With my years of experience it’s hard to name just one moment because I tend to see it all. But I’d like to hear from all of you your craziest and/or funniest moments that have happened while working for a funeral home.

I'm not a funeral director yet but I do print memorial folders and other stuff like that, I also go pick up bodies sometimes and I've driven our hearse to a couple funerals. I love the people I work with, the environment around the office is very family-like but there's one issue.....dead bodies scare me. I just can't bring myself to get close to one. I was told when I got the job that I didn't have to see the bodies if I didn't want to but recently I've seen more than I'd like to in the past few weeks. How do I get over this fear?

Canadian embalmers where do you buy your gloves? The home I work for is, for lack of a better word, cheap when it comes to PPE and I don't trust their equipment. They don't even have gloves in my size and I've been told they can't get them (they don't provide proper embalming gloves, just ones from a big box retailer). They count my gloves to make sure I'm not using too many. To save the headache and protect myself, I'm willing to purchase my own. I asked my home to get me a price from their supplier but they're dragging their feet. Anywhere I can order from that isn't necessarily an embalming supply company?

(Yes, I know this is ridiculous and I should get out/report them to the board but I am a newish apprentice and jobs are in short supply here).

What do you wish you would have known before becoming a funeral director? How many years of school did it take you? Did you have an experience that made you want to become one or was it just a job choice?

I'm not planning to die anytime soon....but when I do I don't want my family to have to worry about planning and paying for it.....all I was my friends and family to have to do is show up the day of. Is that possible? Also what happens if the funeral home I choose goes out of business?

Hello all... I was wondering if it's possible for a lay person to work in a crematorium. Do you still need to have some funeral director schooling beforehand? Any tips or advice would be appreciated .thank you!

I am interested in finding work at a funeral home. I figure there are probably a lot of them in my area but I literally don’t know where to begin. I’m interested and would literally do anything to make a start at this dream of mine, clean toilets anything. I’d like to go back to school to study mortuary science too bc I have a lit degree collecting dust.

Anyone with advice or anecdotes about their career path please share!

Hey all!

So to start off, last night my little brothers best friend was killed in a MVC.

I have my diploma in Funeral Directing and Embalming, but due to lack of work in my area, I've only had experience in school and my eight week work-term.

Out of these two years "experience" (I use the term lightly), we learned how to embalm, set up visitation rooms and how to do paperwork.

What we didn't learn, was how to speak to people who are greiving.. All we were taught was what not to say and were told we would figure out the proper things to say as our careers progressed. Problem is, mine didn't progress.

Now for my problem. I haven't had to deal with any close deaths since I've been out of school (thankfully), but last night that all changed. Now all I can think of is what NOT to say to my brother. I'm terrified I'll traumatize him by saying the wrong thing, but saying nothing seems exponentially worse.

How did you guys come out of your shells after you graduated? Do you have any lines that are a guarantee failsafe? Or is that a stupid question in itself? I know everybody is different and they experience greif differently, but I want to help my brother and I don't know how and it's really getting to me.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you guys can offer!

I was watching an old movie the other day and in the movie they were having a funeral service in the living room with a casket and flowers. Do people still do that?

Hello.is it possible in the state of california to train at work 2 years and take the state test and skip embalming school?

Was curious of what I might expect for this type of interview or any questions that would be important to ask. Would appreciate any advice

My wife is a Mortuary Science student, and does well in her studies (she made the presidents list), and she also has a genetic condition that causes her extreme pain, dislocations of her joints and a bunch of other issues.

She is tough in this, where most people go on disability she went back to school because she feels like this where she belongs. Her doctor made the comment of switching to an easier physical program, and her professor made the comment how she doesn't think my wife will last through the programs physically. She also said she won't make it in the career and most funeral homes will consider her a liability.

It destroyed my wife, who is normally a bad ass when it comes to criticism against her capabilities, and she spent most of the day in tears saying they were probably right.

Does anyone know if what the professor said is true? Are there people who work as funeral directors with physical limitations? I don't know what to say to her.

Wife’s grandfather is being buried with full military honors. USMC. Question: dress shoes or no? I’ve often been told that shoes are unnecessary for burial (I know nothing is necessary). Also, his cover (hat), where does it go? Thank you in advance!!

Hello I'm 22. I don't drink or do other drugs but a couple of times a year I have a puff of a joint with a few friends. This happened on Tuesday. I then got an interview for a job as a funeral planner. It's my dream job and something I've been wanting to do for a very long time. I passed and they've asked me to do a drug and alcohol test. The test is on next Tuesday. I'm terrified! Please can you tell me what kind of test they use and what will happen if I fail because I have a little bit of THC on my results?