Q&A / Discussions
|
(A recent e-mail) I was not given title to the cemetary plots but my name is on the reference card at the cemetary as I was my mother's legal guardian and I also had her power of attorney. Is there something I can do to rectify this situation and where do I go to do this. Darryl wrote: You need to personally contact the cemetery involved to change who the legal signator is on the cemetery lots in question. If permission was given to bury someone without your signature, then legal recourse would be recommended. Call the cemetery and to confirm the facts and if they are as you state you can require that the party buried be disinterred and put in another space. If the cemetery will not do this on their own, then contact and attorney to assist your quest. Dorothy Webster (buckneked@apex.net) I have read your book and agree totally on most of your subjects. I have recently entered mortuary college and I am trying to read as much as I can on the subject. I would be interested why you would try to discourage someone on the field. I have wanted to be in the mortuary science all my life and at 36 years old I finally have a chance to do so. Darryl wrote: I do not recommend that anyone enter the death care business. Sooner or later you will be put in a position of misleading the consumer that you should be serving, so instead of putting yourself in that position, stay out of the business. Secondly, all you will ever see are distraught people, and that will take its toll on your psyche over a period of years. Best of luck. Darlene Ceasar (dceasar@monroe.k12.la.us) My mother was given hepatitis through a blood transfusion, but was told that she had bleeding ulcers and was prescribed medication for ulcers. She received the transfusion in 1988; per her medical records from the hospital she was always taken to. She did not receive treatment, for the hepatitis, until six years later, per medical records which I requested from one of her doctors. There were four doctors, who had knowledge of her condition and no one came forward to tell her the truth. My mother woke up late one night vomiting blood; she was rushed to the hospital, as usual, but this time she went into a coma after one day and a half and died within six days. I have been trying to obtain an attorney ever since and still no success. Darryl wrote: This is beyond my area of expertise. Your best bet is to hire a local attorney to assist your inquiry. (A recent e-mail) My mom and dad are buried extra deep and therefore there were two extra plots on that site. My mom was the last to die and I was her guardian. The reference card now has my name on it. I have one sibling. I was told that the siblings must sign a form and have it notarized if the other sibling gives permission for them to use that plot. When my sibling died I did not sign but the cemetary let her be buried there anyway and said that because she had died the signing of the form was not necessary and that it was "her time of need". A funeral director I know stated that his understaing was that all siblings must sign for someone to be buried there. I live in Massachusetts. Could you please tell me the correct answer. Darryl wrote: Cemetery property is part of your parents estate. When settling the estate, someone should have been given title to the remaining lots. That person would be the one responsible for allowing the cemetery to bury someone. The cemetery is wrong to state that "it was her time of need". The only one that could say who was to be buried is the owner of the property. John Clayton (JCLAYTON@wi.rr.com) I just finished reading your book, and am so very glad that I did. I'm in the process of setting up some type of pre-arrangement for my 82 year old Mother, who wishes to be cremated and buried next to my father. I have already spoken with the cemetary, and they have told me it will cost approximately $325.00 to open the grave. I inquired about any type of requirement for a vault, or grave liner, and their response was that the cremains had to be in a retrievable container, and that was it. She doesn't want a viewing, so there should be no need for embalming. Immediate cremation seems to be appropriate, and we will transport her cremains to the cemetary which is out of state. She is in very good health, and could live for another 5 or more years. My question then is how should we set up funding for the necessary arrangements when the need arises? Darryl wrote: I would set up an investment account either at a local bank or investment firm. The grave opening you said would be $325, and the immediate cremation should run no more than $700. So set up this account with $1,000 and you should be all right. This account should have its owner someone other then your mother so the assets are not part of her estate. With such a small amount of money you would probably only invest in money market funds, but that should still be sufficient to fund the funeral when it occurs. (A recent e-mail) Dear Mr. Roberts, I am interested in finding out how much revenue is generated annually in the United States from funerals. Darryl wrote: There are approximately 2,600,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. The current average price of a funeral plus cemetery goods and services is $9,000. Therefore, the industry has total sales of about $23,000,000,000. Azfar Mian (amian@kent.edu) I am in the process of working on a presentation on the death care industry and interested in information regarding the size and growth of the industry. Any help in this matter will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Azfar Darryl wrote: Thanks for the inquiry. Contact the NFDA in Wisconsin or the ICFA in Washington, DC. They should be able to help (A recent e-mail) Dear Mr. Roberts, Do you know what types of environmental problems are caused with embalming fluids/bodily fluids getting into streams/groundwater and also the possibility of spreading contagious diseases such as aides and hepatitus or any other disease from contaminated blood? These wastes will be placed in a septic system. This mortician's property is located in a flood plain in Carrollton/Finly, Indiana. My husband and I are horrified at this man's lack of concern for his neighbors in wanting to put a mortuary at this location. Thanks Darryl wrote: I am not qualified to determine the environmental risks associated with the embalming process. You should call your local EPA office and they will gladly assist. Elizabeth Nielson (red_ravin@hotmail.com) Your book has inspired me to want to be a mortician/funeral director. I am 16 yrs. old, and found your book filled with much interesting and profound information. Thank you for giving me a life-long career! Darryl wrote: I am glad that my book gave you some direction for your future. I would think long and hard before I made my final decision to enter this profession. William M. Chambers (wtinam@webtv.net) Can you place tell me what the law is on how long you can keep a person out to view after death before they have to be embalmed ? If the person is going for cremation. Thank you for any info you can give me. P.S. How do you go about to find a crematory or are they all owned by the funeral? Darryl wrote: The laws on embalming vary from state to state, you would need to contact an attorney to determine the correct amount of time. Most crematories are owned by funeral homes or cemeteries. Check out your telephone book for other possibilities. V. Parker (VonniePar@aol.com) This may sound ridiculous, but I want my body recycled in nature. I would die in peace if I knew my body would be discarded in the woods somewhere. I do not want one dime to go to a funeral. Any suggestions that are very inexpensive? I'll be dead, and I don't want my family spending money on an old vacant, run-down house! Help please? I live in Georgia. How may I find the laws and regulations for my state and county? Darryl wrote: It will be necessary for you to contact an attorney in your state to accomplish your goals. Most states will require that you have a death certificate, and many will not allow you to just go back to nature in the woods. Good luck on your research. Mary M. Nordheim (MaryMay33@aol.com) wrote: What a super book! Well, after visiting your site, I ran out and purchased your book. I read it from cover to cover. After being ill for 3 1/2 