the independent reporter - memberclicks · 6 the independent reporter e ts 7 reasons you don’t...

the independentreporter

RegisteR Now! www.ifdf.org ifdf ANNuAl CoNfeReNCe & tRAdeshow oRlANdo’s RoseN shiNgle CReekJuNe 6-8

2 T H E I N D E P E N D E N T R E P O R T E R

CalendarMay19 497 Board Meeting, Teleconference

June8-11 IFDF Annual Conference & Trade Show Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando

30 497 Board Meeting, Tallahassee

July7 497 Board Meeting, Teleconference

August4 497 Board Meeting, Altamonte Springs

September1 497 Board Meeting, Teleconference

October6 497 Board Meeting, Tampa

November3 497 Board Meeting, Teleconference

December1 497 Board Meeting, Tallahassee

In this issueThe Presidents Message 3Executive Director’s Message 4IFDF Annual Conference and Tradeshow 6-7Legislative Report 8-10Getting acquainted: The Haisley Funeral and Cremation Services 12-13Vendor Profile: B&L Cremation Systems 14IFDF New Members 15Partnership Alliance Profile: Tecstone 15New Brochure Available to help Veteran’s Families 16-17Why Taking the DNA of a Dead Loved One Could Help Save Your Life 18Classifieds 19What Do You ask the Certifying Physician? 20A Brief History of Undertaking 21 In Memoriam 22

OfficersLance Pauli, President Harden-Pauli Funeral HomeEustisHoward Beckham, Immediate Past PresidentCraig Funeral HomeSt AugustineRick Williams, President ElectWilliams-Thomas Funeral HomeGainesvilleDeloris Lewis Ray, Vice PresidentLewis Ray MortuaryTitusvilleScott Whitehead, SecretaryFaith Funeral Home HavanaVern Dorsey, TreasurerOsceola Memorial GardensKissimmee

DirectorsMike Atwood, Region 1 DirectorFaith Chapel Funeral Home NorthPensacola/CantonmentTodd Ferreira, Region 2 DirectorV Todd Ferreira Funeral ServicesMacclennyAshley Milam, Region 3 DirectorMilam Funeral HomeGainesvilleDoug Hasley, Region 4 DirectorBeyers Funeral Home UmatillaBrad Zahn, Region 5 DirectorTillman Funeral West Palm BeachBill Schichtel, Region 6 DirectorHeath Funeral ChapelLakelandTony Zipperer, At Large DirectorZipperer’s Funeral HomeRuskinMike Lewis, At Large DirectorLewis Funeral HomeMilton

2015-2016 Board of Directors

Independent Funera l D i rec tors of F lor ida I ssue 1 2016 3

Lance Pauli

From The PresidentMy father was a registered consult-ing pharmacist and my mother was a registered nurse To really know me, you would have had to know my parents Dad was a no-nonsense

man who depended on his wisdom and intellect to succeed in life Mom was dedicated to touching and healing sick bodies and broken hearts I

loved to talk about business with dad and over 30 years ago dad shared these words of wisdom: “Lance, do not fall in love with your sales representatives They are in your life to help you make money ” Dad explained that sales reps are like consultants whose advice can help us be profitable. When our funeral home is profit-able, that success is shared by the manufacturer, the supplier, and the sales representative My father was very firm in his conviction that when the sales representative’s advice wasn’t making the business more profitable, it was time to find one who could

I have a tremendous respect for the women and men who travel our state to represent our industry’s manufacturers and service provid-ers Sales reps spend most of their waking life traveling to try to help us be the best we can be They spend more nights and mornings in motel rooms away from home than we can imagine yet too many times they arrive at our offices only to be disappointed with an apologetic excuse or a less welcomed greet-ing Then they get back into their

car where they listen to uplifting music or a motivational lecture so they can greet the next appointment with a smile and positive attitude Please appreciate what they do and what they sacrifice. You’ll meet good ones and a few not so good ones; give every one of them an opportunity to share their wisdom You may discover ideas that will help you be more profitable.

