MFDA Bulletin Winter 2017

WINTER 2017

BULLETIN

PUBLISHED QUARTERLY FOR THE MINNESOTA FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS.

Happy New Year!

New year, new benefits for being a member of MFDA! To find out what’s new at MFDA in 2017, read President Hartquist’s article on page 5.

Winter photo by Ken Peterson

Change Service Requested Minnesota Funeral Directors Association 7046 East Fish Lake Road Maple Grove, MN 55311

MFDA Bulletin

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Minnesota Funeral Directors Association

In This Issue Executive Director’s Report........................................................ 4

BOARD OF DIRECTORS, STAFF AND OTHER CONTACTS President Jeff Hartquist Hartquist Funeral Home Luverne, MN engebretson@iw.net

Secretary Dan Dahl Dahl Funeral Home East Grand Forks, MN dahlfuneralhome@midconetwork.com

Treasurer Ashley Hoff-Czaplewski Hoff Funeral and Cremations Service St. Charles, MN hoff.ashleymarie@gmail.com

Past President Shawn Kirby Kolden Funeral Service Le Sueur, MN shawntkirby@gmail.com

From the President...................................................................... 5 An Open Letter to Future Mortuary College Graduates..........6 Hennepin County Medical Examiner Update............................ 7 News from NFDA.........................................................................8 Dr. Alan Wolfelt Training...........................................................9 Employees Discussing Wages....................................................10 Fake “FTC investigation” Email Making Rounds....................10 A.M. Best Reaffirms Funderal Directors Life’s A-Rating....... 11 MFDA Leadership Academy Enters Second Year...................12 Winter 2017 Legislative Update.................................................13 Book Review: A Wild and Precious Life.......................................14 In Memoriam..........................................................................18-19 Classifieds.............................................................................20-22 2017 MFDA Allied Members..................................................... 23

DISTRICT DIRECTORS Kelly J. Kelly (District 1) Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes Kasson, MN kjkell0803@yahoo.com

Tim Anderson(District 10) Anderson Funeral Home Twin Valley, MN timanderson@arvig.net

Tonya D. Borth (District 2) Schoenbauer Funeral Home Le Center, MN tonya_04@hotmail.com

Chris Jacobson (District 11) Bell Brothers Funeral Home, Duluth, MN chris.jacobson@tlcofduluth.com

Marquis Madison (District 3) Totzke Funeral Home Fulda, MN totzke@mchsi.com

POLICY BOARD REPRESENTATIVE Leif Larsen

Lance Peterson (District 4/5) Peterson Brothers Funeral Home and Cremation Service Willmar, MN lance@petersonbrothers.com Scott Benson (District 6 & 7) Gearty-Delmore Funeral Chapel, Inc. Robbinsdale, MN sbenson@delmore.com Brian Dingmann (District 8) Dingmann Funeral Care Annandale, MN brian@dingmannfuneral.com Steve Sheets, CFSP (District 9) Schoeneberger Funeral Home Perham MN sheets.steve@yahoo.com

Green-Larsen Mortuary International Falls, MN llarsen@greenlarsen.com

2017 MFDA Calendar March 31-April 2, 2017 Children’s Grief Connection Hearts of Hope Family Grief Camp McGregor, MN May 22-24, 2017 MFDA 127th Annual Convention Doubletree Minneapolis South, Bloomington, MN May 24, 2017 Leadership Academy Graduation Doubletree Minneapolis South, Bloomington, MN

PAST PRESIDENT REP Norman Larsen

Green-Larsen Mortuary International Falls, MN nlarsen@greenlarsen.com

STAFF Darlyne Erickson, CAE Executive Director 763-416-0124 612-940-8169 (cell) info@mnfuneral.org

Amy Beckham (Administrative) amy@mnfuneral.org

Who We Are: Minnesota Funeral Director’s Association (MFDA) is the statewide resource dedicated to supporting our member’s growth professionally, ethically, and operationally.

What Is Our Mission: Our mission is to enhance and support funeral service excellence through our programs, legislative representation and service to Minnesotans.

How We Accomplish This: • Essential and enduring principles that guide our organization’s behaviors and actions • Advancing the value of funeral service consistent with the changing needs of society

Sue Sack (Accounting)

• Advocacy on behalf of consumers and members

Kathy Sheridan (Membership/Convention)

• Promotion of integrity; honest and ethical behavior within the funeral industry

sue@mnfuneral.org

kathy@mnfuneral.org

Miki Tufto (Communications/Convention) mtufto@mnfuneral.org

• Visionary leadership trust and confidence in staff and volunteer leadership

• Collaboration with others in the interest of consumers and members • Recognize the importance of education as a vehicle to enhance both public service and public image

7046 East Fish Lake Road, Maple Grove, MN 55311 p: (763) 416-0124 • f: (763) 416-0124 e: info@mnfuneral.org • ww.mnfuneral.org The MFDA Bulletin is published quarterly for MDFA members. Copyright ©2017 MFDA Service Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior written permission of the publisher. Advertising opportunities are available by contacting MFDA to request an ad rate sheet.

Classified ads are also available at $50 for up to 75 words. Please e-mail the ad to info@mnfuneral.org, fax or mail to the fax number or address listed above, along with the desired run time of your ad.

www.mnfuneral.org 3

Executive Director’s Report Happy New Year, once again!

History has proven we will never be able to predict what a new year will bring, however, we can always hope for the best! Setting goals is always popular around this time of year and our goal for MFDA is to continue moving forward on behalf of our members.

and non-members but have given them out at conferences we have attended as an exhibitor. MN Hospice & Palliative Care Association and LeadingAge Minnesota are two of the meetings we attended as exhibitors and we are looking for more opportunities to get the word out. We use “Have the Talk of a Lifetime” as the conversation starter and follow it up with a packet of the five brochures that MFDA is provided. Trust me, everyone has a story!

We have increased our “touchpoints” through several different avenues both face to face and online. Social media includes Facebook, Instagram and Twitter thanks to I recently attended the annual meeting of the Council Miki Tufto who has done a great job of keeping for Funeral Association Executives which is a group EDUCATE. these accounts relevant. We currently have 492 made of individuals who do what I do. This group is COMMUNICATE. Facebook Likes, 475 Twitter followers and 32 a great resource for both myself and our staff. Public Instagram followers. Although I both “follow ADVOCATE. relations/Outreach was a topic of conversation and like” these accounts, I personally appreciate COLLABORATE. and Christine Pepper, Executive Director of NFDA, the face to face opportunities we have provided CELEBRATE. shared NFDA’s “Managing the Profession’s Message” this past year. Convention, district meetings, document. This is something I would like to build on Insurance class, Leadership Academy and variety in the coming year and hope to enlist many of you to of committee meetings. You are a very social group become spokespeople for the profession. More on that and the opportunity to be with others who understand later…I’m excited about this opportunity! exactly what you do is priceless. We hope to increase those opportunities for connection this year.

I, along with my staff, want to thank you for the opportunity to represent you as the funeral professionals in Minnesota. We look This past year we created and distributed 500 “living our mission” forward to your input and look forward to new opportunities to brochures which outlined our Mission, Principles of Conduct advance the profession. Thank you! and Vision. Associations worldwide are all created for the same reason, to advance the profession of (fill in the blank). We do Darlyne Erickson, CAE this through EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION, ADVOCACY, Miki Tufto COLLABORATION AND CELEBRATION. We are in the process of Kathy Sheridan doing a reprint of this brochure and are open to any suggestions Sue Sack on tweaking the language. We use this not only for our members Amy Beckham

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4 MFDA Bulletin • WINTER 2017

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Rates per issue. Printed quarterly - winter, spring, summer, fall 7046 East Fish Lake Road, Maple Grove, MN 55311 Phone: (763) 416-0124 | Fax: (763) 416-0124 Email: info@mnfuneral.org | www.mnfuneral.org

Why Join YOUR Association?

By Jeff Hartquist, MFDA President

Thank you for your past membership with MFDA. We look forward to your continued investment in the future of funeral service by renewing your 2017 MFDA membership.