years, I was agonizing over "What do I do?...How do I prepare?" I now feel well informed and solidly comfortable about making decisions regarding my "final arrangements." You've unraveled so much of the mystery...and uncovered alot of the baloney. I would hope that anyone who plans to meet with a funeral director read this. Thank you for your honesty in this very revealing book. I can now make informed and dignified decisions based on fact, not sugar coated dealings...as anyone should have a right to. I am curious...what route will you be taking for your "send off?" Darryl wrote: Thanks for the compliments. Direct and immediate cremation is my preference. Followed by a party celebrating my life. Hopefully there will be one or two people around who will enjoy the party. (A recent e-mail) Dear Mr. Roberts, I decided I don't want my body put through the process of embalming. I would like to be washed, put on chill and have them do some aesthetics (make up/hair) for a wake. I am being told that if my body is not embalmed; then my body cannot be present for a wake or a funeral mass at the church. I am being told that the decomposition of my body would be too evident ie; sunken eyes, gray skin, smells and leaks and would be a health hazard along with not presenting an optimum "memory picture." Is this true? Having calling hours and a mass is very important to me, however, I do not under any circumstances want my body put through invasive procedures. What are your suggestions? Darryl wrote: If you do not wish to be embalmed and still want a wake your options will be limited. The only way that this can be done is for the body to be put in a refrigeration unit as soon as possible after death and removed from the refrigerator as close as possible to the time of the wake. The body should not be out of the refrigeration unit for more then a few hours because of the natural decompsosistion process. I suppose it would also be possible to pack the body in ice or dry ice for the wake, but it would be expensive and still should not be done for more than a few hours. Jeremy Hansen (mortman98@yahoo.com) wrote: Dear Mr. Roberts, I am a 23 year old funeral director who has been liscensed in michigan for the past year. I recieved a bachelors degree from Wayne State University Mortuary Science program. I am currently working at a small family owned business and very proud to be a liscensed professional in the funeral industry. Through high school and college I worked part time for 4 different firms. During my employment with these firms I have never observed the actions or behaviors that you have commented on here in your website. In my day-to-day life of being a funeral director I'm required to handle myself in a honest and dignified way. I would invite you to ask any of the 7,000 people in my town to reflect on the services we provide for our familys and friends, you will see how our reputation will speak for itself. I can also gurantee you will hear the word "honesty" used in our favor enough times for you to write a second book. You can take any profession in America and pick out a few bad apples. I will be the first to admit the funeral industry also has its share of bad apples, but as the old saying goes "that does not spoil the whole bunch". You seem to think the bad is far worse than the good which by no means has any truth to the statement. I have read a few of your responses and would like to comment on a few of them. In one response you stated that it requires little education to become a funeral director. To start with, I did not catch what mortuary school you went to and which states you held a liscense in. I have already told you I recieved a Bachelors from WSU. I then continued to serve a year of resident training which allowed me to take my National Board which was a testing on the four years of college I completed. Following this I was able to take my State Exam. I hardly think I could have done all this in 30 days as you stated. I only hope your advice did not discourage the young woman considering a wonderful profession. One final note, it seems that your experience in the industry involved cemeterians and cemeteries, so I offer you this in closing. Funeral professionals are individuals you can count on at 3:00 in the morning to assist you in your time of need and funeral good sellers are the ones you can count on to call and pester you at your home and tell you about some great deal on a burial plot! P.S. Mr. Roberts, have you ever heard of Thomas Lynch? He is the author of a book, "The Undertaking", a book painting the true picture of life studies from the dismal trade. A definite reference for any of your future books. Darryl wrote; Thanks for the response. It is always great to hear from an honest and ethical funeral professional. I am glad you chose to get the additional education leading to your funeral license. Thomas Lynch's book is well written and describes some very nice vignettes of personal experiences with the consumer. Unfortunatly honest people like yourself and Mr. Lynch are the exception in the industry and not the rule. Witness just last month when Thomas Harden , the executive director of the NFDA, who wrote in the American Funeral Director magazine how wonderful it is that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Oklahoma law prohibiting anyone other than funeral directors from selling caskets. These laws are anti-competitive and anti consumer and yet there are 18 states that have passed such trash, all at the request of the industry. This is the same industry that goes to the FTC and says we need to level the playing field in selling caskets. This type of activity harms the very people that the industry says it wants to protect. The industry can not have it both ways. To the Editor: As a thirty-five year veteran of the death care business, it is always disturbing to read an article like "Funeral homes offering more planned packages" (The Arizona Republic, Oct. 16, 1999) about the industry that is fraught with inaccuracies and deception. I am afraid that you were misled by corporations and individuals who believe that a well-informed consumer is a threat to their profitability. Caveat Emptor to all who read your article and believed that it to be anything other than an unpaid advertisement for Service Corporation International (SCI). Let me inform you - and hopefully your readers - of the problems that are common in the industry: 1. The article speaks of SCI's prepackaged funerals and cremations, and then goes on to state that there are six plans for traditional funerals and four plans for cremation. Why? Funerals are very personal and the number of choices are almost infinite; so limiting the number to six or four is a considerable disservice to the consumer. These types of package "deals" lead people to pay far more than necessary, and sometimes for products they neither want nor need. In my opinion, consumers should have the power to pick and choose any product or service they desire. 2. Your article states that the funeral/cremation packages could be financed at rates from 12.9 to 21 percent. One must remember that one is buying a product that is not being delivered today and may, in fact, not be delivered for many years. During the time from your purchase until the time you utilize the services/products, the funeral facility is using your money and asking you to pay interest on the undelivered product! They should be paying you interest for using your money! To make a comparison, let's say you wanted to buy a $1,000 television set to be delivered in the year 2005. You agree to pay the store $200 a year for the next five years and then they ask you to pay interest on the undelivered TV. Absolutely no consumer would fall for this gimmick, and yet that is exactly what your article says will happen to consumers who buy one of the packages. Great work if you can get it! 3. You quoted Mr. Rybarski as saying, "We have economies of scale, and we need to pass them back to the consumer." Historically, the majority of SCI facilities have the highest prices in any city where they operate. Yes, they do have "economies of scale" - but so far, they have not passed any of their savings on to their customers. From the prices quoted in your article, they are keeping true to form and will continue to gouge the buying public. In no way will they make funerals less expensive. 