ICCFA Magazine February 2016

February 2016
MAGAZINE
CEMETERY
CREMATION
FUNERAL
Lowell Cemeterys new columbarium Design: Lost in the 50s? Lemasters on cremation
dos and donts Cemetery Impossible: Wheres the cash? Van Becks keys to success
Rivera Family Funeral Homes

game-changing
Kiva Chapel of Light
ICCFA Annual Convention & Expo
April 13-16, New Orleans, Louisiana
www.iccfa.com
interview by ICCFA Magazine

managing editor Susan Loving
sloving@iccfa.com
ICCFA Magazine subject spotlight
DESIGN
Rivera Family Funeral Homes combo operation

in Santa Fe, New Mexico, needed new facilities.
A multipurpose space designed to host receptions
seemed like a safe bet, but what Tim Rivera really wanted
was a place to stir the soul. So thats what he built.
tim@riverafh.com
Tim Rivera is
owner and president

of Rivera Family
Funeral Homes
& Crematory and
Santa Fe Memorial
Gardens. He has
been a licensed
funeral director since
1981. He attended
San Francisco State
and graduated from
San Francisco College of Mortuary Science.
Rivera Family Funerals & Cremations
was founded by Tim Riveras father, Amos

Rivera. It includes three locations in New
Mexico: Rivera Family Funeral Home
in Taos; Rivera Family Funeral Home &
Memorial Gardens in Santa Fe; and Rivera
Family Funeral Home and Crematory in
Espanola.
www.riverafuneralhome.com
The Kiva Chapel of Light set up for a large group. The Flower of Life (the skylight)
and the Seed of Life (the carpet and door) are the design motifs used in this nondenominational chapel. In the center of the circular space is a stone fountain. Around
the perimeter (outside the carpeted area), ossuaries are set into the floor.
Riveras Kiva Chapel of Light

invites pause and reflection
t took Tim Rivera eight years to build a

new funeral home chapel. It wasnt the
actual construction he struggled with.
First it was the economy, which tanked at the
same time he decided to build a new chapel,
and then it was the design philosophy.
It was bad luck that Rivera started
thinking about new construction in 2008, but
the economy has its cycles, and eventually
it improved. But that did nothing to solve
his philosophical dilemma about whether
the type of building he wanted to add to
his combination property in Santa Fe, New
Mexico, would be a game-changer or a huge
mistake.
This is what he was hearing: You need
to build a multi-purpose space that can help
you compete against the high-end hotels
16
ICCFA Magazine
and country clubs that threaten to take away

your funeral and memorial service business,
especially as cremation rates riseand
theyre already plenty high in New Mexico.
The idea is that funeral homes that
dont step up their game against these new,
sophisticated competitors used to handling
events will find themselves relegated to the
disposition business, handling the body but
handing off the service part of their business
to others.
Rivera had to admit it made sense, but it
didnt set well with this second-generation
funeral director. Deep down, he felt like
something was being lost, something sacred.
In the end, Rivera went with his gut.
Though the building that resulted, Rivera
Family Funeral Homes Kiva Chapel of
Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
ALL Photos courtesy of Jon Dick, Archaeo Architects, unless otherwise noted
The Kiva Chapel of Light, with the ceremonial/visitation room and lobby on either side. Niches are from Columbarium by Design. Additional niches are being placed in a specially-constructed glass wall designed so that water can be run over it.
Architect: Kiva Chapel of Light designed

as a space of light and brightness
The Flower of Life skylight seen from

the rock fountain in the middle of the
chapel, which can be lit by candles or by
sunlight coming in through the windows
positioned to capture the solstice light.
Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com
by architect Jon Dick

he Kiva Chapel of Light is a nondenominational funeral chapel
designed to welcome individuals of all
faiths, as well as those not associated with
any religion. The chapel takes the form of
a circle, given that it is a universal theme
of unity found throughout most cultures
of the world. The space, like a theatrical
black box, can be ornamented with
various icons and images that the family of
the deceased deems appropriate.
The seven-foot-deep perimeter walls
provide a sense of protection and are battered
out to draw the eye heavenward. The space is
also sculpted by way of natural and artificial
light; lighting around the perimeter can
wash the plaster walls in limitless colors.
The interior rings are lit with ribbon light.
There are virtually no exposed light fixtures
anywhere in the chapel.
The space is left intentionally spare, with
the one ornamental theme being the Flower
of Life, a symbol that predates Christ. The

overall intent was to create a space of light
and brightness as a way to help celebrate the
life of the individual and perhaps assuage the
darkness of death.
When a magician wants to work magic he
puts a circle around himself, and it is within
this bounded circle, this hermetically sealedoff area, that powers can be brought into play
that are lost outside the circle.
An Indian chief once said, When we
pitch a camp, we pitch a camp in a circle.
When the eagle builds a nest, the nest is
a circle. When we look at the horizon, the
horizon is a circle.
Then there is the deeper experiencethe
mystery of the womb and the tomb. Very early
images of the Goddess show her as a mother
receiving the soul back again. When people
are buried, its for rebirth. Thats the origin of
the burial idea.
You put someone back into the womb of
mother earth for rebirth.Joseph Campbell
February 2016
17
DESIGN
I do understand why people are moving toward more utilitarian spaces,

but sometimes I feel were stripping the sacredness, the spirituality, out of the funeral
or memorial event. The building is on a cemetery, and in Hispanic culture,
we use the word camposanto, which means sacred ground, for cemetery.
The Flower of Life and Seed of Life designs appear on the skylight and doors
of the building. The Flower of Life,
drawn with circles, is an ancient symbol
found in most religious traditions.
Light, is a multi-purpose building, it doesnt

look or feel like anything youll find at a
fancy hotel or an elegant country club. Its
beautiful, but its beauty is more than skin
deep. Its designed to appeal to the soul as
well as the senses.
So far, the reaction hes received, from
Buddhist monks to Catholic priests to
spiritual-but-not-religious visitors to tourists
drawn by the buildings architecture, have
convinced him he was right.
ICCFA Magazine talked to Rivera about
the family-owned business; the decision
to build the chapel; the fascinating details
of the chapels design, which draws on the
Guggenheim Museum and local Native
American culture, among other inspirations;
and why he feels the idea behind the
Kiva Chapel of Light is important for the
profession.
Rivera Family Funerals & Cremations has
three locations in New Mexico?
Yes. We serve almost 450 people a year in
Santa Fe, almost 850 in the company as a
18
ICCFA Magazine
whole. We have a garden cemetery and

cremation gardens in Santa Fe. We also have
mortuaries in Espanola and in Taos, where
the main administrative office is located.
What are the demographics of the families
you serve?
In Santa Fe, we serve every element of a
very diverse community. Were the primary
funeral home for the Jewish families; we
work with Hispanic Catholics, with Native
Americans. Theres a large Buddhist
community in Santa Fe. And of course there
are the people who dont belong to any faith
but are in Santa Fe because they love nature.
Its a very outdoorsy lifestyle.
The cremation rate with our families is
about 65 percent. We do have a crematorium,
but not at the Santa Fe location.

What exactly was involved in
this construction project at the
Santa Fe location?
The chapel is about 2,800
square feet, but all of the new
construction added up to about
7,000 square feet. There are
two big lobbies. Theres a small
chapel, new garages, new care
facilities.
The entire building,
including offices, prep area and
arrangement rooms, is almost
10,000 square feet. About 3,000 square
feet of it was an existing office building
and embalming room and refrigeration. We
knocked down a portion of the old building.
Were a growing business, and we lacked
administrative space, so the project addressed
that, as well.
I bought the cemetery in 2006, and the
facility was inadequate. I needed to do
something, but I was really conflicted.
You told me the project took eight years from
conception to completion. Why so long?
For two primary reasons. With the downturn
in the economy, I wasnt sure if I wanted to
go forward with such a major project. Then
the economy started to turn around, but even
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FE B R U AR Y 2 0 1 6 T a b l e o f c o n t e n t s
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Promoting consumer choices, prearrangement and open competition
Providing exceptional education, networking and legislative guidance and support
to progressive cemetery, funeral and cremation professionals worldwide
14 C r e m at i o n
Rivera Family Funeral Homes striking Kiva Chapel of Light. The funeral
home addition and renovation includes
a ceremonial/visitation room, lobby for
receptions, the chapel and niche walls
outside the chapel. Story, page 16.
Landscaping dos & donts you can apply to cremation

Cremation providers can learn something by studying the basic
principles of good landscape design. Its time to weed out the
problems and encourage new growth in your cremation program.
by Poul Lemasters, Esq.
16 D e s i g n
30 C r e m at i o n / D ESIGN
10 Presidents Letter
The same ... yet so different
by Darin Drabing
12 Washington Report
New for 2016: IRS mileage rates;
Important notice to ICCFA members
by Robert M. Fells, Esq.
51 New Members
52 Update

54 History museum exhibit
features Olivewood Cemetery
56 Supply Line
61 Calendar
62 Classifieds
62 Ad Index
Riveras Kiva Chapel of Light invites pause and reflection

Rivera Family Funeral Homes combo operation in Santa Fe, New
Mexico, needed new facilities. A multipurpose space designed to host
receptions seemed like a safe bet, but what Tim Rivera really wanted
was a place to stir the soul. So thats what he built.
interview of Tim Rivera by Susan Loving
Adding a wow cremation area that fits into a historic cemetery
How can you wow cremation families while honoring the traditional
landscape of a 175-year-old New England cemetery? That was the
challenge facing the trustees of Lowell Cemetery.
by Susan Loving
36 I n t e r i o r D e s i g n
If your facility is lost in the 50s, youre sending the wrong message
You and your staff can be dressed to the nines, but if youre working
in a building that looks shabby or simply tired and dated, families are
not going to perceive your organization as one that provides excellent
service.
by MaryAnne Scheuble
42 m a n a g e m e n t
Cemetery Impossible: Cemeteries have long relied on advance sales,

but sometimes they can be a two-edged sword. If your sales commission
policies are not set correctly, an otherwise strong advance sales program
could leave you cash poor.
by Dan Isard, MSFS
f
6
44 P r o f e s s i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t
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ICCFA Staff.
ICCFA Magazine
The keys to service: Being an active funeral director

The days of funeral professionals using the indirect method of dealing
with families is long goneor should be.
by Todd W. Van Beck, CFuE
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ICCFA news
47 Lasting Impact Award
Jim Darby to receive 2016 award
48 Something for every professional
at Annual Convention
Green Burial sessions
PLPA sessions
49 ICCFA convention
Get behind-the-scenes looks at a local

funeral home and cemeteries on April
16 tour in New Orleans
50 Wide World of Sales
scholarship winners
ICCFA calendar
2016 Annual Convention
& Exposition
April 13-16
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
& Hilton New Orleans Riverside,
New Orleans, Louisiana Co-Chairs:
Jay Dodds, CFSP, and Lee Longino
2016 ICCFA University
July 22-27 Fogelman Conference
Center, Memphis, Tennessee
Chancellor:Jeff Kidwiler, CCE, CSE
2016 Fall Management

Conference
October 5-7 Kiawah Island Golf
Resort, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
2017 Annual Convention
& Exposition
March 29-April 1
Charlotte Convention Center &
The Westin Charlotte, Charlotte,
North Carolina
50 ICCFAU Go back to school in July
at the 2016 ICCFA University
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Submit your news to ICCFA Magazine
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grief therapy dog to your staff? Share your news with colleagues all over the worldsend it in to ICCFA Magazine! Its a simple way to receive
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8
ICCFA Magazine
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Presidents Letter
by ICCFA
2015-2016
President Darin
B. Drabing
Cemeteries and funeral establishments are special places, indeed,

possessing a spiritual quality that transcends time, religions, ethnicity,
borders and politics. They are gathering places for families and communities,
places to turn to for solace and meditation, links to our heritage,
sacred places filled with history, memories, stories and love.
The same ... yet so different
C
ddrabing@forestlawn.com
Drabing is president
and CEO of Forest Lawn

Memorial-Parks &
Mortuaries.
www.forestlawn.com
n To apply for ICCFA

membership:
Download an application
at www.iccfa.com, or
Call 1.800.645.7700
More on this topic
The ICCFA 2016 Convention & Expo, April 13-16, in

New Orleans, Louisiana, will
include several sessions about
design, including developing
cremation gardens, challenging traditional cemetery design
to increase revenue potential
and applying restoration ecology in a hybrid cemetery.
www.iccfa.com/events
10
ICCFA Magazine
emeteries and funeral establishments

are special places. I realize this isnt
a revelation to the reader. But what,
exactly, makes them so special? They perform
the necessary acts of handling human remains
and serve as the ultimate repository for societys
dead. These are practical definitions for certain,
ones without any emotional context. However, we
all possess a deeper sense that they are so much
more.
Cemeteries and funeral establishments are
special places, indeed, possessing a spiritual
quality that transcends time, religion, ethnicity,
borders and politics. They are gathering places
for families and communities, places to turn to
for solace and meditation, links to our heritage,
sacred places filled with history, memories,
stories and love.
Unified as they may be in purpose, cemeteries
and funeral establishments vary widely in size,
design, appearance and consumer offerings. From
the humble country churchyard surrounded by
small farms and served by the local family-owned
funeral home found just off the main street, to
large, manicured urban memorial parks with
centralized care centers and numerous locations
under a single moniker, they all address the same
practical need, regardless of size or shape. Yet
through their different physical forms, they are
also expressions of their communities, past and
present.
Classic cemeteries are often filled with historic
monuments, towering trees, noble architecture
and tributes to veterans and fraternal groups;
others incorporate elements of feng shui, gazebos,
splashing fountains, lush gardens, whimsical
topiaries, reflection pools and colorful mosaics;
still more pay tribute through a light footprint
on mother nature, providing nothing more than a
simple field or glen to serve as a place of peaceful
repose.
There are cemeteries that depend on the
church sexton to find a gravesite and those that
use sophisticated GPS wayfinding programs to
locate a loved one via smartphone. As much as
cemeteries may be alike in purpose, each one is
special unto itself.
Compare the characteristics of Spring Groves

majestic arboretum setting with its tree-lined
canopied streets in Cincinnati, Memorial Do
Carmos towering vertical density created by
its high-rise mausoleum in the heart of Rio de
Janeiro and Arlingtons seemingly endless rows
of uniform white memorials standing at attention,
deserving our respect now and forever. They
are in many ways much the same yet so very
different.
Funeral establishments are as equally diverse.
Some double as the residences of their owners,
with children growing up within and learning
the trade first handearnest dwellings where the
details of funeral arrangements are captured on a
notepad and contracts are drawn by hand.
Others command a more formal presence,
with large welcoming reception areas, cafs
and spacious tribute rooms where catered food,
multi-media displays and Wi-Fi services abound.
Still others are designed to exist in a virtual
world, performing transactions online, selfselecting from a menu of services, sending and
receiving required documentation and payments
electronically.
Whether its the stately awning extending
from New York Citys Frank E. Campbell
Funeral Chapel, the creative spaces of Flanner
Buchanans Community Life Center in
Indianapolis or the soaring cathedral ceilings and
architectural wonderment that is SkyRose Chapel
at Rose Hills in Southern California, each funeral
establishment may perform the same practical act,
but in their own unique way and within their own
meaningful environment.
In this months edition, we highlight those
who create these unique points of differentiation.
The modern cemetery and funeral establishment
has become a blank canvas for architects,
engineers, interior stylists, landscape designers
and maintenance professionals to reflect the
ever-changing desires of the consumer, while
still creating meaningful memorial spaces for
generations to come.
Join me in celebrating those with the vision,
skill and talents that help make our cemeteries and
funeral establishments so very special. Enjoy! r
Washington Report
by ICCFA General
Counsel Robert M.
Fells, Esq.
rfells
@iccfa.com
1.800.645.7700,
ext. 1212
direct line:
703.391.8401
Fells is
ICCFA executive
director and general counsel,
responsible for maintaining and
improving relationships with
federal and state government
agencies, the news media,
consumer organizations and
related trade associations.
More from this author,

about this subject
Funeral Radio. ICCFA
General Counsel Robert Fells,
Esq., talks about legal and
legislative issues affecting
funeral, cemetery and
cremation businesses, including the FCA/CFA survey, at
www.funeralradio.com
More resources
Wireless. ICCFA members,
send us your email address
and well send you our biweekly electronic newsletter full
of breaking news.
New for 2016: IRS mileage rates
he Internal Revenue Service has published

its 2016 optional standard mileage rates
used to calculate the deductible costs of
operating an automobile for business, charitable,
medical or moving purposes. Beginning on January
1, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car
(also vans, pickups or panel trucks) are:
54 cents per mile for business miles driven,
down from 57.5 cents for 2015
19 cents per mile driven for medical or moving
purposes, down from 23 cents for 2015
14 cents per mile driven in service of
charitable organizations
The business mileage rate decreased 3.5 cents
per mile and the medical and moving expense rates
decreased 4 cents per mile from the 2015 rates. The
charitable rate is based on statute. The standard
mileage rate for business is based on an annual
study of the fixed and variable costs of operating
an automobile. The rate for medical and moving
purposes is based on the variable costs.
It is important to note that taxpayers always
have the option of calculating the actual costs of
using their vehicle rather than using the standard
mileage rates. However, the business standard
mileage rate may not be used for a vehicle after
using any depreciation method under the Modified
or some time now, the ICCFA has been

cooperating with government investigators in
several states concerning the activities of Heritage
Cremation Provider, aka Legacy Funeral Services.
This online company is not and never has been an
ICCFA member. However, its website displays the
ICCFA logo to imply membership.
We have contacted Heritage/Legacy repeatedly,
including its owner, A.J. Damiano, to insist that the
ICCFA logo be removed from its website because
its appearance there is misleading and deceptive.
State authorities are aware that Heritage/
Susan Loving, managing editor

sloving@iccfa.com
Rick Platter, supplier relations manager
rplatter@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1213
12
ICCFA Magazine
Each year the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

