What a Fictional HBR Case Study Reveals About the Real Work of Today’s Death‑Care Professionals

5/6/2026

Harvard Business Review recently published a fictional case study about a funeral company — Monteverde Memorial Group — at a crossroads. In the scenario, the leadership team is debating whether to shift their business model in response to changing consumer expectations, rising cremation rates, and internal questions about culture, staffing, and long‑term strategy. The company isn’t real — but the pressures, tensions, and choices certainly are.

And that’s what makes the case study worth our attention.

Even in fictional form, it recognizes something funeral directors, cemeterians, and cremation professionals have long understood: this profession is constantly adapting. Consumer needs evolve. Cultural norms shift. Cremation continues to rise — with CANA’s State Cremation Rate Milestone Report predicting cremation will be the preferred form of disposition in every U.S. state by 2033. These changes don’t just alter the numbers; they reshape how we talk with families, how we design services, and how we think about the future of our organizations.

The Memorial Group in the Mirror

While the pandemic didn’t influence the cremation rate, this case study shows how the crisis accelerated answers to questions Monteverde Memorial Group posed for their five-year growth plan. Forces beyond the disease – namely land costs and cremation growth – came into focus more quickly.

We see the case study’s executive grapple with his own negative feelings about cremation and confront the shifting consumer values with which he disagrees.

In our own business reflections, the case study raises questions like:

How do we adapt to what families want today?
How do we communicate value when “meaningful” looks different for every family?
How do we balance tradition with innovation?
How do we support staff in a profession built on emotional labor?
How do we evolve our business models without losing the heart of what we do?

If you’ve wrestled with any of these questions — and most professionals in death care have — you’re already living the strategic conversations that business schools consider worth teaching.

Easier Said Than Done

At the end of the case study, the fictional experts offer recommendations about listening deeply to families, clarifying your value proposition, investing in staff well‑being, and staying adaptable in the face of cultural change. These aren’t abstract business theories. They’re the same principles that guide strong, community‑rooted death‑care organizations every day.

Our members don’t need a fictional company to tell them what’s changing. They see it when a family chooses a gathering in a hotel ballroom instead of a chapel. They see it when someone plans a living funeral and feels that the ceremony they held in life met their needs. They see it when families talk about value — not just price — and make choices that reflect their priorities, not tradition.

Cemeterians see it in the growing demand for flexible memorialization options. Cremation professionals see it in the questions about new disposition methods and witness cremation. Funeral directors see it in the desire for personalization, simplicity, or new kinds of gathering spaces.

Turning Questions Into Strategy

These are the real world decisions shaping the future of death care. And they’re the conversations our members have been leading long before this HBR case study.

They’re also the questions worth talking about — openly, honestly, and together. Every firm is wrestling with its own version of “What should our cremation strategy look like?” Some are rethinking service offerings. Some are exploring new partnerships or spaces. Some are trying to articulate value in ways that resonate with today’s families. And many are simply trying to figure out where to begin.

CANA exists for exactly these conversations. Our community is a place where professionals compare notes, share dilemmas, test ideas, and learn from one another’s experience. If the themes raised in the case study echo challenges in your own business — or spark new questions — we want to hear them. Your insights, your uncertainties, and your strategies are part of the collective wisdom that strengthens this profession.

As cremation becomes the preferred choice nationwide, the need for thoughtful dialogue and shared learning only grows. CANA’s mission is to be the trusted authority and educator on all aspects of cremation — and that includes helping you shape the plans, policies, and practices that will carry your organization forward.

The HBR case study may be fictional, but the questions it raises are real — and our members are already answering them with creativity, compassion, and clarity. That’s something worth celebrating.

For more than 105 years, CANA has created space for professionals to share what’s working, what’s changing, and what’s keeping them up at night. That longevity isn’t an accident — it’s proof that when cremation professionals, funeral directors, and cemeterians come together, the profession moves forward.

If the questions raised in this piece are ones you’re wrestling with too, CANA's 108th Annual Convention this August is designed for exactly these conversations. It’s where people compare notes, test ideas, and build strategies they can take home. We wouldn’t ask you to step away from your business in the middle of August without good reason — and the reason is simple: the conversations happening there help shape the future of cremation care.

We hope you’ll join us in Minneapolis this August 12-14. See what we have planned and register: cremationassociation.org/CANA26

Designing a Roadmap for the Business of Cremation

4/22/2026

In 1980, my brother and I were joining my father in our family traditional funeral business in South Minneapolis. Like many funeral home families, we lived in the apartment upstairs. upstairs.

We were a small funeral home in comparison to the competition in our city. The first time we even served more than 100 families a year was in 1976. The cremation rate in the early 80s was under 6% of all deaths.

In Minnesota, we did not have anyone to learn from or copy what they did. Knowing we needed to meet people who were in this type of business, we joined CANA, where we not only learned about some of the processes itself but were able to meet a lot of people involved in the business.

East Coast

Every year in January, my brother Mark and I would meet up with Jerry Sullivan (CANA Past President and president and owner of the Cremation Society of Illinois who died in February) in a different area of the country where there were more cremations taking place than in our own market area. We went to the west and east coasts, where the cremation rate was higher than ours to learn what they were doing there.

When we arrived in Florida, we went to National Cremation Society to meet up with Les Dyer, a CANA past president. Les introduced us to the manager of the location and explained how they served families. This was just after the National Cremation Society was purchased by Service Corporation International.

West Coast

When we went to California, we visited the Telophase Society of Southern California. Before going, we had several conservations with Tom Weber, the founder of Telophase. Tom was very open with us, offering to help with any questions that we had about how he started the business and the difficulty he had when his own father had died, including the problems he ran into getting his father cremated. It was interesting to hear Tom's stories about fighting traditional funeral homes and getting licenses for his business when he was first starting. Some of the ideas Tom shared with us are still in use today.

Heading up the California coast, we toured Neptune Society of Northern California in San Francisco. It was owned and operated at the time by Richard Johngorden. The interesting concept that Richard had was to provide a boat that families could travel on to scatter the ashes in the ocean. State regulators required him to go three miles off shore to scatter. Although he had a large business, Richard did not offer any extra items for sale to these families. There were no register books or cards or anything to help with a service.

The one thing we had that the businesses we visited did not was a chapel for services. The people we visited with did not like the idea of working out of a funeral home. They all had store fronts with only offices.

Homegrown Growth

In 1982, we installed our first crematory in our chapel. Being the first to install a crematory in the city was no problem at the time. However, shortly after we put ours in, the city changed the ordinance to restrict crematory installation to either cemetery or industrial locations.

Over the years we experienced steady growth. When we sold the business to Foundation Partners in June of 2017, we had grown to five locations, all with chapels to serve families. We had crematories at three facilities, with one remote location for our overload cases, and a total of eight retorts for us to use.

In those forty years, we grew the business to 5,500 families served a year. Our growth was consistent year-over-year, with a large prearrangement base.

This would not have been as successful as it was without a great group of people working with us. Also a lot of advertising in Minnesota. The goal was to have Cremation Society of
Minnesota be the name people thought of when choosing cremation.

CANA Past President and cremation pioneer Kevin Waterston shares a look back at the development of his ground-breaking cremation business. The 150th anniversary of modern cremation is a chance for all of us to reflect on where we've come from and where we're headed. You're invited to share your own reflections and you might see your story in a CANA publication!

Looking for a trip with innovative ideas and inspirational colleagues? CANA's 108th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention heads to Minneapolis this August 12-14, 2026, welcoming cremation professionals from across the continent and hosting inspiring speakers, innovative suppliers — and even a tour of local facilities! See what we have planned and register today for CANA's 108th Convention.

This post originally featured in Volume 62, Issue 1 of The Cremationist, CANA's members-only magazine. Not a member yet? Your firm can become a CANA member for just $539 to access all that CANA has to offer. Learn more and join today!