4. Cremation can be bought in the Phoenix area for less than $1,000, yet the SCI cremation packages (according to your article) start at $1,995. 5. Your article also states that the plans can be used at any of SCI's 1,300 funeral homes around the country. SCI owns more than 3,000 facilities. Does that mean that over 1,700 of their locations do not accept the plan? 6. Your article does not make it clear whether the SCI prepackaged funeral/cremation program is an insurance-based product or whether it is based on trust funding. I will assume that it is insurance funded. It's important to know that the majority of funeral insurance products sold today are not priced competitively with similar insurance products. It is, after all, just some type of whole life insurance. Most products sold by funeral professionals are 20% to 60% more expensive than the same ones purchased from any insurance agent. So where is the savings talked about in your article? 7. Your article was also silent on whether or not the prices paid for the packages are guaranteed prices. Commonly, these plans are sold based on today's prices; then at the time the products/services are actually needed, the prices are higher and the consumer is normally required to pay the difference. In conclusion, anyone buying a pre-need funeral package should take the time to become am informed consumer. Your article did a great deal of damage by giving false and misleading information. Darryl J. Roberts Dear Mr. Roberts, I recently learned about this website. My mother's funeral was entrusted to a family friend. He has served the community well in the past. Our troubles started at the gravesite. Before we left the site, the workers rushed in to bury the remains. My mother's casket flipped over face first into the grave. The director assured us the body was secure. We later requested to see the remains. Her nose was bruised and some breakage within. Trusting his judgment, he buried her. He said he would ease the pain. Four months later, we await a call. The indiference is painful. The law services seems so slow. Have you heard of such an incident before? We want her to be exhumed and placed in a new casket. Darryl wrote back: The indifference from the local funeral director is common. All specific circumstances are different. The industry wants to immediatly inter the loved ones and cover up whatever their mistakes have been. The sooner the body of your loved one is in the ground the better. In spite of their claimed compassion for the consumer, the death care industry is really just a well oiled sales organization that looks forward to their next sale and cares very little about the feelings of the family. Email from Harold Hester mapmak8376@aol.com I own 3 grave site spaces in Houston Texas's Forest Park Cemetary and would like to sell them. The Cemetary will take them off my hands if I give them away, but how do I go about selling them? Darryl wrote: There are two ways of selling your grave spaces. First, advertise in the newspaper. This is not very effective, but may get you some result over a long period. Second, contact several local funeral directors and have them offer them to their customers for a fee. The fee should be 15 to 20 percent of the sale price. Dear Mr Roberts, I am a Master of Arts student at University of Montana. I have done 4 years of research on funeral directors and their conduct in the area (this is connected with a nationally known project on dying - the Missoula Demonstration Project). I'm about to finish my thesis - and I have one major question for you - one that I would ask Jessica Mitford were she alive. "Why shouldn't funeral directors/corporations make a profit? Who's to say what's excessive? How many people could spend their every hour to be on call to collect the dead - and not expect to be remunerated handsomely?" Pat Blandford University of Montana Missoula, MT Darryl wrote: Your one question ended up being three, but all obviously interrelated. Funeral directors and the death care industry should be expected to make a profit as with all other professions and industries. This profit should come from telling the consumer the truth about the goods and services offered and allowing the consumer to make an educated informed decision. Unfortunatly the industry has a history of misleading and manipulating the consumer to make their profit. Too often the industry preys upon the emotions of the grieving consumer while misleading them about their choices. This fraudlent behaviour is the problem, not making a profit. Dear Mr. Roberts: Georgia's Secretary of State, Cathy Cox, investigating abuses in the death-care industry, has just concluded a series of pubic hearings around the state. Testimony during those hearings was substantial and now the media as well as the state legislature is anxious to see meaningful reforms. What are your suggestions? We are looking at the entire industry: funeral homes, cemeteries, casket sales stores, pre-need abuses, perpetual care abuses, etc. Thomas E. Mishou Office of the Secretary of State 110 State Capitol Building Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Dear Mr. Mishou: Thanks for the request. There are more problems in the death care industry than one could write about in a year. There are several, however, that can be outlined in a few short paragraphs. Please note that these responses are not meant to be complete, but rather are an outline of problems that could be addressed: 1. The biggest problem in the funeral industry today is restrictive state legislation. In nearly every state in the nation, the industry has managed over many years to instigate and then perpetuate self-serving laws limit competition, much to the detriment of the consumer. For instance, most states have enacted legislation which stipulates that only licensed funeral directors can sell funeral goods and services. Such goods and services have no magical status, for they are merely fancy boxes and labor that could be performed by any high school junior. The funeral industry, however, has succeeded in seducing state legislatures into severely limiting the competition with the inescapable result of having these goods/services grossly and unfairly overpriced. 2. The death care industry, of course, has a right to make a profit. The tendency of industry practitioners, however, is restrict the amount of information regarding lower cost alternatives that is provided to the public. For example, the consumer is seldom informed that other caskets and modified services are available for a lower price. Obviously there is an inherent conflict of interest in the industry between telling the consumer the truth and making a profit. 3. The non-declinable service fees currently being charged by the industry are forcing consumers to pay for goods and services they may not want and may not need. Consumers need and deserve the right to pick and choose what they want. As far as I know, there is no other business in the country that charges a fee merely for the privilege of doing business with it. For instance, would we buy a refrigerator if the appliance store required that we pay an additional fee to help offset their overhead? I think not. 4. Cemetery interment fees have gotten out of control because there is a monopoly on this service. The cost to the cemetery for providing this service is between $50 an $100, yet the industry charges upwards of $1000! Some states have even passed laws which stipulate that cemeteries – and only cemeteries – are authorized to open and close graves which by default gives the industry the right to charge whatever it wants with absolutely no fear of competition. 