The first two salesmen I met at age 15 were Jim Justice of Pierce Chemical Co and Charlie Liveroni of Batesville Casket Company I have never forgotten their kindness and attention to a teenage kid who was very thankful for his minimum wage job Forty years later there

are fewer traveling sales people That makes these folks even more important to the independent embalmer and funeral director We need that one-on-one expert advice more than ever Sales reps are more trained, educated, and knowledge-able than ever before There is more stress, pressure, and the expectation for success placed on sales reps today than ever before Instead of treating a sales rep like an “inconvenience”, consider roll-ing out the red carpet to welcome the sales representative when he or she arrives Show them they are meeting with a customer who is humbly seeking advice with a clear mind and attentive ears I know you will get great advice most of

the time and, when you experience the few occasions that disappoint, remember the sacrifice the sales rep made to be there and show why you are uniquely qualified to be the professional you are Show the generous spirit that defines you and thank them for their time We need their perspective and their advice as much as their products and services

The Association of Independent Funeral Directors of Florida has always respected and appreciated the relationship with our supply companies and their representatives One of the many benefits of our membership is the encouraging wisdom and advice from the suppliers IFDF recog-nizes and appreciates the global understanding of business our supply companies provide IFDF members appreciate the relation-ships and trust, built over decades, with our suppliers I encourage every IFDF member to take advan-tage of the programs and relation-ships provided by our suppliers and their reps Give them your attention and seek their advice at a dinner meeting Gather, keep, and use the literature and information you get at our annual tradeshow and take advantage of the tremendous savings we have negotiated for you Our suppliers and their representa-tives want us to be more financially successful because our success leads to their success Along the way you may even build some amazing and lasting friendships I am personally thankful for the 40+ years of friendship and support Jim and Diane Justice have given me The never-quit spirit of Charlie Liveroni lives on in the person of Gerry Hill Betty and I look forward to an exceptional Annual Convention in June


Mark O’Connell

Executive Director’s Report

We have continued to reach out to the Mortuary Schools in Florida

Hopefully, by the time you read this we will have visited all three colleges again for the third year in a row Our goal has been to simply

introduce the students to IFDF and then share a little about the funeral business and what they’ll be facing The past two years, we have aver-aged over 50 students who took advantage of our invitation to the annual conference and we expect even more this year I know you’ll start to see more students at IFDF events and I expect our visit to these schools will become a perma-nent part of our annual agenda

This is the time of year where it’s probably a good thing to step back and remind ourselves why IFDF is here Most of you remember that IFDF formed after a group of Independent Funeral Directors banded together to lobby against legislation they felt would be harmful to their profession It may have been that group that first got together but IFDF was started for something bigger: IFDF was founded for the purpose of promot-ing and protecting the values and high standards of decency, compas-sion and ethical conduct that define the Independent Funeral Home With that in mind, we continue to look for ways to help you succeed Even though each of your busi-nesses is unique, it’s likely that it’s a different business today than it was a few years ago It’s even

Money Auction We gave up our fund raiser auction and replaced it with a totally new concept in auctioneering Our conference attendees have the opportunity to bid on really great items using someone else’s money Actually using no money Our vendors, sponsors and friends have donated items, many worth several hundred dollars. Starting on the first day of the conference we’ll be handing out IFDF bucks to be used as the currency at the auction Watch for details as we get closer to June 8

Seriously consider attending the IFDF Conference this year The programming is guaranteed to provide important and useful information and the atmosphere will be electric There’s something for everyone whether you like to golf or just like to hang out with super people The best part is you

also get the opportunity to save money and possibly even make money There’s no reason why saving money and learning can’t also be FUN and now it is You really don’t want to

miss this The 24th Annual IFDF Conference and Tradeshow – June 8th thru June 10th at the Rosen Shingle Creek Conference Center in Orlando Check it out at www IFDF org

Once again, thanks for giving me this opportunity to work with you and on your behalf

more likely that it will continue to change

As a continuation of our themes from the past few years, the IFDF Annual Conference this June will focus on exploring the changes affecting our businesses while offering strategies for success. Again, we’ll open the conference with a discussion group talking about: “The Future of Death Care – Part III”. We have five individuals who make their living by knowing the trends in the Death Care field who will share their insight with you and follow that up by helping you develop practices and strate-gies to succeed We know it’s not that simple or easy but we also know that every good plan starts with good information Despite your busy schedules and all of the conflicting choices for your free time, we believe this may be the best choice you’ll ever make Take a look at the confer-ence information in this newsletter and I think you’ll agree