(VA) adjusts the cash allowance it provides to
families who opt to privately purchase their own
grave liner or outer burial receptacle (aka vault) for
use in national cemeteries. This purchase is made in
lieu of the government-provided liner or receptacle,
which is provided without charge. For qualifying
interments occurring during calendar year 2016, the
cash allowance is $322.
The VA calculates and adjusts this allowance
each year based on its own average cost of provi
ding grave liners, minus any related administrative
costs. The base average cost for calendar year
2015 was $331. The administrative cost involved
in processing claims for the cash allowance is
calculated at $9 for 2016 allowances. Therefore, the
actual cash allowances for 2016 is $322. For more
information, go to the VA website at www.va.gov.r
Legacy has no affiliation with the ICCFA and the

association has filed a complaint with the Federal
Bureau of Investigation through its online facility,
the Internet Crime Complaint Center, www.ic3.gov.
In addition, two states, Florida and Tennessee,
have formally banned Heritage/Legacy from
doing business within their respective states. If
you are contacted by Heritage Cremation Provider
or Legacy Funeral Services, proceed with caution
and report any such contacts immediately to
ICCFA Executive Director Robert M. Fells at
rfells@iccfa.com or 1.800.645.7700.
r

February 2016
VOLUME 76/NUMBER 2
Darin B. Drabing, president
Magazine staff
VA adjusts cash allowance for grave liners

and outer burial receptacles
Important notice to ICCFA members
ICCFA officers
Michael Uselton, CCFE, president-elect

Jay D. Dodds, CFSP, vice president
Paul Goldstein, vice president
Christine Toson Hentges, CCE,
vice president
Scott R. Sells, CCFE, vice president
Gary M. Freytag, CCFE, treasurer
Daniel L. Villa, secretary
Robert M. Fells, Esq., executive director &
general counsel
Accelerated Cost Recovery System or after

claiming a Section 179 deduction for that vehicle.
In addition, the business standard mileage rate
cannot be used for more than four vehicles used
simultaneously. For more information, go to the
IRS website at www.va.gov.
Robert Treadway, director of

communications & member services
robt@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1224
Katherine Devins, communications assistant
kd@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1218
Robert M. Fells, Esq., executive director &
publisher
rfells@iccfa.com ; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1212
Brenda Clough, office administrator
& association liaison
bclough@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700,
ext. 1214
Daniel Osorio, subscription coordinator
(habla espaol)
danielo@iccfa.com; 1.800.645.7700, ext. 1215
ICCFA Magazine (ISSN 1936-2099) is published
by the International Cemetery, Cremation and
Funeral Association, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite
100, Sterling, VA 20164-4468; 703.391.8400;
FAX 703.391.8416;
www.iccfa.com. Published 10 times per year,
with combined issues in March-April and
August-September. Periodicals postage paid
at Sterling, VA, and other offices. Copyright

2016 by the International Cemetery, Cremation
and Funeral Association. Subscription rates: In
the United States, $39.95; in Canada, $45.95;
overseas: $75.95. One subscription is included
in annual membership dues. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to ICCFA Magazine, 107
Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 201644468. Individual written contributions, commentary and advertisements appearing in ICCFA
Magazine do not necessarily reflect either the
opinion or the endorsement of the International
Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association.
Carriage AD
FULL PAGE
page 13
4-COLOR
by Poul Lemasters, Esq.

C REMATION
Cremation providers can learn something by studying the basic

principles of good landscape design. Its time to weed out the
problems and encourage new growth in your cremation program.
Landscaping dos & donts

you can apply to cremation
513.407.8114
poul@lemastersconsulting.com
ICCFA Magazine author spotlight

Lemasters is principal of Lemasters
Consulting, Cincinnati, Ohio.
www.lemastersconsulting.com
He is an attorney and funeral director,

graduated from the Cincinnati College of
Mortuary Science in 1996 and from Northern Kentucky University, Chase College of
Law, in 2003. He is licensed as a funeral
director and embalmer in Ohio and West
Virginia and admitted to practice law in
Ohio and Kentucky.
ICCFA membership benefit
He is the ICCFAs special crema-
tion legal counsel. ICCFA members in

good standing may call him to discuss
cremation-related legal issues for up to 20
minutes at no charge to the member. The
association pays for this service via an
exclusive retainer.
Lemasters also provides, to ICCFA members in good standing, free GPL reviews to
check for Funeral Rule compliance.
Go to www.iccfa.com to the Cremation Support section, where you can post a

question for Lemasters to answer.
More from this author
Lemasters will
be part of the
Cremation Central
Live! program at
the ICCFA 2016
Convention &
Expo, April 13-16,
in New Orleans,
Louisiana, speaking about Cremation
Headaches: How to Handle the Day-toDay issues. www.iccfa.com/events
14
ICCFA Magazine
elevision home and garden shows are

always amazing. In just 30 minutes, a
yard can go from an overgrown vacant
lot to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Dont
get me wrong, these makeovers encounter
problems, but after a couple of commercials,
the solutions are discovered, and voila:
Hanging Gardens.
Obviously nothing is that easy. The
wonders of TV editing certainly help, as do
the 100 behind-the-scenes crew members you
never see. And despite the 50 or so home and
garden shows trying to convince viewers that
they offer something different, if you check
them out, or any landscaping how-to book for
that matter, youll notice a number of dos and
donts they have in common.
If you study the dos and donts of
landscaping, you realize you can apply the
same basic principles to much more than just
yard design and maintenance. Regardless
of what youre doing, there are certain
things you need to understand and always
keep in mind. This article for the design,
maintenance and landscaping issue of the
magazine examines a few landscaping dos
and donts that can easily be applied to the
wonderful world of cremation.
Do understand what you are doing
Even a simple attorney/funeral director/

embalmer such as myself understands some
basics, such as you dont plant a tree thats
going to grow into a giant in front of plants
that will remain small.
The same thing applies to cremation. You
must understand the basics before you can
properly provide this serviceand many
cremation providers dont.
For example, it is amazing how many
providers still believe things like: the oldest
child is in charge of decisions; if there is
a will, it controls disposition decisions;
as long as I obtain the signature of one
survivor, I am protected against lawsuits.
None of these statements is true!

Make sure you, and all those who work
for you, understand the basics.
Do keep it simple
The landscaping theory here is that

simplicity can create beauty. You dont need
100 different flowers; you can create beauty
with just one. Think of the National Cherry
Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.
Cremation can be simple as well. Yes,
regulations add a layer of complexity,
but many providers then proceed to take
cremation to a new (and unnecessary) level
of complexity. This complexity might be in
the form of 25 different packages they offer
families, or in the 100 pages of procedures
they expect employees to follow.
As a lawyer, Im all in favor of written
policies and procedures, but if they are too
much/too complex, you are just setting your
business and employees up for failure.
Do consult with professionals
If you dont take the time to at least ask that

wonderful Home Depot professional what
plants would work best in your yard, you
are making a mistake. When it comes to
cremation, who are the professionals?
Did you raise your hand? You should
have. All providers should be cremation
professionals.
Consumers need (and typically want) to
consult with a professional at some point. The
question to ask yourself is whether families
know you are the professional when it comes
to cremation. I know if I have a question
about flowers or plants, I can go down to the
Home Depot and ask. Do families in your
area know that if they have a question about
cremation they can go to you and ask?
Dont work without a plan
We all know that guy who just keeps planting

and adding to his yard. He doesnt have a
C REMATION
Dont be afraid to take your cremation program and just tear it up so you can make a fresh start.
For many providers, cremation has never been a focus of their business. Its something theyve
addressed sporadically and piecemeal every time they noticed an increase in the local cremation rate.
plan; he just keeps adding more and more
stuff. Typically its not a pretty picture.
You need a plan for your cremation
services as much as for your landscape.
Where do you start? Whats the goal? How
and when do we incorporate services? How
do we integrate identification consistently?
The right answers to these and many other
questions can help you create a good plan for
your business. More important, with a good
plan you create a consistent system that can
reduce potential liability, and what provider
doesnt want to reduce exposure to lawsuits?
Dont be afraid to start over
Sometimes a yard, or a section of it, is just

too far gone. My yard had these horrible
overgrown shrubs that looked bad no matter
what I did to try to disguise them. We had to
rip them out and start over with new beds and
plants.
Your cremation program also can get
overgrown when you keep adding things in

the hopes that somehow the latest addition
will solve all the problems and challenges
that have cropped up over the years.
Dont be afraid to take your cremation
program and just tear it up so you can make
a fresh start. For many providers, cremation
has never been a focus of their business. Its
something theyve addressed sporadically
and piecemeal every time they noticed an
increase in the local cremation rate.
By starting over with a new program, you
can inject new life and enthusiasm into your
organization and have a positive impact on
both your employees and the families you
serve.
Dont go overboard
This is just another way of saying keep it

simple, but its worth repeating. So many
providers come up with grandiose plans to
offer the most elaborate cremation services
ever, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon,

cremation edition. Its not that this is an
unattainable dream, but its usually hard to
start at that level.
Make sure that your cremation program is
strong and running smoothly before you try
to add new elements. For example, dont try
to offer on-line identification for cremation if
you dont yet have an excellent identification
system in place at your facility.
These are just a few dos and donts to
help you create the perfect garden I mean
cremation program. Or cremation garden!
Remember, when it comes to running
a cremation program as opposed to a TV
house and garden program, you cant cut
to commercial when a problem comes up.
Cremation needs to be right all the time,
every time, and problems (which are inevi
table) need to be resolved before they grow.
Following these dos and donts can help. r
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One of the windows positioned to let the

sunlight strike the rock fountain on one
of the solstices.
though I had the plans and architectural

drawings ready, I kept holding off. I kept
going back and forth in my mind between
building something utilitarian vs. something
with a more sacred feeling. I would lean
in one direction and then the other. I do
understand why people are moving toward
more utilitarian spaces, but sometimes I feel
were stripping the sacredness, the spirituality,
out of the funeral or memorial event. The
building is on a cemetery, and in Hispanic
culture, we use the word camposanto, which
means sacred ground, for cemetery.
My instincts told me that this chapel could
be a paradigm change. It felt right. But I just
didnt have the confidence to pull the trigger.
I saw other people opting for smaller spaces,
for reception-type spaces, and here I was
considering going in the opposite direction.
I kept thinking maybe I was swimming
upstream.
But I also noticed that people dealing
with the beginning of lifebirthare trying
to create spaces in hospitals that are more
comfortable and home-like for families. Yet
at the other endthose of us dealing with
deathwe seem to be going in the opposite
direction, creating more sterile spaces.
Heres a room shaped like a box. We can put
tables and chairs in any arrangement youd
like.
In the end, this space was designed was to
be kind of hybrid. It can be set up in any way,
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ICCFA Magazine
This drawing illustrates the designs that appear on the ossuary caps in the chapel.
The elements of earth, wind, fire and water are represented, as well as the 12 constellations used in astrology, plus symbols for infinity and DNA. The chapel is also
situated so that its doors face north, south, east and west, and its two windows are
facing the position of the the sun on the winter and summer solstices.
so it is a utilitarian, multifunctional space. But

its also a sacred space that evokes a spiritual
reaction. Although Americans are less
connected to churches and denominations,
theyre still very spiritual.
What was the inspiration for your very
non-boxy Kiva Chapel of Light? First of all,
what exactly is a kiva?
A kiva is a sacred ceremonial space for
Pueblo Native Americans. Theyre typically
underground. The kiva was meant to be the
womb of Mother Earth, but it also tracks the
seasons and celestial time.
One of the things the design included is
ossuaries in the chapel floor where cremated
remains can be placed. The ossuary caps are
engraved with the constellations and natural
elements, representing bringing the heavens
into that spacewhich is what the kivas were
meant to do.
The Native Americans in South America
had their own versions of a structure for
tracking time and studying the heavens, the
pyramids they built.
I notice there are almost no windows in the
chapel, which also seems the opposite of
current design trends to bring in as much
natural light as possible.
Thats right. There are only two windows,

and a large glass door. Youre meant to feel
that youre entering an underground space
a kiva. There actually is a lot of light, but
its artistic light, LED lighting that can add
different colors.
The ceiling has a large skylight that
illuminates the Flower of Life design that
changes color, depending on the time of day,
how the sunlight is hitting it. Its all about
watching time move through the inside space
of the kiva via the changing light.
The two windows are designed with the
summer and winter solstice in mind. The
chapel essentially functions as a calendar,
tracking time through light. On the winter
solstice, December 22, the light coming
through that window illuminated the bottom
of the fountain placed in the middle of the
chapel. The same thing happens with the
other window on the summer solstice.
During the rest of the year, the light moves
around the interior walls, which function
almost like a sundial, or rather a time dial,
tracking seasons instead of hours. The light is
different every day and every hour, depending
on the position of the sun.
Incidentally, the walls are all seven feet
thick and designed so that decades from now
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The chapel also is designed to deal with the fact that were seeing a wide range of attendance
at services. Some services are large, but some are very small. You can see in the photo on this page
how we set up the chapel for a small service, and it worked very well. It felt appropriate, intimate.
Photo from Tim Rivera
The chapel set up for a small service. Screens can be used to create small spaces,
but in this case the funeral director simply set the chairs in a circle around the rock
fountain, which can serve as an altar when covered.
they can be retrofitted with columbarium