5. Pre-need is a subject which needs to be addressed. There are multiple abuses in this area ranging from trusting the money properly to fraudulent insurance offers. I hope that this brief note has been of some help. As I mentioned, there is a great deal that needs to be discussed. Also, please be advised (and prepared!) that the industry has a great lobbying effort and any positive changes will be met with stiff opposition to the detriment of the consumer. Darryl J. Roberts Dear Mr. Roberts: On May 30th of this year, I went to the nursing home where my mother was a patient. Upon arriving, we were informed she had passed away three hours prior to our arrival. Not only was she deceased, but she was already released to a local funeral home and was embalmed. I asked who released the body and gave permission for the embalming and was not given an answer. Presently, we are being billed for an amount that includes these fees. I would like to investigate this matter but have been unable to find laws and regulations regarding these services in Kentucky. Can you provide me with any information? Thank you. Irene Ank Dear Ms. Ank: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has very definite rules and regulations governing embalming by funeral homes without permission. The local facility may have violated those rules. An attorney would be able to assist you in finding exactly what the regulations are in your state. You also need to find out if there was some kind of relationship between the nursing home and the funeral home. Quite frankly, it sounds unusual for these deeds to have happened so quickly. Darryl J. Roberts Dear Mr. Roberts, In New York State, if a family plot has eight grave sites, of which three or four remain available for future burials, how is it determined (and by whom) who else may be buried in the family plot? If nothing is mentioned in the original deed, would the "bloodline" determine this answer, and if two or more survivors are of "equal" bloodline, would each have equal control of future burials? Thanks! (Name withheld at writer's request) Darryl wrote: When an estate is settled, the deed for interment rights should be given to a specific heir as part of the assets of the estate. If there is no specific person, then the bloodline heirs will all have equal right to say who may use the property. Matthew A. De Leon, IV matpfi2000@aol.com Hello, Mr. Roberts. I am fully aware of what goes on behind the doors of the funeral homes that I have worked in. You are right on target in regards of the families emotions used to play on their guilt(s). I have no doubt that there are very reputable funeral homes in the world, I never had the privilage to work with one!!! I believe that each and everyone of us has the right to a service that allows us dignity, not a level of poverty placed by the manipulation of funeral directors. I performed the services of a "Pre-Need counselor" a few years back. I was shocked at the level of greed in the funeral industry. The mark-up of cost(s) of a funeral service is beyond normal comprehension. I applaud your efforts to educate the public Darryl wrote: Thanks for the nice comments. It is a never ending battle to try and bring truth and justice to comsumers who need compassion, truth, and dignity. An email received recently: I have a very strange question for you. I have a friend in Texas, his father died recently. He said they buried him in their backyard. I was shocked. My question is.....is that legal. I thought you had to be buried in a cemetary. I would greatly apprectiate your input. Darryl wrote: There are some circumstances where it would be legal to bury remains in ones own yard. Certainly cremation allows you to do so, and there are some communities that have no regulations about this practice. However the vast majority of circumstances will require that you place your loved one in a cemetery. Dear Mr. Roberts, This is not a question, but a comment, and although I have not read your book as of yet, it suggests a very negative view of funeral directors. I have read similar books and articles on the subject, and frankly I think these publications lump all funeral directors and owners together, making all look like sadistic thieves. My husband and I own our own funeral home, have no employees, other than ourselves, and work in a smaller community. We are fairly new to ownership, however my husband has been a director for years, for another funeral home. To tell you the truth, we are at this point struggling financially, are in the process of trying to build our business, and we work with our families from the arrangements to aftercare (which we include that price in our service charge). Our service charge is lower than ANY funeral home in our area (by at least $600.00). My husband breaks his neck to lower prices for families who cannot afford full price, cutting costs to the BARE BONE. (Maybe that is the reason we are struggling!!!!!!!) Our profits minimal. Our satisfaction is having helped our families through one of the most difficult times in their lives, helping to make the funeral the most meaningful possible. When conducting a funeral we take care of every detail, including arrangements, wake service, cleaning, filing of proper paperwork, embalming, or cremation, to aftercare of our families (WHICH COST WE EAT OURSELVES). Yes, we would like to make a living, if possible, to pursue this career, and yes we BOTH ALSO WORK OUTSIDE THE FUNERAL BUSINESS BETWEEN DEATH CALLS!!!!! (in order to make ends meet). I really am fed up with all the media slam of our profession, as I happen to think that SOME of us are honest and have a real desire to help our families through a very difficult time, and at least pay our bills. NOT ALL FUNERAL DIRECTORS ARE OUT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GRIEVING, VULNERABLE PEOPLE! FED UP IN ILLINOIS!!!!! Darryl wrote: Dear Fed Up in Illinois, Your letter is a bright spot for the funeral industry. Before condemning either myself or my book, however, you need to at least read what it says so that you will be fully informed. The deathcare industry is full of fine people such as you. Unfortunately, the nature of the industry leads to widespread abuses of the very consumers that we all say that we want to serve. Obviously the consumer comes to our facilities in an extreme emotional state. The industry has a personal obligation to maximize the sale while the consumer is in their facility. These two factors lead to widespread abuses of the consumer. The majority of deathcare facilities misrepresent the facts to the consumer in some manner during their consultation. I have been involved with several television hidden-camera operations, and unfortunately one hundred percent of the funeral homes we visited misled the consumer in some manner. This leads to the obvious conclusion that the vast majority of people in the industry are misleading consumers in some fashion. Their need to make a living – or receive some kind of bonus – sets up this obvious conflict of interest. It is unfortunate that this conflict exists, but it does. Maybe some industry people will start changing and begin to put the families first. I hope you are one to start this revolution, and if so, more power to you. Darryl J. Roberts Dear Mr. Roberts, Funny thing happed on the way to the funeral home - they quit buying from us because we sell our caskets to a discount-casket showroom in Billings, Montana. It seems they want to boycott even the smallest of manufacturers like us. Even though we sell at the same price to every retailer, they (the funeral homes) got really upset with us. We are (now) forced to change our marketing strategies. A book like yours would be helpful! Our energies are directing us to the direct consumer market, so we are researching the possibilities. Thanks, Clifford Dear Dr. Roberts, I've found some sites on the web that attempt to create Internet memorials. Many of them are free, but they require that people go on-line to create the web pages, and they are not professionally run. Even the few that are professionally run, however, encounter public reluctance in trying the new medium for preserving the memories of their loved ones. I wonder if you might be so kind as to share some thoughts on this potential industry. Is the public ready for this? Do you think it could ever become popular? Thank you, Chou Hung (graduate student) Yale University School of Medicine Section of Neurobiology E-mail: chou.hung@yale.edu Darryl writes: Dear Chou, The on-line memorials are very weak. I personally do not believe that they will ever catch on as a popular or profitable enterprise. The act of memorializing a loved one is very personal not lending itself to mass media memorialization. Mass media does not have the staying power of a monument, memorial or plaque, therefore will only be attractive to those few who are more media conscious. Plus, there are few who would know how to find the on-line memorial. Thanks for your inquiry. Darryl J. Roberts Dear