Navigating the Cremation Surge: Lessons from Dutch Nie and NFDA’s 2025 Cremation & Burial Report

The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) 2025 Cremation & Burial Report confirms what the deathcare community is witnessing first-hand: cremation is not just growing—it’s reshaping the landscape of funeral service. 

According to the report, the U.S. cremation rate is projected to reach 63.4% in 2025, compared to just 31.6% for burial. Additionally, the report projects cremation to rise to 82.3% by 2045, while burials are expected to decline to 13%. 

Those particular statistics aren’t that surprising, as cremation rates have been climbing for years. What’s really revealed in the NFDA report, however, are the ripple effects of these numbers — along with some interesting projections that funeral directors should understand, adapt to, and prepare for now, rather than later, to survive and thrive in this evolving profession.

Dutch knows deathcare

For guidance in navigating the changing deathcare landscape, there is perhaps no better voice than Douglas R. “Dutch” Nie II, NFDA’s 2023-24 President and second-generation funeral director and owner of his family’s funeral home, Nie Family Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Ann Arbor, Michigan. After 35 years in the profession and multiple leadership positions on both the state and national levels, Nie knows a thing or two about how to best interpret the NFDA’s report — and he’s optimistic about the opportunities cremation can offer.

Nie has seen cremation evolve from an alternative to a mainstream choice. When he joined his family’s funeral home after leaving the Air Force, cremation already made up about 40% of their services. But as the numbers rise, he believes funeral directors must change how they present cremation to families.

“A lot of people will come in and ask for a direct cremation, or they’ll say, ‘We just want a cremation,’” he says. “That’s when we start the dialogue—what are we going to do prior to that? About 60% of cremations still include a service, and that’s encouraging. Cremation, if it’s communicated correctly to families, is just a disposition. You can still have a traditional funeral—all of those things that help a family acknowledge a death and begin to heal. That’s where the funeral director is the expert.”

At Nie’s firm, families are given options for witnessing and participating in the cremation, much like they would at a graveside service. 

“The crematory we use has a room where the family can have committal prayers,” he explains. “They can even participate by starting the cremation process. It gives them the same sense of closure they’d get from witnessing a burial.”

He’s seen how these experiences can transform grief. 

“When families realize cremation can be every bit as meaningful as burial, it changes everything,” he says. “They start their grief journey on the same footing as those choosing burial.”

Technology as a tool, not a threat

The NFDA report also highlights that while cremation is climbing, many funeral homes haven’t yet modernized their business practices. Only 36% of NFDA-member firms currently offer online cremation arrangements, though another 25% plan to within four years. Nie believes this hesitation stems partly from generational differences. 

“Some funeral homes still aren’t ready to make cremation arrangements online,” he says. “During COVID, we had to adapt—webcasting, online arrangements, Zoom meetings—and some directors embraced it, while others went right back to insisting families come in person. But the ones who adapted are now better able to meet families where they are.”

Technology, he insists, doesn’t replace human connection—it enhances it. “When you can have out-of-town siblings join an arrangement meeting by Zoom, they feel included,” he says. “That’s what matters.”

He also credits NFDA’s Remembering a Life platform for helping both families and professionals navigate new expectations. 

“It was intentional that we wanted resources for everyone and to make it navigable,” he says. “Every family’s situation is different, and the site helps people prepare before, during, and after a loss.”

Facing the workforce shortage

One of the most concerning findings in NFDA’s 2025 report is the growing workforce gap. While death rates are expected to surge to COVID-level numbers by 2045, employment in the profession is projected to increase just 4% over the next decade. For many firms, the availability of qualified personnel remains the top business concern.

“Even if every student in mortuary school found a job, we’d still have a shortage,” Nie says. “That’s why NFDA launched Journey to Serve, which helps active-duty and retired military members train for funeral service. We even worked with the Department of Defense so service members can attend mortuary school while they’re still serving.”

His own firm has adopted creative staffing solutions to manage workload and prevent burnout. “We use transfer services and per-diem embalmers when we’re busy,” Nie explains. “That way our licensed directors can focus on serving families and doing the work only they can do. Employees today want balance—you can’t burn them out.”

To build or not to build?

For funeral homes seeing a rise in cremation calls, adding an on-site crematory may seem like an obvious next step. The 2025 report cited previous NFDA research findings that between 2021 and 2023, the number of licensed crematories increased 5.2% to 3,400, and that more than one-third of funeral homes in the U.S. now operate their own crematories in the 45 states in which this is allowed. Another 10% plan to open their own within the next four years —but Nie urges careful evaluation. 