niches. There are only three cemeteries
serving Santa Fe: a Catholic cemetery, a
veterans cemetery and ours. So we know
we have to plan for a long life to serve the
community, and we have very little burial
space left. We have about 300 casket burial
spaces left, and thats it. So were looking to
columbariums.
The chapel also is designed to deal with
the fact that were seeing a wide range of
attendance at services. Some services are
large, but some are very small. You can see
in the photo on this page how we set up the
chapel for a small service, and it worked very
well. It felt appropriate, intimate.
Shoji screen-like panels can be used to
divide the space, or to create a smaller space
if desired. In this case, we didnt use the
screens. The chairs were placed in a circle
around the water feature in the middle of the
room. Theres a rock pedestal that serves as a
fountain when you take the top off. With the
top on, you can place an urn on it. The rock
is lit by candles so it looks like flames are
coming out of it.
The room was circled with candles, and
the family went up to the stone fountain
where the urn was sitting and lit the candles
on the stone. Its a way to encourage people
to have some sort of ceremony.
Was this a deliberate earth, wind, fire and
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ICCFA Magazine
water design?
Exactly; the four elements. And its a focal
point in the space, a water feature that
combines water and fire, and a natural stone
altar. On the solstice, the light coming in
through the window illuminates the bottom of
the stone.
You mentioned when we first discussed the
kiva that you felt the space creates what you
like to call pause.
Thats correct. We live in an era where we
never seem to be present. But when you walk
into a sacred space, even if its not one in
your personal religious tradition, time stops
for a moment; you feel pause. Thats what
I wanted this space to evoke. And because
of the community we serveChristian,
Jewish, Buddhist, atheist, etc.it had to be
a space that translated this feeling to people
regardless of their faith.
Nature provides a spiritual experience
common to most people. You often hear
people say that they experience God through
nature. Seeing the magnificent sunsets we see
in the desert, or standing on a mountain and
looking across the valley below, is a spiritual
experience on some level.
So the kiva chapel uses the four elements,
nature and the movement of light to create a
spiritual experience.
When youre in that space, you see the
light moving along the walls, you see the
light streaming through the Flower of Life

ocular, you witness time captured through
light. At sunset, its almost as if time slows
down.
I read a description of the ceiling that talked
about the flower-shaped skylight being
based on the Guggenheim Museum, which
also has a similar building shape.
Yes; it has those halos. The architect said
he included the skylight because when
something bad happens in your lifesuch as
losing a loved oneyou tend to look up at
the sky and wonder, Why is this happening?
Why me? You question God; you wonder
about the big picture.
When you walk into the kiva, that skylight
is meant to draw your eyes up to the light.
Death and grief are often described as feeling
heavy and dark, and the Flower of Life is
designed to get you to raise your eyes up to
the heavens and toward the light. Its meant to
be a healing space as well as a sacred space.
The Flower of Life design used is also
important. Its a sacred geometric shape/
symbol that you see versions of in every
faith. It predates Christ by 2,000 years.
Michelangelo painted it; its seen in
Buddhism and Hinduism, and in Judaism
and the Muslim faith, as well. The flower is
created with overlapping circles; sacred space
is often a circle.
The Flower of Life represents unity and,
more importantly, no beginning, no ending
rebirth. In nature, we see it in the seasons.
The death of winter followed by spring, when
life bursts forth again. The Flower of Life
represents natures cycle of life. A related
symbol, the Seed of Life, is on the doors that
go from the kiva chapel to the lobby and to
the smaller ceremonial room.
There are four doors in the chapel,
and they are located facing the cardinal
directionsnorth, south, east and west. That
has to do with the directions sacred to Native
Americans.
I see what youre saying. When I visited
Japan, I went to some Shinto shrines, and of
course they look nothing like the Christian
and Jewish religious buildings I was
familiar with. But you walk in and you can
feel the quiet, sense the spirit.
That is exactly what the Kiva Chapel of Light
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DESIGN
But weve had people who describe themselves as spiritual. Weve had many
Catholic rosary services in there. Weve had services that were completely non-religious.
We recently had a Jewish service; the Orthodox rabbi loved the space.
The small chapel/ceremony room/visitation room off the main chapel provides
space where families can handle religious rituals and, if desired, stay all night.
is designed to do. I did not want a pseudoChristian chapel. If people arent going to
hold their service in a church, why would
they want to go to a funeral home where the
chapel feels like a traditional church?
Seeing people react to the completed
building has been very satisfying. When
people walk into the space, theyre awestruck;
their jaws drop. It almost feels like walking
into a monastery. Theres no decoration; the
walls are bareexcept for the light.
In addition to the light entering through
the skylight and the two solstice windows,
theres a complicated, computer-controlled
LED lighting system. The architect designed
the walls so that we can evoke an ambiance
through the light washing down the walls. Its
a subtle effect, but very effective.
When we talk to families, we ask if they
have a color preference for the lighting, or
if theyd like us to take the lighting through
a sunrise to sunset cycle, or if theyd like it
set to morning light, or twilightwe can do
whatever they want. Its like a customizable
theatrical space. Santa Fe has a famous opera
company that uses a lot of light effects, and a
similar system was installed in our chapel.
In addition to the lighting system, there are
flat TV screens than can be hidden. The entire
audio-visual system can be operated from an
iPad. You can sit there and change the colors,
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ICCFA Magazine
change the sound, open the doors over the TV

screen.
In addition to the kiva-shaped chapel, it
appears there are accessory buildings.
There is a small chapel/viewing room/
ceremonial space, which is very important.
We serve the Jewish community, Buddhists,
Muslims and families from Mexico and
South America. They can perform the rituals
required by their religion, and can spend all
night there if they want.
There is also a lobby that can be set up
for receptions or used for overflow in case of
a really large service. Outside, were going
to plant an aspen grove in the spring and
create an area that can be used for outdoor
receptions, or where people can simply take
a walk.
And incidentally, directly across the
street, across from our parking lot, theres
a retirement community with an excellent
reception area where we can arrange white
tablecloth meals for families who want that.
If people want a reception with light finger
foods, they can do it our facility. For sit-down
meals, we have an arrangement with the
place across the street and have their menu
available in our offices for families to look at.
Theres a long columbarium outside
the chapel from Columbarium by Design.
Theres going to be another bank of niches

thats going to be enclosed in glass so that we
can have water flowing over thema wall of
water. I had art glass specifically crafted, and
an artist is building the water wall that will go
around the niche bank. This is another nod to
the basic elements, natures elements.
You obviously embrace the religious and
cultural diversity of your community.
Some funeral directors/cemeterians might
throw up their hands and say, How can
we possibly appeal to all these different
people?
That was one of the big challenges: How do
you create a sacred space that everyone can
relate to? Its hard. But weve had people who
describe themselves as spiritual. Weve
had many Catholic rosary services in there.
Weve had services that were completely nonreligious. We recently had a Jewish service;
the Orthodox rabbi loved the space.
When we opened the Kiva Chapel of
Light, we had a Native American elder, a
Jewish rabbi, a Catholic priest, a Buddhist
monk and a Sikh participate in the dedication.
The Native American elder performed a
blessing of the space. That was important to
us, because this is meant as a sacred space,
not something that could be a reception room
at the Hilton.
We recently had a famous Tibetan
Buddhist monk teach a seminar here. The
monks chanted and sang, and held a small
reception afterward. The space is perfect for
that sort of function.
Are you hoping that more families will
choose to hold services at your facility?
That absolutely was the business plan behind
this. I think every funeral home in the United
States is experiencing this, but were in an
area with a very high cremation rate. And
some people were having us help them with
the cremation and then going somewhere else
to hold a memorial service.
Now, every family who comes through
the doors gets a tour of our facilities, and its
already started to have an effect. We had one
woman arranging a high-profile service who
walked into the kiva and said, I could hold
this service at the convention center. I could
hold it at the performing arts center, or at one
of the big churches. But this is where I want
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Above and below, two views of the Kiva Chapel of light from different angles,
showing the lobby where receptions can be set up.
to be. This is exactly what we want.

Out goal was to create a venue that would
provide a unique wow experience that
families cant re-create in any other venue.
We want them to walk in here and say to
themselves, This is a life event, and we want
a special space, and realize thats what we
have here.
Some of the alternative venues, like the
high-end hotels and country clubs, can
offer experienced catering and large, multipurpose spaces, but theres nothing spiritual
about a hotel ballroom.
Exactly. They have sterile rooms with
chairs in them. And even though Americans
are becoming less connected to organized
26
ICCFA Magazine
religion, they are still very spiritual. They

want to feel something, and I dont believe
theyre going to feel anything at the hotel
reception hall.
I saw mention in the local newspaper
coverage of the Kiva Chapel of Light
opening that you are making the space
available for weddings and other life events.
Correct; its meant to be a life ceremony
center. In the few weeks weve been open,
weve had a mental health grief retreat
seminar over two weekends, the Buddhist
event I mentioned and a holiday event on
the winter solstice held by an interfaith
ministerial group. Weve scheduled at least
one baptism.
And yes, every time someone walks in,

they ask if we allow weddings. At every
memorial service, someone asks about that.
I didnt want it to be a funeral chapel;
I wanted it to be a ceremonial space. And
thats what its becoming.
Do you anticipate any scheduling problems,
since funerals are often last-minute, and
theres a time element in Jewish and Muslim
rites?
Were working on that, because we are
already starting to experience scheduling
issues. What were going to do is block out
certain times for funeral events that need to
be done on short notice.
Theres going to be some refinement of
how we schedule the space, but as funeral
directors, we are used to doing things on short
notice. If people want to schedule a memorial
service at, say, the botanical gardens, theyre
going to have to schedule it two or three
months in advance. Those types of places
arent set up for flexible scheduling the way a
funeral home is.
I think its going to work. It may not work
every time, but I think well get better at
figuring out the scheduling.
I guess its better to be experiencing
scheduling difficulties than finding that no
ones using your new building.
Thats why it took me so long to pull the
trigger on this project. I had nightmares.
People say, Build it and they will come, but
I kept thinking, Really??
I have zero buyers remorse at this point.
I feel confident; the staff feels confident. I
joke that people walk in here and say, I can
hardly wait to die.
Actually, one guy did say that. I had
explained all the symbolism involved in
the building and he was just amazed. After
he said it, he realized what hed said and
started laughing. Wait a minute; I didnt
mean that.
How exactly would you say the kiva chapel
addresses the needs of cremation families?
This space was designed for cremation
families, for families who dont want the
traditional service but want something
unique, something special. This goes back to
what we often hear: Families come in all the
time who dont know what they want, but
they know what they dont want, which is the
traditional experience.
This space was designed to give them a
place to create something that will be relevant
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We dont just sit down with the family and start asking questions.
We give people a tour of the facility and explain the symbolism incorporated into it.
The chapel set up for a large event. Here the TV screen, which can be hidden behind a panel, is visible above the door.
and meaningful to them.

Are you presenting this facility to families at
your two other locations?
Not really. One of the other funeral homes is
20-25 miles away, and the other is about an
hour and a half drive from here. And theyre
communities with their own identities,
different from Santa Fe.
Espanola serves a very Catholic Hispanic
community, and the chapels are very much
traditional Christian spaces. The chapel in
Taos is more of a non-denominational space,
but its still a square space with pews, though
it has adobe walls and a very New Mexico
feel.
What kind of training was involved for
your funeral directors to work with this new
space?
Weve done a tremendous amount of training,
while the building was under construction, on
how to present the chapel to families.
We dont just sit down with the family
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ICCFA Magazine
and start asking questions. We give people a

tour of the facility and explain the symbolism
incorporated into it. And then we sit down
and say, OK, lets talk about how we make
this a unique experience for your dads
life celebration. And that includes asking
questions about the lighting that will help
create the right ambiance.
How have you been marketing the new
building?
We do run something in the paper every
day that talks about what can be done in the
chapel. The past couple of years Ive been
talking about what we were building, what
was coming.
But the key is to get people to see the
space, because its hard to describepeople
need to experience it. So we hold almost
daily tours for hospice groups, church groups,
every type of group we can think of. Thats
why we hosted that Buddhist seminar and
that mental health grief seminarto get
people into the chapel. The Elks Club had
a meeting here in January. Were hosting

a Chamber of Commerce meeting, which
is going to feature an opera singer. Were
having yoga for hospice workers.
Funeral directors and cemeterians are also
told they need to sit down and figure out
what their different value proposition is,
what differentiates them from the rest of
the market. You dont have to sit down and
figure it outyou know.
Were unlike any church, funeral home,
convention center or hotel reception area.
We wanted a space people couldnt replicate
anywhere else, where people would say, I
have to have the service here.
My staff is really excited about working
with this space. My manager has been in
the business for a long time and is very
progressive, and I have three funeral directors
in their 20s who are excited to show this
space off and to set up events, to create great
experiences for families.
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Managing Editor Susan Loving
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ICCFA Magazine subject spotlight
C R E M AT I O N
How can you wow cremation families while honoring the

traditional landscape of a 175-year-old New England cemetery?
That was the challenge facing the trustees of Lowell Cemetery.
lathamjamesd@yahoo.com
James D. Latham has been president of
the Proprietors of Lowell Cemetery Board
since 2010, and a member since 1978.
He was formerly general counsel at the
Sheraton Corp.
Lowell Cemetery, Lowell,

Massachusetts, was founded by a group of
prominent Lowell citizens as a private, nonsectarian, nonprofit cemetery corporation.
They bought land from Oliver M. Whipple
to start the cemetery, which has acquired
additional land over the years and now
encompasses 85 acres. Whipple, for whom
the new cremation garden is named, was
the cemeterys first president, serving for
27 years.
Modeled after Mt. Auburn Cemetery in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, the nations
first garden cemetery, Lowell Cemetery
was dedicated on June 20, 1841, and is
celebrating its 175th anniversary this year.
The cemetery was included on the National
Register of Historic Places in 1998. It
includes almost 17,700 interments.
www.lowellcemetery.com
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ICCFA Magazine
Speakers at the dedication for the O.M. Whipple Columbarium &

Garden of Remembrance at Lowell Cemetery, from left, project architect William R. Walsh, Walsh Engineering Associates; Lowell Mayor
Rodney M. Elliott; President of the Lowell Cemetery Board of Trustees
James D. Latham; Congresswoman Nicki Tsongas; State Sen. Eileen
M. Donoghue; and ICCFA Immediate Past President Fred Lappin, CCE,
president and CEO of Sharon Memorial Park, Sharon, Massachusetts,
and Knollwood Memorial Park, Canton, Massachusetts.
Adding a wow cremation area

that fits into a historic cemetery
ith the unveiling of the O.M.

Whipple Columbarium & Garden
of Remembrance, Historic Lowell
Cemetery has transformed itself from a
cemetery with no dedicated cremation areas
to a cemetery offering premier cremation
memorialization.
Until recently, those who chose cremation
were buried in lots that had been developed
for traditional casketed interment. Lowell did
allow two cremation urns to be buried per
lot, but cremation interment basically was
traditional burial.
Now, cremation families have an option
specifically created for them, a section that
combines cutting-edge inurnment in a unique
curved-granite columbarium with design that
fits into the historic grounds of a cemetery
founded in 1841 and therefore celebrating its
175th anniversary this year.
Which is not to say cremation families
were not choosing interment at Lowell

