June 2019

JUNE 2019 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A Page A6 Triple H Company P.O. Box 5790 Ventura, CA 93005-0790 (805) 650-6944 (800) 252-3444 Fax (805) 650-6444 www.triplehcompany.com Oversized 9” x 13” x 14.5” Original 9” x 9” x 14.5” Peace White Antique Gold Gray Granite Triple H Company Cemetery, Crematory and Mausoleum Supply Since 1950 • Solid Jewelers Bronze • Gold, Oxidized and Nickel Finishes Empire Design Princess Design Resists UV Discoloration MAUSOLEUM VASES • MADE IN THE USA Plastic Mausoleum Vases and Holders ULTRA Flip-Top Plastic Urn SHEET BRONZE URNS 5 Sizes – Dozens of Styles INFANT & CHILD PLASTIC URNS 32, 78 &125 Cubic In. White ‘utility urns’ ® Original Hi-Impact Plastic IN SIZES AND CONFIGURATIONS TO ALL NEEDS Cremation Identification Discs Vase Lifters for All Manufacturers Vases Cremation Rollers Floral Lawn Vases Dozens of Options Green Velour Lined • Tongue and Groove Connection Excellent for Committal Services ® Vases USA Manufacturer Triple H Company Exclusive Originals Urns and Vases ® ‘utility urns’ ® Original Hi-Impact Plastic ® ® Plastic Mausoleum Vases Solid Gray Granite texture inside and out for Consistent Appearance feature the exclusive Green and Gold Triple H Company Logo Authentic ® By Christopher Kuhnen There’s More To It... Advance Funeral Planning are capable of performing. And oh, did I mention that 65% of enrollment in mortuary schools is female? Yes, they are capable of lifting. Am I sensing a little bit of intimidation by veteran licensees? Graduates are eager to work and expect long hours, weekends on-call, and sacrifice of holiday time with family. We should make a better effort to recognize them for what they are capable of doing. So, what do you expect from graduates? Just as important, what do graduates expect from you? So…what do Mortuary Science graduates expect? Special Guest Columnist: Dr. Joseph A. Marsaglia, CFSP Dean, COO, Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science I have known Dr. Joseph Marsaglia, CFSP for many, many years. He is a regular contributor to my column. His insights this month are especially interesting. Please contact Joe with your thoughts or comments at jmarsaglia@pims.edu. Mortuary science education has never been more in- tense. Most of us veteran licensees thought we had it rough in school – try doing it today. Mortuary educa- tion programs are committed to providing the finest and most comprehensive educational experience possi- ble. Matter of fact – they are required to by the Ameri- can Board of Funeral Service Education which is the ac- creditation agency for college and university programs in Funeral Service and Mortuary Science Education. As Dean, Chief Operating Officer, and instructor, I have been involved in mortuary science education long enough to share with you some consistent data. Unfor- tunately, there are many graduates who are dissatisfied with their internships/apprenticeships. No, it has noth- ing to do with the pay or hours. So, what do gradu- ates expect in their internships? The answer is that they want to be recognized; treated as mature, educated pro- fessionals who have a voice in the business. They want to have a say and to express their knowledge and talents. Interns/apprentices are well trained and educated when graduating mortuary school. They have so much to offer and they want to share it. They are up to date with the most recent changes and goings-on in the fu- neral profession. Remarkably, some are still told by their preceptors; “Forget everything you learned in school kid - this is the way it is done here.” Basically, preceptors/ masters are not allowing interns to express what they www.nomispublications.com Funeral Home & Cemetery News Contributors share insights and exchange ideas. Blogs Christopher Kuhnen has been actively engaged in funeral service for over 32 years. He is best known as an industry go-getter, a cap- tivating professional and progressive leader. As an insider into excel- lence, he is a trusty advisor to numerous funeral home and industry professionals. Kuhnen provides regular comprehensive consultation and support and additionally trains and bolsters leading death care professionals concerning profitability, management, pre-need sales and marketing, family service follow-up, and much more. Over the course of his celebrated career, he has directly con- tributed to the success of many award-winning funeral homes, pre-need sales and marketing organizations, as well as an ac- claimed pre-need insurance company. Kuhnen is a Kentucky Licensed Funeral Director, Life