“It’s an investment, but it reassures families when you can say their loved one never leaves your care,” he says. “Still, for smaller firms, a co-op model may make more sense—partnering with other funeral homes to share the cost and the oversight.”

Whether or not a crematory is onsite or the service is entrusted to a partner, Nie recommends that any team member who meets with families be well-versed on all things cremation, including how to operate a cremator.

“Having those best practices really helps the funeral director,” Nie says. “They need to be comfortable with it, even if they don’t own a crematory. A lot of mortuary programs request that Mike Nicodemus [NFDA’s Vice President of Cremation Services] come in to give the students that knowledge. Then they can comfortably explain the process with families.”

A glimpse of hope in Gen Z

Not all of the NFDA’s 2025 data points to loss or decline. In the NFDA Changing Consumer Preferences survey, which was released earlier this year, Gen Z respondents showed a renewed interest in burial and ceremony. 

“It was very encouraging to look at that survey and realize that, for the first time in three generations, Gen Z prefers burial over cremation,” Nie says. “They know they need funeral directors, and they value personal connection. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

He also sees growth in eco-friendly and non-denominational faith-based services as a positive sign.

“We’re seeing more families who want green options, or spirituality without religion,” he says. “That’s why NFDA offers celebrant training certification through Doug Manning and Glenda Stansbury’s InSight Institute. Having people on staff who are trained to facilitate a non-denominational service is meeting them where they are. They may not want the same thing their parents did, but they still want some spirituality.”

Leading the next era of funeral service

For Nie, the lessons of the 2025 NFDA Cremation & Burial Report are clear: adaptation is no longer optional. 

“We need to educate both funeral directors and consumers,” he says. “Offer everything to everyone. Whether it’s burial, cremation, or something in between—families still want and need what we do.”

Burial Lotteries & Intimidating Mowers | 4M #214

Welcome to the two-hundred-and-fourteenth edition of Morticians’ Monday Morning Mashup, 4M #214, where we’ll serve up bite-sized, easily-digestible nuggets of the deathcare news you need to crush conversations in the week ahead. Bon appetit!

The importance of being buried

Regular folks who might want to be buried next to such famous figures as author Oscar Wilde and The Doors’ frontman Jim Morrison may soon have that opportunity — but they’ll have to work for it. In exchange for this privilege, participants in the lottery sponsored by the council in charge of three of Paris, France’s most popular (and overcrowded) cemeteries will have to submit an application with two estimates for restoring 10 headstones in each of the properties.

Funeral Homes Across America Trust Treasured Memories

From caskets to credit card processing, from outreach to memorial keepsakes — Treasured Memories brings together the industry’s leading providers under one roof. If you’re already using two or more (and chances are you are), you’re leaving rewards on the table.

Trusted by hundreds of funeral homes nationwide, Treasured Memories has become the go-to rewards network for owners looking to make their operations more profitable. Every month, members receive detailed point statements, so you know exactly what you’ve earned and how to use it.

Whether you reinvest in supplies, redeem for cash value, or let your points build, the choice is yours. Don’t miss out on benefits your peers are already taking advantage of.

Pleading his case

The father of a young veteran who died by suicide after killing her three-year-old son is fighting authorities who say she is not allowed to be buried in a New Hampshire veterans’ cemetery. Although, technically, the mom was never charged with the murder of her child, the cemetery’s director says her actions make her “not eligible for interment” based on a 1997 federal law that prohibits veterans convicted of serious crimes. Her father hopes that authorities will reconsider their decision based on his daughter’s struggles with mental health, for which she had been working with a VA therapist, and is appealing the decision to a higher court.

Rejected!

Last week a Colorado judge rejected a plea deal proposed by the attorneys of Carie Hallford, who co-owned Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose with her husband Jon. The deal would have led to Carie pleading guilty to 190 counts of abuse of a corpse and serving 15-20 years in prison, concurrent to any federal sentence. Family members of some of the 190 deceased, whose bodies were discovered in various states of decomposition in October 2023, were present to share their feelings about the proposed deal. Now, Carie will go to trial for these charges in October 2026. She will be sentenced this December in federal court after pleading guilty to financial charges.

Was it worth it?

A 33-year-old Indiana former funeral director faces felony charges of theft, fraud, forgery and corrupt business influence charges after spending more than $47,000 of funds she pocketed after overcharging families. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the courts have shared the list of what she spent the money on, including hairdressers, massages, country club dues, personal lawn care, and multiple payments to friends and family members. Ugh.