Cemetery previously. James Latham,
president of the Lowell Cemetery Board
since 2010, said cremation interments had
been growing during the past 20 years, and
for the last three years, about a third of the
cemeterys burials had been of cremated
remains. Many of those people were being
interred in family plots or plots they had
purchased years ago, possibly before deciding
on cremation as a method of disposition.
The O.M. Whipple Columbarium and
Garden of Remembrance was named
for the cemeterys first president, from
whom the land was purchased. The new
cremation area covers about half an acre of
the cemetery, which despite its age is not
turning to cremation because it is running
out of space for traditional burials, since
about 20 acres of the 85-acre cemetery
remain undeveloped. Rather, the cremation
Photos on this page courtesy of Eickhof Columbaria
The columbarium installed by Eickhof Columbaria at Lowell Cemetery features Barre Grey granite niche fronts with a sanded finish.
Above, one of the niche fronts has been removed to show visitors attending the dedication how urns fit into the double niches.
Above and left, additional

views of the unique curved
granite columbarium walls
and the pavilion. The fact
that the granite niche fronts
were cut in a curved pattern
to follow the exact radius
of the curved columbarium
walls makes them unique.
In addition, the curved granite niche fronts were laid up
in a running bond pattern
providing a look compatible with other granite wall
construction in the historic
cemetery.
February 2016
31
CREMATION
Its a perfect spot for it; its almost like it was made for it. It was an undeveloped area, right in the central part
of the cemetery, on a hill overlooking the cemetery and close to the chapel and to the receiving tomb, which
is architecturally interesting. It was absolutely perfect for what we had in mind.James Latham
The garden section of the O.M. Whipple Columbarium & Garden of Remembrance
includes seating, ground interment designed for cremated remains and a veterans
memorial, the cemeterys first. Names and service information of those inurned in
the columbarium can be inscribed on the granite in front of the flagpole.
At the dedication of the new cremation garden, Lowell Cemetery Board of Trustees
members and staff, from left, Darren H. Sykes; Superintendent R. Brabrook Walsh;
Sayon Soeun; George L. Duncan; F. Alex Wilson; Rosemary Noon; Board President
James D. Latham; Ann Marie Page; Brian L. Chapman; Lewis T. Karabatsos; Board
Vice President and Treasurer Robert S. Mckittrick; Mehmed Ali; and office manager
Michael H. Lally. Behind them is the pavilion, which had not been completed.
32
ICCFA Magazine
garden was developed to offer cremation

families something special.
The garden is located on a landscaped
hill overlooking the rest of the grounds.
Its a perfect spot for it; its almost like it
was made for it, Latham said. It was an
undeveloped area, right in the central part
of the cemetery, on a hill overlooking the
cemetery and close to the chapel and to the
receiving tomb, which is architecturally
interesting. It was absolutely perfect for
what we had in mind.
Discussion about developing a cremation
garden began about five years before it was
built, Latham said. In addition to being
mindful of our fiduciary responsibilities,
the trustees had a number of requirements
in mind, he said in his speech at the
dedication:
The project must fit in with the gardenstyle landscape.
The project must blend in with the
historic monumentation.
The project must be of very high
quality.
The project must possess the wow
factor.
Im pleased to say that the folks who
have seen our project confirm that we have
succeeded in all these objectives.
Niches are contained in three curved
granite walls provided by Eickhof
Columbaria, Crookston, Minnesota. At the
end of one wall is a small water feature,
a bronze, wide-mouthed spout that pours
water onto a large stone. The water level is
no more than a couple of inches.
The sound of falling water is not
especially loud, but its an audio-visual
feature that blends in with the area and
helps set a contemplative atmosphere.
Steps from one level of the columbarium
lead up to an open-air pavilion where
services can be held. It was included partly
as one of the features that would make
the cremation garden and columbarium
unique to the area yet not out of place in its
historic surroundings. The idea of having
a pavilion just sort of evolved. I think our
architect, Bill Walsh of Walsh Engineering
Associates, had it as an option, and the
board liked it. Its a very nice feature.
There is a memorial chapel on the
Eikhof AD
FULL PAGE
page 33
4-COLOR
CREMATION
Above and below, the trifold brochure Lowell Cemetery is using to introduce cremation families to its new interment and inurnment option.
cemetery grounds where services can be

held in inclement weather. The chapel, built
around the beginning of the 20th century, is
made of granite, as is the columbarium, and
has a slate roof, as does the pavilion. Some
of the roundness of the pavilion picks up
some aspects of the chapel, which is down
the hill from the columbarium.
Though they were designing with
21st-century clients in mind, they were
34
ICCFA Magazine
very conscious of the cemeterys historic

landscape and determined not to simply
drop a free-standing columbarium
somewhere on the grounds, like a post
office box, Latham said.
We wanted the columbarium to blend
in with the rest of the cemetery as much as
possible, so we chose granite in addition
to being conscious of wanting something
that would be unique and tasteful and that
would be a credit to the cemetery and the

community.
Because of the curved walls, the niche
covers are curved, as well. They are
done in a gradual radius so they fit with
the curvature of the overall columbarium
wall. It was quite tricky. If the niche covers
had been flat, they would have projected
shadows at various times during the day,
and we didnt want that.
In addition to the approximately 980
double niches, there are spaces for inground burial of cremated remains. They
are not technically part of the columbarium;
I guess youd say they are part of the garden
aspect of the project.
Some of the spaces are close to a
veterans memorial, the cemeterys first.
The cemetery has been very conscious
of the contributions of veterans, and has
honored veterans at a ceremony that always
takes place the weekend before Memorial
Day and at a smaller event near Veterans
Day in the fall.
We thought including an area where
veterans are recognized would perhaps
make more veterans consider the colum
barium, but we also simply wanted to have
something that specifically recognized their
service.
The veterans area includes a flagpole
and a plaque where veterans inurned in the
columbarium will be recognized with the
engraving of their name and service. This
also solves the conundrum cemeterians
often face when trying to balance the
desire people have for personalization with
aesthetic considerations.
On the columbarium wall, we limit the
engraving to the persons name and dates,
and were trying to keep the engraving
consistent by using the same font. Many
veterans want their memorials to include
their military service, and we realized
that in order to add that we were not
going to be able to keep letters the same
size to maintain the look we want for the
columbarium.
The veterans area solves the problem,
providing a place where military service
information can be recorded. The niche
covers will include evidence of military
service (a star) so that visitors know to walk
over to the veterans area for further details.
Sales and marketing
Lowell did not sell the columbarium

preconstruction, but start selling niches in
CREMATION
September, prior to final completion of the
pavilion roof and a few punch-list items.
The niche walls were in and people could
see what the garden looked like.
Visitors to the cemeterys website can
download a trifold brochure (see page 34)
describing the columbarium, and the project
has received favorable local press coverage.
The cemetery used a marketing consultant
to help them pull together press kits and map
out an advertising campaign leading up to
a dedication ceremony in October. And
some of our trustees have been on local radio
shows, and I believe one even appeared on
local cable television.
Speakers at the dedication included
Latham; Rep. Nicki Tsongas, widow of the
late Sen. Paul Tsongas, who is buried at
Lowell Cemetery; a state senator; Lowells
mayor; and ICCFA Immediate Past President
Frederick Lappin, CCE.
At the dedication, Latham announced
that materials were being gathered for a
time capsule, which would include cemetery
artifacts as well as photos of the days events.
In addition to the public dedication
ceremony, We had a separate preview for
Photo courtesy of Eickhof Columbaria
A view of the columbarium showing walls on two different levels of the sloping
site, as well as the edge of the pavilion and the tent erected for the dedication.
funeral directors in the area, Latham said.

Massachusetts is a non-combo state, so
there is no funeral home associated with the
cemetery. That means the cemetery has to
market its new memorialization option itself,
both to funeral directors and to the public.
The reaction has been quite positive.

People are really quite surprised and almost
astonished at how handsome it is. Its clearly
not your typical columbarium, and we have
been generating sales, absolutely.
r
Holland AD 2 of 2
1/2 H
4-COLOR
February 2016
35
by MaryAnne Scheuble
INTERIOR DESIGN
You and your staff can be dressed to the nines,

but if youre working in a building that looks shabby or
simply tired and dated, families are not going to perceive
your organization as one that provides excellent service.
If your facility is lost in the 50s,

youre sending the wrong message
I
1.866.763.0485
mayanne@cressymemorial.com
ICCFA Magazine author spotlight
Scheuble is the Hekman Furniture spe-
cialist to the memorial industry. Her design

experience began with Ethan Allen as an interior decorator in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
After working in education for several years,
she joined Cressy Memorial Group, where
she works with funeral and cemetery business owners, managers, marketing directors
and interior decorators. She is a graduate of
Wheeling Jesuit University.
She has been a presenter at the ICCFA

convention, a two-time speaker at the
Ohio Funeral Directors Association convention and has written for Funeral Home
& Cemetery News and The Independent.
Cressy Memorial Group, Mishawaka,
Indiana, includes Crowne Vault, Crowne
Urns by Cornell, Natural Legacy USA,
Howard Miller Memorial, Hekman Furniture and R&S Design Gallery.
www.cressymemorial.com
Scheuble will be at
the Howard Miller/
Hekman booth in the
Expo Hall during the
ICCFA 2016 Convention & Expo, April 1316, in New Orleans,
Louisiana.
36
ICCFA Magazine
ndustry events provide great

opportunities to meet new friends and
reminisce with others. For those of
us with mirthful spirits, meetings with
catered foods can be dangerous. At a
recent convention while enjoying wine
and tasty but messy hors doeuvres, a
newly-introduced North Carolina cemetery
manager asked how our business was
going. (We provide memorial industry
customers with beautiful and sturdy
furniture.)
Great! I replied while delicately
trying to finish a stuffed mushroom.
This blunt-speaking gentleman took the
opportunity of my inability to say more
by punctuating the conversation with,
There must be a gold mine out there for
you. A lot of these businesses are stuck
in the 70s! His enthusiastic comment
and succinct assessment of industry dcor
almost caused me to spit out my food with
laughter and surprise.
Ronnie Milsaps song, Lost in the
50s Tonight, jumped into my mind as
a possible theme song for some of the
properties I visit. His sleepy-sounding
song tells of happy beginnings and
reminisces about times long past with an
unvoiced wish to return to those times.
Some properties do seem lost in a time
warp.
Amazingly, I have encountered highprofile locations which have not made any
decorating or furniture changes for 50-plus
years. Well, maybe thats not completely
true. Some facilities received donations of
furnishings over the years from prominent
families and moved them around to areas
of lesser use when the pieces became more
worn and less sturdy.
It has been even more shocking to
discover locations where somewhat recent
furniture and lamp purchases had been
made at Goodwill so as to maintain the

dcor. Now, my parents brought me up to
be thrifty, but this decorating philosophy
takes it to an extreme.
A Maryland funeral director joined
our conversation and offered his studied
observation that facility upgrades need to
occur every 10 years. My quizzical look
prompted him to explain. In my 25 years,
I have served generations of the same
families. To my way of thinking, wouldnt
it be terrible if nothing here changed?
They would think that I only wanted their
money and didnt care about investing in
my business. People want a comfortable,
updated facility where they can be proud
to welcome family and friends.
Others standing around nodded
in agreement as one Michigan area
professional added: You cant believe
how many new families I serve after they
have visited our funeral home to pay
respects. Frequently I hear comments
about how nicely decorated, how fresh
and bright our place is. It makes me proud
to host their events. When my business
is compared to my competitor down the
street (who has made very few changes
since his dad started the business almost
50 years ago), I know they are paying
attention to how I honor them.
Assuming all funeral directors and
cemeterians employ the same technical
skills (families dont generally have
enough knowledge to assess your skills),
one thing that can easily differentiate your
business from another is your facility.
Put your best foot forward was a
favorite saying back in the 50s. Whether
its been five or 50 years since your
facilitys last dcor update, where do you
start to put your best foot forward?
Most of us dont have time to wander
through furniture stores, take decorating
Passages AD
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Xiamen AD
1/3 Square
February 2016
37
INTERIOR DESIGN
Make sure ceilings are appealing. Drop ceilings of the 60s are OUT.
New panel ceilings, rustic ceilings, decorated ceilings are in. In any case, keep them clean
and dust-free and make sure ceilings are high enough that guests dont feel restricted.
The updated lobby
and common area
of Baxter Funeral
Home, Battle
Creek, Michigan.
High ceilings, good
lighting, sturdy,
comfortable seating and a color
palette that gives
a spring/summer
rather than winter feel appeal to
families.
classes or keep up with the latest design

trends. An interior decorator friend of
mine believes that good decorating is an
evolving process and change should occur
regularlyevery two to five years. Thats
not to say that everything should change,
but some things should: re-position
seating, upgrade to brighter lighting,
replace not-so-perfect dcor items, add
other conveniences, etc.
So, how do you know what still looks
good/welcoming/appropriate?
Take a quick look
It is very difficult for most of us to look at

our facilities with fresh eyes. The easiest
time to evaluate your property is after you
have been away from the business for a
week or more.
If you never get away from your
business that long, use this trick: Walk to
the doorway of each room with your eyes
on the floor. Close your eyes, then very
consciously notice where your gaze goes
as you raise your head and open your eyes
38
ICCFA Magazine
to take in the view.

Pay attention to the focus of those first,
second and third glances. Your eyes will
naturally find what is most noticeable due
to shape, location, appeal, unexpectedness
or light. Do not force yourself to look at
what you know is there.
First glance is where you want attention
to go, i.e. a special feature of your facility
such as a display cabinet, chandelier
or painting. Our eyes search for an
outstanding feature, which could be either
beautiful or ugly. The good news is that
it is possible to redirect attention to an
attractive feature.
A second glance quickly scans the room
to find another interesting feature, a cozy
furniture grouping, stained glass window
or a cracked, patched wall. We see both
good and bad.
The third glance will put the room
together so you get the full essence or
feel of the dcor. This is when we notice
patterned carpeting, pleasing accessories or
frayed welting/rumpled cushions on chairs
as well as whether
furnishings look old
or updated.
Do this exercise
with each space or
ask an impartial
friend to help. You
might be surprised
to notice themes
that become evident,
such as flowery
designs on fabrics/
wallpaper (old),
good carpeting with
no visible traffic
patterns (updated), walls that are decorated
to invite you into the room (new) or lost
in the 50s furniture (ancient!).
Study what you see
The next step involves an honest

assessment and study of each space. Use
this checklist as a start:
o Inviting entrances set the stage for
the dcor inside. Benches, plants, great
lighting and attractive doors welcome.
o Flooring selections should be
based on use and ease of care. Walkers,
wheelchairs, spike heels, snow, mud and
salt are all concerns.
o Test furniture comfort and
sturdiness. Ensure that guests with
mobility issues or ones who are
generously-sized can sit comfortably.
o Furniture placement should allow
for easy access and easy conversations.
Are rooms crowded with chairs on the
perimeter or awkwardly grouped too far
apart?
o Assess the amount of light in each
Continental AD
FULL PAGE
page 39
4-COLOR
INTERIOR DESIGN
Dont forget to have a respite

or child-friendly space. Parents
are not what they used to be.
high enough that guests dont feel restricted.
Dos and donts of design changes
Updated spaces: Above, the lobby area of Brady-Gill Funeral Home, Tinley Park,
Illinois. Below, the family waiting area at Slone & Co. Funeral Home, Cleveland,
Ohio. High ceilings, comfortable seating grouped for ease of conversation and
strategically placed lighting make these spaces welcoming to families.
space. Is it
dreary or
uplifting? Aim
for a spring/
summer
brightness
rather than a
winter feel.
o Use
windows as
focal points.
Heavy drapery
is out; open
vistas/outdoor
views are in.
o Wall
paper or paint?
Painted walls
allow more
options, from picture galleries to colored
accent walls or use as the backdrop for
furniture, TV or video. Think of the wall as
a huge frame.
40
ICCFA Magazine
o Make sure ceilings are appealing.

