Tuesday, January 7, 2020
At the 2019 National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) convention in Chicago, your humble correspondent saw a number of interesting products and services on display at the expo. Here is part two of a series of videos about new developments. And there’s more yet to come!
Look for previous interviews from this funeral director expo on this YouTube channel. “Like,” comment and subscribe for more great videos like these! And check out this blog post with five more NFDA videos!
Electro Freeze for Funeral Homes
Michelle Beard, Business Development Manager for the Electro Freeze company, was at the expo to promote the idea of putting soft serve ice cream machines in funeral homes. She spoke about the benefits of having one of these machines in a reception center. Not only can it make soft serve ice cream, it can make custard, yogurt, and even frozen adult beverages. Their website is www.ElectroFreeze.com.
Global Bronze Solei Lights
Global Bronze introduced the Solei Memorial Vase/Light which can be installed on all kinds of memorial markers in cemeteries. It combines a flower vase with a solar powered light which comes on at dusk and switches off at dawn. It can also be switched on during the day by touching the vase. In this video, Alexandra Krawczyk explains how it works. Their website is www.GlobalBronze.com.
Undertaking: The Podcast
Ryan Ballard and Brian Waters, co-hosts of Undertaking The Podcast, talk about their funeral director-centric weekly show. They take listeners behind the scenes for in-depth conversations about the business of undertaking. Their website is www.UndertakingThePodcast.com.
The Victorian Undertaker
Retired funeral director Steve Person talks about the collection of Victorian era undertaking supplies he collected over his 47 year career in funeral service. In this video, he shows cooling tables, a casket designed to keep the deceased cool by surrounding the body with ice, early embalming equipment and tools, and other items.
He also talks about how the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln’s death helped promote the use of embalming in the United States. He also explains the creation of mortuary colleges and how undertakers evolved into the profession of funeral directors. Steve Person is available to speak as The Victorian Undertaker. His website is www.TheVictorianUndertaker.com.
Oaktags Oak Leaf Pins
Ruthann Disotell, Founder of Oaktags®, shows how a pin that looks like an oak leaf can be incredibly meaningful. A funeral home can give these pins to family members closest to the deceased. Signage at a visitation lets people know that the people wearing the leaf pins are the bereaved.
The pin comes with a poem: Some leaves wither and fly away. Others rip off in a storm. This leaf rests upon my heart, to keep your memory warm.
Oaktags also offers oak leaf stickers for in-laws and children, and companion products such as Thank You Cards, an anniversary card, and a Greeting Display that lets guests know “Members of the family tree are wearing Oaktags®”. It’s a great way to spread positive word of mouth for a funeral home. For more information, visit www.Oaktags.com.
These interviews were recorded by Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death®. She is an award-winning author and blogger, speaker, and coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival.
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Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die.
Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.
Known as The Doyenne of Death®, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die NM Festival. She also hosts A Good Goodbye Internet radio show and produces Mortality Minute radio and online video spots. Her YouTube Channel features more than 450 videos!
Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association New Mexico Chapter. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.
Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV, and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV. Albuquerque Business First named her as one of their 2019 Women of Influence.
Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.