Wanted: Funeral directors

Careers and Colleges, Jan-Feb, 2002

Most likely, "funeral director" is not high on your list of job options, but maybe it should be. The National Funeral Directors Association predicts demand will soar as baby boomers age and the number of deaths nearly doubles by 2040.

Besides preparing and embalming bodies, a typical day may include meeting with families to make prearrangements, writing and designing memorial cards, and managing the business. As caregivers, funeral directors are increasingly offering "after-care" services--such as support groups.

The HBO show Six Feet Under, which follows a family that owns a funeral home, has shed some light on the profession. "The show presents funeral services in very touching and poignant ways," says Ron Troyer, a funeral director in St. Paul, Minnesota. "It takes the mystery out of what we do for a living."

The industry has seen a rise in the number of women enrolling at mortuary science schools. (Students must complete an associate degree followed by a two-year internship.) "Historically, you'll find that women often cared for the dead," says Ruth Ohde, a funeral director in Manning, Iowa. "There are no barriers today."