Today's Funeral Professionals
The face of funeral service is, quite literally, changing. In a profession that has historically been male-dominated, more and more women are choosing funeral service as a career. In fact, nearly 80 percent of mortuary science program graduates are women. In addition, 37 percent are People of Color. (National Funeral Directors Association, 2024)
As our communities become more and more diverse, representation matters. The diverse experiences and background that newly licensed funeral professionals bring to their work reflects the communities they serve. A team of funeral professionals at one funeral home may represent a wide variety of genders, faiths, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, lived experience, abilities and more, enabling them to meet families where they are and create a meaningful service that beautifully reflects the life of a loved one and their own beliefs and traditions.
(My interest in being a funeral director) started off just being intrigued by the human body making that transition from life to death where I thought I wanted to just do the cosmetizing dressing and embalming, but it's turned out to be so much more than that.
I've been in funeral service for going on about 15 years, and I always say that it really was a calling for me. I just believed since a very young age that I was meant to be doing this and took about 25 years of my life, but I finally decided to follow the call and really the rest is history.
Is a career in funeral service right for you?
Whether you're a new high school graduate, a young adult searching for your calling, looking at getting back into the workforce after raising children, a veteran looking for a new opportunity after completing your service, or looking for a second career after retirement, funeral service has a place for you!