Why join our community of funeral professionals through MFDA? For more than 126 years, we have promoted excellence in the funeral service profession. A summary of member benefits are as follows:

• Partnerships with Funeral Directors Life, Federated Insurance, and the Children’s Grief Connection • Promoting the value of funeral service to consumers that call our office or visit our website • Direct voice to the Minnesota Department of Health– Mortuary Science Section • Crematory Operator Certification courses

• Effective lobbying & advocacy at the Minnesota State Capitol

• Continued advocacy for funeral service to related organizations (i.e. hospice, cemeteries, grief educators)

• Providing quality continuing education throughout the state of Minnesota

• Providing member benefits such as the membership directory, members-only website, Bulletin, members-only emails, and customizable specialty forms and consumer brochures

- MFDA’s 127th Annual Convention at the DoubleTree in Bloomington will offer CEUs in the three required categories for funeral directors - District meetings throughout the state in the fall - Pre-need insurance CEU course offered in the fall - Coming in 2017 – Online CEU courses - Coming in 2017 – Online Career Center • Networking opportunities with other funeral professionals • MFDA Leadership Academy (sponsored through Kelco and MN Service Corp) is currently underway for young professionals

Our Mission: MFDA is the state resource dedicated to supporting our member’s growth professionally, ethically and operationally. Our goal is to enhance and support funeral service excellence through our programs, legislative representative and service to Minnesota.

Remember, MFDA is, and always has been, an advocate for your success as a funeral service professional. We hope you will consider renewing your MFDA membership for 2017; your support and involvement is critical to the success of our profession.

Jeff Hartquist MFDA President

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www.mnfuneral.org 5

An Open Letter to Future Mortuary College Graduates

by Jzyk Ennis

As a full-time faculty member at one of the American Board of Funeral Service Education’s accredited mortuary colleges and a licensed funeral director for more than 25 years who has managed a very large funeral home, let me be one of the first to congratulate you on your fantastic achievement!

And while no conclusive study has been done to determine the validity of the statistic that says 50 percent of those who enroll in mortuary college drop out by graduation, if we play along and assume it to be true, then congratulations indeed!

Others will say that 50 percent of students who have now graduated will disappear from our ranks within the next five years. I pen this letter in hopes that this will not prove true.

I, and many like me, want to encourage you to stick around and enjoy the benefits of a noble and honorable calling. After all, we need you! There is a lack of qualified licensees in many parts of the country, and this need will only increase in the future as the “old hands” retire and ride off into the sunset.

But let me cut to the chase. If you’re expecting vast wealth and a plethora of time off, you may need to revisit your decision.

Mind you, you have chosen a profession that tends to be “recession resistant.”

What I mean is that when the factory closes and others are losing their jobs, funeral homes still tend to need licensed, qualified employees.

To be fair, you deserve a commensurate wage for your education, experience and location. You also deserve time away from work to recharge and decompress.

For those who are religious or who otherwise appreciate a good parable, I direct you to Matthew 20:1-16. In short, when you agree to work for a certain wage, you must quit worrying about what everyone else is earning and do the best job you can with the resources God gave you. I promise that if you pay attention to the details, families will take notice, and so will we! If you’re willing to move to the offers, they will come.

6 MFDA Bulletin • WINTER 2017

Yes, some reading this are thinking their offer hasn’t come and they’re busting their behind without reward. Sadly, we do have places in our profession where that happens. But there are employers out there that want you!

The pearls of wisdom that follow should bring this into focus. With this understanding, please accept these few pearls from a salt-and-peppered, bespectacled, “maturing old hand.”

First, find mentors – great ones! Not the ones who think they’re doing you a favor, the ones you have to fight to spend time with, the ones who see you as a feather in their cap.

No, please find the mentors that Jim Collins, in his book Good to Great, terms Level 5 Leaders – the ones who do great work but do not look for glory. As Collins describes, they are the plow horses instead of the show horses.

These are the self-deprecating funeral licensees who place families above their own needs. They’re the ones who succeed and take good funeral homes to greatness.

Let’s be clear: All of us in the funeral profession have some degree of pride and ego. We like to “toot our own horn” because we’re afraid others may not hear it otherwise.

How can you tell a great mentor? In the words of Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, who, when asked to define pornography, replied, “I know it when I see it.” You will also know the good ones when you see them at work.

The reality is that you need these mentors in your life and in your career if you want to be successful.

Second, please do not believe everything you read on the internet! When social media is used properly (see www.facebook.com/ mitchellsjourney for a great example), it is a place for healing and positivity that cannot be matched. It makes us feel good about ourselves and others.

But when social media is used incorrectly, it is the devil. Many, many groups and sites have been set up to espouse the “tricks

of the trade,” offering new and improved embalming techniques, ways to approach management/ownership to get what you want, opinions on how to deal with families and coworkers. Some are fine and distinguished colleagues – some better funeral directors and embalmers than I ever hope to be.

Others, well… they hold themselves up to be better than they are. Like the devil, they offer tempting opinions and techniques; however, once the bait is swallowed, you’re hooked and bad things can happen, including litigious results, dissatisfied families, angry co-workers. And what are you to do? You certainly can’t blame it on the internet!

By the way, and please read this carefully, nothing – and I mean nothing! – is ever “off the record” or in a “secret” social media page. State board members hang out there.

Potential employers peruse there. Expert witnesses reside there. Did you know that any posts you make on one of those sites, secret or public, can be subpoenaed and used against you in a legal proceeding? At this point, please reference point number one – you need great mentors!

Third, get involved! There are some terrific local, state and national funeral associations.

Find one or more and get involved, even if your funeral home doesn’t. Ask to get involved and have the cost paid by the funeral home. The worst that can (or should) happen is that you’re told no.

Which takes us back to my first point – this may be where you meet your mentor and find that fantastic job opportunity!

Again, on behalf of educators, licensees and associations, congratulations on your major accomplishment! We encourage you to stick around and grow into the outstanding funeral professional we all hope you will be. We need you! Good luck in your future endeavors!

Jzyk Ennis is a funeral service education instructor at Jefferson State Community College in Birmingham, Alabama.

Reprinted with permission from the WINTER 2017 edition of The Director. edu, publication of the National Funeral Directors Association.

December 28, 2016 Dear Funeral Directors,

Each New Year is marked by change. Changes in scenery. Resolutions to change. Calls for change.

As we reflect on 2016, we have been fortunate to witness the final transformation of US Bank Stadium and development of a new downtown park. From a business perspective we added additional staffing to assist with body removals on weekends, and implemented the online cremation approval process.

Like many businesses, we have also witnessed progressive increases to our operating expenses. It has been several years since the Medical Examiner has increased fees for service related expenses.

Effective January 1, 2017 the Hennepin County Medical Examiner will be increasing the following fees for funeral homes: 1. Body Bags will increase to $15.00 2. Cremation Approvals will increase to $50.00

These changes will affect all deaths occurring in Hennepin, Dakota and Scott Counties. No action is required by the funeral home. Your 2017 billing statements will automatically reflect the changes.

If you have any questions regarding your billing statement, please contact the department at 612215-6300.

Respectfully,

Shawn J Wilson Operations Manager Hennepin County Medical Examiner

www.mnfuneral.org 7

News from the National Funeral Directors Association Scam Email - Death in London If an email seems suspicious, chances are it is. NFDA was recently alerted by a member to an email they received. The email reads: HELLO, I FOUND YOUR CONTACT IN THE FUNERAL HOME DIRECTORIES, I JUST LOST MY MUM. SHE DIED ON A BUSINESS TRIP TO LONDON. I WANT YOUR FUNERAL HOME TO TAKE CARE OF HER FUNERAL ARRANGEMENT. Name... VICKY FLEX Place of death.... United Kingdom Date of death..... 1/3/2017 I HAVE MAKE ALL ARRANGEMENT WITH THE FUNERAL HOME IN U.K WHERE THE BODY LIES AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN OBTAINED. I WANT YOU TO CONTACT THE FUNERAL HOME IN U.K WITH THE NEAREST AIRPORT WHERE YOU CAN RECEIVE THE REMAIN AND NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR HERE IS THE EMAIL ADDRESS OF THE FUNERAL HOME IN LONDON kahizfuneral@outlook.com SO LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS YOU HAVE CONTACT THEM THANKS DAVE Over the years, NFDA has received numerous reports from members who have been contacted by scam artists. These scams have run the gamut from people pretending they want to purchase cremation jewelry to individuals claiming a relative has died in another country and they need repatriation assistance.