Drop ceilings of the 60s are OUT. New
panel ceilings, rustic ceilings, decorated
ceilings are in. In any case, keep them clean
and dust-free and make sure ceilings are
Heres a short list of dos and donts to help

with do-it-yourself design changes:
4 Do provide chairs with two arms
that have a firm surface for ease with
independent movement.
7 Dont include depressed seating that
would embarrass guests who would struggle
to sit or rise from it.
4 Do use a few interesting accent
pieces that may have family, community or
historical meaning.
7 Dont have furniture that is just for
show and has ropes across it.
4 Do decorate to allow for reconfigur
ation of spaces as needs change.
7 Dont keep chairs, tables or benches if
they have wobbly legs or backs.
7 Unless you are charging admission
and providing a tour guide, dont decorate
the whole building with antiques. Your
furniture should not be older than the
average age of your children/grandchildren
(whichever is younger).
4 Dont forget to have a respite or childfriendly space. Parents are not what they
used to be.
4 Do try to use natural lighting when
possible but augment with indirect, ceiling
and/or wall lighting to enhance the space.
7 It is OK to be creative in concealing
building flaws, but dont recreate the
Wizard of Oz curtain.
4 Do use what you find welcoming in
dcor. Think to imitate dcor found in other
public spaces, such as that seen in better
hotels.
7 Dont cover the common space walls
with large family portraits. As proud as
you are of your family, those faces can be
intimidating and the eyes always seem to
follow visitors around the room.
4 Do remove ugly ceilings. You may
think that grieving people never look up,
but they do.
4 To replace part of a damaged carpet
that cant be matched, do use a creative cutout in a coordinating pattern, such as a star,
cross or triangle.
7 Dont expect that change is easy or
inexpensive. The longer it has been since an
INTERIOR DESIGN
Create the design mood throughout your property to match the high-quality service provided.
The well-known advertising slogan is truepackaging does sell the product.
update, the more it will cost to bring dcor
into this century.
4 Do provide a well lit, welcoming
facility.
4 Do realize that the condition of your
facility reflects upon your staff.
4 One very important do to
remember: Do decorate to reflect your
professional status. Just as we would
expect a top-notch surgeon to have an
attractive facility or a high-end hotel to have
outstanding employees, advertise your
business the same way.
Create the design mood throughout your
property to match the high-quality service
provided. The well-known advertising
slogan is truepackaging does sell the
product.
When to call in
professional design help
Feeling overwhelmed? There are times

when it would not only be wise but also
cost-effective to hire a professional decor
ator. For dramatic changes, please hire a
decorator. A professional decorators goal
is always to create beautiful, comfortable
designs which fit a budget specific to each
facility.
Cost is always part of every business
decision and we all want to use money
wisely. Know that interior decorators
charge a consultation fee for their know
ledge and experience, or they may receive a
commission on products sold.
Dont rely on the opinion of your
wallpaper hanger, who may be the most
truthful person you know but whose
expertise is wall coverings and not how to
coordinate furnishings, window treatments,
ceiling reconstruction and flooring. Invest in
smart planning for great design results.
Use an interior decorator to:
Enlarge spaces, move walls or adjust
access areas (mindful of usage);
Change the lighting in the facility
(mindful of color coordination and traffic
flow);
Design interesting window treatments
or stained glass motifs which enhance
dcor;
Coordinate the blending of older
furnishings (discontinued fabrics) with new
pieces;
Create an amazing focal point or
theme (fountain, inspiring artwork, color

trademark);
Fulfill your vision of a beautiful space
which otherwise may be challenging to
accomplish on your own.
Every one of you in this memorial
profession and reading this article knows
change is inevitable. You see it occur on a
daily basis; change is what you deal with.
Your ministry is to help people navigate
through change.
Therefore, it should be obvious that
lost in the 50sor any other long-ago
decadeis not a theme to embrace. It is not
something we want to mark us. It is not a
banner we should carry. It is not a definition
of who we are.
You work hard to remain current and
updated in your profession. You work hard
to understand and employ the smartest
business practices. You work hard to serve
families in the best way possible by always
putting your best foot forward.

Make sure you have created the best
physical environment in which staff and
visitors alike can appreciate all of the many
gifts and talents you offer. Dont let people
look at your facility and dismiss it, thinking,
This place is reminiscent of my grandmas
house. It makes me wonder if they are
behind the times.
Give families a visible reason to choose
your business. Enhanced dcor results in
greater sales. The Marriott, Ritz-Carlton
and Hilton have set the standard in their
industry for outstanding hospitality. Their
dcor reflects updated themes. Because of
these and other successful business models,
we all assume that a well-appointed facility
hires premier staff.
Its the 21st century; dont be lost in the
50s, 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s. Simply said:
Be relevant, be updated, be current and be
successful.
r
Funeral Call AD
1/6 H
4-COLOR
ACMC AD
1/6 H
February 2016
41
by Daniel M. Isard, MSFS

1.800.426.0165
danisard@f4sight.com
MANAGEMENT
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Isard is president of
Cemeteries have long relied on advance sales,

but sometimes they can be a two-edged sword. If your sales
commission policies are not set correctly, an otherwise strong
advance sales program could leave you cash poor.
The Foresight Companies,

LLC, a Phoenix-based
business and management consulting firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions, valuations, accounting, financing and customer surveys.
He is the author of several books, and
the host of The Dan Isard Show.

http://funeralradio.com

Educational information, including
copies of this article, can be found at

www.f4sight.com
You can follow Isard on Twitter at

@f4sight and like his page on Facebook.
Editors note: The Cemetery Impossible
column is written by the staff of The
Foresight Companies. If you have a
question you want to be featured in this
column, please send it to danisard@
f4sight.com. Dan Isard or a member
of his staff will call you to get more
information and a recommendation will be
provided via this column, helping not only
you but also others who are facing similar
challenges.
42
ICCFA Magazine
Cemetery Impossible
How can strong advance sales translate to
a good (instead of terrible) cash position?
Dear Cemetery Impossible,
I am experiencing good advance sales but
my cash position is terrible. What causes
this situation and how do I change it?
Dear Terrible Cash Position,
Running a cemetery business is very
difficult. It is a business that has a high
investment in inventory and management of
a sales team. As if this is not tough enough,
it requires a stewardship of property and
record keeping. The issue you are writing
about is very common. We saw this with the
now defunct Loewen Group in the 1990s.
Cemeteries are dealers in their own
inventory and therefore taxed on the accrual
basis. Yet not every sale is paid in full at the
time of the sale. Advanced sales are more
likely paid for on installment with a down
payment made up front. Furthermore, most
cemeterians pay their commissions on the
accrual basis.
For example, suppose you make a
$1,000 sale of an interment right. You book
$1,000 as income. You pay a commission
(as an example) of 20 percent, or $200. If
we assume you have a cost of goods and
routine operating costs of $100, you might
owe income taxes of $200 on that sale
(based on a 30 percent tax rate). So, cash
in is $1,000 and cash out is about $400 for
taxes and commissions.
Now, lets change one assumption in the
above example: change the sale to $1,000
with $200 down and $800 paid over time.
So you wind up having $200 in and $400
out, plus the normal costs of operation.
If you have 80 percent cash sales and 20
percent installment sales, you will not have
a negative cash flow. However, in most
cemeteries with strong advance sales, it is
more like 80 percent installment sales and
20 percent cash sales. When that happens,

you will be bleeding cash like a Chicago
politician on Election Day.
This operating problem is exacerbated
when the sales manager is paid an override
based on sales as recorded on the accrual
basis. The sales manager is focused on
creating sales, not the effect on cash in the
balance sheet. This adversely affects cash
even more.
CI solution
The solution is simple. Dont pay your

commission on the accrual basis. Dont pay
your override to the sales manager on the
accrual basis. Use the cash with the contract
to pay the commission.
If there is a $1,000 interment sale
and the consumer only pays $250, pay a
commission on $250. As the $750 balance
due is paid over time, pay commission
as the payments are received, only on the
amount of payment received.
This way of handling commissions
causes the sales manager to focus on the
mix of business and encourages the sales
team to get as much as they can up front
with each contract.
Years ago, I had a client who paid
commissions weekly. Commissions were
paid Friday afternoon based on sales
recorded by the sales team, using 9 a.m.
Friday morning as the cut-off time. This
system caused a lot of problems.
As I watched the sales teams behavior,
I found many contracts were paid with
cash, and a large number of contracts
MANAGEMENT
were turned in Friday morning, before the
9 a.m. deadline. It seemed that the sales
team members had learned they could turn
in contracts Friday morning with a small
amount of money as the deposit and receive
the full commission by Friday afternoon.
I also learned that more than 80 percent
of contracts paid for with cash were
canceled within a month. This created
an atmosphere of fraud and killed the
owners cash flow. To me, this was criminal
behavior by staff members involved.
We dont see these problems with
families making a purchase at need. When
there is a problem like this, it is typically
only on advance sales.
Not only do I recommend that
commissions and override get paid on a
cash basis for advance sales, but I like the
commission percentage to be based on the
amount of money received with the contract.
For example, if the contract is paid in full,
then commission is 20 percent. If half is
paid on a contract, then pay a commission
of 17.5 percent on the payments, when they
are received. If 30-49 percent is paid with
the contract, then pay a lesser commission,
maybe 15 percent. And, for a 20-30 percent

minimum payment with the contract, pay a
commission of 12.5 percent.
Do not accept a contract with less
than 20 percent cash up front, because
as illustrated in my example, that creates
negative cash flow due to the tax and
commission owed.
Make sure your contract with sales
personnel specifies this payment scale. Your
bookkeeper will have to work a bit harder,
but this policy will promote the payment
plans you want.
Also, staff should realize that commis
sions are not vested beyond their employ
ment period, so if they leave, they dont
receive further commissions.
In the last two years before Loewen went
bankrupt, they turned to their cemetery
team to give an illusion of strength. The
cemetery people did a great job of pushing
sales. The stock market didnt understand
that increased revenue did not mean
increased profit.
As revenue increased, cash decreased.
As defaults kicked in during the following
year, Loewen wrote off the defaulting
contracts. Since there was no way of

reclaiming the lost sales or taxes, this
caused the market to realize the emperor
had no clothes.
Just two years later, the SEC introduced
FASB 101. This financial accounting
standard requires public companies
to disclose their income as realized,
meaning when received. This is shown as a
separate statement on the cash basis.
This means that those who are dealers
in their own inventory, who get payments
over time, need to demonstrate the true
cash accounting. This protects investors
and allows even casual investors to
better understand the inner workings of a
company.
To sum up, use this three-step approach
to solve your negative cash flow problems:
1. Pay commissions on a cash basis.
2. Set the commission rate to be tied to
the amount of cash paid with the contract.
3. Make sure your sales manager is paid
the same way as your sales team.
Running a cemetery is tough. Running
one without enough cash is Cemetery
Impossible.
r
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February 2016
43
by ICCFA Magazine columnist

Todd W. Van Beck, CFuE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
toddvb52@gmail.com
ICCFA Magazine
author spotlight
Van Beck is one of the
most sought-after speakers

and educators in funeral
service.
www.toddvanbeck.com
He is the director of continuing educa-
tion for John A. Gupton College, Nashville,

Tennessee.
www.guptoncollege.edu
Van Beck is dean of ICCFA Universitys
College of Funeral Home Management

and received the ICCFA Educational
Foundations first ever Lasting Impact
Award in 2014.
Like Todd Van Beck

on Facebook today!

Van Beck
will present
Dueling Funerals, about
the funerals of
Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis,
at the ICCFA
2016 Convention & Expo, April 13-16, in New Orleans,
Louisiana. www.iccfa.com/events.
Van Becks new book
is Reverence for the

Dead: The Unavoidable
Link. The book addresses in detail the ethical
standards of caring for
the dead and the ethical
consequences of not doing so. It can be ordered
at www.amazon.com.
ICCFA University 2016
will be held July 22-27

at the Fogelman Conference Center, University of
Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee. Van Beck
is a dean and professor. Curricula and
registration information will be available in
the spring at www.iccfa.com/events.
44
ICCFA Magazine
The days of funeral professionals using the indirect method

of dealing with families is long goneor should be.
The keys to service: Being

an active funeral director
n bygone days in our profession, there

was a method of arranging a funeral
which was called the indirect method
of counseling. At the core of this funeral
arranging approach was the fact that the
funeral director played an entirely passive
role in the decision-making processes the
family was engaged in.
This approach to the funeral interview
did not work very well. A funeral director
who was a disciple of this approach once
told me, When I make arrangements, I
dont even want the family to notice that I
am in the room.
I cannot disagree more strongly with this
type of funeral interviewing approach, as it
is another example of black and white rulemaking in which the funeral professional is
making all the rules. Dont the feelings and
wishes of the families need to be involved,
need to be taken account of, need to be
respected? I believe they do.
Just imagine this scenario: The
bereaved family members have seen one
or two caskets in their entire lives. Today,
they enter the selection room and find
themselves looking at 21 caskets, 40 urns
and 20 keepsakes, and they are in the room
alone, absolutely alone and on their own.
Do you think this type of situation creates
a vulnerable and possibly high-risk client
situation? I do.
Analogous to this would be someone
like me wanting to buy an airplane. The
airplane company sales representative opens
the door to the airplane hangar where there
are a couple of dozen new airplanes for
sale and then turns on his heels and leaves.
I wouldnt stand a chance!
The reason the indirect approach flopped
so many years ago is that while some
funeral professionals were attracted to it,
our valued client families did not like it.
I believe this indirect approach
developed because of our professions longstanding phobia concerning any type of
criticism whatsoever, and particularly our
sensitivity to being criticized about being

a high-pressure salesperson or, worse,
taking advantage of the bereaved.
I understand our professions sensitivity
to this, and Jessica Mitford made hay while
the sun shone using and abusing this theme.
But her book was published 51 years ago,
yet our our addiction to wanting to please
absolutely everyone in every way all the
timeutterly impossible for any human
being to accomplishstill haunts our great
profession (but this theme is fodder for
another article).
I think the reason the indirect approach
to helping a family didnt work is that it
relegated the funeral professional to an
exaggerated passive role, and bereaved
clients are not attracted to being helped
by such a passive professional.
The importance of
active funeral directing
I do not see the funeral professional in his or

her role as the interviewer or as a presence
in the funeral experience as being passive.
On the contrary, I envision the funeral
professional as staying active at all times.
I am not implying that he/she should
talk a great deal, but I am saying that they
should make their presence and interest
continuously feltthroughout the entire
funeral home experience, not just the
arrangement interview.
The funeral interviewer is ideally active
in showing the client family that they are
interested in their welfare. This cannot be
conveyed by a funeral professional who is
passive. In fact, being passive is as dry as a
piece of unbuttered toast.
The question then is not whether the
funeral professional will be of assistance,
help or counsel. The larger question is this:
Will my assistance, help and counsel be
based on active wisdom and care, on active
insight and compassion and on active trust
and respect? The operative word here is
active.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The funeral interviewer reveals what they themselves see and understand, what they think
the client family is thinking and feeling, in order to help the family look deeper and try harder
to make decisions that will bring them two priceless gifts as they journey through the valley
of the shadow of death: Peace of mind and the feeling that one has done the right thing.
Primary to this vital role is that the

funeral interviewer is and acts as a genuine
person. As funeral interviewers we call
on aspects of ourselves as well as on our
professional knowledge to help the client
family, not simply to display our intellect or
our splendid personal qualities.
The funeral interviewer reveals what
they themselves see and understand, what
they think the client family is thinking and
feeling, in order to help the family look
deeper and try harder to make decisions that
will bring them two priceless gifts as they
journey through the valley of the shadow of
death: Peace of mind and the feeling one has
done the right thing.
The combined psychological health of
these two feelings is absolutely priceless; no
dollar sign can ever be attached to this.
Coming right down to it in our ongoing
quest for substance and meaning, what do
funeral professionals actually bring to the
helping interview? Essentially, we bring our
knowledge, experience, professional skills,
the information we possess, the resources at
our command and, above all else, a genuine
committed love of our profession.
It follows then that the continuous
funeral student (going considerably beyond
mortuary college and the National Board
exams) actively, continually learns about
every single aspect of the funeral service
profession. This type of learning will result
in creating an effective, knowledgeable

professional.
This funeral professional will then be
able to assist family clients by offering and
suggesting creative ceremonial experiences,
offering creative help and counsel which
will result in a tangible enhancement
of bereaved clients ability to arrive at
satisfactory decisions.
How to be an active
funeral professional
Here are some suggestions to help us stay

active in the experience of the funeral
interview and funeral service in general.
Ponder these, and add to them. Time spent
thinking about these four points will prove
helpful in the long term.
1. If funeral professionals are calm,
understanding and clearly concerned, as
well as obviously wanting to be helpful,
they set the stage for the response of those
being served.
2. Funeral professionals are usually
and fortunately where the action is.
Doing something constructive is an impor
tant way of moving people through a crisis.
Inner balance can be sustained by outer
action.
Having people do things helps to con
firm reality, express feelings and gain group
support and is never a passive experience.
3. Funeral professionals can
encourage the expression of feelings in a

helping interview. The funeral professional
is usually present when feelings are intense.
The funeral interview, as well as the
overall funeral experience, can be the
safe harbor providing an atmosphere
where appropriate feelings of grief can
be expressed and, more important, be
understood and accepted.
4. The funeral professional also has
easy access to items families can use to
memorialize creatively, helping mourners
experience deeper expression of their grief.
The funeral professional who stays abreast
of what is available can help families select
services and goods that will have meaning
to them.
The funeral professional/interviewer/
arranger (recently I learned a new profes
sional designation, remembrance counsel
or) who is keenly aware of these four
simple points and who uses them in an
active rather than passive way will find
additional value in their communication
with client families.
Bringing yourself, being in the thick
of the action, allowing for the expression
of feelings and having immediate access
to valuable remembrance and memorial
items is a wonderful way to further assist
our families we are privileged to serve. Our
goal is to help our client families to the best
of our abilities, is it not?
r
AC Furniture AD
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February 2016
45
IMSA AD
FULL PAGE
page 46
4-COLOR
I C C FA N E W S
Jim Darby announced as Lasting Impact 2016 recipient
ames Big Jim Darby has been selected to

receive an ICCFA Educational Foundation
Lasting Impact Award. This award will be
presented at the Educational Foundation Reception
on Thursday, April 14, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the
ICCFA Annual Convention & Exposition at
the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans,
Louisana.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the
Education Foundation scholarship fund, used to
offer funeral professionals financial assistance to
attend ICCFA education events, such as ICCFA
University and other programs.
The Lasting Impact Awards were created to recognize those
individuals who have made significant contributions to furthering
professional development and lifelong learning in the funeral,
cemetery and cremation profession.
As James Big Jim Darby says in his book, no one looks up
to a grave digger. But digging graves is how he started his career.
The Darby family, Charles and Florence Darby along with
their two sons, James and David, moved to Danville, Illinois, in
1960 after purchasing Sunset Memorial Park. On a hot, humid
day, young Jim, still in high school, was digging a grave by hand.
He paused to ask himself if this was really what he wanted to do
with the rest of his life. The answer was yes.
Greenwood Inc., was founded in the late 1960s in an effort to
increase the size of the existing business, expanding into a burial
vault company. Through research and study, the Darby brothers
introduced a stronger, arched cover
design and more efficient manufacturing
process that revolutionized the
industry. The company trade name
was born, Trigard, for the three layers
of protection a Trigard burial vault
provides for the casketed remains of a
familys loved one.
Today, the Darby family not only
manufactures Trigard burial vaults,
but also uses them as funeral home
owners. Sunset Funeral Home opened
in December 1984 as one of the first
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funeral home/cemetery combinations in the state of