It took their job?

It appears that we content creators aren’t the only workers who should be afraid that technology will one day replace us. It seems that tech has its digital eye on cemetery groundskeepers, as well. Autonomous commercial lawnmowers are being adopted by some larger cemeteries, including the veterans’ cemetery in Abilene, Texas, which uses its “completely automated platform mower” to maintain its 10-acre property. There’s still hope for the humans, though. “While it’s mowing, I could be doing something else, but I’m still out here with it,” says Abilene’s cemetery manager. “Weed eating or doing some other kind of maintenance. That’s taking a guy from standing on a mower for 45 minutes, and he can be doing something else.” Let’s just hope the next innovation isn’t an autonomous weed eater.

Green Burial Council Launches New Website Amid Growing Demand for Sustainable Death Care 

The Green Burial Council (GBC), the nonprofit organization that sets the standard for environmentally responsible death care in North America, has launched a newly redesigned website built to meet the needs of our rapidly-evolving industry and a public increasingly seeking green burial options. 

As demand for sustainable alternatives to conventional burial and cremation accelerates, GBC’s new website provides an improved, user-friendly hub for certification, education, and connection. As more families prioritize environmental values in all aspects of life and death, the demand for green burial is reaching a tipping point. 

“Green burial is no longer a fringe interest. When asked, the public consistently and overwhelmingly expresses interest in going green.” said Darren Crouch, Co-President of the GBC. “This sophisticated new website has been a lot of work and positions us and our providers with the information and tools to meet this demand professionally and with authority.” 

Key features of the new website include a streamlined redesign catered to the public and industry professionals, a fully updated interactive provider map that allows users to locate GBC-certified providers in seconds, and streamlined certification pathways for funeral homes, cemeteries, and product providers to become GBC-Certified. 

Professionals across the death care sector are encouraged to explore the new website, ensure their listings are up to date, and take advantage of the updated value of GBC certification. 

Explore the new website and find out how to get certified at: www.greenburialcouncil.org. 

About the Green Burial Council: 

The Green Burial Council is a nonprofit working to make environmentally sustainable death care accessible to all. Through certification, education, and advocacy, the GBC supports a growing movement toward climate-conscious burial and funeral practices.

Batesville Expands Innovation in Burial, Cremation, Digital Solutions and Personalization with New Product Launches at NFDA 2025 

Batesville, Ind – October 16, 2025 – Batesville, a leading provider of high-quality burial products,  cremation products, and technology solutions will debut its newest offerings at the 2025 National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) International Convention & Expo from October 27-29 in Chicago, Illinois. 

Building on the momentum from last year’s NFDA, Batesville continues to invest in the future of funeral service with back-to-back years of product launches and technology advancements. No other company in the industry is investing more to bring meaningful, affordable innovations that support funeral professionals and the families they serve. 

“Families today want more choices, personalization options, and tools that make the planning process easier,’ said Jenn Parvin, Chief Marketing Officer. “Our newest offerings reflect those needs, combining tradition and care with forward-thinking design and innovation.” 

New Product Highlights Include: 

Burial  

Batesville is proud to introduce three new caskets, thoughtfully designed to provide families with high-quality options as they honor and celebrate the lives of their loved ones. The collection includes the: 

• Two 18-gauge steel selections — the NV1 Tuscany Silver and the NV1 Burnished Silver — engineered with both personalization and quality in mind. 

• Crimson Montgomery, a timeless cherry-stained wood casket that reflects warmth and tradition and serves as a dual-disposition casket for both cremation and burial.

• Batesville continues its long-standing commitment to innovation and personalization with its Family Choices® line, available across all three new caskets. The company is also introducing the LifeStories Memory Frame™, a customizable frame for displaying  cherished photos and mementos, and LifeStories Life Touch™ Interiors, beautifully crafted casket interiors that reflect the life and personality of a loved one. Together, these new offerings further Batesville’s legacy of helping families create meaningful and  individualized tributes.

Technology Solutions to Optimize & Grow Your Business

Batesville remains  committed to delivering technology solutions that help funeral professionals optimize their  operations and grow their businesses. From innovative digital tools to integrated platforms,  Batesville provides resources that make it easier to serve families and strengthen success. 

• Family Choices® Digital Showroom: An intuitive online tool that guides families through a personalized journey through casket, cremation, and customization options. Funeral directors can narrow choices based on families’ specific needs, show 3D renderings in real time, and integrate selections into Batesville Connect® for easy and fast ordering. 

