Honoring a Life of Gratitude and the Legacy of Gerald H. Davis

Richmond, IN — December 23, 2025 — With deep respect and heartfelt sorrow, Vandor Group and Starmark announce the passing of Gerald H. Davis, former President and long-time board member, on December 20^th, 2025. Gerald’s visionary leadership and unwavering integrity shaped our companies and the communities we serve, leaving a legacy that will endure for generations.

A Visionary Leader and Innovator

Throughout his distinguished career, Gerald was a pioneer in funeral service and packaging solutions. He held more than fifty patents, many developed in collaboration with other members of the Vandor and Starmark teams, reflecting his commitment to innovation and teamwork. Gerald founded the Starmark brand, setting new standards for family-affordable and funeral professional-friendly cremation products, and fostering partnerships built on trust and integrity.

A Career of Impact

Gerald came from a family of casket builders as his father, Forrest Davis, founded Goliath Casket in the mid-eighties, which continued for nearly four decades under the ownership of Gerald’s brother, Keith Davis. Gerald’s own career began humbly in 1977 as a part-time assembly line employee at Spartan Casket Shell in Lynn, Indiana. His talent and determination propelled him through leadership roles at JM Hutton and later into entrepreneurial success with Elder Davis, Inc., which became North America’s largest cloth-covered casket manufacturer.

In 2000, Gerald assumed leadership at Vandor and, anticipating the growing need for green burial and cremation products, launched Starmark Funeral Products in 2004. His innovations—from the Transporter® Cremation Container, compact and lower-cost rental inserts, easy-to-use funeral director-friendly ceremonial rental caskets, and the Sure~Lock® Temporary Urn—transformed funeral service and remain benchmarks of quality and functionality.

A Life Rooted in Values

Beyond his professional achievements, Gerald embodied fairness, hard work, and kindness—principles that continue to guide Vandor and Starmark’s culture. A gifted musician, Gerald majored in Alto Saxophone at Ball State University and Fort Wayne Bible College (now Taylor University) and served as a music director and arranger in the U.S. Army in Germany, where he met his beloved wife, Annette. Married for 51 years, they built a life in Eastern Indiana, raising a family of four, married children, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Family and Legacy

Gerald’s vision lives on through his children, three of whom hold leadership roles within Vandor and Starmark today. Together, they carry forward Gerald’s commitment to delivering “Davis Sensible Solutions” to the industries he loved.

A Lasting Influence

Alan Elder, Chairman and CEO of Vandor Group, shared:
“Gerald was more than a colleague—he was a friend, a mentor, and a guiding light for Vandor. His creativity and integrity shaped not only our products but our culture. We will forever be grateful for his leadership and the example he set for all of us.”

Gerald H. Davis will be remembered not only for his innovations and leadership but for his compassion and humility. His influence will continue to inspire Vandor, Starmark, and the broader community for years to come. 

For obituary information, visit: https://www.smithmcquiston.com/obituaries/gerald-h-davis

Big Move in Deathcare Tech: Courtney Gould Miller Moves from Tribute Technology to Homesteaders Life Company

Courtney Gould Miller, a well-known leader in funeral service technology and digital strategy, is transitioning from Tribute Technology to join Homesteaders Life Company as Chief Growth Officer. The move represents a strategic shift for Miller while reinforcing Homesteaders’ continued investment in innovation, digital growth, and long-term relevance in the deathcare profession.

Courtney has been instrumental in helping Tribute Technology evolve into one of the profession’s most comprehensive digital platforms. During her time at Tribute, the company moved beyond standalone tools and toward a more unified ecosystem, designed to reduce complexity for funeral homes, eliminate redundant workflows, and create a more seamless experience for both professionals and the families they serve.

Her work helped position Tribute as a technology partner focused not just on features, but on usability, integration, and long-term value for funeral homes navigating an increasingly digital landscape.