Scammers contact funeral homes in a variety of ways (fax, email, relay operators, etc.), and the inquiries can originate from anywhere in the world.

If you are threatened by a scammer, you should contact local law enforcement officials who can assess whether the individual poses a real threat. You may also wish to file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, www.ic3.gov, which is a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.

Make sure all employees at your firm, as well as your firm’s answering service, are aware of the potential for scams by sharing these guidelines with them.

• When an American citizen dies overseas and the remains must be returned to the United States, the nearest embassy or consulate will issue a certificate to accompany the casket.

You should still personally verify the legitimacy of a death overseas and the intent to repatriate a body by contacting the State Department’s Overseas Citizens Services Office at 888-407-4747.

• NFDA members can be found throughout the world. NFDA also has relationships with funeral associations in many countries around the world. NFDA staff can help verify the identity of a funeral home or funeral director in many countries. Call NFDA at 800-228-6332 for assistance.

• Simply because a charge goes through on a credit card does not mean that it is legitimate. The credit card may have been stolen and a chargeback will eventually be made against the funeral home when the theft is discovered. You should be very careful about accepting credit card payments when the contact is initiated by the consumer and the credit card number is given via e-mail, fax or telephone.

• Never wire funds to a consumer or to a third-party office such as MoneyGram. Funds should never be wired unless the you are certain of the identity of the recipient, such as a funeral home that you have personally contacted using a telephone number available through an an association, like NFDA, or another respectied directory.

• Be suspicious if the order is for several of the same items of merchandise, like cremation jewelry.

• Whenever a contact is made from overseas, be cautious.

Many scams are initiated overseas.

• Be wary of any orders from addresses that use free e-mail services. Credit card companies report that these e-mail services have no billing relationship with the consumer, which makes them very difficult to trace.

• Never ship merchandise until you verify that a check has cleared and that funds are in the account.

• If you are contacted by someone asking you to send personal or banking information, do not reply in any manner. Guard your account information carefully.

• Be skeptical of individuals asking for your help in placing large sums of money in overseas bank accounts or in transferring money from an overseas bank account to an account in the United States.

• Do not believe the promise of large sums of money for your cooperation.

8 MFDA Bulletin • WINTER 2017

Training by Dr. Alan Wolfelt Prepares Funeral Directors to Educate Families and Communities About the Value of Funerals The Center for Loss and Life Transition announces an upcoming training session for funeral directors: June 12-14, 2017 in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Entitled “Opening Your Community’s Eyes to WHY We Need Funerals,” the three-day workshops, facilitated by educator Dr. Alan Wolfelt, will review why humans have had funerals since the beginning of time and explain how each of the elements of the ceremony—from visitation to music to the gathering after—are essential components of the funeral. The purpose of the training is to educate and motivate funeral directors so they can in turn educate families, which will help ensure the creation of complete, meaningful funeral experiences. A companion workbook, posters, and brochure, also written by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, are included in the seminar materials.

Participants will be encouraged to rethink their roles and responsibilities, focus on educating families, overcome common objections that families have to funerals, and reinvigorate funerals in their communities.

The training also features a model for integrating the WHY of meaningful funerals into the arrangement conference. In addition, this seminar is designed to immerse participants in the content so thoroughly that they’ll be wellprepared to return to their funeral homes or other organizations and, using the workbook and their newly practiced skills, train the rest of their staff in this inspiring and practical model.

As one recent participant in this training noted, “This past year we implemented Dr. Wolfelt’s WHY training with our staff and have seen immediate results. We have put a focus on educating families about ‘WHY We Have

Funerals’ and making sure we provide every family with every option, not as a yes-no question but rather educate them so they can make an informed choice. We highly recommend that you attend this raining if you want to have fewer cremations without services!”

Author, educator, and grief counselor Dr. Alan Wolfelt serves as Director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition in Fort Collins, Colorado. He is the author of numerous books, including Creating Meaningful Funeral Experiences and Funeral Home Customer Service A to Z. Dr. Wolfelt also writes a regular column on customer service for The Director magazine.

For more information or to reserve a seat in the seminar, call (970) 226-6050 or visit www.centerforloss.com.

Willmar Precast Company

IN THE HEART OF SOUTH

Czaplewskis welcome new member to their family Sending congratulations to our MFDA Treasurer Ashley Czaplewski and her husband Brandon on the arrival of their adorable son Brooks!

And congrats to MFDA Past President/Grandpa Tim Hoff!

Photo credit: Greta Verthein Photography http:// gretavertheinphotography.webs.com/

CENTRAL MINNESOTA Serving the burial vault needs of funeral professionals in: • • • • • • •

Big Stone Chippewa Lac qui Parle Nicollet Redwood Sibley Swift

• • • • • • •

Brown Kandiyohi Meeker Pope Renville Stearns Yellow Medicine

Call Ron Jasperson at Willmar Precast 320-235-8527; Toll Free: 1-800-559-8527

www.mnfuneral.org 9

Employees discussing wages?

by Federated Employment Practices Network

Question: I was told that it is illegal for employees to discuss their wages with a fellow employee. Could you verify if this is correct?

Response: The opposite is actually true. Employers cannot prohibit employees from discussing their salaries/ wages with one another and generally cannot take adverse action against employees who do so. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) broadly defines activity that is protected under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the right to discuss wages is among the protected rights that employees have under this law.

Specifically, salary discussions among employees are protected under the NLRA, which applies to both unionized and non-unionized employers alike, and prevents an employer from interfering

with, restraining, or coercing employees in exercising their rights under the Act. The NLRA protects employees’ right to discuss their wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment for their mutual aid or protection. In 2005, the NLRB expanded the potential arena for these violations in a case holding that even a broadly stated generic corporate confidentiality policy (as opposed to a more narrow policy prohibiting only salary discussions) also violated the Act because it “could reasonably be construed” to prohibit employees from discussing their wages or other terms and conditions of their employment. This case was subsequently affirmed by the federal Circuit Court of Appeals that reviewed it in 2007. You may wish to review the NLRB’s guidance on protected concerted activity at http://www.nlrb.gov/rights-we-protect/ protected-concerted-activity (see internal

links for additional information). This article from the U.S. Department of Labor also addresses this issue: https://www.dol. gov/wb/media/pay_secrecy.pdf.

Accordingly, any employer mandate or rule prohibiting or even discouraging employees from discussing their own wages (or other terms and conditions of employment) with co-workers -- and any policy that seeks to take adverse action against employees who do so -- likely violates Section 8(a)(1) of the NLRA, and is not advised. We recommend that you have local counsel review the employer’s policies to ensure they do not run afoul of applicable laws.

Want to learn more about how to handle issues like this? Listen to Federated’s Podcast about employees discussing wages. © 2014 Advisors Law Group, All Rights Reserved

Fake “FTC investigation” email making the rounds again

by Ari Lazarus, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

Scams are like weeds: they crop up, are treated and disappear, only to find a way to pop up again. Such is the case with a scam we’ve written about before. In this scam, the fraudster pretends to be from the FTC and emails people, telling them they’re under investigation and to click on a link for more information.

If you get one of these emails, stop. Do not click the link. The federal government doesn’t tell people they are under

10 MFDA Bulletin • WINTER 2017

investigation by email. Sometimes, the emails are phishing scams designed to collect personal information, including your email and IP addresses — information that could be used to commit identity theft. Other times, the links are used to install malware on your computer, which can make your device crash, or let the scammer monitor and control your online activity, steal your personal information, send spam, and commit fraud.

Bottom line: If you get an email saying you’re under investigation by the FTC, or required as a witness, the email is fake. You can forward the phony email to spam@uce.gov, the FTC’s email address for spam. This database helps the FTC bring cases involving scams promoted via email. But, most importantly, delete the email.

A.M. Best Reaffirms Funeral Directors Life’s A- Rating A.M. Best Company, a full-service global credit rating agency for the insurance industry, recently reaffirmed a rating of A- (Excellent) with a “stable” outlook for Funeral Directors Life (FDLIC). A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financial strength and ability to meet its ongoing insurance policy and contract obligations. Best’s credit ratings are based on a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative evaluation of a company’s balance sheet strength, operating performance and business profile.

