Article courtesy of eCondolence.com When someone loses a loved one, those close to them – family, friends, colleagues – want to support them as best they can. Yet it can be challenging to know what to do – or say – in this situation. This is especially true when the…
Read MoreBy Thomas A. Parmalee The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association’s Fall Leadership Conference ended a few weeks ago, but attendees are still riding a wave of excitement. The Oct. 24-26 conference was held at the Lowes Ventana Canyon in Tuscon, Arizona, and was spearheaded by the ICCFA in conjunction…
Read MoreBy Thomas A. Parmalee Sometimes, fate, luck, happenstance – or whatever you want to call it – puts you in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. Whether it’s meeting your future spouse in line at a coffee shop, helping someone jump a car battery so they can…
Read MoreBy Thomas A. Parmalee It’s been less than six months since Christie Ward was named executive director of the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice, and she’s been keeping herself busy. Ward (pictured at top), who has worked in nonprofit leadership and association management for more than 25 years as…
Read MoreBy Thomas A. Parmalee Eric Trimble and John Kepner were officially installed as the president and board chair at Selected Independent Funeral Homes’ Annual Meeting, Oct. 10-13, in Chicago. There, they had the chance to network with hundreds of their peers throughout the United States and Canada, connect with suppliers…
Read MoreArticle courtesy of eCondolence.com Grief is complex and evokes a host of emotions. When someone dies by suicide, the bereaved often experience added layers of guilt and shame. This may make it more difficult for them to discuss the death, or for their friends to provide the right kind of…
Read MoreBob Page, a former executive at StoneMor Partners and Foundation Partners Group, has made a big move, joining Rollings Funeral Service as chief operating officer. The positions is a newly created one -- one that will leverage Page's considerable talents and his diverse skill set. Page will oversee all operations of…
Read MoreBy Thomas A. Parmalee Mike Squires, the founder and editor-in-chief of Southern Calls, remembers the first time that death touched his life. He was 10 years old when his dog, Heidi, was hit by a car and killed in 1958. “My mom didn’t have the heart to send me to…
Read MoreBy Thomas A. Parmalee Alan Creedy and Danny Jefferson, two funeral home innovators who host a popular podcast, shared a myriad of insights in only eight minutes on their latest episode of “Two Guys and a Question.” Focusing on “The Power of Delegation,” the two men explored why it’s so…
Read MoreArticle courtesy of eCondolence.com The idea of losing a loved one is heartbreaking, and losing someone to a terminal illness is no exception. Cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart conditions, brain death due to trauma, and other diagnoses often lead to a moment when there are no more treatment options. At this point,…
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