As Courtney steps into her new role at Homesteaders, her relationship with Tribute will continue. She will remain involved as an advisor, supporting the company through strategic initiatives, industry events, and ongoing collaboration. The transition has been closely coordinated between the two organizations, reflecting a strong and positive partnership that remains intact.

A Strategic Growth Role at Homesteaders

At Homesteaders Life Company, Miller will join the executive team as Chief Growth Officer, where she will bring a digital-first growth perspective across the organization. Her role will extend beyond traditional marketing to include oversight and influence across technology investments, digital consumer journeys, and growth-oriented initiatives tied to preneed education and engagement.

Homesteaders has made significant investments in recent years to modernize how families interact with preneed solutions, and Miller’s appointment signals a continued commitment to meeting consumers where they are: digitally, relationally, and culturally.

In addition to marketing and brand strategy, Miller will be involved in evaluating and guiding technology initiatives that support Homesteaders’ broader vision. Her experience in building scalable, integrated platforms aligns with the company’s goal of creating digital solutions that match the size, reach, and responsibility of its mission.

Continuity and Momentum at Tribute Technology

Miller’s departure from Tribute comes at a time of strength for the company. Tribute continues to advance its vision of being a fully integrated, all-in-one technology platform for funeral homes, focused on reducing fragmented systems and simplifying how funeral professionals operate and serve families.

Leadership at Tribute has emphasized that the foundation built during Miller’s tenure positions the company well for continued growth and innovation. With leadership continuity in place and new product development underway, Tribute enters its next chapter with clarity and confidence.

A Move That Reflects the Direction of the Profession

Miller’s transition highlights a broader shift within the deathcare profession, one where technology, preneed, and consumer experience are becoming increasingly interconnected. Her move from a leading technology platform to a major preneed organization underscores the importance of cross-functional leadership and collaboration across the industry.

Rather than stepping away from deathcare, Miller is deepening her involvement, bringing her experience, perspective, and passion into a new role that bridges innovation and tradition.

As Homesteaders continues to expand its digital footprint and Tribute advances its platform vision, Miller’s ongoing connection to both organizations reflects a shared belief: the future of funeral service will be shaped by leaders who understand technology, growth, and the sacred responsibility of serving families.

Read full press release from Homesteaders Life Company

Read full press release from Tribute Technology

Funeral Clowns Brought the Dead to Life

I heard “funeral clowns” and envisioned the grim reaper’s hood with a red nose poking out. Something smiley with too many yellow fangs and a scarlet afro. A bad horror movie.

But, ah… it seems funeral clowns were (and are) a real thing. Not only that, but a happy and comforting thing, which seems the very opposite of the job title’s connotation. And once upon a time, in fact, they were kind of a big deal in a civilization as brutal and sprawling as any today.

A long history

Dating from the Roman Empire, the first funeral clowns were known asarchimimes (from Greek roots for archi– “chief” and mimos “mimic”). These were actors dressed as clown versions of the deceased.

It was commonplace to include them. Their purpose was “bringing the dead to life” in a joyful way for the solemn occasion; actors achieved this by impersonating the departed to incorporate their character into the funeral ceremonies.

Through mimicry and exaggeration of traits (including the appearance) and mannerisms of the deceased, archimimes were paid (well paid) to lighten the mood and bring some joy to what would otherwise be an atmosphere of sadness.

Present day

Primarily a European phenomenon at the moment, funeral clowns are indeed available for hire today. Several business endeavors have been established since the late 2000’s (and, in fact, Connecting Directors has covered the funeral clown tradition before).

Happy, costume-bearing funeral entertainment for hire. Well, it fits the modern death culture’s other unique offerings, both here and abroad. They might even be embraced on this side of the pond; we can certainly use something to laugh about in 2025. One modern-day clown states that he hopes to create a comfort zone for mourners honoring the dead and the emotional responses of survivors together. Death care’s current atmosphere could certainly accommodate some happy actors.