Kevin Waterston is a lifelong resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attended the University of Minnesota Department of Mortuary Science and lived above the family funeral home until he was 21 years old. Along with his brother, Mark, he founded the Cremation Society of Minnesota in the early 80s, which they sold to Foundation Partners Group in June of 2017. Kevin is a past president of CANA. He currently serves on the advisory board of Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago. Kevin is also on the Community Advisory Board of Foundation Partners Group.

Value: Driving Cremation Choice

4/8/2026

When modern cremation was introduced 150 years ago, it was seen as a sanitary innovation — a cleaner, more dignified alternative to the slow decomposition people were accustomed to. Early advocates spoke of purification by flame, emphasizing health, hygiene, and progress.

As the practice took hold, its meaning shifted. The Memorial Idea emerged, and cremation became intertwined with artistry and remembrance. Cremated remains were placed in beautifully crafted urns, displayed in glass‑front niches, and housed in columbaria designed to inspire awe and reflection. Cremation wasn’t just a method of disposition; it was a way to honor a life with intention and beauty.

Over time, as cremation gained popularity, it also became more standardized. Arrangements moved out of cemeteries and into funeral homes, making it more accessible to both families and professionals. Government regulation introduced the term “direct cremation,” reinforcing a perception of simplicity — even when families’ needs were anything but simple.

From there, price became the dominant narrative. But the truth is far more nuanced. While cost plays a role for some families, many choose cremation for reasons that have nothing to do with affordability. They’re guided by practicality, by personal values, by a desire for flexibility, by the wish to gather in spaces that feel right to them, or by experiences like living funerals that shift the timeline of ceremony.

Price matters — but not always in the way we assume

For some families, the financial constraint is real and immediate. They simply cannot exceed a certain budget, and direct cremation with no services becomes the only viable option. That reality deserves respect and sensitivity.

But for many others, the decision isn’t about affordability — it’s about alignment. They have the means to choose something else, but they want to spend their money in ways that feel meaningful to them.

A family might skip a newspaper obituary or a floral spray not because they can’t afford it, but because they’d rather invest in catering for a gathering. They’re not rejecting ceremony; they’re redefining what matters most.

Value is the real driver

Consumers don’t always seek the lowest price. They seek the highest value — the choice that feels right, reflects their priorities, and gives them confidence in their decision.

This is especially true for women, who drive the majority of purchasing decisions. Research consistently shows that women gravitate toward brands that are practical, trustworthy, and make life simpler. They will pay more for services that help them care for their families and feel supported.

In this context, cremation isn’t a “budget choice.” It’s a values-based choice.

Families are redefining where and how they gather

Consumers seek memorable and personal ways to honor their loved ones. With the advent of the Celebrant movement, families are interested in personalizing how they come together to remember, memorialize, and celebrate their dead.

Another shift shaping cremation decisions is the growing number of venues offering memorial experiences outside the funeral home. Hotels, event spaces, and even long-term care facilities now provide celebration-of-life packages, catering options, and modern, flexible spaces.

Families who choose these venues aren’t necessarily looking for a lower price. If a venue offers what they want — and the funeral home doesn’t — families will follow the value. They’re looking for an ambience that matches their sentiments, functional space that meets their needs, catering that serves their palettes, and those other personal touches that elevate a service to an experience that honors their loved one.

Families aren’t opting out of ceremony. They’re choosing ceremony on their own terms.

Every family’s “why” is different

Cremation is not a single decision with a single cause. It’s a reflection of:

personal values
cultural shifts
emotional needs
logistical realities
and yes, sometimes cost

But above all, it’s a reflection of how people want to honor a life.

When we approach cremation with curiosity instead of assumptions, we open the door to deeper conversations — ones that help families feel seen, supported, and confident in their choices.

Cremation has never had just one meaning. It has been a sanitary solution, a memorial movement, a practical option, a cultural shift, and a deeply personal choice. Understanding that complexity — and listening closely to what families are really seeking — helps us serve with greater empathy, clarity, and confidence.

If this resonates…

The Cremation Choice course from CANA begins with a simple but powerful learning objective: explain at least six reasons why people choose cremation. Because when you understand the “why,” everything else — your conversations, your recommendations, your service options — becomes more meaningful and more effective.

It’s a foundational part of the CANA-Certified Cremation Specialist (CCS) program for that reason. Created for practitioners who view funeral service as both a profession and a calling, CCS moves beyond procedures and compliance to focus on the human elements that shape families’ experiences. The program helps professionals strengthen how they listen, how they communicate, and how they guide families choosing cremation with clarity and compassion.

Registration is open now through July 31. Learn more and enroll today.

The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is the only association dedicated exclusively to cremation. We meet where every aspect of this diverse profession intersects, representing cemeteries, funeral homes, crematories, industry suppliers, schools, students, and consultants among our more than 3,700 members. Since our founding in 1913, we’ve championed cremation as preparation for meaningful memorialization and supported professionals across every corner of this diverse field.

The History Of Cremation In Modern Times.

3/18/2026

December 4, 1876, The New York Times (Part 2)

Continued from Baron De Palm’s Request. His Remains To Be Cremated On Wednesday.

note: paragraph breaks added for readability.

The subject of cremation was taken up with considerable interest in many parts of Europe about the beginning of the year 1874, in consequence of the publication of a paper on that subject by Sir Henry Thompson, in London, entitled “The Treatment of the Body after Death,” in which cremation was advocated principally as a sanitary measure. The slowness of decomposition after inhumation, and the consequent emanation of deleterious gases, and the infiltration of poisonous matter into the wells and water courses were dwelt upon at considerable length, and excited the fears of a large portion of the community.

The paper was translated twice into German — once in Cologne, and once in Gratz, Austria — and in consequence of this joint publication the Communal Council of Vienna adopted, by a large majority, the proposal by a member to establish in the cemetery the necessary apparatus for cremation, its use being optional and open to all.

Following this, the Communal Council of Gratz, a city with a population of 100,000, decided to consider a like proposal. The matter was then taken up in this country, and was largely discussed by the press, the public taking great interest in the question, as was manifested by the numerous letters written to the different papers by all classes of the more intelligent citizens, the majority of the letter‑writers being in its favor. A singular feature of this discussion was that the ladies of the country took great interest in it, and seemed to approve of the idea.

On March 27 of the same year the movement had become so popular in this City that a number of prominent gentlemen held an informal meeting in the rooms of Dr. Sexton, No. 12 West Thirty‑fifth Street, and discussed the propriety of forming a regular cremation society. After further consultation, it was decided that a society should be formed, and to this end a meeting, which was largely attended, was held in the rooms of the Young Men’s Christian Association on the 3rd of the following month. The meeting was called to order by Dr. T. M. Welde, and Mr. Henry A. Stone was called to the chair, with Mr. Edward A. Caswell elected Secretary. Letters were read from Mr. D. G. Croly, Rev. O. B. Frothingham, Mr. Chas. A. Dana, Col. Henry S. Olcott and Mr. Henry Bergh, of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Committees were appointed and steps were taken to make the organization permanent, but the matter was allowed to drop, and no further meetings were held by the society.

Many of its members, however, are still in favor of disposing of the bodies of the dead by burning, and are anxiously awaiting the report of the first practical experiment in that direction in this country. This, however, will not be the first act of cremation practiced in the United States. In the year 1792 the body of Henry Laurens, the American patriot and statesman, was burned on his plantation in South Carolina, according to the express directions to his son, left by him in his will. They were very explicit and minute, and left the young man no discretion in the matter. Following is the full clause of the will:

“I solemnly enjoin it on my son as an indispensable duty, that as soon as he conveniently can after my decease, to cause my body to be wrapped in twelve yards of tow‑cloth and burned until it be entirely consumed, and then collecting my bones, deposit them wherever he may think proper.”

Very meagre accounts of the operation are now to be found. The most authentic now extant, however, which is given below, is contained in the New‑York Journal and Patriotic Register of Saturday, Jan. 23, 1793, now on file in the rooms of the New‑York Historical Society.