Illinois. Few companies had such an opportunity
because at the time, the combination operation was
illegal in most states. Darby helped change the
legislation that allowed the partnership of services
to become a reality.
The Darby family and Trigard have since
expanded the company to include ownership
and operation of seven funeral homes in Illinois,
Indiana and Arizona. Through the years of
cemetery operation and ownership, the Darbys
identified a dire need for revolution in the bronze
memorial business. They felt the existing options
did not tell the story of the life of the individual. With innovation
at the forefront, Trigard Engraved Bronze, now Trigard
Memorials, was established in 2003. Additional manufacturing
divisions have developed, including Greenwood Plastics
Industries, which thermoforms custom plastics, and Hall of Fame
Plaques and Signs.
In 2012, Darby was one of five honorees inducted to the
inaugural class of the Vermilion County Business Hall of Fame
in Illinois. He is also a past president of the Illinois Cemetery
Association and past board member of the International
Memorialization Supply Association.
Darby is the Walt Disney of Trigard and stays involved with
every aspect of his familys business. When he is in the building,
the news spreads like wildfire. Employees seek him out and look
forward to spending a few moments with him. He is quick to give
a pat on the back and encourage them
with his trademark phrase, Thats good
stuff! What began as a small family
business has grown to provide jobs
for more than 100 employees working
in funeral service, manufacturing,
customer service, grounds maintenance
and horticulture.
Current owners Donna DarbyWalthall, Linda Darby and Rich Darby
continue Big Jims vision. His other two
children, Karen Darby-Ritz and Scott
Darby, have also joined the business,
along with several grandchildren,
furthering his dream of a lasting legacy.
Tickets for the Educational Foundation Reception are only $50
and may be purchased on your convention registration form. The
reception will feature refreshments and hors doeuvres.
q
Past Lasting Impact Awardees

David Wharmby, CCE (2015)
Gary OSullivan, CCFE, and Todd W. Van Beck, CFuE (2014)
February 2016
47
I C C FA N E W S
Something for every professional at ICCFA convention

Green burial sessions
Friday, April 15, 2 p.m.
The Magic of Techni-ice and
Waxed Paper: What Funeral
Directors Need to Know about
Green Burial Preparation
Ed Bixby & Bob Fertig
Burial without embalming
requires a whole new set of
techniques for preparing bodies
for visitation, transportation and
interment that you probably werent
taught in mortuary school. Learn
what noninvasive, biodegradable
products and procedures will
ensure that your green burial
families experience a seamless,
environmentally-responsible
funeral.
When the Body Arrives in a
Prius: What Cemetery Staff Need
to Know About Green Burial
Families
Candace Currie & Lee Webster
With home funerals on the
rise, cemetery operators are
being faced with bodies prepared
at home by family rather than
professionals. What safeguards do
cemeteries need to put in place in
order to ensure that families have
prepared the body properly? How
can cemetery staff aid families
who approach them about how
to prepare, transport and bury
their loved one safely and without
unwanted surprises? First, learn
about how home funeral families
prepare loved ones and what role a
home funeral guide might play in
smoothing the process.
Green Design & Innovation:
Restoration Ecology in the
Hybrid Cemetery
Deborah Cassidy, Cliff David &
Adam A. Supplee
On the outskirts of Philadelphia,
overlooking the Cynwyd Heritage
Trail, the West Laurel Hill
Natures Sanctuary exemplifies
48
ICCFA Magazine
an innovative new approach to

hybrid cemeteries. While many
hybrid cemeteries simply agree to
allow vaultless burial areas in their
conventional lawn cemeteries, West
Laurel Hill is actively employing
conservation restoration principles
to a previously disturbed site.
Green design elements include
reintroduction of native plants and
installation of honey bee hives, a
memorial wall and walking trail
constructed with locally sourced
materials.
PLPA sessions
Saturday, April 16, 8 a.m.
Understanding Where We Have
Been is Guiding Where We are
Going
Bill Remkus, CPLP
This session will begin with
an explanation of how pet ceme
terians lost sight of their core values
and entered into pet disposal. As
a result of this shift in priorities,
veterinarians now control the market.
This session will demonstrate how
we can and are currently changing
our profession and the veterinary
community to meet the needs of
modern client families.
Decorating Your Funeral Home
Leslie Reid
What does your facility say about
you and your business? Are you
considering opening a new facility
or just ready for an update? Leslie
Reid will introduce you to color and
how to use it effectively to create a
warm welcoming environment, as
well as how to select appropriate
furnishing and accessories on a
budget.
Growing Revenue from Past,
Present and Future Consumers
Bob Jenkins
How can you reconnect with pet
loss families who didnt make an
urn purchase? Does your business
offer sustainable solutions for
private or communal cremations?

Is your cemetery a destination for
burial as well as cremation? Bob
Jenkins will discuss innovative
ways to educate past, present
and future pet loss families about
products and services, including
sustainable options. He will share
methods and concepts to help create
a personal experience and discuss
how to make your cemetery a
desirable destination.
Providing for the Next
Generation: Succession Planning
& Selling a Business in the Pet
Loss Industry
Nicholas Padlo
Your pet loss business has grown
over many years, as a result of
love and hard work. The purpose
of this discussion is to help you
prepare your company for the
NEXT generation. Whether handing
the business down to children,
transitioning to employees or
selling to an outside buyer, there
are many financial and operational
steps needed to position your
business properly, maximize your
financial return and make the
transition as smooth and painless as
possible. If retirement or transition
is five-10 years away, it is time to
start strategic exit planning.
Satuday, April 16, 12 p.m.
Roundtable: Details of a
Pet Loss Business
Coleen Ellis, CPLP, &
Bill Remkus, CPLP
The details of operating a business
can often be overwhelming. With so
many amazing pet loss operations
in the country, there are countless
best practices others are doing that
are certainly worth showing off.
In this session, attendees will see
what pet loss colleagues nationwide
are doing in areas such as vehicles,
effective interior/building set up,
pet tracking, marketing and other
elements that will get your creative
business juices flowing.
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I C C FA N E W S
Get behind-the-scenes looks at a local funeral

home and cemeteries on April 16 tour in New Orleans
his years Annual Convention & Expo in New Orleans,

Louisiana, will offer so much more than just amazing
keynote speakers and informative breakout sessions. There
is also the opportunity to tour a city that is rich in history and
cemetery architecture. This is all possible by attending the local
funeral home and cemeteries tour on Saturday, April 16, from 2
to 5 p.m. The tour consists of a funeral home visit and two of the
most famous cemeteries in New Orleans.
Lakelawn Metairie Cemetery is considered one of the top 10
cemeteries in the country. Metairie Cemetery is the final resting
place of numerous famous and revered people, including nine
Louisiana governors, seven former New Orleans mayors and
three Confederate generals.
Metairie is also famous for having the largest and most
elaborate collection of burial vaults and statues in the city, some
inspired by ancient Egyptian pyramids and other statuary. It is
also one of the larger cemeteries in the city, having once been the
site of a horse racing track.
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the oldest cemetery in the city,
having opened in 1789. The design of this cemetery focuses
more on the architecture of the burial grounds, as it was heavily
influenced by French and Spanish cemeteries. All of the burial
vaults in the cemetery were built above ground.
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the final resting place to New
Orleans first African-American mayor Ernest N. Dutch Morial,
as well as many jazz and R&B musicians. It is also believed to
be the final resting place of voodoo queen Marie Laveau. Actor
Nicolas Cage purchased a tomb in 2010 shaped as a pyramid for
his future final resting place.
Dont miss out on this unique opportunity to get behind-thescenes of these two iconic New Orleans cemeteries. Tickets
are $75 and can be purchased on the 2016 Annual Convention
registration form. To register and to learn more about the
Convention, visit www.iccfaconvention.com.
q
One of the most visited tombs at the Lakelawn Metairie

Cemetery is that of Lucien Napoleon Brunswig. The tomb
was heavily influenced by ancient Egyptian statuary.
The Lakelawn Metairie Cemetery is one of two cemeteries featured on the tour offered at the 2016 ICCFA Annual
Convention & Expo.
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the

oldest cemetery in New Orleans
and features many elaborate
above-ground vaults.
February 2016
49
I C C FA N E W S
Wide World of Sales Conference Scholarship winners
he following eight individuals were awarded scholarships

to the Wide World of Sales Conference in Las Vegas in
January. Congratulations!
Heather Barney, Security National Life Insurance Co, Salt
Lake City, Utah: Ron Robertson Scholarship, made possible
by Regions Bank
Raymond L. Broccardo, Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield,
Illinois: made possible by The Memorial Classic Golf
Tournament
Edwin Cate, Green Hills Mortuary, Rancho Palos Verdes,
California: made possible by The Memorial Classic Golf
Tournament
Lyndon Leong, The Life Celebrant, Singapore, Thailand:
made possible by Cypress Lawn/Kenneth Edward Varner
Memorial Fund
Ron Jones, Fairfax Memorial, Fairfax, Virginia: made

possible by the Memorial Classic Golf Tournament
Lorraine Piller, Biondan and Fabhaven, Toronto, Ontario:
made possible by The Memorial Classic Golf Tournament
Kelly Pretty, The Tribute Companies, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin: made possible by Live Oak Bank
Lavonda Smith, Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services and
Highland Memorial Park, Ocala, Florida: made possible
by Matthews International
Christopher Stanley, Ponders Funeral Home, Dalton,
Georgia: made possible by Batesville
Stephanie Zimmerman, Forethought Financial, Batesville,
Indiana: made possible by Wilbert Funeral Services
q
Go back to school in July at the 2016 ICCFA University
CCFA University will be held July 22-27, 2016, at the

Fogelman Executive Conference Center at the University
of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee.
ICCFA University is unlike
anything else in our profession.
It is a five-day program designed
to offer intensive instruction and
networking opportunities in a
college-campus setting. You can
attend for just one or two years,
or you may go on to complete
four years and become an ICCFA
University graduate.
There are seven colleges to
choose from, described below.
21st Century Services Dean Glenda Stansbury, CC
How do you respond to a family who says, We dont want a
traditional funeral? Youll learn how to go beyond tradition with
innovative offerings. Become certified as a funeral celebrant
trained to provide meaningful alternatives to clergy-led services.
Cremation Services Dean Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE
Cremation doesnt have to mean no service or no
memorialization. Youll discover how to better serve families,
improve cremation operations and increase your companys
cremation-related revenues. Youll also earn three types of
certifications: operator, administrator and arranger.
International Studies Dean Jim Hammond
Globalization is making the world a smaller place. Be sure you
know how to serve families of all nationalities and religious
backgrounds in your community. Learn about the funeral customs
of all major religions and population groups from around the
world in this, the newest college at ICCFAU.
Funeral Home Management Dean Todd Van Beck, CFuE
Too many managers consider creativity someone elses
department. In funeral service, creative management is
the key to differentiation. Youll learn Dr. W. Edwards
Demings creative service management system and its specific
applications to our profession.
50
ICCFA Magazine
Land Management & Grounds Operations Dean Gino

Merendino
Exceptional cemetery service starts with the grounds and
operations department. Without effective land management
and a commitment to an attractive, well-maintained property,
there will be no sales or service. Youll learn how your grounds
management team can succeed and continuously improve
interments, landscaping, buildings, grounds maintenance and
exceptional client experience and satisfaction.
Leadership, Administration & Management Dean Gary
Freytag, CCFE
The cemetery, cremation and funeral service profession is
changing, and so are the skills needed to manage and lead
effectively. Youll receive solid, relevant, results-focused
training targeted at todays required core competencies.
Sales & Marketing Dean Gary OSullivan, CCFE
The principles of sales and marketing dont change; only
technique and application do. Learn how to take the triedand-true principles of cemetery and funeral sales and apply
them within todays highly mobile, multi-cultural, high-tech,
information-driven marketplace.
There are two graduate programs which do not count
towards graduation, but can be completed after graduation.
Because the college curricula are continually refined to reflect
changes in the profession, there are always updated courses and
new information available.
Masters Program
CEO Program
Funeral directors can earn up to 25 CE credits, pending
individual state approval. The ICCFA no longer applies for
continuing education credits in Pennsylvania due to onerous and
expensive filing requirements. ICCFA members applying for
designations through the associations certification program will
earn a total of 80 points toward certification upon completion of
each college.
Look for the full university program, coming out in late
March/early April.
q
New Members
Providing exceptional education, networking and
legislative guidance and support to progressive cemetery,
funeral and cremation professionals worldwide
For information about the ICCFA and Membership:

Go to www.iccfa.com/membership to download a benefits brochure and an
application form.
Call 1.800.645.7700 to have membership information faxed or mailed to you.
Regular
Bishop & Johnson Funeral Home

Hornell, New York
Blyth Funeral Home Corp.
Greenwood, South Carolina
Bradshaw-Carter Memorial & Funeral
Services
Houston, Texas
Coleman Funeral Home
Oxford, Mississippi
Oakwood Cemetery & Crematory
Niagara Falls, New York
Thomas E Melvin & Son Funeral Home
Inc.
Harrington, Delaware
Wallace Thompson Funeral Home
Peebles, Ohio
Wilson St Pierre Funeral Service &
Crematory
Indianapolis, Indiana
Tribute Memorials
Mesa, Arizona
Membership applications
Admission to ICCFA membership normally requires a majority vote

of those present and voting at any meeting of the executive committee. The names of all applicants must be published in this magazine.
ICCFA members objecting to an application must do so in writing
to the ICCFA executive director within 45 days of publication. In the
event of an objection, the executive committee will conduct an inquiry. If an applicant is rejected, they will be granted an appeal upon
written request. The decision of the Board of Directors shall be final.
Xpain Solutions
Olathe, Kansas
Madelyn AD
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Professional: Pet Loss Services

Sacred Paws Pet Crematory
Jacksonville, North Carolina
Professional/Supplier
A-1 Merchant Solutions

Glenmont, New York
3 Guys with Helping Hearts DBA Funeral
Donation App
Sanford, North Carolina
Affirmativ Diagnostics
Bellingham, Washington
Casket Etcetera LLC
Miami, Florida
Coeio
Tappan, New York
FRSR Crematory Repair LLC
White Bear Lake, Minnesota
Garfield Refining Co.
Philadelphia, Pennyslvania
Huntington Bank
Zeeland, Michigan
Qeepr
Montreal, Quebec
Sprung Memorial Group
North Lindenhurst, New York
Swan & Associates Inc.
Orangeville, Ontario
The Funeral Copywriter
Ben Lomond, California
Grever & Ward AD

