Life as an Undertaker

When you think of the word "undertaker," do you think of a sinister and mysterious character from a Charles Dickens story? Do you see a figure wearing a dark hood and lurking in the shadows, waiting to do some dastardly deed?

You're probably not alone in making that assumption; after all, when it comes to planning a funeral, the word "undertaker" might not be a term you often encounter. It probably makes you think you're a character in a 19th-century tale! Cake.com explains how the term undertaker first came to be - during the Civil War, undertakers followed armies, and they did NOT have a good reputation.

While they referred to themselves as doctors, no formal medical training was required to embalm a body or bury it at that time. In 1917, a small number of American undertakers organized a group called the National Selected Morticians. They undertook a "rebranding," if you will, and changed commonly used terminology to help others see their profession in a more flattering light. 

 

Still can't wrap your head around that word? Do you think that an undertaker is a profession that ceased to exist? On the contrary, even in the 21st century, an undertaker is still vital to making any funeral run smoothly. But if you want to put a different word on the job, an undertaker is more commonly known today as a "funeral director." Career Explorer defines an undertaker as the person who manages the funeral home and gives much-needed sympathy and compassion to those closest to the deceased.

 

The responsibilities of an undertaker are vast. Fine Mortuary College details how the undertaker works with the family of the deceased to arrange the entire funeral. Their duties include:

• Organizing the funeral performance.

• Booking the officiant.

• Arranging where the services will be held.

• Finalizing where the remains will be placed or buried.

Often, the deceased will leave their family members with specific instructions for what they want in their funeral ceremony. It is the job of the undertaker to make sure those requests are honored in the best possible way. Undertakers also prepare obituary notices and distribute them to the appropriate media outlets. 

 

While the term "undertaker" might make you imagine scary movies or haunted houses, the life of an undertaker and the responsibilities they have is crucial to making a loved one's funeral a meaningful and well-planned celebration. Without the diligent and committed work of an undertaker, or funeral director, the memory of the deceased would not be properly honored at a funeral or memorial service.

 

The other way to properly honor those that have passed is to select a meaningful and beautiful place for burial. Trinity Memorial Gardens is a picturesque facility that combines a funeral home, chapel, crematory, and a cemetery. We are proud to be independently owned and operated, which gives us a better opportunity to provide a more personal and compassionate level of service for our families. The caring staff at Trinity Memorial Gardens is here to assist you with arrangements and provide pre-planning information for all walks of faith.

 

To learn more about how we can honor your loved ones' memory in the way they deserve, visit our website today. 

 

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Sources

https://www.joincake.com/blog/undertaker/ 

https://www.fmc.edu/careers/what-does-funeral-director-do 

https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/funeral-director/