Our efforts are starting to pay off. Last year a number of vendors stepped up to offer BIG savings available for attendees This year almost all of our vendors are offering Tradeshow Specials and some are truly significant. Following last year’s event many of the exhibitors told us they were excited about our approach and have committed to providing a significant tradeshow special this year They also wanted to be part of our other new initiative; the Funny

Vendors, sponsors and friends have donated items, many worth several hundred dollars, for this year’s Funny Money Auction at the Annual Conference

THEY’LL REMEMBER YOUWHEN YOU OFFER THEM A LASTING TRIBUTE

©2015 Matthews Resources, Inc., all rights reserved. MATTHEWS® and MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL® are registered trademarks of Matthews Resources, Inc.

CONTACT YOUR FUNERAL SALES CONSULTANTTO REQUEST A CATALOG OR CALL 800.548.9341

I’LL REMEMBER YOU® by

• 55 New Urns & Jewelry Products • Competitive Pricing

• Personalization Options • Easy to Shop CatalogNEW


Building a Strong Future

for Independents

7 reasons you don’t want to miss . . .The IFDF 2016 Annual Conference & Tradeshow June 8-10 at Orlando’s Rosen Shingle Creek(Registration is easy online at www.IFDF.org)

Networking: The best source for saavy in your profession coupled with the strategies to deal with it are walking the conference floor so rediscover the value of networking. Grab secrets to make your business more successful; chat over dinner and share what you’ve learned. It’s where it all happens.

Earn your Continuing Education credits: Get up to 7 hours of CE

Our focus continues on the shift from traditional funerals to cremations and how we build value when families are asking for less.

#1

Golf: Play the New Course at Grand Cypress Golf Club in our 24th Annual IFDF Golf Tournament.

• Four man teams

• Scramble format

• Designed for fun

#4

#3

Hear experts discuss what’s trending: We’ve put together a panel of some of the most knowledgeable folks in the business and they are offering you news and insights. Don’t be the last to find out what’s up.

#2 Wednesday, June 8 12:00 – 5:00 PMGolf

6:00 – 7:00 PMReception

Thursday, June 99:00 – 10:00 AMTrending In Funeral Service: A Panel Discussion (CE Course #147899) (Alexander, Baxley, Gould, Reynolds, Stansbury)


Register now

www.IFDF.org

Glenn H. Gould, III, M.S.Brand Identity

Justin BaxleyIs Your Funeral Home Outside the Circle of Trust

Kris ReynoldsCremation Consumer Research: What Are Consumers Telling Us

Kitty AlexanderIs Your Funeral Home Outside the Circle of Trust

Glenda Stansbury, MA, CFSPThe R.E.A.P.E.R. Approach to Funeral Arrangements

Live Auction: Imagine going to an auction without worrying how much it might cost you. Bid on a great selection of items using IFDF’s Funny Money. Our annual fund raiser auction has morphed in to a FUN raiser where participants will use Funny Money collected during the day on Thursday and Friday at the Tradeshow, Thursday evening at Casino Night and through scattered opportunities during the conference. The auction is sure to have dozens of fantastic items and tons of energy and fun for all.

Friday, June 109:00 – 10:30 AMBrand Identity(CE Course #147896)Presenter: Glenn Gould

10:45 – 11:45 AMThe R.E.A.P.E.R. Approach to Funeral Arrangements (CE Course #147897)Presenter: Glenda Stansbury

12:00 – 12:30 PMMemorial Service

12:30 – 2:30 PM Awards Luncheon

10:15 – 11:15 AMCremation Consumer Research: What Are Consumers Telling Us (CE Course #147894) Presenter: Kris Reynolds

11:30 – 12:30 PMContinuum of Care: Is Your Funeral Home Outside the Circle of Trust(CE Course #147895)Presenters: Justin Baxley, Kitty Alexander

12:30 – 1:30 PM Lunch w/ Exhibitors

1:30 – 4:30 PMExhibit Hall Open (CE Course #147898)

4:30 – 5:00 PMLet’s Make a Deal

8:00 – 10:00 PM Casino Night

Let’s Make A Deal: Randomly selected partici-pants will play and walk away with some amazing prizes. Following the theme of the popular game-show, we’ll select random players to compete for some great prizes and some not-so-great prizes but everyone has fun!