“We are proud to be recognized by A.M. Best with an excellent rating for ten consecutive years,” said President and CEO, Kris Seale. “Funeral Directors Life is dedicated to serving our customers, policyholders, and employees as the best,

most-respected provider of service. For us, that means operating with excellence at every level of our business, especially when it comes to maintaining the longterm financial safety, security, and stability of the company.”

Funeral Directors Life’s conservative approach to asset management and consistent growth of capital and surplus over the years has placed the company in a very stable and secure financial position despite the current low investment rate environment. Since 2008, Funeral Directors Life’s total assets have more than doubled, while maintaining a capital & surplus to total assets ratio between 8% to 10%.

“FDLIC maintains an adequate level of risk-adjusted capital that has benefited

from overall profitable operating results during the last five years,” reported A.M. Best Company in their rationale report. “[…] Because of its strong operating cash flow, the company has been able to retain longer-term, higher-yielding assets, which support higher crediting rates than many competitors.”

Funeral Directors Life, the endorsed provider of preneed insurance for the Minnesota Funeral Directors Association, is a legal reserve life insurance company which specializes in the sale of insurancefunded preneed funerals. The mission of Funeral Directors Life is to be known as the best, most-respected provider of service to the funeral industry. To learn more, go to www.funeraldirectorslife. com. A.M. Best Company is the world’s oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information visit www.ambest.com.

www.mnfuneral.org 11

MFDA Leadership Academy Enters Second Year

By Bruce R. Matza & Chad Weinstein, Ph.D., MFDA Leadership Academy Instructors

The quality of a leadership class is often measured by how quickly the participants demonstrate the ability to support each other, work as a team, and demonstrate respect and appreciation for each other’s differences. By those measures, this year’s MFDA Leadership Academy is going to provide excellent leadership for the future of the association.

Participants in the 2016-2017 class include Camille Boone-Harrison of Estes Funeral Home, Spenser Brackey of Bonnerup Funeral Service, Jessica Haddrill of Kok Funeral Home, Ashleigh Hampton of Estes Funeral Home, Mike Messina of Dingmann Funeral Home, Aaron Omtvedt of Dennis Funeral & Cremation Services, Brooke Sanders of Pedersen Funeral Home, and Jon Seitz of WashburnMcReavy Funeral Home.

Academy participants come from all over the state for six seminars covering a wide range of leadership, professional development topics, and issues specific to funeral service. Learning experiences included presentations led by both instructors and participants. The program included discussions and activities, including presentations from experts drawn from the funeral profession as well as key suppliers and partners.

Our goal is to assist participants to learn more about themselves as leaders and to enjoy new skills, ranging from communication and decision-making to engagement, motivation, and persuasion.

Each individual works with colleagues outside of class to frame a vision for their own leadership development and then utilize classmates and instructors to help realize their vision.

Participants became trusted friends and allies through conversations about the many technical, interpersonal, and business aspects of the funeral profession.

They also learn from experts and innovators among MFDA members and supporters.

We appreciate our sponsors, the MFDA Service Corporation and Kelco Supply Company, as well as the Board and Staff of MFDA, for their enthusiastic continued support of this program.

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY S P O N S O R ED BY:

SERVICE CORPORATION

12 MFDA Bulletin • WINTER 2017

WINTER 2017 Legislative Update

By Joe Sellwood, Cook Girard Associates

The 2017 legislative session began on January 3rd and legislators hit the ground running. Nearly all of the focus in the first few weeks has been on health insurance premium prices.

Both Governor Dayton and the GOP have similar one-year fixes for rising premium costs, though their processes differ. Once a short term premium fix is in place, legislators can begin to look at long-term health care reforms, which they are expected to do.

The 2017 legislature’s main task will be putting together the state’s biennial budget. They will spend much of the first two months hearing from state agencies on their activities and budget requests and with forty-three new legislators the learning curve will be steep. Early indications from the GOPcontrolled House and Senate show a willingness to search for compromise with the Governor on the budget. However the 2011 session with Republican control resulted in a budgetary stalemate with Gov Dayton and eventually a state government shutdown.

Throughout the interim, we attended quarterly meetings with the Department of Health’s Mortuary Science Ad Hoc group.

The group includes members of the funeral industry, consumers and other business experts. The Department has discussed potential proposals relating to cremation which will be available when the Governor’s budget is released later this winter.

As the session gets moving we’ll learn more about proposals from legislators and Governor Dayton, and how they might impact the funeral industry and MFDA members around the state. We will continue to keep you updated during the session.

www.mnfuneral.org 13

A Wild and Precious Life Book Review

By Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm Sez, LLC

Sometimes, you just have to let go.

Sentimental possessions have no room in a new home. Once-favorite clothing no longer fits. A raggedy gift needs replacing, and old hurts stand in the way of a new day. And sometimes, as in the new book “A Wild and Precious Life” by Deborah Ziegler, you let go of someone you love.

For the first many years of her daughter’s life, it was just the two of them: Deb Ziegler and her only child, Brittany. They were a pair, and did everything together: every choice, every decision Ziegler made, every move was with “Britt” in mind.

But as Brittany became a teenager, the inevitable mother-daughter conflicts arrived, though they seemed to be worse than what Ziegler understood was normal. It drove Ziegler to therapy, until she understood that she needed to let sixteen-year-old Brittany go.

She allowed her daughter to quit high school for an accelerated college program, and she helped Brittany find an apartment. And Ziegler, newly married, let her daughter find her footing in volunteerism and world travel.

Their relationship improved. Brittany grew, matured, married, and was looking forward to the future when, in early 2013, she was rushed to the hospital with a debilitating headache.

There, doctors discovered a brain tumor and they were optimistic but by mid-spring, it was obvious that the tumor was more aggressive than they’d thought.

Brittany had received a “death sentence”; the tumor that doctors believed had been there for a decade would kill her in less than a year. Her pain was great but because she was a take-charge type, she decided to move to Oregon, to take advantage of that states’ Death with Dignity (assisted suicide) laws. She made Ziegler promise to help.

And in mid-2014, Ziegler’s beloved only child chose a date to die.

At one point in her story, author Deborah Ziegler writes that Brittany demanded that Ziegler stop calling her “Sweet Pea.”

I wanted that, too. There’s too much HoneySweetie-Baby in this book for me, and way, way too many re-created conversations for a non-fiction book. And yet, “A Wild and Precious Life” may be one of the most powerful things you’ll read this year.

Here’s why: there’s a story beneath the story you get.

Ziegler tells the tale of a mother’s grief and a daughter’s life, that’s true, and it alternates between nearly unbearable, and soaring-high joy. We meet Brittany, and there are times when we don’t like her but Ziegler keeps bringing us back to see what she saw.

Under this narrative, though, is another, darker one. It’s a tale of dying-too-young, a wish for those facing terminal illness, a need for doctors to listen and, perhaps, the future of death in the U.S. This book can be raw and its flaws may be irritating, so I don’t think it’s for everyone. If you’re willing to wait for its strengths (and cry yourself senseless), however, you won’t want to miss it. Start “A Wild and Precious Life,” and you won’t want to let it go.

NFDA Call for Candidates Now Open NFDA is seeking applicants for open seats on the Board of Directors for the 201718 leadership year, which begins at the conclusion of the 2017 NFDA International Convention & Expo.

end-of-life services at the highest levels of excellence and integrity.

NFDA has posted information on its website, www.nfda.org/elections, covering: • Board of Directors responsibilities and composition

Open positions are: president-elect • Position descriptions, including specific (one-year term), treasurer (one-year term), requirements and expectations for secretary (one-year term) and two (2) ateach role large representatives (two-year terms). The president-elect, after completing his or her • Leadership commitment to NFDA’s term, automatically succeeds to the office of mission, values and vision the president.

• Nomination and election process The Board of Directors plays a critical role in determining the strategic direction of the association so that NFDA can fulfill its mission: NFDA is the worldwide source of expertise and professional resources for all facets of funeral service. Through education, information and advocacy, NFDA is dedicated to supporting members in their mission to provide families with meaningful

14 MFDA Bulletin • WINTER 2017

• Candidate guidelines • Application form We encourage all NFDA members to view this information so you can better understand the important role of the Board of Directors and the men and women who serve in these leadership roles; this information will be important as you

evaluate qualified candidates and prepare to vote in summer 2017.

