January 2022

Page B4 JANUARY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on B 4hearse.com (800) 4-HEARSE 2008 Superior Cadillac Statesman Hearse 2013 Eagle Chrysler T&C Funeral Van 2010 Eagle Cadillac Ultimate Hearse 2005 S&S Cadillac Medalist Hearse Lease a new Platinum Cadillac XT5 Hearse & get a FREE Funeral Caddy Memorial Carrier Buy a complete Funeral Van or Convert your own Vehicle Be Cool, Man Chill Out www.ocularmelanoma.org Please Help us Support the Research and Treatment of Ocular Melanoma www.ampli.com 1-800-267-5486 In Memory of Nancy Roth, wife of Don Roth, CEO of AmpliVox. Nancy recently lost her battle with ocular melanoma. Please help fight this disease with a generous contribution to: www.etrf.org Thank You for your support. RICHMOND,IN— Starmark is proud to announce that its Artisan Vista cremation container product line has been certified by the Green Burial Council. Starmark joins a number of other funeral and cemetery profes- sionals who share a commitment to creating more sus- tainable after-death options for families, their commu- nities, and the planet. “It is encouraging when those in the funeral profession step up and take initiative regarding environmental is- sues,” commented Gretchen Spletzer, administrative co- ordinator at the Green Burial Council. “I commend Star- mark Funeral Products for creating sustainable funeral products for families like the Vista corru- gated container.” The Green Buri- al Council is a na- tionally recognized, non-profit organiza- tion working to en- courage sustainability in the funeral service profession. The coun- cil offers certification programs for buri- al grounds, funeral homes, and funeral products. Certification is awarded to funeral provid- ers that demonstrate compliance with the established Green Burial Council standards, designed to create sus- Green Burial Council Certifies Artisan Vista Product Line Starmark’s Artisan Vista series provides funeral homes and their families with container choices that are affordable, offer high eye appeal, available in nine designs and now have been certified by the Green Burial Council. tainable practices in the funeral industry and to preserve and steward land through burial. “We are proud and humbled to have received the Green Burial Council certification for our Artisan Vista Series,” commented Justin Davis, Starmark’s director of market- ing and R&D. “We recognize that some of our prod- ucts originally designed for cremation are also chosen for burial and are suitable in green burial situations. We plan to introduce other Starmark products in the near future that will further reduce our impact on the environment.” The Artisan Vista series, introduced in late 2020, pro- vides funeral homes and their families with container choices that are very affordable and gener- ate an increase in body present events. These containers offer high eye appeal, are envi- ronmentally respon- sible, and are strong, yet lightweight. For funeral professionals, these products bring about new services above “no viewing” funerals such as pri- vate family services, simple farewells, as well as identification verifications. The Artisan Vista series offers: Themed prints - Patri- ot, Seashore, Mountain, Meadow, Fairway, Driftwood, Beechwood, Golden Oak & Rustic; ELDERLITE® Cor- rugated Fiberboard Construction; Inside dimensions of 25” wide by 78” long; Leak-resistant liner; No metal so it both decomposes and cremates efficiently; and Ships pre-assembled – no assembly required. Starmark’s Artisan Series Cremation Containers are cur- rently available through nationwide Starmark Distribu- tors or may be ordered directly from the Starmark fac- tory. To learn more about Starmark and the new Artisan Series Cremation Container Line, visit www.starmarkcp. com or contact Starmark at 888-366-7335. Starmark Cremation and Funeral Products began in 2004 and today leads in all of its market segments oc- cupying more than 220,000 square feet of space in its Richmond, IN and Lakeland, FL locations combined. Starmark manufactures products such as premium wood and metal ceremonial rental caskets, corrugated fiberboard inserts, Artisan alternative cremation con- tainers, and urns (Starmark is the largest maker of cre- mation urns in North America). Starmark Cremation Products are sold directly to funeral homes and crema- tories nationwide and through authorized casket distri- bution companies continent-wide. The Green Burial Council was established to encour- age green burial initiatives by creating standards and education around the subject. Today the non-profit is composed of two groups. One section focuses on the cer- tification guidelines and overseeing the third-party evalu- ators. The second part of the organization creates green educational and outreach opportunities. For more infor- mation, visit www.greenburialcouncil.org. Continued from Page B1 Harry fought a long battle with Par- kinson’s Disease and passed away on November 10, 1979. Craig took over his father’s role within the compa- ny, and his mother, Marjorie, did the books. She developed cancer in the 80s, and on November 10, 1988, she passed away. Craig took over the com- pany completely and continued devel- oping it, as his father had. Craig worked on improving and in- novating the products and brand. He created an improved head block and body rest, which was manufactured and sold nationwide. Along with a salesman, Craig also created a unique embalming machine called Anubis, named after the Egyptian god of em- balming. He took it to conventions and while he sold some of them, it nev- er really caught on. Craig decided that manufacturing was not the area made for him and returned solely to supply. “We sell everything for the mortu- ary and chapel,” says Craig. “I’ve sold everything… garments, sundries, prep room supplies,” he lists many of the items available through Bowers Mortuary Supply. Now, says Craig, the time for retire- ment has come. As of November 11, 2021, he has passed the reins of the business to his son, Charles R. Bowers. “My daughter didn’t want to take over the business, and my son, Charles, already worked at a video company that makes sports cameras. I was thinking of closing the doors,” says Craig. But Charles showed im- mediate interest in the company and wanted to take it over and continue the Bowers Mortuary Supply name. “He’s a dynamic kid that can do two things at once,” says Craig. Charles doesn’t plan on quitting his current job, but just plans on working hard and remaining dedicated, like both his father and grandfather were. “He’s al- ready set up his home office,” Craig adds. “He knows what I did and has seen what I did. But he’ll do it his own way. He won’t do it dad’s way. He’ll take it to the next level.” Craig’s last day fell on the anniver- sary of h is parents’ passing, Novem- ber 10th. Charles’ official start day was on November 11, 2021. He is committed to carrying on the legacy of Bowers Mortuary Supply. “All clients and customers can ex- pect business as usual,” says Charles. “There aren’t going to be any major changes.” He plans on creating a web- site and getting the company where it needs to be, technologically speaking. “I’m going to grow it up from where it is now and make sure that custom- ers are happy,” he says, adding, “Dad will be there to help if needed.” “I’m super happy that my son is will- ing to take over the business and go with it beyond the third generation,” says Craig. “That shows staying power. We’ve made our mark. The company’s been around for 68 years. There’s got- ta be something said for that.” Charles has two sons, and Craig points out, there could be a new chapter someday! To learn more about the full line of products available call 530-802- 3835. Bowers Mortuary Supply