Casino Night: Music, and games with refreshments and an open bar set the tone for an evening of fun for suppliers and attendees. This year we are hosting a Casino Night where all players get the chance to gamble with OPM (Other People’s Money). All participants will be given funny money to play with and then use their winnings at the Funny Money Auction on Friday.

2:30 – 4:00 PMExhibit Hall Open (CE Course #147898)

4:00 – 6:00 PMFunny Money Auction

#5

#6

#7


2016 Florida Legislation

and Politics Analysis of Legislative Session Bills

SB 620, Relating to Medical Examiners (FAILED)

CS/SB 620 initially prohibited counties and district medical exam-iners from charging members of the public a fee for an examination, investigation, or autopsy performed to determine the cause of death under certain circumstances Current law doesn’t speak to whether or not medical examiners can charge a fee, so some counties authorize its collection and others do not IFDF took a neutral opinion on the initial bill

The Florida Association of Counties ardently opposed the bill, so they worked with the Senate sponsor to secure an amendment that would have expressly allowed a county to charge a fee of up to $50 for the medical examiner’s approval of the cremation, burial at sea, or dissection of a body In other words, the later iteration of the bill placed a cap on the amount that could be charged

Under current law: • 24 medical examiner districts do

not charge cremation approval fees


• 21 districts charge varying fees

• District 11 (Miami-Dade County) charges the highest fee at $63

• District 17 (Broward County) charges $54 for cremation approval

• In 2014, the total amount of revenue generated from these fees was approxmately $3 98 million

• The proposed cap was higher than the amount charged by all but two of the medical examiner districts

IFDF voiced opposition to the Senate bill after the cap was added, and supported Rep Roberson’s efforts to keep the law the same or eliminate the cap altogether If the amended bill (with the cap) would have passed, IFDF believed that MEs who weren’t already charging a fee or were only charging a small fee would end up charging the maximum amount, $50

SB 854, Relating to Funeral Services and Trusts (PASSED)IFDFs primary interest in the bill revolved around a provision in the

original bills that sought to stream-line methodology for determining the amount of funds trusted for merchandise when the 70:30 trust-ing option is utilized Currently law provides that merchandise is trusted at 30% of retail or 110% of wholesale, whichever is greater Because of the “dusty boxes” asso-ciated with monitoring and record keeping surrounding the varied option, utilizing a fixed rate could ease the administrative burden However, after doing additional research, the language in SB 854 could have had an adverse affect on the I-Trust and on consumers

As mentioned by Howard Beckham in his January “Legislative Bulletin,” 110% of wholesale has always been greater than 30% of retail If the bill would have passed with language to remove the 110% of wholesale option, then the amount of funds required to be trusted (30% of retail) would have been signifi-cantly reduced The bill passed without the removal of the 110% option IFDF is pleased that its efforts worked and that current law will remain in place until a

compromise is put forth The other provisions of the bill follow

The final version of SB 854:• Requires an applicant for em-

balmer apprentice to be of good character

• The bill states that an applicant for the embalmer apprentice pro-gram may not be issued a license unless the licensing authority determines that the applicant is of good character and has not demonstrated a history of lack of trustworthiness or integrity in business or professional matters

• Revises the information that is required of funeral director applicants requesting licensure

• All prospective licensees must submit a valid email address and the department is required to create an online system notification system for currently licensed funeral directors as well as new licensees

• Establishes that cremated remains are not considered real property; therefore, the


same standards of division and distribution may not apply

• Under the bill, the division of cremated remains will require the consent of the legally authorized person who approved the cremation, and disputes regarding the division of cre-mated remains may only be resolved by a court of competent jurisdiction