If you are interested in becoming a candidate, NFDA urges you to review the election information and submit a completed application by 5 p.m. CT on March 1, 2017, to be considered by the NFDA Leadership Development Committee for an open position.

The Leadership Development Committee will announce their list of qualified candidates by April 3, 2017.

The Policy Board will elect the at-large representatives during the meeting in July 2017.

Qualified NFDA members will have the opportunity to vote for the association’s officers (secretary, treasurer, and presidentelect) during the month of August 2017.

MIDWEST MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE Our board certified pathologists provide private postmortem examinations to answer questions families may have regarding the death of their loved one. If we can be of assistance to the families you serve, please contact our office:

1-800-443-2773

1-844-219-9643

Family owned & operated for over 20 years!

MIDWEST MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE 14341 Rhinestone Street NW Ramsey, MN 55303

(763) 323-6400 Normal business hours: 8:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Weekends and Holidays After business hours, we can be contacted through Anoka County dispatch at (763)427-1212

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www.4HEARSE.com www.mnfuneral.org 15

Over every mountain there is a path, although it may not be seen from the valley.

— Theodore Roethke—

We help the families you serve see the path before them and face it with courage and financial security. Contact us about Pathway,® one of our prefunding options from Pekin Life Insurance Company.

For more information, contact:

Michele Voss, flmi, clu, cpc Director of Pre-Need Sales Phone: 800-322-0160 Extension 2821

WWW.PEKININSURANCE.COM 16 MFDA Bulletin • WINTER 2017

MFDA Order Form Fax Orders to: 763.249.0394

Brochures

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Description of Item Straight Answers About the Funeral Why Pre Arrange and Pre Fund Funeral When Death Occurs Away From Home Medical Assistance Limits on Funeral Pre-Arrangements Cremation - A Choice With Many Options One Time Logo Set-Up Fee (IMPORTANT see reverse for instructions)

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www.mnfuneral.org 17

IN MEMORIAM Betty Gene Heitner, age 89, of Prior Lake, formerly of Wells, MN, died Sunday, November 13, 2016 at her home in Prior Lake, MN. Funeral Services was held November 18, 2016 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wells. Visitation was held November 17 at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells.

Interment will be at the Rosehill Cemetery in Wells, MN. The family prefers memorials to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wells, MN, Wells Food Shelf, St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie, MN or donor’s choice.

Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells is in charge of arrangements. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.brussheitner.com.

Betty Gene Broadwater Heitner was born July 16, 1927 in rural Preston, MN, the youngest of three daughters of Frank Walker Broadwater and Arlone Aletta Crowe. She grew up on the parental farm, attended grades 1-8 in the Prairie Queen School and graduated from Preston High School in 1945. Following graduation she attended Manchester College, North Manchester, Indiana until she entered Kahler School of Nursing in Rochester, MN. On July 15, 1951 she married Maynard “Buzz” Heitner in the Root River Church of the Brethren, rural Preston. They moved to Wells, MN in June, 1952 where they joined Maynard’s parents, William and Erna Heitner in establishing the Heitner Funeral Home.

After receiving her license to practice funeral service she became an integral part of the Heitner family funeral home operation.

Betty was also very active in the community and in her church. In the First Lutheran Church (now Good Shepherd Lutheran) she had been a Sunday School teacher, a president of the Doreas Mission Society, choir member and women’s organizations of the church. Betty was a long-time member of the Wells League of Women Voters, and the Minnesota Funeral Directors Association.

Betty and her husband retired in December 1986 when they sold their two funeral homes to Stan and Kathy Bruss. She is survived by her loving husband of 65 years, Maynard of Prior Lake; 2 sons: Dr. Jeffrey (Lynne) Heitner of LaQuinta, CA, and Dr. Judson (Tracy) Heitner of Eden Prairie, MN; grandsons: Andrew (Emily) and their son Benjamin Heitner of St. Louis Park, MN, Charles Heitner of Minneapolis, MN and Jayne Heitner of Eden Prairie, MN; sister-in-law Carolyn Hemingway of East Palo Alto, CA; several nieces, a nephew and their families.

18 MFDA Bulletin • WINTER 2017

Byron Allan Swart, Step-Father of MFDA Board Member Scott Benson and Minnesota Funeral Director Phillip Benson, passed away on November 18, 2016 at the Sunset Hospice Cottage in Worthington, MN. Byron was born on January 23, 1948 to Nic and Elaine (Cohrs) in Slayton, MN. He graduated from Slayton High school in 1966. He attended Jackson Vo Tech school and Hibbing Vo Tech School. He was drafted into the Army and served a tour of duty in Viet Nam. He was united in marriage to Cynthia Kropp Benson on February 6, 1982.

He worked in the Murray County Assessor office until he was hired as Nobles County Assessor in 1982 until his retirement in 2012.

When you visited him he always had M&M’s to share and over the years he organized quite a collection of M&M figurines.

He was very gracious with his time, volunteering for many organizations. He was an active member at First Lutheran Church where he helped by being a van driver, polishing the candelabras, cutting jeans for the quilters to make quilts and helped in the kitchen. He delivered mobile meals and helped with Christmas baskets. His love of golf led him to volunteer at the Country Club, watering plants and helping with tournaments as well as for the PGA, most recently at The Ryder Cup in October. His love of the outdoors led him to serve as secretary/ treasurer of the Ocheda Duck Club.

His hobbies included golfing, playing cards, riding motorcycle, taking care of his apple orchard and all the birds in the back yard. He and Cindy traveled with friends and family across the US, Mexico and Germany. They wintered in Florida, where he belonged to the men’s cooking group who made meals for the park where they lived.

Grandchildren were a big part of his life. He would travel statewide to attend their sporting events, volleyball, football, basketball, baseball and hockey.

He was a proud veteran. He was a lifetime member of the Iona VFW. He served as third district commander. He was active in the Military Order of the Cooties, a group of veterans that would visit hospitals dressed as clowns. He could make just about any balloon animal. He was also a member of the Worthington American Legion Post 5, the ELKS Lodge and the Eagles Lodge.

He is survived by his wife, Cindy; children, Scott (Lori) Benson of Maple Grove, Phillip (Amy) Benson of Worthington and Matthew Benson of Denver Colorado; 5 grandchildren: Alex and Zach Benson; Alyssa, Sarah and Andrew Benson; Siblings, Pam (Dick) Telkamp of Hoffman, MN, Deb (Mike) Schreier of Avoca, MN, John Swart of, Slayton, MN and Gloria (Jonathan) Kaufman of Maui, Hawaii.

Many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and grandson, Mitchell.

Funeral service was held November 23, 2016 at the First Lutheran Church. Visitation was held November 22, 2016 at Benson Funeral Home, Worthington. Interment will be at Garden of Memories Cemetery, Worthington. Memorials are preferred to the Hospice Cottage, Worthington.

Mark Carlin, father of MN Funeral Director Tim Carlin, brother of MN Funeral Director Gary Carlin, and uncle of MN Funeral Director John Carlin, age 71, of Fosston, MN, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 7th, at Lake Region Hospital in Fergus Falls, MN with his family at his side. Funeral services were held December 13 at Hope Lutheran Church in Fosston with the Rev. Paul Magelssen officiating. Interment will be in Hope Lutheran Cemetery, Fosston. Visitation was held December 12 at the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home in Fosston. Arrangements are with the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home of Fosston and messages of condolence may be sent at www.carlinhoialmen.com.

Mark John Carlin was born on February 23, 1945 in Fosston, Minnesota to parents Hilding and Alice Hildahl Carlin. He grew up in Fosston and graduated from Fosston High School with the class of 1963. He then attended Bemidji State College where he played and excelled at basketball, football and golf.

He was united in marriage to Barbara Lynn Scott on September 11, 1965 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Lengby, Minnesota. After their marriage, they lived in Bemidji while they finished college. They graduated from Bemidji State in 1967 and moved to Anoka, Minnesota.

Mark was a physical education teacher in the Anoka School District and Barb taught elementary education in the Spring Lake Park School District.

In 1974, they moved their family back to Fosston where Mark joined his brother, Gary, in the furniture store and funeral business. In 1995, the furniture store was sold and Mark went on to attain his insurance license. He continued working at the funeral home until just recently when his cancer unexpectedly returned.

