Decades of Neglect at Pennsylvania Cemetery Leads to Horrific Theft 

Most people who choose permanent memorialization for a loved one leave the cemetery or mausoleum confident that family members will be able to return and pay their respects for generations to come. They trust that the stewards of these sacred spaces will care for the property’s inhabitants to ensure that permanent memorialization remains just that — permanent.

A deeply unsettling development in Plains Township, Pennsylvania has proven that this isn’t always the case. During the first week of November, two bodies were stolen from crypts at Good Shepherd Memorial Mausoleum. One of the victims has been identified by a grandson as Mary Cappellini Piga, who died in 1979, while the identity of the other person has not been publicly released. Authorities have shared that some “partial remains” have been recovered, but the investigation is ongoing.

Owners claim ignorance

While this theft is horrifying, it has, tragically, been foreshadowed by decades of neglect by the owners of the Good Shepherd property. The mausoleum that once housed the remains of Piga was actually condemned in 2015 after the discovery of black mold, crumbling marble, and structural instability. At that time, some family members were scrambling to arrange reinterment for their loved ones — and suing the property’s owners for reimbursement of those expenses.

Lawrence Lee and Viktoria Evstafieva, who live in Ormond Beach, Florida, purchased the 6.08-acre cemetery at a tax sale for $4,500. Oddly, they later claimed that they weren’t aware the property included a cemetery or mausoleum. 

“We did not purchase the business part of it,” Evstafieva told a local news station in 2006. “We did not intend to continue this place as a cemetery.”

Funeral directors stepping up

Various township leaders have commented on the deteriorating situation at Good Shepherd over the years, but the recent crimes have renewed interest in finding a solution. One member of the Board of Commissioners —  who is, coincidentally, Piga’s great-grandson — said they’ve filed court documents to relocate the 38 bodies still housed in the mausoleum because efforts to reach the owners have been unsuccessful.

Funeral director Chris Yanaitis and the Luzerne County Funeral Directors Association have joined the efforts to do right by the deceased, but the process is costly, legally complex, and emotionally taxing. Yanaitis told WVIA that he hopes the Attorney General’s office will grant a blanket order to move the bodies from the mausoleum to Good Shepherd’s cemetery section, which volunteers are attempting to maintain.

Time is not on the side of Yanaitis and authorities. Not only is nature taking its toll on the mausoleum, but thieves have been systematically dismantling the structure, removing bricks and screws, most recently, of course, human remains. 

“Everybody in the Luzerne County Funeral Directors Association has been trying their best to do and get the word out to families,” Yanaitis told WVIA news. “I know [lawyers] have been helping us … but at the same time, it’s still a cost, and it’s going through a second funeral all over again.”

National funeral home and cemetery operator Carriage Services announced their 3rd Quarter results last week.  In total they announced total revenues of $102.7 million in revenues for the 3rd Quarter in comparison to the 2024 3rd Quarter of $100.7 million — that’s a 2% total increase.  The same report also stated that the company’s revenue for the 9 month period ending September 30, 2025, totaled $312.0 million as compared to the total revenue for the same 9-month period of 2024 of $306.5 million — that’s an increase of about 1.8% on the year so far.

That doesn’t tell the whole story, however, as the press release from Carriage Services, which you can access here, alludes to how strong the cemetery and preneed operations of the company have been.  Here’s a couple of bullet points from the press release that points to that fact:

• Total revenue grew 2.0% over the prior year quarter, driven by increased operating revenue of 5.2% primarily as a result of 21.4% growth in cemetery preneed sales;
• Cemetery operating revenue increased 12.6% over the prior year quarter, driven by a 4.6% increase in the number of preneed interment rights sold and a 15.1% increase in the average price of preneed interment rights sold
• Financial revenue increased 27.2% over the prior year quarter, primarily driven by a 27.9% increase in preneed insurance contracts sold resulting in an increase in general agency commission revenue

On the other side of the equation, funerals, I noticed that the number of funeral contracts slipped about 2% over the same 3-month (3Q) period of last year and the increase in Funeral Revenue per case was less than 1% coming in at increased revenue rate of 0.7%.  The low rate of funeral contract revenue growth makes sense when you also notice the company’s rate of cremation to burial also slightly increased for the 3Q period. . . . . Carriage Services reported a 3Q25 cremation rate of 61% as compared to a 3Q24 cremation rate of 60.4%.

Carriage Services Vice-Chairman and CEO Carlos Quezada summed up the quarter with some prepared remarks in the press release.  In part, Quezada made these comments:

“We are excited to be back in growth mode, expanding our footprint this quarter through strategic acquisitions of businesses that served over 2,600 families and generated more than $15 million in annual revenue last year. At the same time, we divested certain non-core assets to reallocate capital towards better long-term value creation opportunities.

