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Considering donating your body?
Anatomical Donation is a recognized and accepted form of human body disposition in the United States. As with all manners of disposition, donating one’s body is a very personal decision. Befor...
Friday, August 4, 2023
“Grief is just love with no place to go.”
Although I have been a licensed funeral director for 29 years, families are still teaching me new things about love, death, and grieving. I appreciate this thoughtful quote: “Grief ...
Friday, July 28, 2023
What happens to the money when we pre-pay our funerals?
In Pennsylvania, funeral directors are required by law to deposit in escrow or trust the entire amount of the monies received by the funeral director for future expenses. None of this money is avai...
Friday, July 21, 2023
What is “preplanning” and how does it benefit me?
Preplanning is simply a matter of taking care of your funeral service details before the need arises. Today, more and more people are making the thoughtful decision to discuss their final arrangeme...
Friday, July 14, 2023
Do you provide traditional funeral services?
Do you provide traditional funeral services?
The answer is “Yes, we provide traditional funeral services.” Actually, we provide a range of funeral services from traditional services, includi...
Friday, July 7, 2023
Who is William P. Spence?
I was raised in rural Indiana County. Prior to becoming a funeral director, I was employed for 12 years as an underground coal miner by Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Company. In 1993, I graduated...
Friday, June 30, 2023
FEMA Funeral Reimbursement to End September 30, 2025
Since FEMA began accepting applications for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance in April 2021, the agency has provided nearly $3 billion in assistance to more than 438,000 people, with an average award of ...
Friday, June 2, 2023
Previous Posts
What happens to money I pre-pay if you are no longer in business or you sell your business?
Nearly every person who pre-funds their funeral will ask this question, and rightfully so. It’s wise to know how your money will be invested and what safeguards are in place to protect it for its i...
Children and Grief
Grief is a human reaction to loss. Grief can be experienced as the result of the loss of a job, a home, a marriage, a pet, a lost opportunity, a relationship, and the list is endless. I...
What is the coroner and what do they do?
The coroner is a county government official who is elected by county residents by typical voting procedure. Although the office is usually held by physicians or, sometimes funeral directors, all ci...
Are vaults required in Pennsylvania?
Vaults or other types of outer burial containers are not required by federal or Pennsylvania state law to be placed in the ground prior to a casket being buried. However, most cemeteries in Lancast...
What is “preplanning” and how does it benefit me?
Preplanning is simply a matter of taking care of your funeral service details before the need arises. Today, more and more people are making the thoughtful decision to discuss their final arrangeme...
GoFundMe for Funeral Expenses
An unexpected loss can be devastating—not only emotionally, but also financially. Many people turn to GoFundMe and other platforms to raise money for funeral costs because they feel stuck. But usin...
“Grief is just love with no place to go.”
Although I have been a licensed funeral director for 27 years, families are still teaching me new things about love, death, and grieving. I was recently presented with a thoughtful quote that I had...