During his years in the community, Mark was a member of Hope Lutheran Church, Fosston Rotary Club, the Fosston Community Club, and First Care Hospital Board. In 1992, he was inducted into the Bemidji State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In February of 2016, Mark was honored by the University for his basketball accomplishments.

Anyone that knew Mark, knew that his favorite pastime was golf. He so enjoyed playing and teaching the game to his children and his grandchildren. He was truly dedicated to his family as a husband, father and grandfather and will be dearly missed.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Barb, of Fosston; four children, Tim (Rhonda) of Fosston, Dan (Carrie) of Fosston, Jill (Scott) DeBrito of Fergus Falls, and Angie (Scott) Christison of Fergus Falls; grandchildren, Nicholas, Ella, Tony, Allison, Michael, Rachel, Kayla, Chelsie, and Riley; one brother, Gary (Berniece) Carlin of Fosston; sister-in-law, Ida Carlin of Fergus Falls; and brother-in-law, Bob (Joanne) Scott of Maple Grove, MN. Also surviving are nieces and nephews, Kim (Mike) Roysland, John (Cathy) Carlin, and Jeff (Jackie) Carlin, Joe Carlin (Dan Luther), Nate (Gerilyn) Carlin, Maria (John) Cocchiola, Josh (Keri) Scott, and Jenna (Phil) Tolbert; grand nieces and nephews and several cousins also survive.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, David; his mother and father-in-law, Arnold and Viva Scott; and brother-in-law, Wayne Scott.

Honorary Pallbearers: Nieces and Nephews.

Active Pallbearers: Tim Carlin, Dan Carlin, Jill DeBrito, Angie Christison, Gary Carlin, Nicholas, Ella, Tony, and Allison Carlin, and Michael and Rachel DeBrito.

John Jacobson was born on December 19, 1937 in Boone, Iowa to Earl and Jennette Mann Jacobson. John grew up in Boone and graduated from Sacred Heart High School.

Following high school John attended Boone Junior College and California College of Mortuary Science. Following graduation John worked at Johnson Funeral Home in Newton, IA and later at Schroeder Funeral Home in Boone. On May 8, 1965 he and Elizabeth “Liz” Latham were married in Boone. Following their marriage they made their home in Boone and John continued working at Schroeder Funeral Home. In 1976 they purchased the Butson Funeral Homes in Tracy and Walnut Grove, MN making their home in Tracy. In 1993 they moved to a home on Lake Shetek. John continued running the funeral homes until 2002 when he retired and sold the business.

In 2005 they sold their lake home and moved to Slayton. John passed away on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD surrounded by his family at the age of 78. He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Currie, MN. John also was a member of the Tracy Fire Department, the Knights of Columbus, Walnut Grove Lions and the Slayton Kiwanis Club. John enjoyed his family, especially his grandchildren and

great-grandson. His favorite outing was going for coffee at the Slayton Bakery, especially when he won at dice and didn’t have to pay.

Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Liz Jacobson of Slayton, MN, five children and their spouses, Kathleen and David Schreiber of Slayton, MN, Christopher and Cheri Jacobson of Slayton, MN, Thomas and Tina Jacobson of Lonsdale, MN, Paul and Pamela Jacobson of Slayton, MN, and Eric and Jaki Jacobson of New Market, MN; “adopted” son, Allen King of Wood Lake, MN; 14 grandchildren, Kassandra and Benjamin Clarke, Darien Schreiber and his fiancée Emma Novak and Bradley Schreiber, Blaine and Katie Jacobson, Bailey Jacobson, and Breylan Jacobson, Josephina Jacobson and Chloe Jacobson, Gabriel Jacobson and Addyson Jacobson, William Jacobson, Linkoln Jacobson, and Karsten King and Mikaela King; one greatgrandson, Owen Jacobson; one sister, Mary Kay Brown and her husband, Wendell of West Des Moines, IA and three nephews, Mark, Mike and Steve and their families. He is preceded in death by his parents, stepmother, Irene and infant brother, Michael Jacobson.

Funeral Services were held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Currie, MN on December 19, 2016. The pallbearers are his children. The honorary pallbearers are his grandchildren. Interment is at Calvary Cemetery in Currie, MN. Visitation was held on December 18, 2016 at IHM Church in Currie. To send condolences visit totzkefuneralhome.com. Totzke Funeral Home of Slayton is entrusted with arrangements.

www.mnfuneral.org 19

CLASSIFIEDS Licensed Funeral Director/Funeral Director Intern Opportunities Funeral Director position available - Daniel Funeral Homes – St. Cloud, MN. Who we are: The Daniel Funeral Home is now in its fifth generation of funeral service to Central Minnesota. Our success is based upon our genuine concern for the people we serve, as well as our thoughtfulness, understanding, compassion and respect. These qualities have been handed down from generation to generation, remaining with us and the families we serve. Job Overview: This position will share on-call duties with other funeral directors. It will involve all aspects of funeral service including funeral arrangements, conducting funerals, greeting families, facilitating visitations, embalming, etc. We offer a friendly working environment with the opportunity for personal growth.

We are looking for someone who can both promote a positive team atmosphere and maintain a professional disposition.

Requirements & Qualifications: • Must be currently licensed in Minnesota OR working toward a Minnesota license (internship) • Requires graduation from an accredited school of mortuary science Wages: • Salary guarantee with hourly overtime Benefits: • Health/Dental/Life Insurances • Profit Sharing • Paid Vacation • Sick Leave • Cafeteria Plan How to Apply: Please email your resume to: paul@danielfuneralhome.com or mail a hardcopy to: Paul Daniel, Daniel Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1222, St. Cloud, MN 56302 (12/29/16) Mortuary Science Instructor, Cypress College. Requires Master’s degree or equivalent foreign degree AND Bachelor’s degree in the discipline or closely related discipline AND six years professional experience directly related to the assignment which must include a minimum two years clinical decedent care as California licensed embalmer. Apply: http://apptrkr. com/927799 (12/13/16)

20 MFDA Bulletin • WINTER 2017

Are you seeking an opportunity to have a balance between work and family? Do you have a family and value a smaller size town with good schools, a safe community and a simple life? Would you like to be a part of a funeral home with younger ownership and staff, looking to be leaders in quality funeral service with innovative ideas? Do you wish to be in a community that values funeral service and its professionals? Hartquist Funeral Home, a family-owned funeral home, has the opportunity for a full-time licensed funeral director/embalmer to join our family. We believe in serving families as though they were our own. We value our staff and what they can bring to our team. Our funeral home has three funeral chapels located throughout three counties in southwest Minnesota, serving over 200 families each year. We offer a competitive salary with complete benefits including medical insurance, pension plan, three-day weekends, paid vacation, profitsharing, life insurance, and much more. We are looking for applicants that simply want to make a positive difference in life through funeral service. The newly hired director would be based at our location in Pipestone.

To get a feel of our work environment, staff, and level of professionalism, please visit our website at www.hartquistfuneral. com. Contact Jeff Hartquist, 209 Elm St., Luverne, MN 56156 or at 507.283.2777 to set up an interview. Inquiries will be kept strictly confidential. (12/13/16) Are you looking to work for a company whose focus is on serving our families with the utmost care and respect? A company who focuses on Excellence – Trust – Care and Growth? Come grow with O’Halloran & Murphy. O’Halloran & Murphy Funeral Homes is a privately owned funeral home.

We are currently recruiting an experienced Licensed Mortician to join our growing team in St. Paul, MN. Michael O’Halloran, a 4th generation funeral director. O‘Halloran & Murphy Company has grown consistently through the years. It now consists of 4 funeral homes, St. Paul, Roseville, Woodbury, and Elk River. Our funeral directors and staff are able to focus completely on providing the highest quality service to every family we serve— one family at a time. Mortician candidates must have excellent communication and organizational skills and a desire to provide the highest quality service to families.