With regard to the Care and Maintenance Trust / Unitrust, SB 854…

• Specifies that care and main-tenance (C&M) trusts must be maintained by a cemetery company so that the grounds, structures, and improvements of a cemetery are maintained

• Requires withdrawals from C&M trusts to cemetery com-panies must be done through a net income withdrawal or total return withdrawal method

• Prohibits a trustee from invest-ing in or counting as assets life insurance policies or annuity contracts and allows the trustee to allocate and divide capital gains and losses

• Grants the board rulemaking authority to classify items sold in preneed contracts as services, cash advances, or merchandise

• Requires a preneed licensee to deposit all preneed contract funds into a trust upon electing inactive status

Analysis of 2016 Legislative Session Bills, continued

Helping our ownHaving a funeral director in the legislature is important – we currently have two but both are term-limited and will be gone next year. We need to you step up and help us by supporting the following candidates.

When any funeral related issue comes up, legislators look for whatever guid-ance they can find and the most effective is a colleague – this is normally less about politics and more about indusrty knowledge so help us put two more of our own in the legislature.

Bob Healy, Jr. CampaignMail to: 2700 Simpson Road

Kissimmee, FL 34744

Dennis K. Baxley CampaignMail to: 303 Southeast 17th Street

Suite 309-191

Ocala, FL 34471

• Clarifies when a preneed con-tract may be made irrevocable, for purposes of a person qualify-ing for assistance programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income

SB 708, Relating to the Dozier School for Boys (PASSED)Arthur G Dozier School for Boys was a state reform school located in Marianna, Florida that operated from January 1, 1900 to June 30, 2011 The school, which was oper-ated by the Department of Juvenile Justice, has been a source of great controversy over the past several years The school and its admin-istration systematically fooled the state and the families of Dozier residents (boys) over decades by not reporting deaths that occurred on campus In some cases, for instance, the boys were recorded as having “run away ”

During its Legislative Days in Tallahassee, IFDF met with Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater. While visiting, Atwater and the IFDFs leadership/lobbying team bonded over possible statewide solutions regarding how the bodies would be laid to rest Since our initial meeting, a bill has passed which authorizes the Department of State to reimburse the family or pay the provider or funeral home up to $7,500 for funeral, reburial, and grave marker expenses for each child’s remains recovered from the Dozier School for Boys Further, the bill sets up a committee to oversee the process The CFO is able to advise the Department of State on one appointee and IFDF has already recommended one of its members, Scott Whitehead, to be considered for the role

(800) 425-0583(407) 425-0583 Fax (407) 422-2429

Jacksonville - Orlando - Lauderdale Lakes

We have been members & supporters of the IFDF since 1995.

Florida’s COMPLETE Casket Source

* Independently Owned & Locally Operated* Complete Metal & Hardwood Selection* Cardinal Casket - Domestic Manufacturing* Sun Casket - Premium Imports* Orthodox - All-Wood Construction* Youth: Metal & Cloth Selections* Air * Air Trays & Shipping Containers* Memorial Selections: Alternative Caskets & Cremation Containers

Purity White

Defender - Firefighter

www.cardinalcasket.com

VISIT OURUPDATEDWEBSITE

TRY OURCUSTOMDESIGN SERVICE

C reativeA ffordableR eliableD edicatedI ndependentN obleAA ccessibleL oyal

Credit Cards Accepted:


Haisley Funeral & Cremation Service began its tradition of serving the families of the Treasure Coast over 40 years ago Since that time, “our family serving your family in your time of need” has been reflected in the multitude of services offered, in comfortable surroundings, and in their profes-sional, capable staff.