Insurance Agent, and member in good standing with the Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky. Additionally, he is a Certified Marketing Specialist, as bestowed by the National Marketing Academy and a Certified Funeral Celebrant as bestowed by the distinguished Insight Institute. Chris can be reached at (859) 307-7223 or cpkuhnen@gmail.com. New Sustainable Death Care Option Legalized in Washington State Katrina Spade Artist vision of future Recompose Facility with Vessels. Photo Credit: MOLT Studios SEATTLE,WA— Recompose, a public benefit corporation based in Seattle, is pleased to announce that natural or- ganic reduction – the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains into soil - has been legalized for the dis- position of human remains in Washington state. The Re- composition Science Project, a research study at Washing- ton State University which the company co-sponsored in 2018, previously found that natural organic reduction is an effective and safe alternative to burial and cremation. Natural organic reduction with the Recompose System of- fers an additional choice for after-death care that is natural and sustainable. With significant savings in carbon emissions and land usage, it addresses increasing demand for green al- ternatives. Recomposition uses 1/8 the energy of cremation, and saves over a metric ton of carbon dioxide per person; and if every Washington resident chose recomposition as their after-death preference, we would save over a 1/2 million metric tons of car- bon dioxide in just 10 years. That’s the equivalent of the energy required to power 54,000 homes for a year. The bill enjoyed broad bi- partisan support, passing in the Senate 36-11 and in the House 80-16. Senator Ja- mie Pedersen (D-43) spon- sored the bill. “What I think is remarkable is that this uni- versal, human experience of death remains almost untouched by technology,” Pedersen said. “In fact, the only two methods for disposition of human remains that are authorized in our statutes have been with us for thousands of years: burying a body or burning a body.” More than half of Americans, and 76 percent of Wash- ington State residents, are cremated. But cremation is an energy-intensive process that releases greenhouse gases and particulates, emitting more than 600 million pounds of carbon dioxide annually in the United States. Natural organic reduction has been calculated to save 1.4 metric tons of carbon per person who chooses it, making it a potential game-changer for one’s end-of-life footprint. During his address to the Senate Floor in Feb- ruary, Senator Pedersen said that he would “make the claim that this bill will change the world.” Recompose has built a broad community of supporters, and many Washington State residents took part in grass- roots actions to help pass the bill. Katrina Spade, found- er and CEO of Recompose, said that she was thrilled about the feedback from the community: “I heard from one person in her 90’s who called her senators and told them to please hurry on up and vote yes.” Spade envisions a future where every human death helps create healthy soil and heal the planet. “We asked ourselves how we could use nature, which has totally perfected the life/ death cycle, as a model for human death care. Why shouldn’t our deaths give back to the earth and reconnect us with the natural cycles? At the same time, we’re aiming to provide rit- ual, to help people have a more direct and conscious experi- ence around this really important event. As hard as it can be, the end of one’s life is a profound moment, for ourselves and for the friends and families we leave behind.” Recompose has developed a patent-pending system that completes natural organic reduction in approximately one month. Now that the bill has passed in Washington State, the Department of Licensing is creating the regula- tory structure for this new disposition option. At the same time, Recompose is actively working to lease property for Recompose|SEATTLE, the first facility in the world where the service will be offered to the public. Recompose will be releasing additional development details in the near future. Recompose is a public benefit corporation that offers an alternative choice to cremation and conventional burial, with a process called “natural organic reduction.” This pro- cess transforms human remains into soil, so that we can nourish new life after we die. Learn more about Recom- pose by visiting www.recompose.life/faq. S E N D U S Y O U R N E W S ! PO Box 5159, Youngstown, OH 44514 1-800-321-7479 info@nomispublications.com