Candidates must be a Minnesota Licensed Mortician, have a valid MN driver’s license,

and willing to take evening and weekend call status. O’Halloran & Murphy offers a competitive salary, and benefits including medical, participation in dental, paid license fees, 401(k) and profit sharing, paid time off, and development opportunities for career growth. If you are looking for a great funeral service career, come grow with O’Halloran & Murphy. Please send Resume to: Tom Jandro O’Halloran & Murphy Funeral Homes, 2245 Hamline Ave. No., Roseville, MN 55113 or Tjandro@ohalloranmurphy.com (12/12/16) Nelson-Doran Funeral Home, Brainerd, is looking to fill a full-time position funeral director or intern. We will offer a more than competitive package to the right candidate along with a fair work schedule. Live and work in a vacation destination, the Brainerd lake area in known for its golfing, fishing, biking, lake living and more. If interested, please send resume to; mike@nelson-doran. com or call 218-829-4755 and ask for Mike Doran. (10/19/16) Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home in Crookston, Minnesota. We have an outstanding career opportunity for a Minnesota Licensed Funeral Director or Apprentice in beautiful Crookston, Minnesota. We are looking for an individual who has a passion for delivering first class service to families. Our goal is to provide the highest quality services and products to meet the needs of all families, while maintaining a positive and autonomous employee atmosphere. We offer a highly competitive salary with incentive compensation based upon service levels and family satisfaction. We offer 100% paid medical premiums, paid time off, and a matching 401K Plan. We are looking for a long-term relationship with someone who has a proven track record of working as a team player, providing the highest levels of family satisfaction and achieving positive results. Attitude and commitment are more important to us than the number of years worked in the industry. To learn more about this opportunity, please email your resume to us at info@vertin.com. Or call Melissa at 701.640.5500 to schedule an interview.

(10/18/16)

Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris, Minnesota. We have an outstanding career opportunity for a Minnesota Licensed Funeral Director or Apprentice in Morris, Minnesota, home of the University of Minnesota – Morris. We are looking for an individual who has a passion for delivering first class service to families. Our goal is to provide the highest quality services and products to meet the needs of all families, while maintaining a positive and autonomous employee atmosphere. We offer a highly competitive salary with incentive compensation based upon service levels and family satisfaction. We offer 100% paid medical premiums, paid time off, and a matching 401K Plan. We are looking for a long-term relationship with someone who has a proven track record of working as a team player, providing the highest levels of family satisfaction and achieving positive results. Attitude and commitment are more important to us than the number of years worked in the industry. To learn more about this opportunity, please email your resume to us at info@vertin.com. Or call Melissa at 701.640.5500 to schedule an interview.

(10/18/16) Schuller Family Funeral Homes, a familyowned funeral home with 3 locations in Central MN, has the opportunity for a fulltime MN licensed funeral director or eligible intern to join our team. Responsibilities in all aspects of business, including: transfers; embalming; and pre-need, at-need, and post-need arrangement counseling. Looking for a director or intern that will work in our team environment, but also is able to think independently and work without direct supervision. Position comes with competitive salary based on experience, paid vacation, retirement plan, health insurance, housing availability, and other benefits such as Student Loan assistance and health club membership. Find out more about our community and surrounding area at www. wadenachamber.com and www.wadena. org. Please send resume to schullerjoe@ arvig.net or call Joe at (218) 631-3632. www. schullerfamilyfh.com. Inquiries will be kept strictly confidential. (10/17/16) Lange Funeral Home is a family owned firm looking for a licensed funeral director to join our staff. We are looking for an experienced funeral director who has people skills, is

computer literate. Funeral directors are involved in all aspects of funeral service including: at-need arrangements, prearrangements, direction of funerals and visitations and must be able to meet the physical demands of the job which include, but not limited to removals and embalming.

Competitive salary, based on experience, health benefits, Simple IRA retirement Plan and paid vacation. Paid vacation and every other weekend off. Contact Ben or Tom Lange, langefh@iowatelecom.net, 1900 South 18th St, Centerville, IA 52544 (10/17/16) Emblom Brenny Funeral Service, a family owned and operated funeral home in Little Falls, MN, with additional locations in Pierz, MN and Royalton, MN, has an immediate opening for a licensed funeral director or intern. Responsibilities would include removals, embalming, funeral arrangements and service coordination. Would you like to be a part of a funeral home with quality funeral service and innovative ideas? Do you wish to be in a community that values funeral service and its professionals? Salary and benefits based on experience. For more information please contact Trent Iverson at 320-632-4393 or send your resume to trent@ emblombrennyfuneral.com. All inquiries will be kept confidential. (10/3/16) Sandberg Funeral Home in North St. Paul, family owned since 1942, has the opportunity for a full-time MN licensed funeral director to join our team. Responsibilities would include all aspects of funeral service from making removals, embalming, funeral arrangements, conducting services and prearrangements.

Candidates must be mature, organized, self-motivated, possess capable prep room, arrangement and communication skills.

Competitive salary negotiable based on experience. Please call or email Mary Kaye Sandberg, 651-777-2600 or mksandberg@ comcast.net. (9/27/16) Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home in Albert lea, Minnesota has two immediate full time openings for an intern or licensed mortician.

Higher positions are also available. These positions will include all aspects of funeral service. Please mail resume to: Bayview/ Freeborn Funeral Home, 1415 Hwy 13 N, Albert Lea, MN 56007 (8/24/16)

Dahl Funeral Home, East Grand Forks, MN is currently looking for a full time funeral director or intern to assist at a 140 call firm.

This is a family owned and operated funeral home in East Grand Forks, MN. East Grand Forks and its sister city Grand Forks, ND are great communities that have excellent school systems, colleges, active and growing churches and strong traditions. On-call duties would be shared with the owner and one other funeral director along with embalming, cosmetics, arranging funerals with families, working visitations, daily office work, and approximately 80 trade calls per year for extra compensation. Includes 3 day weekends off and sharing of call time.

Competitive salary based on experience, 401K, vacation package, clothing allowance, health insurance stipend and sick pay. Please call 218-773-2971 and ask for Dan Dahl, Owner/Director or email dan.dahl@midconetwork.com to inquire (8/22/16) BIERMAN Funeral Home/BENSON & LANGEHOUGH Funeral Home located in historic Northfield, Minnesota, is currently seeking a full or part-time licensed funeral director. The position includes competitive salary, good schedule, benefits and ownership opportunity. To learn more about the community visit http://visitingnorthfield. com/If you are interested, please contact ANDY at langehough100@gmail.com or (507) 645-5123. All inquires are confidential.

(8/4/16) Family-owned funeral home has the opportunity for a full-time MN licensed funeral director to join our team at the Mayer Funeral Home in Austin, MN. Responsibilities would include transfers, embalming, funeral arrangements and service coordination. Individual must be a self-motivated person that is able to think independently and work without direct supervision. Position comes with competitive salary based on experience, paid vacation, retirement plan, health insurance, and other benefits. Please send resume to Joe at jmahn62@hotmail.com or call 507-433-1817.

Inquiries will be kept strictly confidential.

(6/22/16)

www.mnfuneral.org 21

CLASSIFIEDS Licensed Funeral Director/Funeral Director Intern Opportunities Michaelson Funeral Home is a family owned funeral home in southern Minnesota operating locations in Owatonna, Kenyon and West Concord. The firm is deeply rooted in and well known for giving back to it communities. The funeral home operation is guided by a set of core values and a vision that ensures everyone is operating in unison as a team. If you want to be a part of a team that operates with a value system built around the concepts of customer first, strong work ethic, continuous improvement, and doing the right thing, apply online at https:\\michaelsonfuneral. prevueapps.com or submit your resume via email to cory@michaelsonfuneral.com ; via mail to Michaelson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 482, Owatonna, MN 55060. Visit www. michaelsonfuneral.com for more information about our firm. Michaelson Funeral Home offers full compensation packages including healthcare, retirement, community memberships and several other benefits.

We are currently looking for an intern or mortician licensed or able to attain licensure in Minnesota. (6/24/16) St. Cloud family owned funeral home, Daniel Funeral Home, is looking for a dedicated funeral service intern or newly licensee to become a professional member of its staff. This entry level position will share on-call duties with other funeral directors.

It will involve all aspects of funeral service.

We offer a friendly working environment with the opportunity for personal growth.

Wages include a salary guarantee with hourly overtime. Excellent health, dental, life, profit sharing, paid vacation and sick leave. Please send resume to: Paul Daniel, Daniel Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1222, St. Cloud, MN. 56302 or email resume to: paul@ danielfuneralhome.com (6/1/16) Williams Dingmann Funeral Homes, in St. Cloud Minnesota is looking for an Intern or licensed funeral director/embalmer.

