December 2020

Page A6 DECEMBER 2020 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A By Christopher Kuhnen There’s More To It... Advance Funeral Planning Following a long and pronounced career in funeral service I have now come to a time when an exciting transition is in order. I am officially announcing my retirement from full-time funeral service. This will be my final column in the cherished and death care in- dustry-renowned Funeral Home and Cemetery News . I wish to sincerely thank Peggy Rouzzo , and all those associated with Nomis Publications , for af- fording me this national platform from which to share my thoughts and insights into the world of funeral pre-planning and other things. I first entered the world of funeral service on a bright and sunny day in December 1986. I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was so full of excitement, op- timism, and joy for the new profession I was about to embark upon. I admit I knew precious little about funeral service or funeral pre-planning as I began my journey. I learned on the job, day in and day out at a family owned and operated funeral home. I was taught by some of the best, brightest and most dedicated Funeral Direc- tors and Pre-Planning Professionals in the business, and doing the things all new funeral apprentices do. I performed undertakings like 2:00am removals, lawn mowing, cleaning windows, setting up chairs, vacu- uming floors, sitting in on funeral arrangements, and standing at the front door greeting guests during visi- tations and funeral services. The list goes on and on. I worked late nights in the blustery snow and cold and did multiple 21+ day stretches with no days off. It was all a part of refining your craft and learning what it tru- ly meant to be a professional and caring “Funeral Di- rector”. I would not trade those days for anything! Fred Rogers, who was the creator and host of the television series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood once said, “Often when you are at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.”This state- ment rings true for me. In my retirement I plan to contin- ue to help people (on a part-time basis) prearrange their final wishes ahead of time for several family owned fu- neral homes in my area. I am heading back to my roots. When not doing this, I will be volunteering my time at my church and a local stray animal adoption center that pro- vides a loving home for lost dogs and cats. All these things will keep me quite busy and make a positive difference in people’s and animal’s lives. For those who are just beginning your career in funeral pre-planning, I applaud you. You could not have chosen a better profession from which to help mankind. There are literally millions of Americans waiting for the invaluable services you offer. The public yearns to become better edu- cated about all their choices regarding final remembrance, merchandise, and final disposition options. People genuinely want to be abundantly prepared for what will be the worst day of their life. Keep reaching out to talk with them; educate them and ultimately serve them. It will prove to be one of the most rewarding things you do with your life. There is no feeling in the world like a family telling you, upon the death of their loved one that you prearranged, “Thank you so much for all you did. You made things so much easier and simpler for us. There is no way we can ad- equately repay you.” No repayment is necessary. It is what you do. It is your vocation. It is your calling in life. Their thanks are payment enough. Thank you tomymany readers who have faithfully written, called, texted, and e-mailed me over the years. You shared your questions, opinions, insights, and ideas for everyone to benefit from. More than one column was researched and written from a question asked by one of my readers. I hope that the information I have shared has proven valuable to you and helped you become better in your career. Thank you for all you do! May God continue to richly bless American funeral service. The finest in the world! Christopher Kuhnen of Edgewood, Kentucky has been actively engaged in funeral service for over 34 years. As an insider into excellence, he is a trustworthy advisor to many funeral home and industry professionals. Kuhnen provides regular comprehensive consultation and support and ad- ditionally 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 professional career, he has presented numer- ous continuing educational seminars and workshops (on sales, market- ing, pre-need, public relations, etc.) to a variety of national, state, and regional funeral associations. He is on the forefront of the industry and enjoys sharing his knowledge with others. 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 distin - guished Insight Institute. He can be reached at cpkuhnen@gmail.com. FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS www.nomispublications.com Monthly Columns online at I Cherish Our Time Together! The Hallmark of Life & Death www.thebenevolenceurn.com $97 .95 plus tax 919 -638-9177 Hal V. Miles, Sr. Inventor Dual Pillow Sleeves Two fluid-resistant pillow sleeves provide storage for sheets, plastic or other items. 1-800-645-8966 www.kanga- woo.com Dual Inside Pockets Two inside pockets for used gloves or any other small personal items. Christopher Kuhnen retires from Unity Financial Life FinalResponders.org launched to Provide Resources In August of 1998 Chris Kuhnen submitted his first article to our publication, then known as the YB News . The submission and Chris’ knowledge of Pre Need lead to us inviting him to become a monthly columnist. In January 1999 A Proactive Approach to Pre Need was the beginning of what was to transition to There’s More To It…Advance Funeral Planning . Through the years many changes have taken place. A name change to our publication, now the Funeral Home & Cemetery News . Chris’ column migrating to include advice on new technologies. Through it all, Chris has educated our readers on how to best implement a pr- eneed program and how to be your best self to be suc- cessful in helping families advance plan. He has wel- comed guest columnists – he has watched the funeral profession change and has kept readers current. Being located only a few hundred miles from our offices, Chris would stop in on occasion. We will certainly miss that. We will also miss his month- ly submissions that helped to educate not only our readers, but also myself and staff. Thank you, Chris, for sharing your knowledge for over 20 years. Good luck in your retirement. If the new social distancing allows for travel and you find yourself “up north” be sure to stop by! From the Editor… CINCINNATI,OH— Following a long and prominent career in funeral service, Christopher Kuhnen, vice president of marketing with Unity Financial Life Insur- ance Company, (UFL) is retiring. Chris has managed the company’s marketing and sales programs, and worked closely with the executive leadership team, for eight years. “Chris is an undisputable leader in the funeral pre-plan- ning industry with his drive and passion for innovation, education and excellence. With his tactical direction and leadership UFL’s business quality has grown noticeably to serve a myriad of independent agencies, funeral homes, and agents. He has also provided wonderful assistance to our leadership team and field sales force. We are grateful for his service to UFL and for his many career accom- plishments. We wish Chris all the best in his retirement,” said Jay C. Hardy, UFL CEO and president. Unity Financial Life continues to be one of the fastest growing national pre-need insurance and irrevocable funer- al trust companies in America. Founded in 1964, Unity Fi- nancial Life is licensed in 48 jurisdictions, including the Dis- trict of Columbia. The company can be reached on their website at www.uflife.com or by calling 877-523-3231. STERLING,VA— The In- ternational Cemetery, Cre- matory & Funeral Associ- ation has announced a new website at FinalResponders. org. Presented by the ICCFA Educational Foundation, the site sends an emphatic “Thank You!” to our Final Responders. In addition to the touching Public Service Announcement thanking Final Responders, the Grief Resources page contains a list of organizations offering national directories of be- reavement service providers, resources, and more. From the PSA Video Available at FinalResponders.org Scan QR for our website 1-888-792-9315 • mymortuarycooler.com Mortuary Coolers starting at $4,299