Total operating revenue grew 5.2% year-over-year, driven by 21.4% growth in cemetery preneed sales combined with financial revenue growth of 27.2%, reflecting the continued success of our national prearranged funeral and cemetery strategy. These results highlight the strength of our team, the effectiveness of our business strategy, and the growing demand for the premier experiences we deliver. Purposeful Growth in Action – Building Momentum Toward Our 2030 Vision.”

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  Carriage Services management has been upfront in the past couple of years letting shareholders know that they re-allocating the assets of the business to set up greater success in the future.  They have sold some business units and acquired others — which in some areas makes comparable financial data hard to interpret without knowing what has been sold and acquired.

However, from the success of their cemetery segment and this knowledge that their new preneed agreements seem to be bringing more revenue to the bottom line, I conclude that they seem to be on the right track.

From my point of view, the consumer rarely stands still and it appears to me that part of the Carriage Services’ management goal is to be ahead of the curve for that consumer and have the right products ready for tomorrow’s consumers.  It’s an ongoing task that could pay big dividends in the future.

Disclaimer —  The author of this article for Funeral Director Daily is a shareholder of Carriage Services.

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Again, the 15th of the month leads us to re-issue our Top Read articles of the month for our readers —  just in case you missed one of them the first time.

This month two articles dealing with legal issues of Death Care appear as our Top Two articles and for the first-time ever an article has re-appeared on the list for a 2nd time.  The article “Funeral Women Lead is defining a path for the changing face of funeral service” first appeared in August 2025 and had enough readers to be on the August 15 Top Read list.

In what probably signals better SEO rankings for Funeral Director Daily, now – 60 days later — the article is reappearing as one of our Top 5 read articles between September 15 and October 14.  A first for Funeral Director Daily articles!!

Here’s the articles that our readers read most over the past 30 days just in case you missed one:

1. Indiana Court:  “Death Doula” does not need a funeral director license.
2. Arkansas lawsuit questions “Denials of Claims” with “Burial” policies.
3. “Funeral Women Lead” is defining a path for the changing face of funeral service.
4. Another acquisition by Park Lawn Corporation.
5. Titan Casket “Keeps on Keeping on”. . . and growing.

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FAMIC Leads Profession-Wide Effort to Tackle Funeral Service Workforce Crisis

New video series offers peer-driven solutions to help funeral homes recruit and retain staff 

Brookfield, Wis. – The Funeral and Memorial Information Council (FAMIC), in collaboration with its member associations, has taken a proactive step in addressing one of the funeral profession’s most urgent challenges: attracting and keeping qualified employees. Today, FAMIC announced the release of Hiring and Retention: Tips from Your Colleagues, a new video series featuring real-world solutions from funeral home owners and managers from throughout the United State and across the globe. 

“Recruiting and retaining qualified staff isn’t just a challenge, it’s one of the greatest threats to the future of funeral service,” said Chris Robinson, president of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). “As associations, we have a responsibility to lead with action and provide practical tools our members can use right now. This video series is a tangible example of how NFDA and its FAMIC partners are working together to help funeral homes build strong, sustainable teams.” 

The 13-video series, hosted on FAMIC’s YouTube channel, features 12 short videos, each spotlighting practical strategies being used by funeral home owners and managers to recruit and retain high-quality employees.  A final compilation video brings the best insights together in a single resource. Topics include mental health and well-being, creating inclusive workplace cultures, and community-based recruitment. 

“Our members are constantly asking, ‘What’s working, and how can we learn from each other?’ This series answers that call,” said Christopher Waite, incoming chair of Selected Independent Funeral Homes (Selected). “By sharing candid insights from real funeral directors, who face the same challenges and are finding creative ways to overcome them, we’re helping firms move from frustration to forward momentum.” 

The funeral professionals who made time to share advice with their colleagues include:

• Eric Bliley, Richmond, Virginia
• Jim Busch, Cleveland, Ohio
• Colin Haskett, Ontario, Canada
• Bettina Jose, Manila, Philippines
• Jimmi Anne Lowe Ellington, Burlington, North Carolina
• Carmalita March-Harris, Baltimore, Maryland
• Adam Martin, Mount Morris, Michigan
• Leili McMurrough, Chicago, Illinois
• Larnique Mickens, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Emily Nelson, Denver, Colorado
• Marcus Nelson, Spooner, Wisconsin
• Lori Pray, Charlotte, Michigan

Tips range from small, impactful actions, like hosting quarterly staff lunches, daily check-ins and redistributing workloads, to long-term strategies such as building recruitment pipelines through job fairs, social media and partnerships with hospice professionals. 

“This effort reflects what our profession needs most right now – leadership, collaboration and real-world solutions,” said Kim Hunter, president of the International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR). “Through FAMIC, we’ve harnessed the insight and experience of funeral professionals who are finding success, and we’re making that knowledge available to everyone. It’s a powerful example of how associations can work together to move the profession forward.” 