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51
Update
Send in news about your cemetery, funeral home, crematory or association to sloving@iccfa.com. If you publish a newsletter,
please email a copy to sloving@iccfa.com or mail to: Susan Loving, ICCFA, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, VA 20164.
Above, the mausoleum at St. Anthonys Cemetery, Nanuet,

New York. Below, a bronze bas relief of St. Elizabeth Ann
Seton by LP Bronze. Each piece is crafted for its attention
to detail and authenticity. Setons clothing is based on a
nuns Italian habit typically
worn in the 19th century
consisting of a plain dress
with a shoulder cape and
a bonnet. Her serene but
determined facial expression represents her tasks
of establishing a religious
community dedicated to
the care of poor children
and the first Catholic
school in America.
Far right, niches topped by
a bas relief bronze religious figure by LP Bronze.
n St. Anthonys parish cemetery, Nanuet, New York, has recently

installed in its mausoleum eight 4 feet by
2 feet bas reliefs. Each bas-relief designed
and manufactured by LP Bronze International features a different saint, resulting in
the creation of theme areas for the mausoleum.
Our new mausoleum has character
by incorporating Rockland County stone

and featuring a cathedral ceiling, said St.
Anthonys Cemetery Superintendent Owen
Linden, but what makes it sacred is the
mounting of beautifully designed religious
bronze bas-reliefs above our niches.
St. Anthonys Mausoleum has 1,850
crypts and 882 cremation niches. To provide an area theme enhanced by religious
n Harpeth Hills
Memory Gardens
and Funeral Home,
Family Legacy LLC,
Nashville, Tennessee, has
named Mike Hays as
vice president of funeral
operations. Hays began his
funeral directing career in
Hays
1990 in Lexington, Kentucky, at Milward Funeral Directors Inc.
He also worked as a member of the executive team for Keystone Group Holdings
Inc. For the past eight years, he has owned
52
ICCFA Magazine
imagery, each of the banks of glass-fronted

niches now features one of eight bronze
bas-relief statues: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton,
St. Padre Pio, St. Francis of Assisi, St.
Therese of the Little Flower, St. Joseph,
St. Patrick, St. Faustina, St. Catherine of
Siena and St. Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila. The
selection of saints was based on the ethnic
composition of the parish.
r
and operated LifeSteps Services LLC, a

funeral-cemetery consulting firm based in
Louisville, Kentucky. During his career,
Hays has worked with funeral homes in 43
different states and three provinces.
Hays has taught classes at industry
conventions, conferences and mortuary
schools throughout the United States and
Canada as well as instructing at ICCFA
University for the past 20 years. He also
served as interim president of Mid-America College of Funeral Service.
He will be responsible for all funeral
home operations and will focus primarily
on professional development initiatives

for all funeral staff as well as improving
operational efficiency. He will be responsible for integrating future funeral home
acquisitions, and the soon-to-be constructed funeral home in Williamson County,
into the Family Legacy family.
Family Legacy owns and operates
seven traditional funeral homes, a low-cost
provider and six cemeteries in the greater
Nashville area. The company served more
than 2,000 families in 2015.
UPDATE
n park lawn corp., Toronto,
Ontario, has entered into an agreement
to acquire the membership interests of
Midwest Memorial Group LLC. Midwest Memorial Group owns 26 cemeteries,
nine of which have crematoriums, and
manages two cemeteries in the state of
Michigan.
We are very excited
about the acquisition of
MMG, said Andrew Clark,
Park Lawn chairman and
CEO. The acquisition
significantly increases our
scale and gives us an operating platform in the United
States, which we believe
Clark
will assist with future expansion efforts in that market. Completion of
the acquisition is expected to occur on or
around February 28.
The properties MMG owns are, in the
Detroit area: Acacia Park Cemetery, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Grand Lawn
Cemetery and Mausoleum, Mount Hope
Memorial Gardens, Oakland Hills Memorial Gardens, Oakview Cemetery, Roseland
Park Cemetery, United Memorial Gardens,
Washtenong Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Woodlawn Cemetery and Woodmere
Cemetery. Also, Cadillac Memorial Gardens in East Detroit and in West Detroit.
In the Jackson area: Eastlawn Memorial
Gardens and Mausoleum, Elm Lawn Cemetery, Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens,
Hillcrest Memorial Park, Midland Memorial Gardens, Oakwood Memorial Mausoleum and Roselawn Memorial Gardens.
In the Grand Rapids area: Floral View
Memorial Gardens, Graceland Memorial
Park and Mausoleum Grand Rapids, Kent
Memorial Gardens and Restlawn Memorial Gardens.
In the Upper Peninsula area: Gardens of
Rest Memorial Park and Mausoleum and
Northland Chapel Gardens.
MMG also manages two cemeteries in
the Jackson area, Chapel Gardens Cemetery and Albion Memory Gardens.
Park Lawn also recently acquired
Basic Funerals, the largest discount
funeral operation in Ontario. Basic
Funerals CEO Eric Vandermeersch and
COO Dave Laemers will continue with the
company, as will all funeral directors and
head office staff.
Basic Funerals performs more than
1,200 funerals per year, mostly in the
greater Toronto area. Park Lawn anticipates adding more than 700 cremations per
year to its crematoriums in Toronto and
Ottawa.
r
J Stuart Todd AD
1/3 Square
4-COLOR
Ensure A Seal AD
1/3 Square
February 2016
53
UPDATE
History museum exhibit features Olivewood Cemetery
he exhibit Honoring Olivewood

brings attention to the oldest AfricanAmerican cemetery in Houston, Texas, and
its restoration efforts through a collection
of photographs. The National Museum of
Funeral History is presenting the exhibit,
featuring a collection of photographs by
Kasey French, until May 29.
The photographs, taken by French in
2011 when she was only 16 years old,
showcase the beauty and reverence of historic Olivewood Cemetery, which predates
the end of slavery.
The exhibit will be accompanied by
a special Honoring Olivewood book
featuring Frenchs photographs. The book
will be available for sale in the museums
gift shop and a portion of the proceeds will
benefit the Descendants of Olivewood, a
nonprofit group organized by volunteers in
2004 to raise funds to restore, preserve and
maintain the historic cemetery and sacred
space after years of neglect.
Olivewood Cemetery, located at
1300 Court Street, in a bend of White
Oak Bayou just northwest of downtown
Houston where the First and Sixth wards
intersect, is Houstons first incorporated
African-American cemetery and is the final
resting place of some of Houstons first
African-American citizens. Currently, the
cemetery receives only the care of a small
group of supporters and is in great need of
additional care and restoration.
In the summer of 2011, French visited
Olivewood Cemetery as part of a Catholic Youth Service camp. In keeping with
the camps theme that year, cherish and
revere life, the youth group visited several
Houston popular volunteer spots, including the historic cemetery and the Houston
Food Bank. So moved by the intense labor
needed to clear overgrown tropical vegetation and trash from Olivewood, French
picked the historic cemetery, which she
calls this holy ground, as her project.
French, who is now 21 years old and a
public relations student at the University of
Texas in Austin, has continued to support
Olivewood Cemetery, keeping in regular
contact with the Descendants of Olivewood.
From decaying headstones and overgrown vegetation to damage from standing water, erosion and crumbling fences,
French hopes her photographs exude a
sense of serenity and peace, while inspiring
and motivating others to help the Descen-
54
ICCFA Magazine
Above and left,

photos by Kasey
French of Olivewood Cemetery,
Houstons first
African-American
cemetery, on
display until May
29 at the National
Museum of
Funeral History.
dants of Olivewood group with its mission

to restore the historic site.
The cemeterys long history began with
slave burials. In 1875, Richard Brock,
Houstons first black alderman, bought the
land as a cemetery for black Methodists
and officially established and incorporated
the cemetery. What started with 444 plots
eventually grew to more than 4,000. The
last known marked burial occurred in the
1960s and a large number of Houstons
prominent African-Americans citizens are
buried there.
In the 1970s, most of the eight acres that
make up the cemetery became overgrown
with vegetation, much of which covered
the headstones, and the banks of White
Oak Bayou were encroaching on the
cemeterys edges.
Olivewood Cemetery came to this
state of abandonment as a result
of the decline in
Houstons economy at the time.
In 2003, after years of neglect, the Descendants of Olivewood began its efforts to
restore, preserve and maintain the cemetery and the Texas Historical Commission granted the cemetery a Texas Historic
Cemetery designation in 2005.
Since then, this group of passionate
volunteers has rescued more than half of
Olivewood Cemetery from the overgrown
brush. They have implemented a fiveyear plan for Olivewood, which includes
restoration and even the possibility of a
museum.
Entrance into the Honoring Olivewood
exhibit at the National Museum of Funeral
History is included in the price of general
r
admission to the museum.
Live Oak Bank AD

FULL PAGE
page 55
4-COLOR
Supply Line
A still from MKJs DVD containing the

television advertisements developed for
the funeral profession.
READERS: To find the products and services you need online, go to www.iccfa.com
and select directory to find:
Supply Link Search
Engine, the fastest way
to find the products and
services you need at your
funeral home, cemetery or
crematory.
SUPPLIERS: Send your press releases
about your new products and services,
and about awards, personnel changes and
other news to sloving@iccfa.com
for inclusion in Supply Line. Large files that
will not go through the ICCFA server can be
sent to slovingiccfa@yahoo.com.
Cremation
memorials
by Omneo
Group.
56
ICCFA Magazine
n mkj marketing, Largo, Florida,

has introduced a new television DVD
presenting all of its available TV advertisements. We are in full production of
custom television advertisements every
four months which allows us to create new
advertisements, said CEO Glenn Gould.
The ads cover cremation; preneed; affordability; local, family ownership; celebrants;
facilities; veterans; and why have a service.
The ads use professional actors, copywriters, directors and production crews. Ads are
licensed by funeral homes on a permanent
and exclusive basis for their market.
According to Gould, as people enjoy
longer life spans, it is increasingly common
for their children to select funeral homes
and make funeral arrangements for both
parents, not just the surviving widow. One
of the factors that differentiate the baby
boomer generation from their parents and
children is that they watch more television
than either generation, which is why MKJ
strongly recommends television-based
advertising campaigns.
Because 85 percent of preneed leads
come from older women, and 70 percent of
married women will someday be widowed,
we consider our target audience to be baby
boomer age and older women, Gould said.
MKJs media strategy reaches this group
by advertising on cable networks with an
audience of this demographic group. Home
& Garden TV, Lifetime, Oxygen, CNN, The
Weather Channel, The Discovery Channel
and Arts & Entertainment have all proven
successful for funeral home advertising.
The DVD and a marketing resource guide
are available by contacting MKJ.
1.888.655.1566; www.mkjmarketing.com
n omneo, Madrid, Spain, and Miami,
Florida, has launched its state-of-the-art
funerary solution supporting cremation
and digital memorialization. It uses technology to connect an Omneo memorial, a
minimalist yet personalized post-cremation
memorial, with that persons Omline.com
profile, where their life is celebrated in a
social network. Omline.com allows for
collaborative digital memorial via videos,
images and stories shared by family and
friends. People can also write or video their
own stories and store them in a private
place until their passing. Omneo Group was
founded in Spain in 2010 by sculptor Bruno
Mezcua Escudero and businessman Iigo
Zurita. info@omneogroup.com;
1.888.208.6717; www.omneogroup.com
n Columbium financial group, Binghamton,

New York, has promoted
Michael Fosbury to president. Fosbury also has been
elected to the the companys
board of directors. He joined
Columbian in 2003 as vice
Fosbury
president, investments, and
chief investment officer. He then became
involved in other parts of the firms operations, including administration, human
resources, marketing and information
technology. He was promoted to senior vice
president, investments, in 2009; to executive
vice president in 2013; and to executive vice
president, chief investment officer and COO
in 2014. He received a bachelors degree in
1980 from the University of Tennessee and
an MBA degree in 1998 from the University
of Louisville. www.cfglife.com
n Cherokee Child
Caskets, Griffin, Georgia,
is celebrating its 75th anniversary by donating $1,000
each month to organizations
fighting to save the lives of
children, company President
Michael Dean Mims has anMims
nounced.
info@cherokeechildcaskets.com;
1.800.535.8667;
www.cherokeechildcaskets.com
n Funeral Directors
Life INsurance Co.,
Abilene, Texas, has added
Steve Vesely as market center
manager for Oklahoma and
Kansas. He has more than
30 years of experience in
management and has worked
Vesely
with national retailers and
organizations. During his career, he also was
ordained as a minister and spent several years
in the ministry. www.funeraldirectorslife.com
n Security national life insurance co., Salt Lake City, Utah, has
promoted Skip Nagel and Andrew Pavela
to regional sales manager position sin the
preneed division. Nagel has more than 25
years of preneed experience. He started with
SNL in the Lubbock, Texas, market and has
worked in the Utah, Idaho and Wyoming
markets. Pavela has worked for SNL for nearly
five years and has worked for more than two
decades in the consulting and sales industry.
1.800.574.7117; www.snlabetterway.com
S U P P LY L I N E
n The tribute companies, Hartland, Wisconsin, has announced
the retirement of founder
and former CEO William
Toson. The retirement was
effective at the end of 2015.
Toson will remain active
on the companys board of
directors while oversight and
guidance of operations will
be assumed by Christine
Hentges, CCE, who will
serve as president and CEO,
and Timothy Hentges,
serving as COO. Christine
Toson Hentges represents
C. Hentges
the fourth generation of the
Toson family to be engaged
in the profession and has
served in various capacities
within Tribute for more than
20 years. Her husband has
been associated with Tribute
for 18 years, focusing his
efforts on the precast and
T. Hentges
design divisions.
Toson
Toson and his wife, Barbara, started

Tribute in March 1973. He has been active
in several local, state and national associations, served as president of the Pre-Arrangement Association for two terms and
currently holds board positions with other
companies and nonprofit associations.
Initially, the firm provided sales and
marketing services to all segments of the
industry. Throughout the years, Toson
acquired several market-leading cemeteries
and a precast manufacturing company, and
started a full-service architectural firm focusing on land planning and facility design
for cemeteries.
SEP AD
1/6 H
Miles Supply AD
1/2 I
4-COLOR
Tribute Precast Systems has become one

of the largest precast companies to supply and service cemeteries throughout the
United States and Canada. The company,
with production facilities in Illinois and
Indiana, manufactures a full line of burial
vaults, mausoleum crypts, columbarium
niches, memorial bases and accessory
products. Tribute Design Systems is a
nationally recognized architectural firm
specializing in mausoleum, columbarium
and cemetery design.
www.tributeinc.com

to page 58
February 2016
57
S U P P LY L I N E
from page 57
Astral CEO Charlie Shaw congratulates

Doug Roberts for being named Sales
Representative of the Year for the second year in a row.
Doric Vice President of Finance and

Treasurer Jim Wiens, center, presents
sales awards to Jim Woods, left, and
Doug Evans.
58
ICCFA Magazine
n Astral INDUSTRIES,
Lynn, Indiana, recently
honored sales representatives at the companys annual national sales meeting.
Doug Roberts, Williamsburg, Kentucky, business
center, was honored as Sales
Klepacz
Representative of the Year
for the second year in a row.
Joe Main, Lynn, Indiana,
business center, received the
Rookie of the Year Award;
and Rick Klepacz, Chicago,
Illinois, business center, received the Most Promotional
Caskets Sold Award.
Main
1.800.278.7252; sales@
astralindustries.com
www.astralindustries.com
n Doric products, Marshall, Illinois, recently honored
sales representatives at the
companys annual national
sales meeting, at which Doric
celebrated its 60 years in business. Top honors went to Doug
Evans and Jim Woods of Carolina-Doric Inc., Florence, South
Carolina, recognized as No. 1
dealer and for the overall greatest number sold. Additional winners of the overall awards: Top
Cremation Product Sales Award,
DG Robertson Inc., South Burlington, Vermont; Daisy Chrisom
Award, Rocky Mountain Monument & Vault, Sandy, Utah; Overall Greatest
Percentage of Increase Award: Division I,
Doric of Western New York Inc., Buffalo;
Division II, DG Robertson Inc.; Division III,
Willmar Precast, Willmar, Minnesota; and
Division IV, Cheboygan Cement Products,
Cheboygan, Michigan.
Bronze Category winners, Greatest
Number Sold: Division I, Superior Vault Co.
LTD, Mississauga, Ontario; Division II, Hardy
Doric Inc., Chelmsford, Massachusetts; and
Division III, Beck Vault, Rome, New York.
Greatest Percentage of Increase (Bronze):
Division I, Crummitt & Son Vault Corp.,
Martins Ferry, Ohio; Division II, Hardy Doric
Inc.; and Division III, Beck Vault.
Winners in the Lydian Category, Greatest
Number Sold: Division I, Doric of Tennessee, Nashville; Division II, American
Vault Co., Cleveland, Ohio; and Division