• Batesville Connect®: A centralized hub for funeral professionals that streamlines their Batesville experience. Users get ordering, tracking, and business management tasks, making day-to-day operations more efficient.  

• Halcyon by Batesville: The advanced cloud-based management system suite now includes chain-of-custody body-tracking with QR codes, seamless integration with Express Funeral Funding for faster claims procession, and expanded API connectivity. 

Cremation – Urns and Memorialization 

• The new Gallery Series, a carefully curated selection of on-trend, décor-inspired cremation urns from Batesville, are perfect for your home or permanently displayed in a cremation niche.  

• Family Choices® Urn expansion offers families new opportunities for personalization. These urns can be customized with LifeStories® Medallions and LifeSymbols® 

• The expanded NewPointe® line introduces striking new colors and designs with the Nebula, Atlas, and Starlight collections, offering modern style at a great value. 

These new offerings reflect Batesville’s long-standing commitment to delivering products that combine craftsmanship, innovation, and personal meaning for families and loved ones.  

Visit Batesville at NFDA 

Visit Batesville at booth 815 at NFDA 2025 to experience the new products and technologies firsthand and learn how they can help drive higher satisfaction and profitability.  

The Batesville NFDA booth doubles as a fully functioning Physical and Digital Showroom that allows visitors to experience Batesville’s products firsthand. It will serve as a full immersive experience just as families would experience in your actual funeral home. The booth will feature the latest caskets and urns as well as a Family Choices® Digital Showroom where visitors can explore new tools, technologies, and personalization options. 

Batesville will also feature its Family Choices® Physical Showroom, which builds on the success of last year’s ‘Selection Room of the Future.’ Designed to be light, modern, and highly flexible, this updated showroom concept creates a welcoming environment where families can explore products and personalization options with ease. The innovative layout allows funeral professionals to adapt the showroom to the specific needs of the community. Batesville’s selection room offers a contemporary, thoughtful experience that blends tradition with modern design. 

Join us at the NFDA Welcome Party, Sponsored by Batesville 

Batesville is thrilled to co-sponsor the NFDA Welcome Party on Sunday from 6:00-8:00 PM at the House of Blues, 329 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60654 

You can reconnect with friends, make some new ones, and get geared up for an amazing conference. Enjoy food, music, and engaging conversation as we kick off the 2025 NFDA Conference. 

Educational Session: Reimagining the Physical Showroom

In addition to showcasing its newest products and services, Batesville will present an educational section focused on how funeral homes can better meet the needs of today’s families. The session will be presented by  Jenn Parvin, Chief Marketing Officer of Batesville and by Devin Dardanes, Executive Vice  President of Business Development at B+N Industries. “Meeting Modern Expectations:  Redefining the Consumer Experience” will highlight strategies for blending innovation, inspiration, and affordability within the showroom setting, giving funeral professionals tools to create a more engaging, customer-focused environment. Attendees will learn how thoughtful design, modern merchandising, and flexible presentation options can not only enhance the family experience but also drive greater satisfaction and profitability for funeral homes.  

Join us on Wednesday, October 29, 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM for an informative and innovative session.

ABOUT BATESVILLE SERVICES, LLC  

Batesville (www.Batesville.com) is a recognized leader in the deathcare industry in North  America, offering a comprehensive portfolio of burial and cremation products, innovative technology solutions and an unparalleled array of personalization and memorialization offerings. For more than a century, Batesville has supported deathcare professionals in helping families honor the lives of those they love. ® A history of manufacturing excellence, product innovation, superior customer service, and reliable delivery helped Batesville become – and  remain – a market leader. 

NFDA Releases 2025 Cremation & Burial Report: Comprehensive Insights to Guide the Future of Funeral Service

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has released its “2025 Cremation & Burial Report,” the most comprehensive analysis of consumer disposition trends available to funeral service professionals. The report shows the U.S. cremation rate is projected to reach 63.4% in 2025, more than double the burial rate of 31.6%.

Through state-by-state U.S. projections, as well as data from Canada and worldwide, the report provides funeral directors with the reliable, research-based insights they need to anticipate change, identify opportunities and serve families with confidence. 

The “NFDA Cremation & Burial Report” not only offers accurate statistics and projections, but also the broader context that funeral professionals need to make informed decisions for their businesses and the families they serve. 