“The following extract of a letter, dated Charleston, S.C., Dec. 24, is taken from the Norwich Weekly Register of Jan. 14:

‘A few days since departed this life Henry Laurens, Esq., about seventy years of age, and his corpse was burned the Thursday after his decease. This was done by his son at the request of his father, who made this reserve in his will, that unless his son complied with this he should be cut short in any of his estate, which was worth £60,000. The ashes remaining from the body were taken up and put into a silver urn for that purpose.’

The reason Mr. Laurens gave for this desire was that his body was too good to be eaten by worms.”

Another account says that upon the occasion of the death of one of his children by small‑pox, and while the body was lying in the room, Mr. Laurens ordered the windows to be opened in order to admit fresh air into the apartment. The cool breeze caused the child to revive, and its narrow escape from being buried alive caused so great an impression upon Mr. Laurens’ mind as to induce him to determine that he would avoid all risk of meeting so dreadful a fate by having his body burned.

The funeral pyre was erected on a beautiful spot on the brow of a hill on his plantation, and the body, wrapped in cloth, as he had directed, was borne to the place on the shoulders of four of his favorite slaves. After being placed upon the pyre, incense and perfume were heaped upon it. The services were then performed and the torch applied. After the body had been reduced to ashes, they were carefully gathered up and placed in a beautiful silver vase that had been provided for the occasion.

The instances of cremation in modern times in Europe have been more frequent. The burning of the body of the poet Shelley, by order of the Tuscan Government, on the shores of the Mediterranean, by his friends Lord Byron, Leigh Hunt, and Mr. Trelawney, in 1822, is probably the best known. His ashes were afterward deposited in the Protestant burial ground in Rome.

In 1870 or 1871 the body of an East Indian Prince, who died in Florence, was burned by his attendants in the Eastern style, and his ashes were taken back to India. About one year ago the body of Alberto Keller, of Milan, was burned in a temple erected by his orders in a cemetery near that city. In 1875 the body of Lady Dilke, and that of the wife of an eminent German physician, were burned in compliance with the wishes of the deceased.

The crematory in which the body of the Baron de Palm is to be burned, in Washington, Penn., is of brick, one story high, with an iron roof, and is provided with three chimneys. It is divided into two compartments, the reception‑room, about twenty feet square, and the furnace‑room. The retort in which the remains are burned is seven and a half feet long, twenty inches high, and twenty‑eight inches wide. The furnace is beneath, and the whole is inclosed in brick work. While the burning is taking place, no odor will be perceptible, as all gases emanating from the body are returned to the furnace and made to pass over the fire, and are thus consumed.

In 2026, the funeral profession marks an extraordinary milestone: the 150th anniversary of the first modern cremation in North America—the sesquicentennial.

It all began in 1876, when Baron De Palm was cremated at the LeMoyne Crematory in Washington, Pennsylvania. That moment sparked a movement that has profoundly shaped today’s death‑care landscape. To honor this history, CANA is launching a year‑long series of articles, resources, and activities commemorating cremation’s sesquicentennial.

We invite you to join us.

This anniversary is more than a look back—it’s a unique moment for the profession to reflect on 150 years of change and envision what comes next. By participating, you help amplify a conversation that honors our history while advancing the future of death care.
So take a moment to reflect on where we've come, where we are, and where we're going. Then, share your story on social media and with us! Leave us a note on our Contact Us page about what this sesquicentennial means to you.

Republished from the original article published December 3, 1876 and retrieved from the archives of The New York Times:
BARON DE PALM'S REQUEST.;HIS REMAINS TO BE CREMATED ON WEDNESDAY. THE BODY TO BE CONVEYED TO WASHINGTON, PENN., THIS EVENING--DESCRIPTION OF THE FURNACE AND THE PROCESS OF CREMATION--THE ASHES TO BE PRESERVED IN AN ANTIQUE VASE--A SCIENTIFIC DISCUSSION OF THE SUBJECT TO FOLLOW THE BURNING. SCIENTIFIC ASPECTS OF THE CEREMONY. THE HISTORY OF CREMATION IN MODERN TIMES.

Baron De Palm’s Request. His Remains To Be Cremated On Wednesday.

3/4/2026

December 4, 1876, The New York Times (Part 1)

note: paragraph breaks added for readability.

The burning, or cremation, of the body of Joseph Henry Louis, Baron de Palm, Grand Cross
Commander of the Sovereign Order of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem, Knight of St. John of Malta, Prince of the Roman Empire, late Chamberlain to His Majesty the King of Bavaria, Fellow of the Theosophical Society of New‑York, &c., &c., will take place as previously announced, at Washington, Penn., on Wednesday next. This gentleman, who died in this City in May last, shortly before his death requested Col. Henry S. Olcott and Mr. Henry J. Newton, whom he had named as the Executors of his will, to have his remains disposed of in this manner.

As there was at that time no furnace in this country in which the body could be properly burned, the Executors decided to await the completion of a crematory then being erected by Dr. F. Julius Le Moyne, of Washington, Penn., which it was thought would be finished within the year. The body was therefore embalmed, and after appropriate ceremonies conducted by the Theosophical Society in the Masonic Temple, Sixth Avenue and Twenty‑third Street, was deposited in a vault in the Lutheran Cemetery, near Williamsburg, where it now lies.

The crematory is now complete in all its appointments, and the Executors have made every arrangement for the proper performance of the ceremony.

The body will be forwarded to Washington this evening, by the 6 o’clock train on the Pennsylvania Railroad, in charge of the undertaker of the Roosevelt Hospital, who will deliver it to Dr. Le Moyne.

A committee of the Theosophical Society, appointed to be present at the cremation, composed of Col. Henry S. Olcott, President; Henry J. Newton, Treasurer; H. P. Blavatsky, Corresponding Secretary; and H. D. Monachesi, Recording Secretary pro tem. will go on the same train.

The remains, which are now inclosed in a rosewood coffin with silver mountings, will not be taken out, but will be conveyed to the place of cremation in the coffin, inclosed in a suitable box.

Before being burned, however, the corpse will be taken out of the coffin and wrapped in folds of white linen cloth, and will then be placed in an iron cradle, made for the purpose, which will be inserted into the furnace.

This cradle is so constructed that the ashes of the deceased will be kept separate and can be easily gathered after the furnace cools. Care has been taken to remove all offensive features from the operation. Besides the white cloth in which it will be enveloped, the body will be covered with flowers, and aromatic spices and gums, such as cinnamon, acacia, frankincense, and myrrh, will be strewn over it.

After the cremation, which it is supposed will occupy about three hours, the ashes will be collected and placed in an antique vase, procured for the purpose from the region of the upper Nile by Col. Olcott. This vase is of plain red clay, and has a short neck, with a handle on each side, and in shape is very like those recently found in the excavations at Cyprus. On one side of the vase a brass plate, bearing the name, age, and titles of the deceased, will be attached.

The ashes, which it is thought will weigh about five pounds, will be sprinkled with perfume before being inclosed in the receptacle provided for them, after the manner practiced by the ancient Greeks and Romans. There will be no services performed over the remains at the crematory, as the Executors say it will be simply and solely the act of cremation for the decent disposal of the body, which should have occurred immediately after the services in the Masonic Temple, but were delayed for the reason already given.

Col. Olcott, from whom the above information was obtained, said to a TIMES reporter last evening that, by the cremation of the body of the Baron de Palm in this country, one important point would be settled—that it would prove that there was no legal objection to the disposal of a body by burning.