Mr. Roberts, A recent emailed comment: I think the way funeral homes take advantage of people at a low point in their life when they have just lost a loved one is worse than any word that I could find in the dictionary to describe it. When my aunt died and my mother made the arrangements and picked out the casket, they were saying "Now we know you want the best for her". The best was a lot more than we could afford, the best casket, the best vault, etc. They even tried to sell the clothes to bury her in ... cheap looking, pieces of cloth with the back out was an unbelievable price. Of course my mother couldn't say no and we spent way, way more than we could afford. I want to find someone to cremate my body and I will find my own urn at an antique store and I'm going to shop everywhere to find the least expensive price. What difference does it make. I'll be dead. Who cares???? I will not help make the funeral homes rich and I feel that anyone who pays their prices are throwing away money that their family most likely needs. Think about it . . . Martha Hughes Email: martha204@home.com Tel: 615-758-4844 Fax: 615-758-4844 Mr. Roberts, My son Brandon died of SIDS in Sept 1998. He was 8 weeks old. We used Danzansky Goldberg and we have now filed a complaint against them with the Mortician's Commission. We have also consulted a private attorney and intend to sue, but the attorney told us we should wait for the Commissions findings which will probably bolster our case. The lawyer told us that the statute of limitations is 3 years. Do you know if this is true? Can you recommend another lawyer in our area (Rockville/Gaithersburg, MD) that would give us a second opinion on our case? Among the problems that we had with Danzansky were the fact that they did not give us a contract, would not allow us to touch our child, they placed our baby in a public hallway instead of a private viewing room, they destroyed his personal clothes that came with him from the hospital, they would not quote us a price on the phone, they charged us for the casket but gave it to other SIDS parents for free. Deborah Orozco Email: Deborah.Orozco@GEIS.GE.COM Tel: 301-340-4091; 301-698-9512 Fax: 301-340-4639 Darryl wrote: Sorry about the loss of your son. I know nothing about the statute of limitations in your area, so you will be best served by taking the advice of your attorney. If your complaint was sent to a state funeral board you will be disappointed in their findings. These boards are predominatly occupied by death care professionals. They will, in all likelyhood, find reasons to support the funeral home. This may also give you a cause of action. April 16, 1999 Dear Mr. Roberts: Do you have any new updates (since 1990) about anything in the death category such as coping with losses and new developments? (Name withheld at writer’s request) Darryl writes: There is a great deal of information about death and dying available on the Internet. You can find more info than you can absorb through hospice, death and dying classes, and health sites. Once you start a search the results are amazing. You may want to start with the "Links" page on my website. March 25, 1999 Dear Mr. Roberts: I am a plaintiff in a lawsuit against Loewen's unlawful (I say) takeover of Westport, Connecticut's largest cemetery, Willowbrook. If successful, my suit will put the cemetery back in the hands of its local association, and pay back more than $10,000,000 in "pre-need" sales that Loewen has funneled through this quiet little graveyard (24 acres). Has it occurred to you guys that "pre-need" is a ripoff? Probably 60% of buyers fail to collect their paid-for plots and services because: they relocate to be near their kids or warm weather or job opportunities; and because they often die with faulty memories, messed-up papers, and sad relatives who can't put it all together fast enough to get what's been paid for. In my book, "pre-need" is theft. David Royce droyce2@compuserve.com Dear Mr. Royce: Many of the items you mention in your note are correct. Pre-need in the hands of the wrong people is a rip off. However, if handled correctly, it can save money for the family and lessen the need for emotional overspending at the time of a death. Nothing can compare to the pressure on a family having to make major decisions after a death has occurred. All in all the situation is not good for families. Whether pre-need or at need the family is likely to not have all of the information they need to make a wise decision. This info is withheld by the industry to maximize their profits. Darryl J. Roberts March 1, 1999 Dear Mr. Roberts: I heard you on Steve Lehto's show and really learned from what you said. (Steve is a Friend of mine, I listened on TalkSpot and have been on his show many times.) My mother is turning 80 years old and in good health, but as a family we are (and have been) making decisions on Mom's funeral. How timely to get this info (I just ordered your book on line). I sent your URL as well as the other URL's to my brothers & sisters to review. I'll read your book and pass it along to the family. My Dad died 6 years ago (suddenly) so I was thrust in to arranging his funeral on a moments notice. I was somewhat luck because this was a small town and I don't think the funeral home had too many sharks, but I don't recall getting any General Price List or prior costs of the funeral. Basically they said "don't worry about the cost – we’ll bill you after the funeral". They did do some high pressure on the casket but Dad would have been really pissed at the cost of these things, so I told the funeral director that in my Dad's wishes, we WERE NOT going to get the high end product. . .he relented and allowed us to get a less expensive casket. They did allude that embalming was a state law ... and I remember even asking about cremation (my way to go) and they said even if you are cremated you have to be embalmed. They also indicated that if properly embalmed you could dig that person up 100 years from now and they would basically look the same... (so who's going to check on that?). I think we have enough time to become educated and I hope to be able to talk the family in to hiring a consultant to do the negotiations for us. I'm sure you take flack for providing this information, but God Bless you for doing that. Thanks again, Mark Dear Mark: Thanks for the response. Your experience with your local funeral director is very typical. They were misleading you when they said that embalming was required for cremation and that embalming has any long-term effect on the natural decomposition of a body. Almost all funeral directors will use these high-pressure, misleading tactics to enhance their sale. Look up and contact www.funeralprices.com as a funeral consultant. These people are doing a great job in helping people in a positive way to save money and get what they want. Darryl J. Roberts February 28, 1999 Dear Mr. Roberts: What is the financial prognosis for large, independent funeral complexes using the "one-stop-shopping" approach to reduce costs? (Name withheld at writer’s request) Darryl writes: The large conglomerates have not caught on to the idea of helping people save money. Their idea is to trick the consumer into believing that all funeral establishments are being run by their local businessman. These companies have no intention of doing anything to reduce the high cost of dying. Someone not affiliated with the large companies will at some point in time start market buster death care stores that will change the face of the industry. Who and when is still to be determined. February 15, 1999 Dear Mr. Roberts: What is the financial prognosis for large, independent funeral complexes using the "one-stop-shopping" approach to reduce costs? (name withheld at writer’s request) Darryl writes: The large conglomerates have not caught on to the idea of helping people save money. Their idea is to trick the consumer into believing that all funeral establishments are being run by their local businessman. These companies have no intention of doing anything to reduce the high cost of dying. Someone not affiliated with the large companies will, at some point in time, start market-buster death care stores that will change the face of the industry. Who and when is still to be determined. Darryl J. Roberts January 19, 1999 Dear Mr. Roberts, I would like