Key Findings From the 2025 Report

• The U.S. cremation rate is projected to reach 63.4% in 2025, more than double the burial rate of 31.6%. By 2045, cremation will account for 82.3% of dispositions, while burials will decline to 13.0%.
• All 50 states and the District of Columbia are projected to surpass a 50% cremation rate by 2035.
• In Canada, cremations are expected to rise to 91.2% by 2045.
• Nearly 36% of member firms already offer online cremation arrangements, with another 25% planning to do so within four years.
• NFDA-member firms continue to identify the availability of qualified personnel as their greatest business challenge over the next four years. 

The report goes beyond statistics, incorporating analysis of economic conditions, workforce challenges, consumer preferences and funeral home operational trends. By putting cremation and burial projections in context, NFDA provides members with a sharper, more complete picture of how the profession is evolving and what it means for the future of service. 

Accessing the Report and Other NFDA Research 

The 2025 NFDA Cremation & Burial Report” is available free of charge to NFDA members and for $175 for nonmembers. Funeral professionals can download the report at  NFDA.org/Research.  At NFDA.org/Research, funeral professionals can also access a wide range of free NFDA studies and reports, including:

• “Across Borders, Across Traditions: A Global Study of Funeral Preferences” (2025): The first-ever global survey of consumer opinions on funerals, offering insights across countries and cultures.
• “Changing Consumer Preferences: A Generational Perspective on Attitudes Toward Funeral Service” (2025): A groundbreaking study on generational attitudes toward funeral service and evolving expectations.
• “Business Practices Study” (2025): An exploration of how funeral directors are adapting business practices in light of increasing cremation rates.
• “Consumer Awareness and Preferences Survey” (2025): Findings from NFDA’s direct-to-consumer research on evolving funeral service preferences.
• And many more. 

These resources are part of NFDA’s ongoing commitment to provide funeral service professionals with high-quality, independent research to help them make informed business decisions and deliver meaningful service to families. 

About the National Funeral Directors Association 

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association representing 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit NFDA.org.

As you can read in this recent article from the Insurance NewsNet a plaintiff in Arkansas is alleging that Globe Life “routinely canceled small life insurance policies when confronted with claims”.  The article goes on to say that “The small policies, generally $5,000 to $20,000, are sometimes known as “burial” policies and commonly cover funeral costs, medical and other debts. They are popular in the South and Midwest, where funerals are a strong cultural tradition.”

In more information supplied from an Arkansas law firm the case was described in this manner:

“A class action lawsuit was filed against Globe Life in federal court in the Eastern District of Arkansas alleging that Globe Life routinely cancels or rescinds small life insurance policies—typically ranging from $5,000 to $20,000—when beneficiaries file claims. These “burial policies” are often purchased to cover funeral expenses, medical bills, and other final costs.

According to the complaint, Globe Life:

• Asks vague or overly broad health questions when selling policies.
• Later conducts exhaustive reviews of the insured’s medical history after death.
• Uses minor or unrelated health issues as a pretext to deny claims.

 

The compliant alleges these practices violate Arkansas law, which since 2011 has prohibited insurers from rescinding policies unless they can prove fraud or a material misrepresentation directly related to the cause of death.”

Funeral Director Daily take: From my perspective I’m under the assumption that policies that are known as “Burial” policies or “Final Expense” policies are not sold under the purview of what most funeral homes and funeral directors would label “PreNeed” policies.  That, however, does not mean that those types of policies are not sold by their companies for the purpose of paying for future Death Care expenses by general agents outside of the business of Death Care.

It also doesn’t meant that consumers don’t buy those policies with the idea that they will have their family use at least some of the insurance proceeds for Death Care expenses.

There are some big differences though between what I would suggest as proper PreNeed policies and some types of policies offered by companies as “Burial” or “Final Expense” policies.

In a nutshell I would look for a PreNeed policy to be of the “whole life” variety where it is not canceled because premiums got too expensive as a policyholder’s age increases.  Preferably for PreNeed policies it is my opinion that “Single Premium” whole life policies are best  —  there is no possibility of one of these ypes of policies lapsing for lack of premium payments.

Secondly, I would look to align with a company where once the policy was accepted under the terms of the contract the reason or cause of death would make no difference as to the claim payment.

Funeral Director Daily will watch this lawsuit play out and inform our readers what happens.  In the meantime I think it is imperative that consumers get life-time protection and assurances from the PreNeed policies sold through funeral homes.  It might be a good time to check on the policies and provider that your funeral home teams up with.