III, Golden Eagle Vault Services, Rocky
Mount, Virginia; Neher Burial Vault Co.
Inc., Springfield, Ohio; and Simerly Vaults,
Knoxville, Tennessee. Greatest Percentage
of Increase, Lydian: Division I, Crummitt &
Son Vault Corp., Martins Ferry, Ohio; Division II, American Vault Co.
In the Athenian Category, Greatest Number Sold: Division I, Carolina-Doric Inc.,
Florence, South Carolina; Division II, Doric
Vault of Eastern New York, Hudson; Division III, Beck Vault; and Golden Eagle Vault
Co.; and Division IV, J.P. Vincent & Sons
Inc., Galena, Illinois. Greatest Percentage of
Increase, Athenian: Division I, Bruns-Norwalk Vault Co.; Division II, Warga Concrete
Products, Fort Wayne, Indian; and Division
III, Wayne Burial Vault Co. Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana.
Patrician Category: Greatest Number
Sold: Division I, Hairfield Vault Companies
Inc., Newton, North Carolina; Division
II, Rooks Vault & Monument Co., Byron,
Georgia; and Division III, Memphis Vault
Co., Memphis, Tennessee. Greatest Percentage of Increase, Patrician: Division I, Doric
of Tennessee, Nashville; Division II, Watts
Vault & Monument Co., Des Moines, Iowa;
Division III, Beck Vault.
Winners in the Phoenix Category: Greatest
Number Sold: Division I, Doric Concrete
Vaults, Newton, Kansas; Division II, Doric
Vault of Eastern New York; Division III,
Harn Vault Service Inc., Massillion, Ohio;
and Division IV, J.P. Vincent & Sons Inc..
Greatest Percentage of Increase, Phoenix:
Division I, Creter Vault Corp., Flemington,
New Jersey; Division II, Hardy Doric Inc.,
Chelmsford, Massachusetts; and Division
III, Palm Vault Co., Ada, Oklahoma.
1.800.457.0671; www.doric-vaults.com
n Great western, Ogden, Utah,
has promoted two regional managers to
executive positions. Chad Iverson, a 22year veteran with the company, will oversee
product release and quality of business
as executive sales manager for the Western U.S. Tony Nave, a 15-year veteran of
sales for the company, has been appointed
executive sales manager for the Eastern
U.S. and will oversee sales operations with
agencies and funeral homes.
866.689.1415; www.gwic.com
n FuneralTech, Kingston, Ontario,
is offering Cuddle Stones memorial keepsakes by Eturnal Memorials, KingsLike the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff
Worsham AD
FULL PAGE
page 59
4-COLOR
S U P P LY L I N E
is currently available in Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi,
Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia,
with plans to add more states by the end of
the year.
1.800.763.0234; www.clearpointfederal.com
1.800.477.3633; www.homesteaderslife.com
Five of the seven colors available for

Cuddle Stones.
Memories by Designs tributes are now

available to families on USB drives.
ton, Ontario. The European hand-made

ceramics are available in seven colors. The
patented lacquer finish ensures the integrity
of the colors will never change. They can
hold a small portion of cremated remains or
a locket of hair and are shaped to fit into a
persons hand.
1.800.480.6467; www.funeraltech.com
www.eturnalmemorials.com
n memories by design, Santa

Barbara, California, has introduced USB
drives as an option for their Memory
Keepsake tribute videos. The USB drive
makes it easier and faster for families and
funeral homes to access, share and play
the tribute videos. Memories By Design
will provide funeral homes with a branded
USB drive containing their name or logo.
The USB drive will then be packaged in
a convenient protective case similar in
size to a DVD case. This delivery method
allows funeral homes to simply drag the
file to the USB drive for a quick transfer,
eliminating the time needed to burn a
DVD. 1.800.223.3050;
bruce.felt@memoriesbydesign.com;
www.memoriesbydesign.com
n ASD, Media, Pennsylvania, has promoted Will

Chicola to technical support
analyst. Chicola joined the
company in 2008 and has
worked as a call specialist, training specialist and
supervisor. In his new role,
Chicola
his responsibilities will include providing technology support to ASD
clients, assisting other ASD departments in
specialized tasks and troubleshooting specific technical issues to find a quick resolution. Kevin@myasd.com; 1.800.868.9950;
www.myasd.com
n Unity Funding Co., Cincinnati,
Ohio, is expanding its business by advancing proceeds on policies underwritten by
any licensed life company in most states.
The company formerly focused on serving
firms with a pre-existing relationship with
its sister company, Unity Financial Life
Insurance Co.
Also, Unity Financial Life Insurance
Co. donated money to needy families
during the holiday season. The home office
staff collected money through a program
called Blue Jean Charity and then used the
funds to buy gifts for families. Employees
were allowed to wear jeans to work if they
donate a dollar to the holiday fund.
www.unityfundingco.com; ww.uflife.com
60
ICCFA Magazine
n Frontrunner,
Kingston, Ontario, has
added software developer
Badrdine Sabhi to its inhouse programming team.
Sabhi has a bachelors degree
in computer science and a
masters degree in software
Sabhi
engineering.
1.866.748.3625; www.FrontRunner360.com
n Homesteaders, Des Moines,
Iowa, has partnered with clearpoint
federal bank & trust, Batesville,
Indiana, as sole trustee for Homesteaders Assurance Trust products. The
Homesteaders Assurance Trust offers the
combined benefits of insurance and trust
funding options such as higher growth
and a limited investment risk. The new
partnership expands Homesteaders trust
offerings, including improvements to
current products as well as the possibility
of offering the Assurance Trust in more
states. The Homesteaders Assurance Trust
n Heppell Media
Corp., Victoria, British
Columbia, is offering a
membership-only website, Funeral Gurus. The
website is being developed
by funeral futurist Robin
Heppell; Todd W. Van Beck,
Heppell
CFuE; and John McQueen
of Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home, St. Petersburg,
Florida. The website offers
training and other resources,
including sample funeral and
cremation packages, lunch &
learn PowerPoint presentations and scripts; job descripVan Beck
tion templates; competition
tracker and price point
analyzer Excel spreadsheets,
Google AdWords sample
ads and keyword lists, client
family surveys and cremation
forms. Information about
joining is available at
www.FuneralGurus.com.
McQueen
1.800.810.3595;
www.funeralfuturist.com
n Trigard, Danville, Illinois, recently
opened its doors to local residents, giving
them a tour of its manufacturing facility.
The tour included an explanation of how
their facilities are operated, what technology
is used to create their products and information on immediate job openings. Trigard
gave participants a behind-the-scenes
education on how a burial vault is made.
Visitors saw everything from extruding the
polymer sheets to thermoforming the liners
to filling them with concrete.
This rare exposure gave Trigard the
opportunity to reach families in a different
way, said company COO Rich Darby. As
a manufacturer, we dont usually reach out
to families directly. This community event
allowed us to show participants first-hand
how a burial vault is created and explain
how important they are to keeping their
loved one safe after burial.
1.800.637.1992; www.trigard.com
r
E-mail calendar listings and additions

or corrections to Association Pipeline
to bclough@iccfa.com and
sloving@iccfa.com.
For continually updated meeting listings

and direct links to websites for professional
associations, go to www.iccfa.com; select
Find a Member, then Industry Associations.
Calendar
To see all industry conventions and

meetings for a particular month, go to
www.iccfa.com; select Find a Member,
then Industry Calendar.
February 19-11: West Virginia Funeral

Directors Assn. Mid-Winter Advocacy
Summit, Charleston. www.wvfda.org
February 12-14: Maryland State Funeral
Directors Assn. Mid-Winter Retreat, Clarion
Resort & Conf. Center, Ocean City.
www.msfda.net
February 13-20: FrontRunner & American
Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral
Service 7th Annual Funeral Business &
Technology Workshop Cruise, departing
from Miami, Florida. 1.866.748.3625;
www.FrontRunner360.com/cruise
February 24-25: International Conference
of Funeral Service Examining Boards
Annual Mtg., Hyatt Regency Newport
Beach, California. 479.442.7076;
www.theconferenceonline.org
February 26-28: Monument Builders
of North America Annual Convention,
Atlanta, Georgia.
www.monumentbuilders.org
February 29-March 2: MKJ Marketing
seminar, Top-Line Growth, The Westin
Riverfront Resort & Spa, Beaver Creek,
Go to www.iccfa.com and choose Find a Member/Industry Calendar to see a
Colorado. 1.888.MKJ.1566
monthly calendar of industry association meetings worldwide.
March 2-3: Illinois Cemetery & Funeral
Nevada. www.ccwecare.org
April 13-16: Assn. for Death Education
Home Assn. 88th Semi-Annual Spring
& Counseling 38th Annual Conf., Hilton
May 8-11: Tri-State and Kansas Funeral
Convention, Holiday Inn & Suites,
Minneapolis, Minnesota. www.adec.org
Directors Assn. convention. www.ksfda.org
Bloomington. ICFHA@hotmail.com
April 18-22: Catholic Cemeteries of the

to page 62
March 3-5: Casket & Funeral Supply Assn.
West Annual Convention, Harrahs Reno,
of America Winter Seminar, Ft. Myers,
Florida. www.cfsaa.org
March 11-13: (British) Society of Allied
& Independent Funeral Directors Annual
General Mtg., Glamorgan, UK.
www.saif.org.uk
theres an
March 17-19: California Assn. of
Public Cemeteries Annual Convention,
Embassy Suites, Monterey Resorts.
publiccemeteries@aol.com
Powered by Multiview, ICCFA Supply Link is a
March 21-23: MKJ Marketing seminar,
Top-Line Growth, Ritz-Carlton Resort,
superior tool for our unique community that
Amelia Island, Florida. 1.888.MKJ.1566
streamlines your efforts to find products and services.
March 23: Washington Cemetery,
Cremation & Funeral Assn. Spring College,
Start your search at
Lindwood. www.wccfa.us
March 30-31: Utah Funeral Directors Assn.
Annual Convention, ErgerySolutons Arena,
Salt Lake City. www.ufda.org
April 1-3: TANEXPO, Bologna, Italy.
info@tanexpo.com
April 13-16: ICCFA Annual Convention &
Expo, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
& Hilton New Orleans Riverside, New
Orleans, Louisiana. www.iccfa.com
easier way
www.iccfasupplylink.com
February 2016
61
a d in d e x
27 Abbott & Hast
45 A.C. Furniture Co.
5 Affordable Funerals Networks.com
41 American Cemetery/Mortuary
Consultants
23 ASDAnswering Service for
Directors
13 Carriage Services Inc.
39 Continental Computer Corp.
4 Custom Air Trays
33 Eickhof Columbaria Inc.
53 Ensure-A-Seal
23 Flowers for Cemeteries
41 Funeral Call Answering Service
25 Funeral Data Manager
2 Great Western Insurance Co.

51 Grever & Ward
15 Holland Supply
35 Holland Supply
46 IMSA
53 J. Stuart Todd Inc.
3 Johnson Consulting
29 Johnson Consulting
27 Kryprotek
55 Live Oak Bank
64 LP Bronze International
51 Madelyn Co.
7 Merendino Cemetery Care
57 Miles Supply Inc.
27 Nomis Publications
43 NorthStar Memorial Group

37 Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell &
Hippel
19 Paradise Pictures
4 Passages International
37 Passages International
21 Perfect Memorials
57 SEP Technologies
61 Supply Link
63 The Foresight Companies LLC
9 U.S. Metalcraft
23 WithumSmith + Brown
59 Worsham College
37 Xiamen Ever-Rising Stone Co.
23 Zontec Ozone
C A L E N DA R
from page 61
May 17: Ohio Funeral Directors Assn.
Annual Convention. www.ofdaonline.org
May 22-25: North Carolina Funeral
Directors Assn. Annual Convention,
Raleigh. www.ncfda.org
June 12-14: Southern Cemetery,
Classifieds
September 14-15: Illinois Cemetery &

Funeral Home Assn. 88th Annual Fall
Convention, Harrahs Joliet Hotel & Casino,
Joliet. ICFHA@hotmail.com
October 5-7: ICCFA Fall Management
Conference, Kiawah Island Golf Resort,
Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
www.iccfa.com
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Cremation & Funeral Assn. Annual

Convention, with Georgia, North Carolina
and South Carolina cemetery assns.,
Francis Marion Hotel, Charleston, South
Carolina. www.sccfa.info
July 22-27: ICCFA University, Fogelman
Executive Center, University of Memphis,
Memphis, Tennessee. www.iccfa.com
Check the classified announcements at www.iccfa.com/employment.htm

To place a classified, contact Rick Platter, rplatter@iccfa.com
Cemetery & preneed

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We will lend your company

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fax your request to 508.428.0607,
or contact us through our website
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To advertise in ICCFA Magazine,

contact Rick Platter, rplatter@iccfa.com.
62
ICCFA Magazine
The Foresight AD
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page 63 (C3)
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ICCFA Magazine February 2016

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Rivera Family Funeral Homes

ICCFA Annual Convention & Expo

April 13-16, New Orleans, Louisiana

interview by ICCFA Magazine

Rivera Family Funeral Homes combo operation

owner and president

Rivera Family Funerals & Cremations

was founded by Tim Riveras father, Amos

Riveras Kiva Chapel of Light

t took Tim Rivera eight years to build a

and country clubs that threaten to take away

Architect: Kiva Chapel of Light designed

The Flower of Life skylight seen from

by architect Jon Dick

of Life, a symbol that predates Christ. The

I do understand why people are moving toward more utilitarian spaces,

Light, is a multi-purpose building, it doesnt

whole. We have a garden cemetery and

but not at the Santa Fe location.

Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff

Landscaping dos & donts you can apply to cremation

by Poul Lemasters, Esq.

Riveras Kiva Chapel of Light invites pause and reflection

Cemetery Impossible: Cemeteries have long relied on advance sales,

The keys to service: Being an active funeral director

Jim Darby to receive 2016 award

48 Something for every professional

Get behind-the-scenes looks at a local

50 Wide World of Sales

2016 Fall Management

50 ICCFAU Go back to school in July

at the 2016 ICCFA University

Subscribe to ICCFA Magazine

r One-year subscription (10 issues) for just $39.95*

Cremation Coaching Center

Links to news and feature stories from all over

r Two-year subscription for just $69.95*

Name as it appears on card

Security ID (3-digit # on back of card or 4-digit # on front of AmEx)

Cemeteries Crematories Funeral homes Suppliers Pet loss professionals

Submit your news to ICCFA Magazine

Like the ICCFA on Facebook & friend ICCFA Staff

Cemeteries and funeral establishments are special places, indeed,

The same ... yet so different

and CEO of Forest Lawn

n To apply for ICCFA

The ICCFA 2016 Convention & Expo, April 13-16, in

emeteries and funeral establishments

Compare the characteristics of Spring Groves

More from this author,

New for 2016: IRS mileage rates

he Internal Revenue Service has published

or some time now, the ICCFA has been

Susan Loving, managing editor

Each year the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Legacy has no affiliation with the ICCFA and the

Darin B. Drabing, president

VA adjusts cash allowance for grave liners

Important notice to ICCFA members

Michael Uselton, CCFE, president-elect

Accelerated Cost Recovery System or after

Robert Treadway, director of

at Sterling, VA, and other offices. Copyright

Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com

Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com

Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com

Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com

Start every day at the ICCFA Caf at www.iccfa.com