to take this time to tell you that I find your web page a most helpful piece of information for those that do not know about funerals and the people behind it. I just got done reading a news click from the U.S. News & World Report , March 23 of 1998, about how theses companies and churches are extorting these kinds of prices from us. I was truly shocked and angered. If it wasn't for you, Father Wasielewski, and others looking out for us, we would be without a clue. I do have a question for you if you will. I want to be cremated. So, I see in no point of me being embalming me. I take it that the company that will hold my body until such time as that I can be cremated will charge for the cold storage. Will it cost more then the cremation itself? Is that true or false? And can I save money now buy the urn now? And again thanks for the information. God bless you and all that have gone out on a branch to get this to us. Chad B Dear Chad: The cost of refrigerating a body would be about $35 to $50 per day. The cost of an immediate cremation is currently between $500 and $700. I would not recommend that you store a body more than a day or two, and really the best thing to do is have the body cremated immediately after death. Some states will require that a body be embalmed if it is not cremated in 24-48 hours. You will not save much if any money by buying your urn now. However, you will get the satisfaction of knowing that you are personalizing your memorialization. That satisfaction is worth the price of making your purchase today. Thanks for the inquiry Darryl J. Roberts January 19, 1999 Dear Mr. Roberts: My father just passed and as the executor of his will. I don't know exactly where to begin getting all of his financial matters in order. He didn't owe any money on anything, but I was wondering if there is someplace I can find a listing of things that need to be done after the burial. Such as sending death certificate to the social security office and such. (name withheld at writer’s request) Darryl writes: You have posed a great question. There is very little in the way of information that is currently in print about what you need after a death. My recommendation is that you contact your family attorney and get a list of duties from him. There are often many state laws that directly effect the executor's responsibilities. State regulations are very different and that may be the reason no one has opted to research all of the possible alternatives. Darryl J. Roberts January 15, 1999 Hi, I am looking for the information of Western death culture and the funeral service. I visited your website by searching via other links. Yours quite gives me the details, but I wonder if you could give me more information about the steps of funeral arrangements? That will benefit the students and the paper. May you be blessed with happiness and "Happy New Year" 1999. Sincerely yours, Emma Smutprakarn, Thailand Dear Emma, One of the best ways to find out more about western death care practices is to purchase my book and others that inform the consumer about everything about the industry. I will be happy to answer any questions you or your classmates may have. Thanks for the inquiry. Darryl J. Roberts January 2, 1999 Dear Mr. Roberts: In 1966, my father bought two lawn crypts at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA, for $1145. He intended to be buried there along with his wifeand two children. A few years ago he unexpectedly died and my mother decided to have him buried in a different cemetery closer to home. Apparently he had expressed that wish just a week before he died. My mother asked me last year to try to sell the original crypts, so that she could receive some extra income. When I called Forest Lawn, they said that they would be happy to purchase the crypts back for the orignal price of $1145. I asked what those same plots would cost brand new today and they said $10,680. I have tried to sell the crypts by advertising in local neswpapers, and listing with the National Cemetery Exchange, but have had no luck. Do you have any suggestions for me? I hate to sell them back to Forest Lawn, only for them to turn around and resell them for a huge profit. Thanks in advance for your reply. Mark Humphreys mark.humphreys@juno.com Dear Mark, One of the biggest ripoffs in the deathcare industry is the lot exchange program and its big brother, unused crypts and lots. Of course the owners are often willing to buy back their spaces for pennies on the dollar of their real value. As with your circumstance the profit is huge. Unfortunately, you have also found that it is very difficult to personally sell your unused and unwanted crypts. You have very little recourse. The best way to get your value for your crypts will not bring any cash directly to your family. I would recommend that you donate these crypts to your local or favorite church group. That will give you a tax writeoff of the full value of the crypts while, at the same time, assisting someone who does not own property. Before donating the crypts, you may want to find out what the interment and the transfer fees are. Often the interment fee can be more then you originally paid for the crypts. The transfer fee should be no more then $25-35. Let me know if I can be of further assistance. Darryl J. Roberts December 2, 1998 Dear Mr. Roberts: I am a 23-year-old college student. I graduate next December and following this bachelors degree, I will be attending Mortuary Sciences college, somewhere here in the United States. I watched and videotaped the 60 Minutes report on Feb. 1, and have since reviewed that more than 25 times. Each time I view it I catch more and more pieces of the whole picture surrounding conglomerates. I just had to see for myself how real the SCI story was. I looked in the phone book under funeral homes. I found 2 pages worth of colorful and eye catching ads. I chose 3 facilities to investigate and, without there being ANY indication of who owned them, discovered they were all SCI facilities. I have spent about 6 weeks, on Saturdays from about 10:00 am until about 4:00 p.m., sitting in the cemetery, watching the various comings and goings of this business. I can honestly say that your representation of how it works could not be more accurate. Almost to the word, did you describe their approach to customer service. I find this remarkable. Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks and that I asked for your book as my number one present this Xmas. I only wish that someday I could shake hands with you. Someone finally is paying attention to these consolidators. Its about time! Good luck with the lawsuit and take care. All best, Joseph T. Stone Tucson, Arizona December 2, 1998 Dear Mr. Roberts: I've read that if a person dies at home it is necessary to call the police, who in turn will call the coroner to ascertain that no foul play is evident. In talking to a true independent and very small funeral parlor, he said that that is not necessary. If my 97-year-old mother dies at home, which we hope is the case, he said we just have to call him and he'd come and pick up the remains. Who is right in this case? (Name withheld at writer’s request) Darryl writes: There are many different circumstances that may control whether or not officials may be called when a death occurs at home. Often state laws will dictate whether a person needs to be declared dead at home. Each state has different laws that dictate what the appropriate action must be. Your local funeral director may be correct that just calling him would have the proper and correct result. The funeral director would also be liable if his information proved to be incorrect. A call to your local attorney would answer your question in the most appropriate manner. Darryl J. Roberts November 25, 1998 Dear Mr. Roberts: My husband August 1, 1998... and my husband was a well known pharmacist and businessman... I went to our local funeral home…because my mother-in-law gave me two plots next to her and her husband; plus, my children wanted their father to be close by. What follows is my experience (that resulted) I believe because I dared to shop around for a good price on a casket. My 28-year-old son went to several places to price caskets before meeting me and my family at the funeral home. I had already been in the room and picked the (casket) that I