Related Article —  Arkansas lawsuit filed over canceled “Burial” life insurance policies sold by Globe Life.   Cision PR Newswire

More news from the world of Death Care: 

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

One Cemetery’s Wild Ride from $1 Million “Zillow Gone Wild” Listing to $1 Sale to Green Burial Organization

Talk about a real estate bargain! It’s not everyday that a seller accepts a buyer’s offer of one-millionth of the asking price, but that’s exactly what happened recently in Philadelphia when a judge approved the sale of a property — listed just last year for $1 million — for just one single buck.

Back in July 2024, Mount Vernon Cemetery—a neglected 26‑acre burial ground in North Philadelphia—was unexpectedly listed on Zillow for $1 million. The post instantly went viral for its eerie, overgrown appearance… and a not-so-subtle warning: the property had 33,000+ graves, ticks, poison ivy, spooky stuffed animals mysteriously showing up overnight, and even ghost hunters prowling around.

Filled with history

Mount Vernon Cemetery opened on February 28, 1856, as part of the then‑fashionable rural garden‑cemetery movement—intended as a lush, park‑like place to bury loved ones. It sits across Ridge Avenue from “competitor” Laurel Hill Cemetery, on land that once belonged to a Philadelphia merchant‑philanthropist Robert Ralston.

The property is filled with plots occupied by notable American families and Revolutionary War heroes and is dotted with distinctive architectural features. For example, the Cemetery’s original gatehouse and arched entry were designed in 1857–58 by architect John Notman, a big name in 19th‑century American cemetery design. Architectural historian Constance Greiff once called the structure “the setting for an Italian fairy tale.”

Mount Vernon’s features include: 

• Gardel Memorial Pyramid (1864): A towering 25‑ft sandstone and marble pyramid designed by Belgian sculptor Guillaume Geefs, honoring Julia Hawks Gardel. Complete with allegorical statues of continents and figures representing Hope, Faith, and America—it cost about $2 million in today’s dollars.
• Drew & Barrymore Family Plot: Generations of this famed acting dynasty—including Louisa Lane Drew, Maurice Barrymore, and John Barrymore—are interred here. Fans installed an “Alas poor Yorick” marker on John Barrymore’s grave in 1992.
• Re‑interred Historic Figures: In 1867, about 2,500 bodies—many Revolutionary War soldiers—from an Arch Street churchyard were moved here.
• Lots of Other Luminaries: There are beer barons, Medal of Honor winners from the Civil War, professional sports figures, and more.

Falling apart

By the late 20th century, Mount Vernon had fallen into neglect. No new plots were sold after 1968. In 1973, lawyer Joseph Dinsmore Murphy inherited the property—and let it sit derelict for decades. 

By 2021, it was an overgrown, vine-choked ruin—bronze doors looted, mausoleums flooded, bones floating in muck. The Philadelphia Community Development Coalition (PCDC) petitioned for conservatorship under blighted‑property laws, and a judge agreed. Volunteers, dubbed “Friends of Mount Vernon,” began clearing vines, mowing paths, revealing statues—and even hosted a Fall Festival on the property in November 2023.

Cemeteries Gone Wild

In July 2024, the PCDC listed the cemetery on Zillow for $1 million, a court‑ordered move. Only a few bidders showed interest—not surprising, given legal and preservation constraints. The listing even went viral, appearing on the popular “Zillow Gone Wild,” an Instagram account that showcases outrageous, unusual, and odd properties featured on the Zillow real estate platform.

The sudden attention led to public panic and fears that the site would be plowed down and become commercial property. Experts noted the site wasn’t suitable for development due to undocumented graves and a few purchased, but not yet occupied, plots.

“People were panicking … they got afraid they will move the bodies and it will become a Walmart. That will not happen,” volunteer Bradley Zimmerman said. “There are 33,000 people here and we don’t have accurate maps and records. You would have to do ground-penetrating radar over 26 acres to find everybody. There are infinitely cheaper and easier places. If you’re looking for the site of your next distribution center, Mount Vernon ain’t it.”

A green revival

Fast-forward to April 2025: a judge approved sale to New Jersey’s Steelmantown Cemetery Co., a green burial group, for just $1. Owner Ed Bixby plans to invest $400,000+ in repairs to the gatehouse and grounds and to create nature trails and walkable pathways over 18 months. The goal: create a welcoming green space and offer eco-friendly green burials.