Purpose

Such clowns actually brought more than fun and laughs to a sad moment. Modern experts say funeral clowns played a psychologically significant role. Their presence and active participation in ceremonies performing as the guest of honor was emotionally significant as well as culturally revealing of the attitudes of the time about dying and the dead.

It seems an honorable enough purpose simply to provide an impression of one last moment in life “with” the deceased, to placate the dead and entertain the living. But more than that, psychologists say ”the existence of archimimes illustrates a civilization deeply invested in the performance of identity, the public processing of grief, and the communal management of memory” (source).

It’s not such a departure from modern rituals and practices already in place. Our eulogies, video memorials, even hologram concerts all typify the sort of symbolic purpose of characterizing or even “returning” the dead to the present, if only for a little while.

Would you offer this service?

Today’s funeral professionals don’t need archimimes to curate a final “performance” of a life, of course. Technology makes so many more realistic, true to life alternatives available. Stories, eulogies, videos and photo montages are the norm, and other, more extreme options are already out there. But you never know, right? I mean, with holograms and AI anything could happen; who’s to say what the 21st century iteration would look like.

Should the day come when full-on funeral clown services are offered a la carte (maybe in tiers?), the outcome will be the same: helping families see their person one more time in motion, not just in memory.

Seeking Alpha author Daniel Jones made the following comment in this opinion article titled “Carriage Services is coming back to life” published last week about the company:

“. . . I believe that the market is currently underestimating Carriage Services. The business has done a fine job of reorienting itself over the last couple of years, and it clearly is back in growth mode. . “

As is Funeral Director Daily’s policy for financial opinion articles, we will link the article and show some quotes on the article but let the reader make their own decisions as to the opinions given.

Jones makes the following claims at the beginning of the article about Carriage Services:

• “Carriage Services remains deeply undervalued, with strong top-line growth and demographic tailwinds positioning it for long-term success.”
• “CSV’s recent acquisitions and expansion into new markets signal a return to ‘growth mode’ after significant debt reduction and strategic review.”
• “Despite mixed profitability in recent years, 2025 guidance points to higher revenue, improved adjusted earnings, and attractive valuation versus peers.”

Funeral Director Daily will also provide these interesting graphics that accompanied the article for your knowledge:

The continued high fragmentation of the industry allows for more consolidation

America’s aging population creates tailwinds for Death Care providers

Carriage Services location map (As of December 31, 2024)

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

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

Tukios Introduces “New Horizon Obituary Template,” A Modern Way to Honor a Life

Ogden, UT – November 5, 2025 — Tukios, a leader in funeral technology solutions, is proud to announce the launch of the New Horizon Obituary Template, the latest addition to its suite of online memorial tools. This thoughtfully designed template provides families with a fresh, modern way to celebrate a life well lived while ensuring the person being remembered remains the focal point.

The New Horizon Template features a full-screen video presentation, giving it a cinematic, personal touch that draws attention to the decedent. The clean, contemporary design enhances the tribute experience, allowing families to share memories in a way that feels both intimate and visually engaging.

Designed to Complement the New Video Obituary Cover Art
In addition to the full-screen layout, the New Horizon Template pairs beautifully with Tukios’ new video obituary cover art. This cohesive design element ensures that the obituary and video tribute seamlessly complement each other. With multiple stock video options to choose from, funeral homes can easily customize each obituary to suit the unique tone and personality of the service.

Simple Activation with Support from the Tukios Team
Due to the template’s new features, the New Horizon Obituary Template requires initial activation by the Tukios team. Once enabled, it integrates seamlessly into a funeral home’s existing Tukios workflow, ensuring it’s just as easy to use as the current obituary templates. To get started, funeral homes can reach out to their Tukios account manager or contact the Tukios support team at tukios.com or by phone at (801) 682-4391.

Supporting Families in Meaningful Ways
The New Horizon Template helps families reflect on and celebrate their loved one’s life with dignity and respect. By providing a beautiful, personalized space to share memories, this template elevates the online tribute experience and creates a meaningful environment for visitors to reflect on treasured moments.

