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:

• 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.

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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.

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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

Funeral Intern TAKES OVER | FFFW 237

Y’all – I just had an amazing piece of sourdough bread. For years and years, I was scared of it – the name sounds so ugly. “Who wants sour bread?” I often thought. But then I just tried it and I can’t get enough.

Anyway, you didn’t come here for my sourdough thoughts – you came here for your weekly dose of funeral fun. Aaaaand that begins right NOW!

“The announcement that Facebook will delete live streams older than 30 days reveals a critical disconnect between platform policies and the reality of grief. Grief doesn’t follow a 30-day timeline. Our data shows 30% of funeral viewings happen after that 30-day window. For an average funeral home, that’s over 2,500 families annually who will seek comfort in a service recording only to find it gone. This should serve as a wake-up call for funeral professionals to invest in solutions where they maintain ownership and control of their content, rather than entrusting these precious memories to platforms with competing priorities.” – Shane White, CTO of MemoryShare

MemoryShare is here to help.

Funeral homes affected by these changes can schedule a call with MemoryShare to receive 3 months of unlimited streaming and recording. Their team will handle all training, transfer your existing videos, and provide a complimentary 20-minute training session for your staff. MemoryShare is committed to funeral homes and ensuring a smooth transition with zero disruption for the families you serve.

Call 469-983-4832 to learn more and meet with a MemoryShare professional who will guide you through the process. Mention Disrupt/Connecting Directors to claim a bonus gift!

Funeral Home Intern Accidentally Becomes Full-Time Employee After No One Tells Him to Leave

“I Just Kept Coming Back. Now I Manage Preneed.”

CLEVELAND, OH — What began as a six-week summer internship has quietly evolved into a full-time career for 22-year-old Jackson Wright, who never received formal instructions to stop showing up at the funeral home — and now oversees the preneed program.

“I figured if they didn’t say I was done, I wasn’t done,” said Jackson, who initially started in May dusting urns and vacuuming chapel carpets. “By August, I was directing services. By October, I had my own business cards. I think I work here now?”

Staff at Greenwood & Sons Funeral Home confirmed Jackson’s presence but expressed uncertainty about his employment status.

“We assumed he was somebody’s nephew,” said Linda, the office manager. “Then we saw him in a suit greeting families and just… went with it. Honestly, he’s better than half the people we have hired.”

The funeral home’s owner, Harold Greenwood, was unaware Jackson was unpaid for the first four months. “Wait, he’s not on payroll? Can we keep it that way?”

Jackson is currently planning the firm’s holiday remembrance service and considering asking for a raise—or at least a name tag.

Trivia

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

The latest Marvel movie has made 280 million dollars. How much 280 million 20-gauge steel caskets weigh?

Answer Choices:
A) 23 billion lbs
B) 33 billion lbs
C) 53 billion lbs

You Otter Be Proud

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

1.  Unique Program Recycles Pacemakers Retrieved from the Deceased
2. People Magazine Covers Funeral Profession Story
3. Fifth-generation funeral director Jeff Monreal helps families grieve, celebrate loved ones