All the forms of the law concerning the case had been complied with, and no difficulty had been encountered in obtaining permission to remove the body. He had not anticipated any trouble, he said, because in 1874, when the question of cremation was first agitated in this country, he and Mr. F. C. Bowman, of this City, had been appointed by the Cremation Society, formed in that year, to examine into the legal aspects of the matter. After examining the statutes, they found that there was nothing in them to prevent a man from disposing of his body by fire, and so reported to the society. Before the Baron’s body could be removed from the cemetery, however, it had been necessary to obtain separate permits from the Brooklyn Board of Health and the Health Officer of Queens County, in which county the cemetery lies. There was no concealment of the purpose for which the removal of the body had been asked, and, in Brooklyn, the undertaker was required by the Board of Health to make affidavit to the fact that the body was to be cremated.

Scientific Aspects of the Ceremony.

As the occasion was one of great interest to science in its historical, sanitary, and other aspects, Col. Olcott said that he and his fellow Executors had consented to have the ceremony performed in public. Invitations to be present had been sent to scientific men throughout the United States, and had been accepted in many instances. Among those whom he expected to be present were Prof. John C. Dalton, of the New‑York College of Physicians and Surgeons; Prof. Barker, of the University of Pennsylvania; President Orterson, of the Brooklyn Board of Health; and Health Officer Zink, of the same city. The medical department of Harvard University, the Boston Board of Health, and the Health Boards of Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, New‑Orleans, and other cities would also send representatives.

At a meeting of so many scientific men from all parts of the country, Col. Olcott said he thought it would be well to have the subjects of inhumation and cremation discussed, and with that object had suggested to Dr. Le Moyne that suitable arrangements should be made for holding a meeting. Dr. Le Moyne had heartily concurred with him in the matter, and had secured the Court‑house of the town of Washington, and the discussion would be held there on the evening of the cremation. Among the practical and scientific questions that would be brought up would be included “Premature Burial,” “The Detection of Poisons,” “The Bearing of Cremation on Life Insurance Proofs of Death,” and the “Sanitary Aspects.”

The Theosophical Society, Col. Olcott said, had nothing to do with the management of this affair — it rested solely with Dr. Le Moyne and the two Executors. The society had no creed of any kind. It was no more than a scientific body, composed of humble students, who sought no notoriety, and who had had it all thrust upon them. They had no more of a common religious faith than they had of a common liking for a particular kind of sauce. Applicants for membership were never asked anything about their religious belief, except whether they believe in the existence of a God, for the subject of theosophy could have no possible interest for anyone who did not. There was just as much variety of opinion about cremation among the members of the society as there was about any other thing.

Article continues with The History Of Cremation In Modern Times.

In 2026, the funeral profession marks an extraordinary milestone: the 150th anniversary of the first modern cremation in North America—the sesquicentennial.

We invite you to join us.

So take a moment to reflect on where we've come, where we are, and where we're going. Then, share your story on social media and with us! Leave us a note on our Contact Us page about what this sesquicentennial means to you.

Quality vs. Quantity: How to Make Sure Your Customers are Satisfied

2/18/2026

There are many different types of customers in the market. If you've been in the game for a while now, you might have encountered a customer who wants to build a long-term partnership with you or a customer who can never be satisfied with your products and services. It can be challenging to encounter customers like that. It can damage you and your team's confidence in being able to satisfy your customers. It can also force you to reevaluate how you think your company should be operating even though the reality might very well be that you're just not serving the right customer based on your products and services. Fortunately, there are things that you can do avoid being in this situation.

In order to build long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with your customers, you first need to find the right customer for you. This involves research that might be overwhelming at first glance, but you've come to the right place if you're looking for some help. We've done the research for you, and this article serves as a summary of what you can do to serve quality products and services to the right customer. Of course, if you want to know the details, then you might want to check out our course.

But for now, here are five things you can do to find the right customer and give quality service every single time:

Understand the needs of your market.

First and foremost, your products and services can only fulfill the needs of a customer from the right target market. As such, you need to understand what they're looking for and what you can do to match those needs.

Spend some time in forums or wherever your potential customers hang out to get insight into the common features they're looking for in the products or services you plan to offer.

You may also want to engage them in conversation to get a more in-depth perspective on what you can do to effectively infiltrate the market as well as the quality they're looking for.

Check your capabilities.

Another thing you can do to ensure that you're always serving quality to the right customer is to check your capabilities. While taking more orders might be tempting as it means more profit and revenue, you have a reputation to build and protect.

Take the time to check your inventory, financials, and team status.

Can you fulfill the orders on time?
Can you do it in such a way that you won't be sacrificing quality for quantity?
Can you handle potential customer questions on your product and services?

These are some of the questions you might want to keep in mind to prevent aggravating your customers and turning what could have been the "right customer" into a "customer from hell."

Always prioritize customer satisfaction.

If you've done your research and you're confident in your ability to deliver, then chances are that all your current customers are satisfied. However, you need to remember that someone will always come along who might demand a little more from you.

These customers may be encountering your company for the first time and thus may have a few more questions than normal. Answering questions promptly and engaging them respectfully and politely helps build customer satisfaction, which you can use to make sure to not only build your reputation but also integrate giving quality service within your company culture.

Build long-term customer relationships.

A satisfied customer is one who will more than likely return to subscribe to your products or services. As such, prioritizing quality over quantity gets you a one-way ticket to long-term customer relationships that drives regular profit. These are the customers you want to serve, but keep in mind that requires the effort that's detailed above. While you can never make sure that everyone is satisfied, doing your best means that if you still encounter someone who might be disgruntled with what you've given them, then chances are that they aren't the right customer for you. Focus on the ones you can serve and trigger business growth.

Monitor your growth.

Speaking of growth, another thing you can do to keep up the quality of your products and services is to keep an eye on your company performance. If you think you're in a position to offer more and to grow your repertoire, then by all means, do so. Do your research on who else might benefit from what you offer and adjust accordingly.

Always keep in mind that growing your business means that you need to reach the customers who can support your company all the while ensuring that the quality of your products and services aren't compromised.

By the end of this article, you should have a more comprehensive idea of what you should look for and what you can do in balancing quality and customer satisfaction. It's a hard balance to achieve but it’s not impossible. Check out CANA’s Deathcare Business Administrator course if you want to make sure that you're achieving that balance every single time.

As you plan for the year ahead, it’s the perfect time to invest in your team’s growth! Enrollment is now open for the Deathcare Business Administration Certification - a 10-week learning and networking program designed for current and emerging leaders who want practical tools, peer collaboration, and measurable results.

Don’t wait, the program kicks off on Wednesday, April 1, and runs through June 10!

Explore The Deathcare Business Administration Certification

What You’ll Gain:

Leadership Alignment: Unite your team with a shared vision and clear goals.
People Management Mastery: Hire smarter, coach better, and foster accountability.
Secure Families: Create an operations process to serve your good clients.
Financial Confidence: Demystify financial statements and ratios to make smarter decisions every day.

Jeremy Wall is lead facilitator for the CANA Deathcare Business Administration Program. He has a passion for simplifying the complex. As you will see in both the self-paced learning, he will help support your learning journey to bring these learning concepts from theory to practical implementation within your business. Jeremy has founded, grown, and exited businesses before and will work with you and your team as you look to create a lasting impact on building a better culture, healthier balance sheets, and a stronger bottom line.

From Tradition to Transformation: Women, Death Doulas, and the New Shape of Cremation & Death Care

2/4/2026

American death care is in the midst of a generational reset. Families are questioning long-standing rituals, women are reclaiming historic caregiving roles in funerals, and a growing corps of death doulas is helping people navigate dying with more presence and less panic. Woven together, these shifts are accelerating the rise of simple, affordable cremation and reshaping what support looks like before, during, and after a death.

Why families are stepping away from “the way it’s always been”

The default funeral—chapel service, casket, procession—no longer feels inevitable for many Americans. Several currents are driving the change:

Belief and meaning. With fewer people anchored to organized religion, some find conventional services mismatched to their values. Others prefer to mourn privately, stage intimate “celebrations of life,” or honor a loved one with a hike, a backyard gathering, or a scattering at a meaningful spot—on their own timeline.
Logistics and distance. Dispersed families and complex schedules make convening within days of a death difficult. Livestreamed services helped during the pandemic, but many discovered that a later, simpler remembrance (or none at all) felt more authentic.
Cost and practicality. Traditional funerals can be expensive, while cremation often costs less. When a death occurs without life insurance or savings, families often turn to a DIY-service as a more economical option.
Environmental intent. Skipping embalming and ornate merchandise can lower the footprint of final arrangements. For some, a streamlined cremation coupled with a personal tribute aligns with their stewardship values.