In 1973, Richard F Haisley, alongside Claude “Buddy” Hobbs, Jr , became owners of the Fort Pierce Funeral Home; “Serving the living: Caring for the dead; giving dignity to man ” Long before then Rick chose a career in funeral service When he was a teenager he took care of families by cleaning cars for his local funeral home Rick and Buddy operated the funeral home at the original loca-tion on US Hwy 1 for six years In 1979 they built the current location of the funeral home on Okeechobee Road in Fort Pierce and changed the name to Haisley-Hobbs Funeral Home, Inc It was also in the late 70s that they acquired part owner-ship in the Fort Pierce Cemetery, now Riverview Memorial Park

After Buddy’s retirement in 1998, Rick was joined by his wife, Jimmie Anne in operating and owning Haisley Funeral & Cremation Service Jimmie Anne was an integral part in creating the funeral home’s After Care program and modernizing the business through technology, for example she created the funeral home’s first website. Jimmie Anne created

and expanded their brand and introduced the Haisley pineapple to all the marketing material for the funeral home

They are now joined by their daughters, Quinn Haisley-Wheeler, funeral director and director of funeral service operations and Lee Anne Haisley, office manager.

The Haisley’s opened Haisley Pet Loss Services in 2012 “Our community just loves the idea and we’ve had a great response So many people treat their pets as family members,” said Quinn Haisley-Wheeler who oversees the opera-tions of the pet loss services The Haisley’s took an old garage across the street from their Fort Pierce location that housed the limousine and hearse and trans-formed it into the pet facility They service close to 20 veterinarian offices and also serve the public with private and communal crema-tions “It was a natural extension of our brand Since opening our doors we have handled many pets of families we have served in the past and many of our pet families were so pleased with the service

they received for their pet that they decided to pre-arrange their funeral services with us,” said Richard

Fast forward to 2014 and the Haisley family has expanded its brand to serve the families of Port Saint Lucie, Florida ,opening the doors to the Haisley Funeral & Cremation Service Tribute Center The Tribute Center was built with the idea of going back to a time when wakes were held in the family’s home “One of the most striking things you will notice when you walk into the Haisley Tribute

Member Prof ile

Getting acquainted:

Meet IFDF memberHaisley Funeral & Cremation Services


Center is how much it feels like you are visiting someone’s home It’s not institutional and is instead very comforting,” said Rick Haisley Besides the chapel, visitation room and offices, the Tribute Center has

a large state of the art kitchen, which is the heart of every home We encour-age all of our families to bring in food and beverages for the visitation and service, or we provide it for them

With the trend of celebrations of life being ever so popular in our area, we purposely did not put pews in our Tribute Center chapel so it could be versatile and serve multiple purposes The Tribute Center along with the Reception Center at our Fort Pierce location are used for many of life’s celebra-tions “We have had baby showers,

retirement parties and numerous community events The Tribute Center and Reception Center are offered free to non-profit groups to hold meetings and volunteer appreciation events ” said Richard

Haisley We serve many non-traditional families and they have chosen to have their loved ones celebrations of life in the Reception Center instead of our chapel They bring in food and have special music playing and it is more of an informal environment for them

Just like many funeral homes we are seeing a rise in

the numbers of cremations The most important thing we as funeral directors need to do is listen “You have to listen creatively We have to know our families If we don’t listen we can’t serve,” says Richard The future of our industry is going to continue to see changes and most likely more

cremations with families becoming more involved in planning off-site memorial services By listening to their needs and thinking “inside the box;” utilizing the space we have and creating something new and innovative, we can retain those families that might have gone elsewhere for their memo-rial or celebration “We can’t just be order taker undertakers, we need to be more creative and be the Celebration Planner, offering families every option every time,” says Quinn

Another example of how the Haisley’s think “inside the box” was with a change they made to their After Care program Jimmie Anne has always been very active and has a love for exercising When the Reception Center was being built they added a gym to the facility “It was a dream of mine to own a gym and make it an exten-sion of our After Care program We offer a mind, body, soul focus to complement traditional bereave-ment services,” says Jimmie Anne Yoga, Pilates, massage and normal exercise are common parts of the healing process rarely seen in funeral service aftercare

In the future, the Haisley’s hope to add a second pet crema-tory and expand upon their newest endeavor, an online cremation company The online cremation company will serve those families that chose to have a direct disposi-tion and are looking for the most affordable option.


