The family gathered, read poetry, and shared memories. Then, they were given the option to start the cremation process themselves. One family member stepped forward and pressed the button.

The Funeral Rule requires three price lists: the General Price List (GPL), the Casket Price List (CPL), and Outer Burial Container Price List (OBCPL). (Source: www.ftc.gov/business-gui...)

In January 2024, the FTC warned 39 funeral homes for violating the Funeral Rule. Violations included: failing to provide accurate or any price info, refusing to answer pricing questions, inconsistent pricing, and misrepresenting a local health code.

most funeral directors are kind and ethical people, but like in any profession, there are some who take advantage of grieving families. For those few, manipulation can be easy if you don’t know your rights.

Casket building is not for everyone. If you're unsure about your skills or the process, it’s okay to take a step back and reconsider. However, for those with the time, willingness, and basic carpentry skills, creating a handmade casket can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

Unfortunately, the GPL can be overly complicated when it shouldn’t be. That’s why I strongly encourage families to do their homework ahead of time rather than at the time of need when there is grief and stress. The GPL has to be provided before arrangements are discussed. homefunerals.substack.com

In 2001 we saw how hard funeral arrangements can be. A Native American veteran in our family passed, and plans were set for a traditional teepee funeral. His body was prepared at the funeral home, the teepee ready, but unexpected obstacles made a hard time even harder... homefunerals.substack.com

New to Bluesky, retired Casket Maker and Home Funeral Advocate. Had an iconic 25 year ride and am here to share some of those experiences. Just started a Substack also so please follow me at homefunerals.substack.com/subscribe