Beneath these practicalities is a deeper cultural pivot: grief is becoming more individualized. Families want options that fit their relationships, not rituals that constrain them.

Women step forward—by stepping back to our roots

For centuries, American women were the primary caregivers in death—washing, dressing, and vigil-keeping at home. Industrialization and the medicalization of dying shifted that role to embalmers and undertakers (largely men) across the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today the arc is bending again.

Women now comprise a large majority of mortuary school cohorts and are increasingly visible as funeral directors, embalmers, and firm owners. Their presence coincides with an industry pivot from product to service—from selling identical packages to facilitating personal, culturally sensitive farewells. Many families describe female professionals as especially adept at communication, planning, and sustained support, though of course empathy and skill are not gender-bound. What’s notable is that the profession is re-embracing qualities—listening, guiding, ritual-craft—that women historically exercised openly in end-of-life care.

Death doulas: the bridge between medical care and meaning

In parallel, death doulas (or end-of-life doulas) have emerged as non-medical companions who support the dying and their circles. Their work mirrors birth doulas: steady presence, practical help, and emotional/spiritual scaffolding.

Common elements of doula support include:

Companionship and vigil planning for the final hours
Life review and legacy projects, from letters to audio stories
Education and advocacy so families know what to expect and how to honor wishes
Caregiver respite and bereavement follow-up

While doulas do not replace hospice or clinical teams, they complete the circle—filling gaps that busy staff, thinly stretched clergy, or distant relatives can’t always fill. Training programs (such as INELDA, University of Vermont’s certificate, Lifespan Doula Association, ILDM, and DoulaGivers®) have helped standardize core competencies, ethics, and reflective practice even as licensure remains rare. Membership growth in national associations suggests a steadily expanding field, with many practitioners collaborating closely with hospice programs and faith leaders.

Crucially, doula care aligns with how more Americans want to die: at home when possible, surrounded by familiar people and objects, with rituals that fit their life story—not a template.

Cremation as a canvas for personalization

Cremation’s national share has climbed to roughly 62%, with CANA’s forecasts topping 80% by the 2030s. But the truly disruptive force isn’t cremation itself—it’s the decoupling of body disposition from ceremony. Many families now choose direct cremation and then design a remembrance later (or opt out of one entirely).

This approach dovetails naturally with female-led firms and doula-supported care:

Control & simplicity. Families can focus on bedside goodbyes and immediate paperwork, then take breath and plan a gathering that feels right—weeks or months later, if desired.
Creativity. Memorials can be potlucks, park meetups, art builds, ash scatterings, or faith-based services. The format serves the relationship, not the other way around.
Access. Lower costs widen access to dignified care and free resources for what matters most to the family—travel, legacy projects, or charitable gifts in the decedent’s name.

For providers, the opportunity is to become experience designers and educators, not just service packagers. The value isn’t only in a chapel and staff on the day; it’s in guidance before, during, and long after.

What this shift asks of providers and associations

Meet families earlier. Encourage advance conversations—values, preferences, documents, and budgets. Many boomers say, “Just cremate me.” Help them unpack what that means for the living: who’s notified, where the ashes go, which stories get saved.
Welcome doulas onto the team. Whether via referral lists or formal partnerships, integrate doulas as adjuncts to hospice and funeral care. They extend your touch at the bedside and in the weeks after.
Center education over upsells. Transparent pricing and clear explanations of options (from minimal to elaborate) build trust. Share worksheets for vigil planning, scattering etiquette, and memorial design.
Design for diaspora. Offer turnkey tools for far-flung families: asynchronous tribute platforms, recording kits for eulogies, and guidance for delayed ceremonies.
Honor diverse grief. Some families need a full ritual container; others need quiet and time. Curate templates for both ends of that spectrum—and everything between.
Cultivate women’s leadership. Mentor, hire, and promote across roles. Lift up women and non-binary professionals whose skills in communication and ritual facilitation are increasingly central to the work.

A culture learning to die—together

Taken together, these trends point to something bigger than market preference. They reflect a cultural desire to re-humanize dying: fewer performative trappings, more presence; fewer obligations, more consent; less fear, more conversation. When women step into visible leadership and death doulas hold space at the bedside, families gain permission to shape farewells that are intimate, honest, and sustainable.

Cremation may be the most visible indicator of change, but the deeper transformation is in how we accompany one another. We’re remembering that dying is not only a medical episode—it’s a relational, communal, and spiritual passage. If the last century professionalized death, this one is personalizing it.

For CANA members, the invitation is clear: keep building a field where families can choose simplicity without stigma, ceremony without sales pressure, and help that begins well before a death and lingers long after. In that future, women, doulas, and forward-looking providers aren’t outliers; they’re the new stewards of a more compassionate end-of-life experience.

Sara Marsden-Ille is the editor-in-chief at DFS Memorials and a contributing writer for US Funerals Online and Canadian Funerals Online. As a death care writer and industry analyst, she explores trends shaping cremation, funeral service, and end-of-life innovation. Her work highlights shifting consumer expectations, demographic change, and new professional roles while advancing CANA’s mission of education, innovation, and forward-thinking practices in cremation and memorialization.

How We Stay Vital and Profitable

1/21/2026

In the 1970s, my childhood was spent in an apartment above my parents’ funeral home. Because my parents drove the ambulance and operated the funeral home, we were the go-to in any emergency. This was a pretty typical experience for many funeral directors during this time. I fell in love with being needed and being the source of comfort for our small town. The ability to be there for those in need is what attracted me and countless others to the funeral profession.

Another staple of my childhood was the ability of our small, locally owned funeral home to have the financial working capital we needed to successfully operate our business. I believe that these two situations go hand in hand: being relevant in our communities and being financially stable. I grew up, became a CPA and a licensed funeral director and embalmer. I was our CFO, an active funeral director, and owner of our funeral home.

Since 1991, I have also been providing accounting services to funeral homes and cemeteries across the United States. In the last 10 years, I have witnessed several clients who are beginning to have serious financial struggles. Why would a profession that is vital to their communities be struggling? The answer is very complex, and I look forward to digging into each of our points of service as well as our pricing for those services at CANA’s 2026 Symposium this February. Here’s a preview of what we’ll discuss.

The First Call

Many times, having the appropriate information when attending the first call is invaluable in establishing a connection with the survivors. This is the time when the family will be most uncertain and in shock. You want to establish your role and your relevance to them. Do you have your best people on the first call in which they encounter family members? I believe adequate training and availability of vital information at the time of the first call are two items that are essential to serving the family in the best way possible.

Ask yourself these questions:

What procedures and phrases do our staff or removal service use with a family?
Do we have a checklist of vital steps for every first call?
Do we have information available on prearrangements on file or recent interactions with a family to use during the first call?
Do we provide adequate information on the next steps? Do we adequately fill the gap between the first call and the first meeting with our funeral home?

The Arrangement Conference

The arrangement conference is your opportunity to be of most help to the family. Training your staff is the best way to make successful arrangements. Employing checklists and communicating different ways you can provide lasting healing over the coming days, weeks, or months is essential. This critical time can make or break the relevance of your services.

Ask yourself these questions:

Do we adequately train and periodically review arrangement staff for the best ways to conduct an arrangement conference?
Do we focus on personalized services and non-traditional gatherings if these would be most helpful to the family in beginning their healing process?
Are we flexible to the varied needs of families, and are we proficient in having fresh ideas regarding different ways survivors can express their grief?

