Matters of Life and Death
Recently, on the undercover assignment I spoke to a lady who was shipping out for the Middle East. Air Force. Her job would be to deliver ammo. She confirmed that she’d packed the BODY ARMOUR and was familiar with the assignment.
Women in Combat? If you are female, working in a war zone, I believe you are on combat duty. Even if you are relaxing in the Green Zone.
Stay Safe.
Inspired by this month’s issue of American Funeral Director.
More with Cheryl Thompson-Morrow of Thompson Funeral Home, Broadman, OH.
20 Years Later: “It’s been a good career choice, the initial transition was difficult, because many of the families insisted on working with my father, and weren’t accustomed to a female funeral director.
On Technology: “Technology has really freed our time up, in that in the old days, before we could forward calls, my dad would stay home all weekend to catch the phone.”
Cheryl is uncomfortable with casket retailing on the internet, and would like to educate her clients regarding funeral costs and the value of a funeral service. “I want to do more with our website, add educational content and market our services.”
On Cremation: “You know, when I started working at the funeral home, my dad had one urn, and it was in a dusty box. Unopened.” Despite being in a pretty traditional area, cremation is definitely on an upswing. “March’s services were all cremation.” Most of Thompson’s cremation families choose traditional viewing with casket rental at the funeral home. Cheryl usually discourages the scattering of ashes until a later date, to make sure the family is comfortable with the decision. It’s pretty mixed on families that choose burial, or to take the ashes home.
On Changes in the Industry: “Besides cremation, families are buying more keepsakes, and there’s more interest in pets.” It used to be that the funeral homes in our area were denomination specific, there’s more cross-over now. Besides more women in the funeral profession, I see a lot more women in the clergy. The other day, I realized that we were doing a service with a female funeral director, and two female funeral clergy…there was a time, that was unheard of!”
“We haven’t had a lot of requests for catering services or food.” Although, she did have a family from California that wanted to bring “snacks” in before the visitation, and wound up setting up a full buffet and bar. It was no problem she said, but the family took care of everything.
Cheryl sees funeral service as a life long career and says, “I’ll probably work until I die.” “My dad never got to retire, and in the my pre-kid days, I was at the funeral home ALL the time, even coming in on weekends I didn’t have to work, just to make sure everything was alright.” Cheryl and another funeral director trade weekends on call.
“Now, I realize life is too short! We have a cottage at the lake that’s only an hour away and I want to spend time with the kids, while they still want to!” Cheryl has two children, 11 and 12.
Today’s Female Funeral Professional (known from here on out as FFP, you try saying that three times real fast!) spotlight is on Cheryl Thompson-Morrow with Thompson Funeral Home. Thompson Funeral Home is one of five other funeral homes in a two mile area in Boardman, OH., close to Youngstown.
Cheryl’s grandfather Clifford L. Thompson, started the firm in 1932. Cheryl hadn’t really considered entering the family business and her father, Clifford L. Thompson, Jr., who worked at the funeral home didn’t exactly encourage it. Why? Because it was a man’s world. But as Cliff Jr.’s health began to deteriorate, and when it became clear that his son would choose a different career path, Cheryl’s dad did notice that more women were entering the field of funeral service and maybe Cheryl, who was taking classes in the medical field, might be his future.
He told her that if she planned to go to mortuary school, she’d better get on it. This was the 80’s and Cheryl was trying to figure out what she was going to do with her life. She was working as a medical assistant and funeral service seemed like a good fit with her background, so she went to mortuary school, not realizing that within a few short years, she’d be running the business. In 1989, Cheryl graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, and did her internship with her dad, a “difficult transition”, for the young girl and her father who was handing over a Life’s Work to his…daughter.
“That was tough”, she said. “He continued to work at the funeral home, even in declining health, he was there everyday.”
And then, one day, he said the magic words, “Whatever you think, Cheryl.” The turning point. He died shortly after at age 60 in 1997.
Next: Part Two with Cheryl Thompson-Morrow.
No, not this kind, although we are drying out.
This kind:
The Hawaiian inspired ash scattering style at sea. So beautiful.
And on a lighter note, In the Mailbox: POSTCARDS FROM MAUI
The parents are in Hawaii and here’s a quick note from Dad, verbatim:
Hi Lenette
I’m trying to figure out how to use Mom’s lap top with out much sucess. I like our desk top much better, but as you know, change is bad.
Our surfing lessons went really well and we have some pretty good pictures, but I found out I’m not 25 any more. Everyone was pretty score the next day. Larry fell off his surf board and received a small cut on his arm from the croal but is telling everyone the cut is from a shark attack. Mom was the best surfer by far of any of us and “Dirk” ( who is gay we’re sure) said Mom did a really good job.
Everyone is having a great time and to day we are renting snorking gear.
Hope all is well back home….Cya Sunday…Dad