Availability
The New Horizon Obituary Template is available at no additional cost for funeral homes hosting their websites with Tukios. Funeral professionals can reach out to their Tukios account manager to learn more about this exciting new feature.

About Tukios
Tukios creates software to improve funerals. Their innovative platform powers thousands of funeral home websites, stunning video tributes, and streamlined e-commerce experiences. Tukios is known for leading the profession in AI technology, offering tools that simplify day-to-day tasks, elevate the online experience, and keep funeral homes visible and relevant in an ever-changing digital landscape. Whether it’s a family visiting a website or an AI assistant helping with funeral arrangements, Tukios ensures your story is told clearly and beautifully every time.

NFDA Introduces New Remembering A Life Award to Honor the Profession’s Most Meaningful Funeral and Memorial Services 

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has announced a new honor within its renowned Pursuit of Excellence Award program: the Remembering A Life Award. This new recognition, debuting in 2026, will celebrate funeral homes that create the profession’s most personal and meaningful funerals and memorial services – those that go beyond expectations to bring comfort, healing and significance to the families they serve. 

The new award was formally announced during the association’s All-Star Recognition Ceremony on Monday, October 27, at the 2025 NFDA International Convention & Expo in Chicago. 

“The Remembering A Life Award will shine a spotlight on the heart of what funeral service professionals do for grieving families,” said NFDA Director of Public Relations Jessica Koth, who manages the Pursuit of Excellence Program. “It will honor those moments when creativity, compassion and attention to detail come together to help families remember, grieve and begin to heal. We look forward to presenting the first Remembering A Life Awards during next year’s All-Star Recognition Ceremony.” 

Elevating the Heart of Funeral Service 

The Remembering A Life Award aligns closely with NFDA’s consumer initiative, Remembering A Life, which educates families about the value of funerals and memorial services and offers resources for planning meaningful tributes and beginning the grief journey. Each year, up to five funeral homes will be selected by the Pursuit of Excellence Work Group for this distinction.

Recipients will be chosen based on essays submitted as part of their Pursuit of Excellence entry that describe a personal and meaningful funeral or memorial service. Submissions will be evaluated on how creatively the service honored the life of the deceased, incorporated family wishes and cultural traditions and exceeded expectations to provide a truly meaningful experience. 

Building on a Legacy of Excellence 

Established more than 45 years ago by the late NFDA Past President Richard Myers, the Pursuit of Excellence Award program honors funeral homes that consistently demonstrate integrity, innovation and service excellence. In addition to the new Remembering A Life Award, the program includes:

• Pursuit of Excellence Award: The program’s foundational honor, recognizing achievement in six categories of excellence.
• Hall of Excellence: Funeral homes are inducted into the Hall of Excellence upon earning their 10th Pursuit of Excellence Award.
• Richard Myers Pinnacle Award: Recognizes an extraordinary program or service that redefines funeral service excellence.
• Best of the Best Award: Honors up to five funeral homes annually for novel and innovative programs or services.
• Honorable Mention: Acknowledges programs that positively impact the families and communities served. 

Reinforcing NFDA’s Strategic Vision 

The introduction of the Remembering A Life Award supports several priorities outlined in NFDA’s 2024-26 Strategic Plan, including raising the profile of funeral professionals among consumers, increasing understanding of the value of meaningful memorialization and inspiring innovation across the profession.

“The Pursuit of Excellence program has always set the standard for service excellence,” said Koth. “This new award reflects our ongoing commitment to helping funeral professionals elevate their work and demonstrate the deep value of meaningful memorialization to families and communities.”

The first Remembering A Life Awards will be presented during the All-Star Recognition Ceremony at the 2026 NFDA International Convention & Expo in Charlotte, North Carolina. For more information about the Pursuit of Excellence program or to apply by the July 15, 2026, deadline, visit NFDA.org/PursuitOfExcellence. 

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.