Aftercare

I believe that providing guidance once the service is over and the family has returned to their lives is the most important chance we as a profession have to generate goodwill, significance, and relevance. I also believe that in our own funeral home and in many funeral homes across this nation, we fail to provide much in the way of services for “aftercare.”

The lack of working capital and adequate staffing is directly related to the reasons we don’t do a better job of providing care for the family after the service is completed. I believe we are missing a big opportunity to help the family. I also believe that we are the best source for providing aftercare services. Our staff has a relationship with the survivors and is in a wonderful position to continue our care after the funeral or memorial. We need to design and implement aftercare services just like we do cemetery, crematory, transportation, or other services we coordinate. We need to find a way to create training and grief services and find a way to fund these extra services.

Pricing of our Services

We need to get creative. Every day, I see funeral home financials from across the country, and I am reminded of two critical challenges:

Funeral home pricing has not kept up with inflation. Because we don’t adequately raise revenues, our costs are pushing our net income into the negative.
Once the Federal Trade Commission funeral rule came into effect in 1983, we decided as an industry that the cost of providing funerals was much higher than the cost of providing cremation.

Let’s examine each of these in detail:

Inflation. Funeral home pricing has not kept up with inflation. My paternal grandfather died in 1966. Reviewing our funeral home Red Book for 1966, I noticed the median funeral revenue per case was $1,250. When I apply that average to the average inflation rate according to the U.S. historical Inflation rates for each year since, we are losing against inflation by more than 10%. We should price our services in a way that allows us to serve our communities.

Pricing cremation services. According to the NFDA, the median price for cremation services is less than the median for traditional burial revenue in the United States. From the funeral home revenues I see, many funeral homes are experiencing a much larger gap between the average revenue from burial and cremation.

Most funeral homes have very large, fixed costs. Therefore, every case you handle should be assigned a portion of that fixed cost. You should do the same with all expenses: electricity, advertising, insurance, employees, employee benefits, property taxes, building maintenance, and auto expenses. These expenses are the same whether you have a burial or cremation.

We have some work to do on our pricing, for sure. As a profession, we need to be sure that we understand the costs of each type of service we provide. Appropriate pricing is the key to having the financial working capital to meet the needs of our communities.

What to Do Next?

The funeral profession needs a reset. How do we reset in a way that is most beneficial for our employees, investors, and customers?

I will offer a practical roadmap to restore profitability and sustainability through strategies to improve cash flow, build wealth, and adapt to future demographic and economic shifts this February at CANA’s 2026 Cremation Symposium. I hope you join me to learn actionable methods to manage inflation, leverage financing options, strengthen preneed programs, and move beyond burnout toward long-term financial health and business resilience.

There are few professions that have as long a history of providing vital services to people in need.

We need to take stock of our vast resources and employ our talents to continue providing these vital services long into the future.

We would do anything for the families and the communities we serve. So, what do we do to make sure we’ll be there for them in the future? Drawing on decades of personal and professional expertise, Kara Ludlum heads to CANA’s 2026 Cremation Symposium to explore how many funeral homes and cemeteries— once financially strong—are now struggling amid changing industry dynamics and persistent self-sacrificing culture. Get your action plan in Las Vegas this February 25-27, 2026: register now!

This article excerpted with permission from Kara Ludlum and Osiris Software.

She is also the co-founder of Osiris Software, a leading management software solution serving funeral homes and cemeteries in both the United States and Canada. In 2023, Osiris Software expanded its family of companies to include Insight Books and Certified Celebrants, where Kara continues to play a key role in supporting professionals who serve grieving families.

Kara Ludlum has dedicated her career to the funeral profession. A second-generation funeral director and former funeral home owner, she brings both personal experience and professional expertise to the industry. Kara is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and senior partner at Ludlum & Mannen CPAs, a firm that works exclusively with funeral homes and cemeteries across the United States.

With her unique combination of hands-on funeral service experience, financial expertise, and software innovation, Kara is recognized as a trusted leader and advocate for funeral professionals across North America.

Looking Ahead: The Next 150 Years of Cremation

1/7/2026

Every February, CANA invites the profession to gather in Las Vegas to talk about the future—new ideas, fresh approaches, the next big thing. Yet time and again, we go home and default to what’s comfortable, sticking with the tried-and-true until outside forces push us to adapt.

This isn’t new. Cremation is a textbook example. For a century, it was an outlier—slow to catch on. Then, almost overnight, it became the default. The truth is, if you looked closely, the clues were always there.

In only a few decades, cremation went from an alternative option to the main choice for most families. This shift didn’t happen because the profession was ahead of the curve—it happened because families changed what they wanted, practicalities shifted, and laws eventually followed. By the time the industry at large realized what was going on, the transformation was already complete.

If there’s one important lesson from the last 150 years we’ve learned; the future doesn’t arrive in a straight, predictable line. It builds quietly—then it takes off before anyone’s ready.

The Signals We’re Calling “Exceptions”

To get a sense of where cremation is headed, you don’t need dramatic predictions. You just have to pay attention to what we brush off as odd, rare, or “not what our families want.”

Those “exceptions” don’t stay exceptions for long.

Take a hard look at what’s already shifting--

Families who want instant, transparent information where they used to accept mystery
A growing discomfort with “the end”—and a longing for something that lasts
Treating identity and memory as living assets, not just keepsakes
Expectations for proof, records, and accountability that are now emotional, not just legal
Memorialization that’s drifting away from specific places, but remains deeply personal

None of this gets labeled “the future of cremation.” That’s exactly why it matters.

The biggest clues about what’s coming don’t show up as “trends.” They show up as points of friction—little moments where expectations and reality no longer line up.

Cremation: More Than a Process

We tend to talk about cremation as a technical decision, but it’s always been much more—a response to changing times: space, mobility, beliefs, finances, and trust. What’s shifting now isn’t how common cremation is but what families quietly hope it will provide.

Continuity, not just closure.

Access, not just distance.

Proof, not just assumption.

Half a century ago, cremation overtaking burial sounded unthinkable. Now, the real discomfort is coming from somewhere else: the idea that remembrance might no longer be tied to a place—or even to a lifespan.

That tension isn’t theoretical—it’s already shifting how people act and what they ask for.

Speed: The Real Game Changer

What’s coming in cremation isn’t about one breakthrough. It’s about all these pressures colliding—and doing so much faster than our policies, routines, or comfort zones would like.

When that tipping point comes, “adapting” won’t be considered innovative—it’ll just be expected.

History hasn’t been kind to those in our field who confused gradual change with slow change. The funeral homes most caught off guard by the rise of cremation weren’t the ones who resisted—they were the ones who underestimated just how quickly the landscape could shift.

The next big shift? It’ll feel eerily familiar.

Peeking Into the Future (No Spoilers)

In 2026, I’ll have the honor of keynoting CANA’s Symposium. I’ll talk about what the past teaches us, the signals we can already see, and why taking the long view on cremation is more necessary than ever.

Some of what we’ll cover will sound familiar. Some will feel too soon. And some will push back on beliefs we’ve long held as unshakeable.

That’s intentional.

Because the future of cremation won’t be shaped by those waiting for certainty or permission. It will be forged by those willing to notice the subtle changes already happening—and act before they become impossible to ignore.

The signals are right in front of us.

The window to act isn’t endless.

If we’ve learned anything from history, it’s this: Our profession will adapt—one way or another.

In a rapidly changing environment, taking one step back can give you the space you need to get a running leap forward. This February, join Larry Stuart, Jr. and explore what today’s trends reveal about tomorrow’s possibilities. Gather with colleagues to get inspired, gain practical strategies, and generate the energy you need for the year ahead at the CANA’s 2026 Cremation Symposium this February 25-27 in Las Vegas.

As the United States celebrates 150 years of cremation history, you’re invited to bring the future into focus with Larry Stuart, Jr. Register for CANA’s 2026 Cremation Symposium at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.