The video series is part of FAMIC’s broader mission to provide valuable information and education to the profession. The videos will be promoted by NFDA, Selected and OGR through email, social media and their websites. 

Watch the full series on the FAMIC YouTube channel: YouTube.com/@FAMIC_Tips. 

About FAMIC 

The Funeral and Memorial Information Council is an association of associations representing all facets of the deathcare profession. With members including the National Funeral Directors Association, Selected Independent Funeral Homes and the International Order of the Golden Rule, FAMIC serves as a unified voice and a leading provider of education and information. Its mission is to support informed consumers and funeral professionals who value meaningful memorialization. # # #

ICCFA’s Government & Legal Committee Leads 2025 Capitol Hill Advocacy Effort

STERLING, Va. (April 10, 2025) – The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) brought the voice of the deathcare profession to Capitol Hill last week during its annual Washington, D.C. Fly-In. More than 30 ICCFA members met with lawmakers and federal agency leaders over the course of two days to discuss the most pressing issues impacting funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, and related deathcare businesses across the country.

On Wednesday, April 2, ICCFA members visited dozens of offices across Capitol Hill. Meetings focused on lawmakers from the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee, addressing issues related to the FTC’s Funeral Rule, the proposed ban on non-compete agreements, and the need for federal regulation of non-transplant tissue donation through the Consensual Donation and Research Integrity (CDRI) Act. ICCFA members engaged with legislators and staff from the House Ways and Means Committee to advocate for tax policy reforms critical to funeral and cemetery trusts, including support for the Funeral Expenses Act and changes to the outdated cemetery perpetual care fund distribution deduction.

“The advocacy side of deathcare is massive – if you’re not involved in advocacy efforts, you can’t see the changes that need to be made or be a part of making those changes,” said Poul Lemasters, Esq., ICCFA General Counsel. “Our voice matters in Washington, and this visit proved just how powerful it is when we come together with a unified message.”

On Thursday morning, the delegation visited the Federal Trade Commission to meet with the Division of Marketing Practices to share industry concerns and perspectives on the ongoing review of the Funeral Rule.

Throughout the Fly-In, ICCFA members emphasized a shared goal: ensuring that federal policy reflects the realities of modern deathcare and supports ethical, sustainable business practices for providers serving families during life’s most difficult moments.

ICCFA President Lee Longino commended the efforts of all involved. “I’m incredibly proud of our members who took the time to advocate on behalf of the deathcare profession during this year’s fly-in,” he said. “Their dedication, professionalism, and willingness to speak up on critical issues ensures our voice is not only heard, but respected. The impact of their efforts will be felt across the profession.”

ICCFA Executive Director Nadira Baddeliyanage echoed that sentiment, adding, “It’s inspiring to see our members take time out of their busy schedules to advocate for meaningful change. Their commitment to shaping policies that support both our profession and the families we serve is a testament to the strength and unity of the ICCFA community.”

The ICCFA Government & Legal Committee will convene next month during the 2025 ICCFA Experience in Las Vegas, Nevada for the newly named Irwin W. Shipper Legislative Session & Reception. This special event will provide attendees with timely updates on federal and state issues impacting the deathcare profession, along with the opportunity to engage in open dialogue about the challenges they are facing firsthand.

Stay informed and explore ICCFA’s ongoing advocacy efforts at iccfa.com/advocacy.

Founded in 1887, the International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association is the only international trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, cremation, funeral, and memorialization profession. The association is comprised of more than 10,000 members in the cemetery, funeral home, and crematory industries, as well as supplier and related businesses worldwide.

According to this press release it appears that one of the reasons that the Johnson-Romito Funeral Homes chose Busch Cremation, Burial, and Pre-Planning as their successor firm is the funeral homes’ common values and membership in the Order of the Golden Rule funeral home membership organization.

Both funeral organizations have served the greater Cleveland, Ohio, area for over 100 years.   During that time according to Jim Busch, President of Busch Funeral Homes, the funeral homes have a long history with each other.  Here’s what he says in the press release, “This partnership is a natural progression of the relationship our families have built over the years.  My father, John, and Mike and Debi’s father, Ed, shared a friendship through OGR that laid the foundation for this collaboration. Mike Romito and Debi Romito-DePompei as the next generation have carried on that legacy and were both wonderful to work with during this process. Together, we can extend our reach and serve even more families across Cleveland with the personalized care they deserve.”

Busch continued making this statement in the press release, “We are honored that Johnson-Romito Funeral Homes chose Busch to continue their family’s legacy of service in our community.  This partnership allows us to continue providing exceptional, community-focused funerals while maintaining our independence.”

The addition of the four Johnson-Romito Funeral Home locations will give the Busch organization ownersip of 12 facilities across the greater Cleveland area.

Related — Here is the Order of the Golden Rule website

Here is the Busch Cremation, Burial, and Pre-Planning website

Here is the website of the Johnson-Romito Funeral Homes

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