New Remembering A Life Conversation Cards Introduced to Help Funeral Professionals Work With Families to Plan Meaningful Funerals

Suite of Conversation Cards Now Covers Every Step of the Journey: Preplanning, Funeral Planning and Aftercare 

Brookfield, Wis. – Remembering A Life, the consumer education initiative of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), has introduced two new decks of conversation cards that funeral directors can use to inspire the families they serve to plan meaningful tributes to loved ones. 

Remembering A Life Funeral Planning Conversation Cards are brand new to the Remembering A Life Conversation Card suite. These conversation cards help families and friends create a safe, comfortable environment for having a conversation about a person’s final wishes and help them plan a meaningful tribute for themselves or a loved one with the guidance of a funeral professional.

This deck of 52 thought-provoking questions will help get the conversation started and help put family members and friends at ease while talking about a topic that may generate a variety of emotions. Questions cover five key areas.

• Talking About Death
• Your Body
• The Service
• Honoring Your Life
• The Details 

Each card goes beyond the question itself, offering thoughtful prompts and helpful information to guide a discussion. Families will find insights about the value of a viewing, the benefits of preplanning and why connecting with an NFDA-member funeral home can make a difference. 

“Inspiring people to have meaningful discussions about death and funerals isn’t easy,” said Gail Marquardt, vice president of consumer engagement for NFDA. “These decks help family members and friends create a safe, comfortable environment for having a conversation about a person’s final wishes and guide them in working with a funeral professional to plan a meaningful tribute for themselves or a loved one.” 

Funeral professionals can use the cards as a preneed tool, during the arrangement conference as conversation starters or as a giveaway for a workshop or open house. 

Have the Talk of a Lifetime Conversation Cards have been reimagined and redesigned with new content and additional prompts to help family and friends get to know each other better so when it’s time to create a tribute for a loved one, they are better prepared to make it meaningful. Each of the 50 questions invites people to share stories about meaningful moments, relationships, objects, adventures, accomplishments and more. Additional prompts invite them to further explore their answers to each question, encouraging them to share their stories with others, pull out meaningful mementos or do an activity related to their answer. 

“Funeral directors have embraced Have the Talk of a Lifetime Conversation Cards since they were introduced nearly ten years ago,” said Marquardt. “We were excited to give them a new look and include expanded content to further enrich families’ experiences with the cards. The questions and prompts in this deck help families create a service that beautifully reflects an individual’s interests, passions, relationships and accomplishments.” 

For funeral professionals, Have the Talk of a Lifetime Conversation Cards are the perfect preneed and storytelling tool. Funeral professionals can use the cards as a preneed/lead generation tool, as conversation starters during the arrangement conference and in the funeral home waiting area. The cards are also the perfect thank-you gift for visiting a funeral home open house or preplanning workshop. The new decks complete a set of three conversation card decks that also includes 

Remembering A Life Journey Cards, which feature 52 ideas for remembering loved ones in meaningful ways. This deck helps family members and friends as they explore their grief journey, offering simple yet meaningful ways to keep a loved one’s memory close. All three decks of conversation cards are available at NFDA.org/Store. The decks are $10 each for NFDA members and $15 each for non-members. Quantity discounts are available, and decks can also be customized with a funeral home logo. Funeral professionals attending the 2025 NFDA International Convention & Expo in Chicago can visit the Remembering A Life booth (1831) for free sample packs and can purchase full decks at the convention as well. For more information about the Remembering A Life resources available to funeral professionals, including the Remembering A Life Idea Guide for Funeral Professionals, visit NFDA.org/RememberingALife. 

About Remembering A Life

Remembering A Life helps individuals and families remember their loved ones in meaningful ways, helping to keep the memory of loved ones alive and assisting family members and friends in moving forward in their grief. Remembering A Life educates families about the value of a funeral and helps them find an NFDA-member funeral director (RememberingALife.com/FindAFuneralHome) to help them create a meaningful service. The initiative also helps them as they begin the grief journey following the death of a loved one. Resources include the Remembering A Life website (RememberingALife.com), a podcast, book club, blog, conversation cards and thoughtful gifts for grieving family members and friends. Remembering A Life is a consumer education initiative of the National Funeral Directors Association. Follow Remembering A Life on Facebook and Instagram. 

