Did a Funeral Intern REALLY Do This? | FFFW 243

Did a Funeral Intern REALLY Do This? | FFFW 243

It’s time for us to start saying goodbye to July. That’s right- this is the final Friday of the month. To quote my dad, “Time sure is flying.” Then he’ll normally say something like “it’s basically winter already. Might as well kiss the good weather goodbye.” And man as a kid that was a bummer- as an adult I kind of get it.

BUT- at the FFFW we are all about pushing the positive vibes and celebrating every week. So, August might be the end of summer but it’s also a lot of other things.

Here are just a few facts to get you excited about August:

We finance caskets CLICK HERE and send it directly to the funeral home of your choice. Or go directly to the application HERE.

• It’s the most common birth month in the U.S.—so get ready to sing “Happy Birthday” a lot.
• The Perseid meteor shower peaks in mid-August, with up to 100 shooting stars visible per hour.
• The first U.S. census was completed in August 1790, recording just under 4 million people.
• The first MTV broadcast happened on August 1, 1981, kicking off with “Video Killed the Radio Star.”
• On August 5, 1914, the world’s first electric traffic light was installed in Cleveland, Ohio—so you can thank August every time you hit a red light.

Introducing The Memo by MemoryShare

MemoryShare, the #1 Live Streaming software for funeral homes, has announced a new monthly newsletter.

“The Memo” is for funeral directors to stay updated on the latest tools, pro-tips, video tricks, and technology op-eds in the funeral profession. Subscribers will get exclusive access to early offers, discounts, and feature releases.

To subscribe to The Memo, click the button below.

[Subscribe Now]

New Funeral Intern Keeps Saying “Let’s Get This Party Started” Before Services

“I think he’s trying to bring energy, but there’s a time and place,” says staff.

Bright-eyed funeral intern Kyle Hastings has been making waves during his first week at Remembrance Ridge Funeral Chapel—mostly by repeatedly starting each service with the phrase, “Let’s get this party started!”

“He means well,” said funeral director Paula Knox. “But this isn’t a wedding DJ booth. This is Cheryl’s memorial.”

Kyle’s routine reportedly includes slapping the podium, firing finger guns at the bereaved, and once yelling “Who’s ready to celebrate a life?!” while cuing the wrong slideshow. That particular incident resulted in a photo montage from a completely different family playing to the tune of “Uptown Funk.”

Staff say he’s been sat down multiple times for coaching, but Kyle insists he’s “bringing a fresh energy to the industry.”
“He told me he was trying to give ‘opening act vibes,’” said embalmer Greg Tate. “I told him this isn’t Coachella.”

As of Thursday, Kyle has agreed to tone it down, scaling back his catchphrase to a low whisper and only using the podium for what he calls “light choreography.”

Grief may be universal, but Kyle is… very specific.

Trivia

Choose the correct answer and you’ll see a puppy. Get it wrong and you’ll see someone hurting themselves.

Roughly how many gallons of embalming fluid are used in the United States each year?

A. 50,000
B. 250,000
C. 800,000
D. 1.6 million

You Otter Be Proud

Here’s some good news going on in the profession.

1. This Milford nonprofit helps families with high funeral costs
2. People Magazine Covers Funeral Profession Story
3. Fifth-generation funeral director Jeff Monreal helps families grieve, celebrate loved ones