Larry Stuart, Jr. is Founder and Principal at Raven Plume Consulting and is an internationally recognized expert in funeral service, cemetery operations, and cremation. Over the course of his career, Larry has been an author, speaker, trainer, consultant, and was the president of Crematory Manufacturing & Service, Inc. – so when it comes to our profession, Larry brings both hands-on experience and a big-picture perspective.

He has trained and certified thousands of professionals, written for leading industry publications, contributed resources and expertise to textbooks, and developed continuing education programs for associations and regulators across the globe.

His personal mission is to raise professional standards and help change the way people think about funeral service – bringing clarity, care, and respect to every step of the process.

Of course, Larry also knows there’s more to life than his work. He’s a traveler, foodie, dog lover, and a firm believer that good coffee makes for better conversations.

2025 Celebrity Cremations

12/17/2025

Every year, we say goodbye to cultural giants whose work shaped music, film, sports, and art. In 2025, the world gathered to celebrate the lives of the beloved figures below, with each memorial service a reflection of their unique impact and the love they inspired. In this post, we revisit the most notable memorials of the year, honoring the legacies that continue to resonate long after the final curtain call.

Every event in this series of memorial services was as distinctive as the life it honored. Each gathering reflected the individuality of the person through music, storytelling, and moments designed to celebrate what truly mattered to them. Beyond the fame and accolades, a common thread emerged: at life’s end, so many of these icons cherished what we all do—more time with loved ones. These services didn’t just mark an ending; they offered inspiration for how we might live and love more fully. Join us as to reflect on a dozen unforgettable celebrity cremation farewells that remind us of the beauty of connection and legacy.

Celebrity entries appear in alphabetical order.

Giorgio Armani

July 11, 1934 – September 4, 2025

Giorgio Armani revolutionized fashion as a world-renowned fashion designer and founder of the Armani luxury fashion house. Known best for minimalist, deconstructed jackets and suits, Armani’s designs are considered timeless. Throughout his career, he created classic garments both glamorous and every-day living, for films, the red carpet, the Olympic field, the business office—and accessorized all of them to boot.

In June, Armani’s failing health caused him to miss several runway shows in the summer, a rarity during his 50-year-plus career. On September 6, more than 16,000 friends, relatives, colleagues, and admirers attended his public wake at Armani/Teatro in Milan, which hosted many of his runways shows and now held his coffin, lit by 300 candles on the floor and his photograph projected on the wall. On September 8, his loved ones held a private funeral and all Armani stores closed for an afternoon of mourning. According to Italian media, Armani’s cremated remains were laid to rest in a family chapel in Rivalta alongside his parents and brother. Armani had planned an exhibition to celebrate the brand’s 50th anniversary at the close of Fashion Week on September 28. The celebration became a memorial retrospective of his work, designed by Armani himself.

photo source: AP Photo/Antonio Calanni - AP World News: "Mourners bid farewell to fashion icon Giorgio Armani in Milan, in photos"

Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea

August 11, 1953 – July 24, 2025

Terry Bollea first adopted what would become the household name Hulk Hogan in 1979, while wrestling for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (later the WWE: World Wrestling Entertainment) and other organizations. A controversial figure in and out of the ring, Hogan was twice inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame (including being removed then reinstated), won six WWE Championships, was named 2008’s Humanitarian of the Year by the Indian Gaming Association, appeared in movies, granted over 200 Make-A-Wish dreams, and is considered by the WWE as one of the top three most famous sports-entertainers of all time.

After facing ongoing challenges with his spine, heart, and leukemia, Hulk Hogan died just weeks before his 72nd birthday. During SmackDown on July 25, and again on Raw on July 28, the WWE remembered Hulk Hogan with a 10-bell salute with a packed stadium of fans chanting his name. On August 5, a funeral service was held for close family, friends, and colleagues before Hogan was reported to have been cremated. The private event was secured by police, leading Hogan’s friend and colleague Nic Flair to remark ”Even In Heaven, He Sold Out Again.”

Terry Bollea’s restaurant, Hogan’s Hangout on Clearwater Beach, closed for a private celebration of life following the service. On August 11, Hogan’s birthday, the restaurant hosted a public, all-day celebration of life for the public encouraging attendees to wear red and yellow and “bring your best Hogan energy”, centered around a karaoke event which Hogan himself was known to host on many a Monday night.

photo source @Papator12

Anne Burrell

September 21, 1969 – June 17, 2025

Anne W. Burrell was a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and later studied at the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners. She worked at top New York restaurants and became a beloved Food Network personality, known for shows like Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, Iron Chef America, and especially Worst Cooks in America, where she mentored countless aspiring cooks. She also taught at the Institute of Culinary Education and authored two bestselling cookbooks.

Anne Burrell’s infectious vivacity was reflected during her memorial service on June 20. Burrell’s husband provided each mourner with the lyrics to Billy Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young” (which had been quoted below her photo in her senior yearbook)before leading the more than 200 family, friends, and colleagues in a singalong in her honor. Red Sharpies, her signature teaching tool on Worst Cooks in America, were provided for mourners to take home . After her memorial, it is reported that “Anne was cremated, and her ashes were spread around to various places she loved the day after the funeral.”

Anne was remembered by fans and colleagues at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen on June 19 with an emotional speech by fellow Chef Andrew Zimmern, asking everyone to “care for our community like we never have before.” Her television career was honored on Food Network with a marathon of her shows on June 25. A memorial card was added to the premiere of the newest season of her show advising, “If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or chat at 988lifeline.org.”

photo source @mrbrendanjay

Charles Burrell

October 4, 1920 – June 17, 2025

Charles “Charlie” Burrell performed as a classical and jazz bass player for more than 75 years, sharing stages with legends like Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, and many others.. He is also widely regarded as “the Jackie Robinson of Classical Music” for becoming the first African American musician to sign a full-time contract with a major American symphony orchestra, opening the door for generations of musicians to follow. Burrell remained a fixture in Denver’s Five Points jazz scene, known as the “Harlem of the West.” He was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2017 and received numerous honors, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award. His life story is chronicled in the PBS documentary The Longest Walk, which highlights the night he first stepped on stage with the Denver Symphony.

After his death at the age of 104, Charlie Burrell was remembered in a homegoing service on June 28, filled with music from family, friends, and colleagues, including his cousin’s band Purnell Steen and the Five Points Ambassadors. Dazzle jazz club, which hosted several of his birthday parties in life, held a sold-out tribute show with stories and music. This included a special performance by students from the Charles Burrell Visual and Performing Arts Campus, named in Burrell’s honor in 2022.

photo source: Shorter Community AME Church - Charles "Charlie" Burrell Homegoing Service (screenshot)

Roberta Flack

February 10, 1937 – February 24, 2025

Roberta Cleopatra Flack was a classically trained singer, songwriter, and pianist who transcended genres, blending R&B, jazz, folk, and pop in a career spanning more than 55 years. Her performance of "Killing Me Softly with His Song" earned her two additional Grammy Awards, close on the heels of her first wins the prior year for "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Where Is the Love." Flack was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020 and recognized as one of the first inductees into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame the following year.