Candidate must have strong communication skills, be a team player, consistently deliver high client satisfaction, and possess a strong desire to exceed expectations with families he/she serves. Funeral home provides a competitive salary, health insurance, 401K, ongoing training, and opportunity plan (bonuses). If you meet the above criteria and are interested in being part of a dynamic

22 MFDA Bulletin • WINTER 2017

and successful team, please send resume and salary history to: Doug Dingmann at dougdingmann@williamsdingmann.com or call 320-252-2522. (5/25/16) Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapels is a family-owned and operated funeral business in the Twin Cities with 16 locations that serve the Twin-Cities Metro Area. We have an immediate opening for an experienced licensed funeral director. We provide a competitive compensation package with excellent benefits including medical, dental, profit sharing, paid-time-off, and a fair work & on-call schedule. We value compassionate customer service and communication skills, and are looking for a qualified director to join the Washburn-McReavy team. Please email resume and references to: billmcreavy@ washburn-mcreavy.com, or mail to Washburn McReavy Attn: Bill McReavy, Jr, 2301 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis MN 55405 (5/10/16) Jack Funeral Homes, Ltd., with locations in Blair and Whitehall, WI is looking for a Wisconsin licensed funeral director. Salary to be based on experience. Future ownership possibilities for the right individual. Send resume with references to Jack Funeral Homes, Ltd. P.O. Box 577 Whitehall, WI 54773 (3/30/16) Family owned and operated funeral home has an opening for licensed funeral director or intern at our Jackson and Lakefield, MN locations. If you are interested or have any questions, please call Nick Osterberg at 507.847.3300 or email your resume to nick@ osterbergfuneralhome.com (1/19/16) Miller-Carlin Funeral Homes are looking for an intern or licensed individual to join our family owned funeral homes in central Minnesota and become a full-time member of our staff. We would look forward to helping an intern learn all areas of the funeral business and would welcome a fully licensed individual with any level experience. Our funeral homes are located near several lakes, colleges, retail and medical facilities.

We also have many trails for biking in the summer and snowmobiles in the winter.

We are less than one hour from the twin cities metro area. This position will include a portion of on-call time that is split with other licensed staff. Benefits include a company

vehicle, company cell phone, paid continuing education, paid license fees, paid vacation, and more. Competitive pay and benefit information is provided upon request. Please e-mail your resume to Bill@millercarlin.com.

(8/10/15) Sturm Funeral Home is seeking a licensed funeral director or intern to serve in one of our locations in Southern Minnesota.

Director will be a location manager involved with all aspects of funeral service and will share an on-call schedule with five other directors. Applicant should have experience with excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills and have a passion for helping friends and neighbors within the community. Must have or be able to obtain a MN Morticians License. We offer a generous full benefit package. Learn more at www.sturmfh.com or contact Jay Van Sickle at 507-794-5221 or e-mail vansickle4@mediacombb.net. (8/1/15) Minnesota Valley Funeral Homes & Cremation Services is seeking a full-time licensed funeral director or intern to add to our current staff. This person will be involved with the complete duties of a funeral director from the removal to the final disposition.

We offer a competitive salary and yearend bonus along with benefits such as full company paid family health and dental insurance, retirement plan, license fees, continuing education costs, vacation, several community paid benefits, and bi-annual clothing allowance. We have five locations in south central Minnesota with our main office being in New Ulm, a beautiful clean city of around 15,000 residents. You would be joining a staff of 4 other licensed morticians.

The on-call schedule and the holiday schedule would be evenly rotated between all the licensed staff. For more information on the funeral home and how it operates as a “Community owned co-operative� go to www.mvfh.org. For information on the New Ulm community, go to www.newulm.com and request a relocation guide. Please e-mail your cover letter and resume to General Manager, Bruce Savoy, at sbmv@comcast.net or mail to Bruce Savoy, C/o Minnesota Valley Funeral Homes, P. O. Box 393, New Ulm, MN 56073. (6/1/15)

SPECIAL THANKS TO MFDA’S 2017 ALLIED MEMBERS

MFDA thanks those individuals who have shown their commitment to MFDA and its members by becoming Allied members.

To contact a member, call the MFDA office at 763-416-0124, refer to your MFDA Directory, or visit the online MFDA Buyer’s Guide at www.mnfuneral.org.

Anatomy Bequest Program Jake Anderson, Andrew Ashton, Paul Hill, Angela McArthur, Sarah Paulsen, John Straub, Tamara Voss www.bequest.umn.edu Answering Service for Directors Jason Bathurst www.myASD.com AP Lazer David Strickler www.aplazer.com Artco Casket Company, Inc. Al Whitmer, Steve Doscher, Wally Gelecinskyj www.artcocasket.com Assured Decontamination Services Perry Ebner www.deconservices.com Baines Professional Vehicles John Baines www.4hearse.com Batesville Nicki Mikolai www.batesville.com Brown-Wilbert, Inc. Dave Gavin, Christopher Brown, Andrew Brown, Bruce Bratton, Brett Jacobsen, Maleia Kavitz, John Schmitt, Jeff Bauer, Jerry Brown www.brown-wilbert.com Children’s Grief Connection Coral Popowitz www.childrensgriefconnection.com Contemporary Concepts Ryan Bergan www.contemporaryconcepts.net Cottrell Law Firm William Cottrell www.cottrelllawfirm.com Cousineau McGuire Michael Sharkey www.cousineaulaw.com Dodge Company Gregg Bright www.dodgeco.com Doric Dealers of MN Matt Wieser, Todd Weiser www.wieser-doric.com Federated Insurance Jeff Stevenson www.federatedinsurance.com Foothills Planning Services Caryl DeBlieck www.foothillsplanningservices.com

Forest Lawn Memorial Park Association Kari A. Hubbard www.forestlawnmn.com Funeral Directors Life John Harrington Scott Tufto www.funeraldirectorslife.com Funeral One Harry Joachim www.funeralone.com Gorder Mortuary Supply James Messer www.gordersupply.com Homesteaders Life Company Steve Byhre www.homesteaderslife.com Johnson Williams Funeral Car Todd Anderson www.jwfuneralcars.com Keith M. Merrick Co., Inc. Kyle Grimes www.keithmerrick.com Kelco Supply Alicia Carr www.kelcosupply.com Keystone Funeral Home Design Build Russ Karasch www.keystone.db.com Laker Insurance Patrick Zalusky LifeSource Organ and Tissue Donation Melinda DeVries www.life-source.org MAS Communications Mary Reeves www.mascommunications.net Matthews Aurora Casket Roger Ruth, Alexis Smith www.matw.com Meadow Hill Corporation Maria Ross www.meadowhillco.com Medical Disposal Systems, Inc. Warren Winkelman www.mds-mn.com Messenger Bob Hoaglund www.messengerstationery.com

Minneapolis Star Tribune Terry Alvarez www.startribune.com Minnesota Lions Eye Bank Sara McFee www.mnlionseyebank.org Monumental Sales Dave Dobe www.sunburstmemorials.com Northwestern Casket Co. David Koll www.nwcasket.com Pekin Life Insurance Company Michelle Vos www.pekininsurance.com Peterson Law Office Bill Peterson www.petersonlawoffice.com Pluto Legal Cheryl Vos www.plutolegal.com Robert L. Archbold, LLC Robert L. Archbold www.robertlarchbold.com Scene Clean, Inc. Nate Berg www.scenecleanmn.com Senior Advantage Consultants Julie and Jim Palm www.sradvantageconsultants.com Shepart Dawson Grover www.shepart.com Steinhaus Supply Services Steven Steinhaus The Purple Cross Plan Denis Nordlum www.purplecross.com TransNational Payments Matt Gandolfo www.gotnp.com/funeral-homes United Heritage Insurance Bob Hanson www.unitedheritage.com University of Minnesota Mortuary Science Michael LuBrant www.mortuaryscience.umn.edu Willmar Precast Company Ron Jasperson

Midwest Medical Examiners Office Angie Chalmers www.midwestmedicalexaminer.com www.mnfuneral.org 23

Funeral Directors Life is the only full-service preneed company that helps funeral directors grow their business and serve more families every year with custom solutions for every market.

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It takes you, me & FD working together to create the future you want to see.

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