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.

Funeral Directors Life Names Alex Farnstrom as Market Center Manager

ABILENE, TX — Funeral Directors Life is proud to announce Alex Farnstrom as Market Center Manager for the Western region. Alex will serve funeral homes on the West Coast, along with Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.

“We are very excited to add Alex to our Sales Management Team,” said Kris Seale, President and CEO of Funeral Directors Life. “Alex has more than 30 years of experience in the funeral profession and knows what it means to own and operate a funeral home. He’ll be of great service to our clients in the West.”

For more than 25 years, Alex owned and operated Farnstrom Mortuaries in Oregon. He led his business to
become one of the premier funeral homes in his area, serving more than 1,200 families a year across five
locations. This hands-on experience will allow Alex to help funeral homes achieve unprecedented success.

“Alex has a deep understanding of the funeral profession and will be a tremendous asset to our partners,” said Eric Espinosa, Director of Sales Development for Funeral Directors Life. “His insights into what makes a great partner will help us continue to elevate our service and support.”

Alex holds a degree in Funeral Service Education Science along with funeral director and embalmer licenses in California, Kansas, Oregon, and Texas.

“I look forward to meeting with funeral professionals, learning about their aspirations, and helping them achieve their goals,” Alex said. “I hope to utilize my years of experience as an owner and executive to be an extension of their business. I have no doubts this is going to be a wonderful experience!”

About Funeral Directors Life

Funeral Directors Life is focused on being the best, most-respected provider of service to the funeral profession with preneed funeral solutions, financial services, and technology offerings. We help our clients improve their businesses and grow their profitability through our full-service solutions. Your business requires more than preneed solutions – that’s why we’re more than a preneed company. For more information about Funeral Directors Life, visit us online at www.fdl.co.

Funeral Directors Life to Provide Free Tickets to Soul On Fire, a Biographical Film about John O’Leary’s Life

ABILENE, TX — Funeral Directors Life (FDL) is excited to provide free tickets to Soul On Fire, a biographical
film about the life of John O’Leary, a two-time #1 National Bestselling Author of ON FIRE and IN AWE and host of the award-winning Live Inspired Podcast. FDL is sponsoring several screenings of the film for “Soul On Fire Night” in Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

“When I first heard John’s story years ago, I was blown away by his resilience and positive mindset,” said Kris Seale, President and CEO of Funeral Directors Life. “I immediately invited him to speak at our end-of-year event, which sparked the beginning of a wonderful partnership. As a company, we’ve read John’s books together and sponsored him at the NFDA Convention in 2022 and many state funeral director association conventions. His story will resonate with many, and it’s one that people desperately need right now.”

As a child, John was burned on 100% of his body and given less than 1% chance to live. This film, directed by Sean McNamara and written by Gregory Poirier, chronicles John’s accident, road to recovery, and unbreakable spirit. Soul On Fire stars Joel Courtney as John O’Leary, John Corbett as Denny O’Leary, and William H. Macy as Jack Buck. The film is set to release in theaters on October 10, 2025.

“We’re proud to share John’s inspiring story with others however we can,” continued Seale. “But more
importantly, we’re honored to spread his message of positivity during life’s hardest moments. If more people had John’s joy, the world would be a better place.”

Dates vary, but seats are free for funeral professionals while tickets last. To see if the film is playing near you or to claim your free seat to “Soul On Fire Night,” please click here.

About Funeral Directors Life

Funeral Directors Life is focused on being the best, most-respected provider of service to the funeral profession with preneed funeral solutions, financial services, and technology offerings. We help our clients improve their businesses and grow their profitability through our full-service solutions. Your business requires more than preneed solutions – that’s why we’re more than a preneed company. For more information about Funeral Directors Life, visit us online at www.fdl.co.