She was remembered, too, for her quote “Remember: always walk in the light. If you feel like you’re not walking in it, go find it. Love the Light.” Following a long life of light and love, she died just two weeks after reaching the age of 88. Her memorial celebration of life on March 10 was attended by family, friends, and colleagues from throughout her career. As people stood to sing and share memories, her smooth, white urn appeared beside them, surrounded by flowers and music from Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and many others. It is reported that her remains were returned to her home state of Virginia to be buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in D.C. In October 2026, she will be posthumously inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

photo source: AP Photo/Richard Drew - AP Entertainment: "Lauryn Hill and Stevie Wonder delight at Roberta Flack’s ‘Celebration of Life’ memorial"

Jane Goodall

April 3, 1934 – October 1, 2025

Dame Valerie Jane Morris Goodall, Ph.D., was a pioneer in primate studies, best known for more than six decades of field research on the social and family life of wild chimpanzees in Tanzania. She showed the world that chimpanzees, like humans, use tools, form lasting social bonds, and much more. For her trailblazing work, she received countless honors and awards, including being appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and serving as a United Nations Messenger of Peace. She also earned the French Legion of Honour, the Kyoto Prize, the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science, and the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication. In January 2025, she was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

At 91 years old, Dr. Jane Goodall was still active in her environmental and humanitarian efforts when she died peacefully in her sleep in October. Grief over her death was felt throughout the world, and the Jane Goodall Institute expressed that Dr. Goodall’s wishes were that people honor her locally, without needing to travel abroad. Some suggested strategies included taking a walk in nature, watching one of many films about her life and work, gathering community members for a book club on one of her works, planting a garden or tree, or raising funds for conservation initiatives or in support of the work of her Institute. In North America, Washington National Cathedral held a livestreamed funeral service on November 12 and the official Canadian memorial, “Celebration of a Life of Hope,” offered an interactive livestream on November 22 from the University of Toronto, each featuring family, friends, and colleagues honoring her memory and the lasting mark she has left on humanity and our understanding of the world.

photo source: Washington National Cathedral - In Celebration of and in Thanksgiving for the Life of Dr. Jane Goodall | 11.12.25 (screenshot)

Gilbert Hortman

2021 - June 14, 2025

Gilbert was a golden retriever dog being fostered by Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Gilbert was originally destined to become a service dog, but when he was deemed “too friendly” he “changed careers” to become the family pet instead. When the Hortman home was targeted as part of a murderous criminal attack, Melissa and Mark Hortman were killed and Gilbert was mortally wounded.

In an unprecedented tribute, Gilbert lay in state in Minnesota Capitol rotunda, a rare honor even among humans. Between the caskets for Representative Hortman and her husband, atop a pedestal, Gilbert’s cremated remains rested in an urn marked with a pawprint design and photo of the beloved pet. Among the assortment of memorial items placed outside the capitol for the Hortmans, Milk-Bone treats and toys were left “For the best boy, Gilbert.” Gilbert received a Dog Honor guard featuring a retinue of 12 golden retriever service dogs, who took turns throughout the day to make sure Gilbert had two dogs standing guard. Other service dogs were on hand to offer comfort to mourners visiting the rotunda, some of whom brought their own dogs with them. The veterinary clinic that treated Gilbert after the attack has established a fundraiser in his memory to care for police dogs.

photo source: Stephen Maturen, Getty Images - USA Today Nation: "Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman, husband and dog mourned at Capitol in St. Paul"

David Lynch

January 20, 1946 – January 15, 2025

David Keith Lynch was a filmmaker renowned for his storytelling and mystery-weaving narratives. He is best known for iconic films such as Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, and the groundbreaking television series Twin Peaks. His family announced his death in a Facebook post, writing, “There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.'”

The next day, Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, California – a long favorite of Lynch – became an impromptu memorial site as fans placed coffees, milkshakes, donuts, logs, blue roses, letters and more in his honor. The memorial stood until January 20, what would have been Lynch’s 79th birthday. In honor of his birthday, his passion for Transcendental Meditation®, and dedication to the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace, Lynch’s children invited everyone to “meditate, reflect, and send positivity into the universe” for 10 minutes at noon Pacific Time on January 20.

On February 24, roughly 200 people gathered in Snoqualmie, Washington, where the series was filmed, for Twin Peaks Day on the 35th anniversary of the premiere of the series. The crowd held a memorial, quoting the show’s famous Log Lady: “In a dark time, hold the light within you.” Lynch’s cremated remains have been interred in Hollywood Forever Cemetery, below an epitaph reading “Night Blooming Jasmine,” a reference to Lynch’s reflection on Los Angeles and its enduring mystique.

photo source: @wow_bob_wow

Michael Madsen

September 25, 1957 – July 3, 2025

Michael Søren Madsen was an actor whose career spanned more than 40 years. While perhaps best known for his work with Quentin Tarantino in films like Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill: Volumes 1 & 2, The Hateful Eight, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Madsen also appeared in classics such as WarGames, The Natural, Thelma & Louise, Free Willy, and many more. Madsen also published several books of poetry and photography, balancing his frequent portrayals of hardened tough guys with his softer, introspective side as he explored themes of honesty, loneliness, and beauty.

After years struggling with both his physical and mental health, Michael Madsen died at just 67 years old. On August 1, Quentin Tarantino hosted a private memorial for Madsen, putting his name in lights on the marquee of the theater. A collection of photos, books, and film memorabilia from his artistic career was placed outside the theater. After the memorial, Michael’s ashes were kept privately by his family, honoring him in the way he valued most—through art and connection.

photo source: TMZ.com - Michael Madsen L.A. Memorial

Steve McMichael

October 17, 1957 – April 23, 2025

Stephen “Mongo” Douglas McMichael was drafted by the National Football League’s New England Patriots in 1980 but found his true home with the Chicago Bears. Known as one of the toughest players Mike Ditka ever coached, McMichael played defensive tackle for 15 NFL seasons—13 with the Bears and one with the Green Bay Packers. He earned two Pro Bowl selections and four All-Pro honors, helped Chicago win six division titles, and was a cornerstone of the legendary 1985 defense that captured Super Bowl XX. McMichael finished his career with 95 sacks, ranking second in Bears history, and played a franchise-record 191 consecutive games. After retiring from playing football, he wrestled in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in The Four Horsemen stable, becoming a one-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion. McMichael was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

In 2021, Steve McMichael was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and died after four years, demonstrating the tough fighting spirit he showed throughout his life. After his death, the Football Hall of Fame flew a flag at half-mast in his honor. This flag was later presented to his widow and daughter, on May 15, during his private celebration of life service. Family, friends, and teammates gathered to remember him for both who he was and also his courageous battle against ALS. McMichael's casket was accompanied by his Hall of Fame bust, a replica of the Super Bowl XX trophy, his Hall of Fame gold jacket, and flags representing the Bears and his alma mater. Former teammates acted as pall bearers, carrying his casket to the hearse while bagpipes performed "Bear Down, Chicago Bears.” McMichael was later cremated.

photo source: Nunupics Zomot - Steve McMichael Service Speeches May 15 2025 Oakbrook Terr (screenshot)

Ryne Sandberg

September 18, 1959 – July 28, 2025

Ryne “Ryno” Dee Sandberg was a professional baseball player briefly with the Philadelphia Phillies before joining the Chicago Cubs. In 1984, in what became known as the “Sandberg Game,” he hit two game-tying home runs off Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter, cementing his place in baseball history and helping earn him the National League MVP that season. Over his 16-year career, Sandberg hit a total of 282 home runs. He was a 10-time All-Star, nine-time Gold Glove winner, and seven-time Silver Slugger recipient. In 2005, Sandberg was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and his number 23 was retired by the Chicago Cubs.

When he was just 65 years old, cancer ended Ryne Sandberg’s life. On August 2, the Star Spangled Banner waved over “the land of 23” rather than the “free” at Wrigley Field and each member of the Cubs faced the Baltimore Orioles in an unnamed jersey marked with Sandberg’s number 23. Those same jerseys were later auctioned to benefit cancer research through the annual Cubs for a Cure initiative. For the rest of the season, the team’s jerseys honored Sandburg’s memory with a ceremonial patch. On August 22, his family, friends, and teammates attended a private funeral featuring their fond remembrances and clergy draped in stoles with #23. The Cubs created a public memorial space with the livestreamed service via a jumbo screen for fans at Gallagher Way, outside Wrigley Field, who had gathered around Sandberg’s commemorative statue. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations of nonperishable food items for local food pantries.

photo source: NBC Chicago - Remembering Ryno: FULL Tribute & Funeral for Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg (screenshot)

Catch up on previous memorial posts: 2019 ● 2021 ● 2022 ● 2023 ● 2024

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