The Associated Press has a piece about how the aging baby boomer generation will affect the funeral industry. Experts say the average funeral home could see over a 30 percent increase in their call volume over the next two to three decades, until the death rate settles again in about 2040. Though dipping slightly over Read More
The Day Job
Bereavement Fares
On the Road with Bill McGee has a very informative piece about bereavement fares in the airline industry. Just how compassionate are most carriers? Delta, Northwest, Southwest, and US Airways do not offer bereavement/compassion airfare reductions. In fact, McGee points out that today, given the deeply discounted fares you can find online, A much better Read More
Questionable Charges at Missouri Cemetery
In September, 2007, Jeff Palmore, owner of Bell Funeral Home in St Louis, arranged a burial at Pacific City Cemetery. To save the family the $525 fee the cemetery sexton was charging, he offered to dig the grave himself. Sexton Alan Bruns refused, saying there was a city ordinance that only allowed sextons to dig Read More
Crematorium Planned in Missouri
Waynesville, MO, southwest of St Louis, may be getting a crematorium. Waynesville Memorial Chapel plans to install a crematory if City Council affirms the zoning recommendation Thursday evening. The city Planning and Zoning Commission approved the application Tuesday evening. Affected residents had several questions about the facility and how it might affect property values, but Read More
Death and the Economy
The funeral industry isn’t being overly affected by the current US economic issues. Forbes reports that given the aging baby boomer population, the industry is actually looking at a slight upswing. “People don’t borrow from the 401k to buy groceries or gas. This is a major life event, like a wedding, so people are willing Read More