Funeral Director
A funeral director, also known as a mortician or undertaker, plays a crucial role in managing the logistics and emotional aspects of funerals and memorial services. They plan and oversee all stages of a funeral, from initial arrangements to post-interment services, while providing support to grieving families. Contrary to common perception, much of a funeral director's time is dedicated to working with families rather than preparing bodies for burial. Typically employed by funeral homes, funeral directors communicate extensively with various stakeholders, including clergy, embalmers, and cemetery personnel.
The profession requires strong organizational and communication skills, as well as sensitivity and professionalism when interacting with families from diverse backgrounds. Most funeral directors work over 40 hours a week, often on-call to respond to urgent needs. Education typically includes an associate's degree in mortuary science, along with state licensing and a period of apprenticeship. This career not only involves technical knowledge but also demands emotional resilience due to the nature of the work, which often presents challenges such as higher-than-average stress levels.
Subject Terms
Funeral Director
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Human Services
Interests: Comforting others who are grieving, communicating with others
Earnings (Yearly Median): $60,580 per year $29.13 per hour
Employment & Outlook: 3% (As fast as average)
Entry-Level Education Associate's degree; state licensing
Related Work Experience Experience as a funeral director or mortician
On-the-job Training One to three years of on-the-job training
Overview
Sphere of Work. Funeral directors, also called morticians or undertakers, plan and carry out (or oversee others who carry out) all stages of a funeral or a celebration of life service, including the preliminary arrangements and post-interment details. They also provide the bereaved with emotional, legal, and financial support and assist the living in planning their own funeral arrangements. Contrary to popular belief, a funeral director spends little time preparing bodies for burial; most hours are spent working with the families of the deceased.
Work Environment. Funeral directors are usually employed by funeral homes, though they may be involved with other aspects of the funerary industry. Some funeral homes are affiliated with a particular cemetery, while others serve their entire community. Funeral directors spend most of their time communicating with people--the family of the deceased, clergy, embalmers, florists, hospital, cemetery, and military personnel--and anatomical donation organizations. When not interacting with others, they handle an abundance of paperwork. Many directors are also embalmers or business owners. A typical workweek is more than forty hours and usually includes nights, weekends, and holidays. Some directors are on call at all times.
Occupation Interest. Funeral director positions attract people who want to put their excellent organizational and communication skills to work serving others. The job requires special sensitivity, tact, the ability to remain composed and professional in the midst of grieving families, and the ability to provide comfort when needed. Funeral directors must also be committed to respecting and carrying out the desires of families of different ethnicities, sexual orientations, religions, and cultural backgrounds, among other factors, as stated by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) Code of Professional Conduct. A strong sense of decorum is necessary, and funeral directors must look professional on occasions when they interact with the public.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. A typical day for a funeral director may begin in the middle of the night with a telephone call about a recent death. After offering condolences to the caller, the funeral director arranges for a hearse to transport the body to the funeral home. He or she schedules a meeting with the family for that morning and notifies an assistant who will be at the funeral home promptly to handle the arrival of the body.
During the meeting, the funeral director listens carefully to the wishes of the family and the decedent and arranges for a funeral to be held, in most cases, about two days later. The body is usually embalmed, a job that involves replacing the blood with a special fluid to preserve the tissues. Since most funeral directors are also licensed embalmers, they perform this task on site, typically with an assistant. Calling a church or other religious institution to arrange for the service, contacting the cemetery to open the grave, reserving a parlor for the viewing, and helping the family to select a casket are some of the next steps involved. The funeral director may also write the obituary, arrange for cremation or entombment services, and contact the Social Security Administration. They complete the paperwork for the death certificate and submit it to the state office.
Sometimes, the funeral director may receive a call regarding the death of a young person or a child due to accident or illness. The family notifies the funeral director if the decedent has expressed wishes to donate their body to science. The funeral director offers to handle the necessary legal work and to coordinate the transportation of the body to a medical research facility. They also may set a date for a memorial service to be held at the funeral home. In the case of an unexpected death, planning may be deferred until the family has had time to recover from the shock.
Before the funeral director’s duties for the day are complete, they process more paperwork and prepare the funeral parlor for a viewing in the morning. This may include cleaning the parlor before each viewing in addition to preparing the body of the deceased.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. Funeral homes can be small or large. In some cases, the funeral home is also the director-owner’s residence. The director spends most of their time in an office environment, meeting with families and using standard office equipment to process paperwork. They also assist in preparing the viewing areas, which are often designed to resemble traditional living rooms, and in the mortuary or preparation room, where a freezer helps to preserve the bodies.
Human Environment. Large funeral homes employ a team of assistants and funeral directors to carry out the necessary schedule and workload. The funeral director usually reports to a manager or owner and may oversee several assistants. In addition to working with staff, the funeral director communicates with customers, their guests, and a variety of professionals in related businesses. Funeral directors must also be comfortable handling the deceased. The nature of the work puts them at a higher-than-average risk for stress and depression.
Technological Environment. Computers, faxes, copiers, and smartphones are standard equipment used by funeral directors. Small business software may also be necessary. Embalming requires the use of special equipment and supplies to preserve bodies. Large funeral homes manage a fleet of hearses and limousines that must be cleaned and maintained. A small percentage of funeral homes also contain crematory facilities. Many funeral homes offer webcast funerals or other modern touches such as virtual tours of cemeteries.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. A college preparatory program that is strong in the sciences, social sciences (psychology, sociology, and religion), communication, and English will provide the necessary foundation for future studies in mortuary science.
Postsecondary. Most states require an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, an apprenticeship, and a licensing exam before one can gain certification as a funeral director. College programs in mortuary science include courses in microbiology, pathology, anatomy, psychology, law, and other subjects. Programs are accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. Apprenticeships can take up to three years to complete but typically last one year. Continuing education courses address additional needs of licensed funeral directors.
Bibliography
“Funeral Service Workers.” Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 17 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/funeral-service-occupations.htm. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
“Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 39-4031 Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors.” Occupational Employment Statistics. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 3 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes394031.htm. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.