wanted for my husband. It was $6,000. When my son arrived and I showed him the casket, he showed me the price list he had from the casket company. The casket I had picked out was on their list for $1,500. All I had to do was have it delivered to the funeral home. The director’s mood changed as soon as he realized he was dealing with people who knew what was really going on. I think he already saw big dollar signs because of our family name. He told me the casket from the other company was poorly made in Mexico and would probably fall apart. He had heard horror stories about these so-called discount caskets. He said, as a favor to me in my time of grief, he would match their price on the casket and vault. After that, it was downhill all the way. The day of family visitation, me and my two children, son-in-law, and granddaughter went in to view my husband for the first time. To our horror, he had fluid visible on his mouth. My son tried to divert my attention to the flowers while he told the funeral director about the fluid. He did take care of it as soon as possible, but it should never have happened. Next (as I found out later), my husband’s mother was waiting outside the room to see her son. She asked to go in and the director told her no one was getting in that room. He stood guard in front of the door like a policeman. I had not told him to do this. I just said I wanted a few minutes alone with my husband. He should have come to me and told me how upset my mother-in-law was. Next, we had a rosary scheduled at 7:00 p.m. There had been a lot of visitors and, about five minutes before 7:00, I told the director I needed to go to the ladies room. He said, "Don’t worry. We won’t start without you." To my surprise, when I returned from the ladies room, they had already started without me. Next, visitation was until 9:00 p.m. About 8:30, a lady from the funeral home told me I had to pick out 15 plants and flowers to be taken to the church. My son tried to find our director and he had left before visitation was over. I started picking out flowers because they said I had to. Here I was in the middle of my husband’s visitation moving plants and flowers into another room. At the time, I am thinking to myself, "Why am I doing this?" My husband is dead, and I’m moving flowers for the funeral home I am paying to take care of this sort of thing. My son went to the desk and could not find one single employee to talk to. After a few minutes of looking all over the home, someone finally appeared from a closed room. When we got to the church for the funeral the next day, there were hundreds of people. We could not believe how many people loved my husband. Of course, the funeral director didn’t like having all these extra people and he kept telling me I needed to wrap things up so we could start the funeral. The priest who was doing his funeral was a long-time friend of ours and well known in our community, so I was taking my cues from him. When he motioned for me to move forward, I did so. The funeral director was not ready for me to move and he threw his arm in front of me and my son. August 3 was a very hot day in Texas. At the cemetery, the priest asked as many people as he could to try and get in the shade. Then the funeral director shoved them back. Friends and family alike were telling my son that they had never seen a funeral director act the way this man had over the last three days. Everyone said you usually don’t even know which person the funeral director is. When I complained to the manager about three weeks later, he offered to give me a headstone of my choice. I accepted. l It has been four months and my husband is still without a headstone. I received a call this week from yet another employee of the funeral home telling the lady before him no longer worked there and had not done her job. I have had to go to the funeral home four times since my husband’s funeral. Each time is so painful and unnecessary. I keep getting the runaround from everyone. Today they called in another person who said I should call him Monday and he will make sure everything is taken care of. I have been told that before!!! My husband and I have always respected other people’s feelings, and my husband treated his customers the best. He would be horrified at the way I have been treated by this funeral home. I have never filed a lawsuit against anyone or filed a formal complaint against anyone, but I am so angry that I have to keep going through my husband’s funeral for four months. I am at my breaking point. Who do I file a formal complaint with about this funeral home? I only hope no other widow is treated the way I have been because I did price shopping on my husband’s casket. I know this is why I have received this treatment. (Name withheld at author’s request) Darryl writes: There are two places to file formal complaints against your local funeral establishment. The best is the state attorney general's office who should be able to handle whatever the problem is. The worst is the state board of funeral directors and embalmers, whose members are mostly comprised of industry personnel who will usually side with the one charged instead of the complainant. Darryl J. Roberts September 14, 1998 Dear Mr. Roberts: The latest UK Yellow Pages display ads for SCI-owned outlets now include the words at the bottom of the advertisement: "Associated Funeral Directors Limited. A wholly owned subsidiary of Service Corporation International." I suspect that this disclosure has been forced on SCI by our office of Fair Trading. Where the outlet has a lineage entry only, there is nothing to indicate that it is SCI owned, but still it's a step forward. By way of "damage limitation," the latest SCI ad style is a full-page box (with the note above in small but not unreadable print along the bottom) boldly headed "Local Funeral Directors serving the community." In the box are "separate" ads for individual SCI outlets, so at a quick glance you might still think that it was a co-op ad put in by individual firms. What's "local" about any SCI outlet, I don't know: depot, five miles away; all policies set by Jermyn Street; and profits back to Houston. Tony Bryer Dear Mr. Bryer, Indeed it is a small step, but a step not yet taken here in the U.S. Your Office of Fair Trading is to be commended! Where such enlightened regulations do not yet exist, it is disgusting that these companies are unwilling to disclose that they are really large conglomerates with the singular purpose of maximizing their profits. They hide behind the guise of local ownership knowing that, to do otherwise, could significantly diminish their profits. Why don't they exploit their enormous name recognition citing their ability, due to their size, to cut costs and pass those savings on to the consumer (as is done by most other conglomerates in other industries in the U.S. and elsewhere)? The answer can only be that they do not pass their cost savings on to their customers, preferring instead to raise prices and thus make even greater profits while hiding behind the names of local providers. A practice I regard as reprehensible. Darryl J. Roberts August 25, 1998 Dear Mr. Roberts: I enjoyed your website very much. I am in the final writing of a workbook for creating one's own funeral or memorial service. Your site was helpful in the selection of the role of the funeral director. I am completing the design of a workshop on the same topic and will include information about your work in both the workbook and the workshop. Thank you!! Stephanie West Allen, JD June 19, 1998 Dear Mr. Roberts: Page 141: One of the reasons that SCI (very strong in this part of the UK) keeps the old names that it disguises the fact that they often own "competing" firms in the same town. In nearby Kingston-upon-Thames, their two outlets face one another across the street, and a casual observer might think they were competitors. So, of course, they laugh when people are advised to get more than one quote (there's a fair chance that both will be SCI, which will make either seem reasonable). Until recently, all SCI outlets were not identifiable as such from the outside unless you were familiar with the house style of their notices. But, after a savage expose of their practices on recent TV documentaries, some branches have displayed posters bearing the SCI logo. But it appears that