The new owners and volunteers envision a “sustained ruin”: not a manicured lawn, but a respectful, walkable landscape with native plantings, paths, historical markers, art installations, and events.

They’ve already planned historic and art architecture tours, like the Gardel Monument spotlight tour held in Dec 2024, and community-friendly events: beer walks, film screenings (think Barrymore classics), and genealogy meet‑ups.

Steelmantown’s Bixby says it’s all about respecting the living who visit as well as the legacy of those buried there: “Cemeteries are designed for the living.”

The Loved Ones Interment Act Could Correct 2024 VA Burial Reform

The Loved Ones Interment Act—a bipartisan legislative effort introduced by Rep. Julia Brownley (D‑CA) in September 2024 and reintroduced in June 2025—seeks to address a critical and emotionally charged gap in veterans’ burial benefits. This change is deeply relevant for deathcare professionals tasked with guiding and supporting military families.

The problem: cremation + VA benefits = no burial together

Under a current interpretation of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs policy by the National Cemetery Administration, families who opt for a commemorative urn or plaque for a cremated veteran are automatically ineligible for interment in a national cemetery—and worse, cannot be buried alongside a spouse or dependent. According to VA’s FAQ:

“If a family chooses an urn or a plaque to commemorate a Veteran, VA is prohibited by law from interring that Veteran’s remains in a VA national cemetery or from providing a headstone… Families should be certain of their choice.” 

Families understandably feel the sting of such irreversible decisions—decisions influenced by emotions, finances, or uncertainty about future desires.

Legislative fix: The Loved Ones Interment Act

The Loved Ones Interment Act (H.R. 9804) specifically amends Title 38 of the U.S. Code, empowering the VA to issue headstones and markers for cremated veterans even if they already received a VA urn or plaque, provided they are interred with an eligible spouse or dependent. The bill’s language outlines that the marker:

• Includes information for both the veteran and the loved one.
• Must not exceed existing marker costs.

“Those who have served our country in uniform deserve to be buried with the utmost respect and dignity, regardless of whether their families choose for them to be cremated or not…” Rep. Brownley explains. “It is heartbreaking and completely unacceptable that VA’s current interpretation of the law prevents cremated veterans from being buried with their family members…”

Why this matters: The 2024 Burial Reform

This bill builds on the foundation laid by the 2020 Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act, which authorized the VA to furnish urns or plaques when remains weren’t interred. Implemented in June 2024, the VA’s final rule stated that choosing an urn or plaque made burial in a VA cemetery—along with any headstones—unavailable.

This well-intentioned reform empowered more cremation options but inadvertently repositories for stranded veterans—honored with an urn yet barred from final burial with their loved ones in esteemed cemeteries.

Funeral directors responded

In a 2024 congressional hearing on the Veterans’ Burial Improvement Act and related legislation, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) played an active role, warning that “Section 2207 of P.L. 116‑315… could unintentionally jeopardize the veteran’s eligibility for ground burial by opting for an urn benefit from the VA.”

The NFDA urged the VA to “amend its policy to allow a veteran’s cremated remains to be placed in the same VA cemetery plot as a spouse who is buried at a later date,” noting that including an urn is “no different than including a memento in the casket.”

Benefit to families—and to your business

For funeral professionals, the Loved Ones Interment Act:

1. Reassures Families
   Clients gain confidence knowing cremation won’t preclude cemetery burial or family interment—even if they initially opt for an urn or plaque.
2. Simplifies Planning
   Funeral homes can offer clearer, more complete preplanning options, reducing future emotional and logistical stress for families.
3. Aftercare Trust
   Providing full-spectrum support—from urn selection to graveside placement—builds lasting trust and demonstrates your advocacy.

Legislative status and next steps

As of its 2025 reintroduction, the Act is referred to the House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. It has strong backing from veterans’ groups (AMVETS, IAVA, and PVA) and bipartisan support.

The Loved Ones Interment Act corrects an unintended but profound oversight in the 2024 reforms — restoring dignity, closure, and unity for veterans and their families. For deathcare professionals, this is more than policy: it’s an opportunity to better serve those who served, guiding families with sensitivity, foresight, and integrity.

From Grief to Growth: First-Ever Mushroom Casket Burial in North America Signals Cultural Shift

In a forest clearing in Maine, a daughter’s farewell becomes a symbol of a regenerative future.

INDUSTRY, MAINE — June 2, 2025 — On a quiet hillside in rural Maine, artist Marsya Ancker will lay her father, Mark C. Ancker, to rest. But this burial, steeped in love and transformation, is a historic first: the first mushroom casket funeral ever held in North America.

