Funeral Directors

Funeral directors, also called morticians or undertakers, are the key funeral service providers. They see to the details and take charge of burial planning. Their primary job is to discern, by interview, what families envision for their burial experience--the clergy or other officiate, the ceremonial service and the disposition of the body. Together with the family and any pre-arranged details left by the deceased, funeral directors establish the date, time and locations of viewings, visitations, funerals and memorial services, and the burial.

Funeral directors also initiate and finalize the obituary notices, work with the cemetery to schedule the opening and closing of the grave and the preparation of the grave site for the graveside service. They interface with clergy and arrange pall bearers. They prepare the service locations and arrange all of the transportation between sites, including securing a police escort, if necessary.

Most funeral directors are licensed embalmers. They have to arrange the transport of the body after death and see to the embalming process. They must dress, prepare and position the body for viewing. This includes cosmetics and sometimes reconstruction.

Paperwork Assistance

Funeral directors must also handle the death certificate process, which involves submitting the paperwork to the State to ensure that a death certificate is issued and copies are distributed to the family. Funeral directors may also assist families with governmental benefit applications and notifications. Funeral directors must be licensed by the State in which they do business.