they are only doing this where they have two outlets and only one displays the poster. The message "This is an SCI outlet" is designed IMO to make people think that the other outlet is not -- a sort of damage limitation exercise. How cynical! Here in the UK, private cemeteries are uncommon; but SCI owns a number of crematoria, a practice which I consider highly unsatisfactory. Each crematorium has an effective monopoly in its area and all undertakers who have to deal with it should be on an equal footing. If an SCI outlet is halfway between a a municipal crematorium and one of their own, they are almost certainly going to push the business to their own facility so as to be able to make more on selling memorials (some of the worst stories about SCI UK have related to their crematorium sales forces). Tony Bryer UK Dear Mr. Bryer: Thanks for your money comments. It is really a sad situation. There should be considerable economies of scale resulting in the combination of cemeteries and funeral homes. Most statutes of this nature have been promoted and supported by funeral homes that want to maintain their pricing advantages and not have to compete on an even playing field. Unfortunately, many of the conglomerates and others, when able to combine the facilities, do not pass their savings on to the consumer. Their costs have gone down, but their prices go up. This can happen only as long as the consumer chooses to be uninformed in the industry. Darryl J. Roberts June 13, 1998 Dear Mr. Roberts: I am a 19-year-old female attending Gannon University for mortuary science. I would like some input on how wise my choice is. I am personable and academically capable enough to do anything. In fact, I was in school for pre-medicine until the funeral industry sparked an interest in me. I keep hearing all the down falls of the business such as salary and con artistry being done.in some homes, but this all comes from lay people knowing nothing about what goes on behind the closed doors of the funeral home. I would like some professional opinions to help me decide if this something a person my age should get in to. Also, being a woman is a big dispute with some people. By the way, I bought your book two days ago, and so far I've read the first two chapters. It has already taught me more about the funeral industry than my first year of college did. Thanks a lot! Jessica N. Pisarcik Dear Ms. Pisarcik, Thanks for your e-mail questions. I will try to give you some information that will assist you in making your decision about continuing your death care career. My career in the industry showed beyond any doubt that beginning- and intermediate-level funeral personnel are some of the poorest paid people in the country. Often starting for just over minimum wage and certainly never going very high on the pay scale. The ones who make the lion's share of the income are the owners and managers of the facilities. Unfortunately, if it is financial reward you are seeking, you would be better off becoming an automobile mechanic. Secondly, you asked about the place of women in the industry. I have found that women are much more empathetic to the feelings of their customers than most men. Women should have a better chance for long-term success than most and it can be a rewarding career for those who believe that the consumer should be given all the information possible before making a decision. I found your comment interesting that you learned more from Profits of Death in the first two chapters than you did in your first year of school. One must remember that it takes very little training to become a funeral director (most could learn everything they need to know about directing funerals and managing a funeral home in 30 days). It takes more time to learn to be an embalmer; but, for a reasonably intelligent person, 90 days would be sufficient. Mortuary schools, however, need to make money so they expand the education into two years by adding useless and unneeded fluff to their curriculum. The death care industry is full of nice, competent, well-intentioned people who are in business to make a living and to serve the consumer. Unfortunately, their need to survive and stay in business forces them into a conflict of interest with the consumer. A funeral director friend of mine summed it up one day with the comment: "When the customer comes in the door, I have to decide whether their family will eat tonight or mine." Therein lies the problem with the industry. Thanks, June 9, 1998 Dear Mr. Roberts: Gotta tell ya: Really liked your book.. ( By the way, it was sent on by the company I signed up with to sell funeral related items to the public.) P.S. I've been told by funeral directors: "Makeup doesn't stick to unembalmed bodies." Another one: "Some cemeteries will not allow the bodies of unembalmed be buried there." Nice huh? And the opening cost for 2 graves in ‘97 at a Lowen cemetery was $1,360.!!! (name withheld at writer’s request) June 1, 1998 Dear Mr. Roberts, I would like to be buried in the town I grew up in. (Crowley, La). I would also like to buried on top of my Mom. Is this legal in the state of Louisiana? Could you post the answer here on the website? Thanks. (name withheld at writer’s request) Darryl writes: Thanks for your question in reference to multi-depth burials. There are no laws in most states that say it is illegal to bury more than one person in their grave spaces that they personally own. So I am reasonably sure that you can be buried in the same plot as your mother. The problem, if there is one, will lie with the cemetery itself. The cemetery may not allow you to bury more than one body in a grave. It is your grave and the cemetery will be hard pressed to deny you the privilege if you insist. Good luck! Darryl J. Roberts March 26, 1998 Dear Mr. Roberts: My family owns three funeral homes in South Jersey (outside Phila). I am extremely upset with the bad press that funeral directors have received. U.S. News and World Report did a big article in March 23 issue. Where is the good and positive actions that the funeral home owner provides for his families. I would invite you and your staff to investigate us from top to bottom and you will change your impression of funeral directors. I feel we are honest with our families and our prices reflect this which I will gladly show you. We treat every family as if it were our own. We never force the family to buy something which they do not (want), we even go to the extent to shy away from expensive and believe that is a waste of money. Thank you for this forum and would love to hear a response. Patrick J. Healey McCann Funeral Home Gloucester City, New Jersey Phealey@loyola.edu (P.S.) My uncle owns John A. Healey Funeral Home in Haddon Heights and Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Dear Mr. Healey, Thank you for responding about the death care industry and defending the reputation of the industry and your own McCann Funeral Home in particular. There are certainly many good reputable people in our industry who deserve to be recognized as such. But the greatest sin of the industry is the sin of non-disclosure. The vast majority of death care practitioners do not give the consumer all of the information that the consumer may need to make informed decisions. For instance, most sell the attributes of "sealer" caskets and vaults without telling the family that this extra "protection" does absolutely nothing to prevent the natural decomposition of the body, and may in fact have the exact opposite effect. Instead, they will typically denigrate the use of anything other than a "protective" casket. As we all know, the consumer is in a highly emotional state and will follow the lead of the industry "expert" most of the time -- to their own economic detriment. As my book explains, consumers should have all of the information before making their decisions about their needs and desires and not just rely on a funeral director who is probably on some kind of commission or bonus. A bonus of any kind really creates a conflict of interest for the funeral director. We must give the consumer all the information available and eliminate the conflicts within the industry before we can hold our heads high. Darryl J. Roberts |
| press | | Q&A | links | e-mail |
© 1998-2006/Darryl J. Roberts
All rights reserved
www.profitsofdeath.com/questions.htm