Maryland Governor Orders Review of Funeral Board After Crematory Controversy

Governor Wes Moore is not playing around when it comes to deathcare in Maryland. Just weeks after Heaven Bound Cremation Services was shut down in the interest of public safety after eight years of issues, Moore has forced the resignation of three members of the Maryland State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors and ordered an indepth review of the all-volunteer team that in his opinion has “failed” families. 

“Firstly, these allegations are despicable, and those responsible need to be held accountable,” Moore announced last week. “I know the board is independent, but they have failed these families and I share in their outrage, and I stand with them in demanding justice. There is an active investigation into this matter, and these families deserve better.”

Based on the information that has come to light since the board took emergency action to shutter the embattled Charles County crematory on January 23, 2025, Moore’s outrage is justified. As Connecting Directors recently shared, the closure of Heaven Bound stemmed from an inspection that found 11 issues ranging from an inoperable retort to three decomposing bodies — one of which had been in the facility since a March 2024 inspection. The facility had amassed a lengthy list of violations since its opening in 2016, including some that mandated random, unannounced inspections by the board. 

Despite these findings, Heaven Bound was only inspected a handful of times over the years. The egregious body storage issues noted in the March 2024 inspection had only worsened by the time the board’s inspector revisited the facility in January 2025. Last week, the executive director of the Maryland Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors, who has only served in the position for 14 months, admitted that inspections were “backlogged.”

“When I began my position, I noticed we were backlogged approximately 300 establishments in inspections,” said director Erika Malone. “132 have been completed in the last year.”

Malone was one of several state officials, morticians, and funeral directors who were questioned by the Maryland House Health and Government Operations Committee. The committee was also told that some crematories haven’t been inspected in nearly 10 years. 

Malone added that the “board did no inspections statewide for two years before the issues at Heaven Bound were exposed” because Maryland’s “lone investigator was assigned office duty for that period,”, according to WJLA ABC7 News.

Three of the 11 executive members and officers of the board have resigned “under pressure” from Gov. Moore and have been removed from the entity’s website. The site now lists the eight remaining board members as well as executive director Malone, an administrative assistant, a licensing coordinator, and the aforementioned “lone” investigator/inspector.

Charles P. Scheeler was asked by Gov. Moore to lead the review, which will involve a “thorough assessment of the board’s structure and operations and whether changes to law or regulations are warranted,” says the Southern Maryland News. Scheeler is a former federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

Executive Orders For Funerals | FFFW 222

DISCLAIMER: None of the F’s in FFFW stand for “facts.”

Enjoy the jokes and satire. What a week. It’s wild how much can change in a week. So many huge things happened. Where should we begin? Did you hear about Donald?

That’s right- Retired L.A. Rams player, Aaron Donald showed up to their wildcard game a couple of weeks back and is making sports news as people speculate whether or not he could have a comeback.

Then… what about Tik Tok. We’ve all been talking about it! “Tik Tok” by Kesha is nearing in on 1.5 BILLION streams on Spotify.

And while I can admit I’ve jammed to the song several times- no dental professional condones brushing teeth with a bottle of jack.

Just use toothpaste. Your breath will smell better. Anyway- now that we’re caught up on current events- let’s get moving!

Days until the Chiefs win the Big Game: 16

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Executive Orders if the President Were a Funeral Director

Executive Order #101: Hearse Lanes on the Interstate

Because nothing says “dignity in death” like zipping past rush hour traffic in a dedicated funeral procession lane. Bonus perk: hearse drivers get free toll passes if they can honk “Amazing Grace” on the way through.

Executive Order #404: No More Boring Obituaries

Effective immediately, all obituaries must include at least one outrageous fact—whether true or not. “Beloved father of three, Jerry once wrestled a bear in a Denny’s parking lot and won” is now the gold standard. Families who opt for “he enjoyed golf” will face fines.

Executive Order #676: Ban on Overplayed Funeral Songs

Under this directive, any family who requests “My Heart Will Go On” for a service must also sit through a Titanic-length slideshow of random stock photos. All versions of Wind Beneath My Wings? Immediate fine.

Executive Order #999: The Eternal Tax Credit

Families who purchase a burial or cremation package early will receive a 10% tax deduction, affectionately called “The Dead Deduction.” Citizens are encouraged to plan ahead for Uncle Larry’s inevitable demise and deduct his burial from next year’s refund.

Executive Order #207: National Moment of Silence—And Silence Only

A hard ban on side conversations during funeral services. Any guest caught whispering, “Who’s the caterer?” during the eulogy will be sent to the parking lot holding a sign that reads, I couldn’t keep quiet.

Trivia

What celebrity had their ashes sent to space aboard a rocket?

Select the correct answer, and you’ll get a GIF of an otter. Select the wrong one, and you’ll get a GIF of someone hurting themselves.

Answer Choices:

A) Freddie Mercury

B) David Bowie

C) James Doohan

You Otter Be Proud

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

1. Wilson Funeral Home director honored for organ donor support
2. Old Lick Cemetery in Roanoke cleaned, repaired with help of national expert
3. Fifth-generation funeral director Jeff Monreal helps families grieve, celebrate loved ones