For her father’s burial, Marsya selected the Loop Living Cocoon™ mushroom casket. Crafted entirely from mycelium — the root structure of mushrooms — the innovative casket is grown in just seven days and biodegrades completely within 45 days once buried, enriching the soil and nourishing new plant life.

“My father always told me that he wanted to be buried in the woods on the property that he loved so much,” says Marsya Ancker. “He wanted his final resting place to nourish the land and plants he cherished.”

Since 2021, Loop Biotech’s Netherlands-based operation has facilitated thousands of mushroom casket burials across Europe, but the Maine service marks the first such burial in North America.

Green burial, which gained renewed attention in the 1990s, replaces traditional embalming chemicals, hardwood caskets, and synthetic linings with biodegradable materials that enable natural decomposition.

A Movement Growing from the Ground Up 

The nonprofit Green Burial Council, founded in 2005, has become the leading authority on environmentally conscious burial practices. The organization has documented remarkable growth in the green burial movement, seeing a 72% increase in demand from cemeteries for sustainable end-of-life options.

“The growth we’ve seen in green burial has been extraordinary, from just one provider in 2005 to over 470 cemeteries across the United States and Canada today,” says Emily Miller, Board member and Treasurer of the Green Burial Council “As awareness of the environmental impact of conventional burials and cremations increases, more people are seeking meaningful alternatives that honor both their loved ones and the earth.“

In the United States alone, conventional burials use an estimated 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid, 20 million board feet of hardwood, and 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete every year, according to the Green Burial Council.

Crafting a Regenerative Farewell

Loop Biotech, the Netherlands-based company behind the Living Cocoon™ mushroom casket, is part of a new wave of innovations designed to reverse environmental harm in the funeral industry — and reimagine how we say goodbye. 

“Funerals can be more than endings — they can be beginnings,” says Bob Hendrikx, founder of Loop Biotech. “We created the Loop Living Cocoon to offer a way for humans to enrich nature after death. It’s about leaving the world better than we found it.”

The Ancker Family’s service was supported by Wiles Remembrance Centers in Farmington, Maine, and carried out on private land in Industry, ME. The family chose to keep the ceremony small but hopes that by sharing the story, it might inspire others to consider more conscious, earth-friendly ways of saying goodbye.

“The Loop Living Cocoon makes it easy to create a beautiful place of remembrance,” says Marsya. “One that will bring joy and contemplation for generations to come.”

About Loop Biotech
Netherlands-based Loop Biotech transforms the global funeral industry with the Loop Living Cocoon™—a fully compostable casket grown from mushrooms that gives back to the earth. Strong and protective, it features no harmful chemicals while returning nutrients to the soil and turning every farewell into environmental healing. Soft, lightweight, and elegant, the casket facilitates natural decomposition of the body. Since 2021, the company has enabled over 2,500 burials across Europe. Loop products are Intertek certified for burial in traditional and green cemeteries as well as cremation. Visit Loop Biotech online to learn more and view their full product catalog.

Batesville Empowers Deathcare Professionals with Industry-Leading Burial, Cremation and Technology Solutions at 2025 ICCFA Exhibition

BATESVILLE, Ind., April 23, 2025 – Batesville, a leading North American provider of high-quality burial and cremation products, innovative technology solutions and a trusted partner to funeral directors, cemeterians and crematory professionals, will showcase a variety of breakthrough products, high-performance digital solutions and merchandising systems designed to help customers drive efficiency and growth at the 2025 International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) Convention and Exposition, May 1 – 2, in Las Vegas, NV. Experts will demonstrate the transformational power of the new Family Choices^® digital and physical showrooms and the advanced capabilities of its MIS and Halcyon management software, web and e-commerce solutions.

“Over the last two years, Batesville has accelerated the level of investments across our business, blending tradition with innovation to provide compelling burial, cremation and technology solutions that deliver value to our customers and help families navigate the end-of-life journey,” said Jenn Parvin, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer for Batesville.

The company has deep customer relationships and a diverse portfolio of solutions to meet the evolving needs of deathcare professionals and the families they serve. Batesville was recently named one of Newsweek’s Most Trustworthy Companies in America for the second consecutive year, an honor that reflects the dedication of 3,000 associates who share a common mission of helping families honor the lives of those they love.^®

Here are some of the Batesville solutions ICCFA attendees can explore:

Family Choices^® Physical and Digital Showrooms