Vendor Profile

By Ken Franklin

Over the course of many months and lots of road miles I have had an oppor-tunity to visit with Kevin Looker – Vice President of B & L Cremation Systems, Inc And although many of our independent funeral home owners know the firm and family, I want to give a brief history and background and share some comments that I have had

First some background and history – B & L Cremation Systems, Inc was originally established by its founder, Dr Steve Looker in 1985 in Largo, FL Dr Looker was born in England and worked in the death care industry with an Ontario company, Nortech Research and Engineering In 1984, Dr Looker and his wife Sue made the decision to move to Florida to establish B & L Cremation Systems

While I had a basic under-standing of the company’s primary product and services, I did not know that the first crematory manufactured by B & L was installed at the James E Reese Funeral Home, an IFDF member, in Seminole, FL in 1986 The design was the first human crematory to incorporate the true “Hot Hearth” system, which has since been incorporated into most all of the leading crematory manufacturers’ designs

From the initial manufacturing space in 1985 of 2,000 square foot

rented location in Largo, to today’s facilities located on 5 acres of commercial center – B & L contin-ues to expand to meet a worldwide demand for both their human crematory manufacturing equip-ment as well as their newest line of animal incinerators [BLI series and the BLP “M” series]

Success of B & L has been achieved by being a strong leader in the industry by providing inno-vations which supply its’ customers with equipment that is long-lasting and environmentally friendly With over 2,000 installations in over 60 countries around the world, 60+ employees, and the distinction of a list of “Firsts in the industry” [Hot Hearth Design; Animal crematory w/multi-chambered pet crematory; touch screen/smart phone interac-tion; 1,000 lb crematory, cooler and lift table to list a few], B & L truly sets the bar for innovation and quality products

But, the real core of this success story is vested in family support and ownership Dr Steve

Looker’s sons, Kevin and Gary, (and their families) are part of this success story, and the family opera-tions future looks very good

I asked Kevin to share his thoughts on a few Q & A

Q: Do you see industry changes/future/innova-tions that you would like to share with IFDF readers?

A: I see environmental changes in the future. Not due to pollution issues, but due to the ‘ follow the leader’ type governments we experience. We are already seeing this trend in Europe

Q: Where do you see B & L in 10 years?

A: As the industry’s leader in innovations, I believe we will continue to push the envelope and set the benchmark that oth-ers will have to keep up with.

As IFDF continues to expand our member benefits and industry sponsors, I have the unique opportunity to learn more about programs, products and services offered in the funeral industry Often, through these road trip conversations, I get to meet outstanding and successful family-owned businesses which are reflective of the true nature of independent funeral home owners The Looker family and their B & L team members are outstanding examples of the true essence of ‘independent spirit’ and success

B & L Cremation Systems


Following the successful sale of his office machine business in 1987, John Landrum (Lanny) Kenimer became fascinated with the multi-textured crystalline rock called granite Investing the proceeds from the sale of his business, Mr Kenimer began brokering granite memorials and quarry blocks from Columbus, Ohio

Tecstone’s role was to match customers in need with quality vendors, then arrange for the shipment of goods to pass directly between them In 1994, the compa-ny’s business model shifted from brokering to wholesaling

Expansion quickly followed, including the addition of a modern office/warehouse. Line expansion included the purchase of cutting and polishing equipment to provide quick-response granite repair services to the trade

In the new millennium, Tecstone added a second and larger warehouse and production facility It acquired sandblasting equipment in order to manufacture precision-crafted materials for the memorial industry

After Lanny’s untimely passing, family friend Tim Gooden purchased the business in 2009 and soon after Tecstone added a large laser etching machine to enter that facet of the business

Today, Tecstone relies on its proud history to extend its services to an ever-expanding customer base that demands product quality, timely response, competitive pric-ing and fair dealing The company has matured into one of the largest granite wholesalers in the country

Tecstone recognizes the

opportunity to assist funeral homes as they strive to care for their families and also generate additional revenue When families trust you with one of the most important decisions of their lives, doesn’t it seem logical to service them through to the very end? The departed’s monument is the perfect way to keep you in the family’s memory for generations to come!

After the burial, nothing of your outstanding service remains visible – except their perfect memorial!

We are extremely proud and humbled to have partnered with the Association of Independent Funeral Directors of Florida to offer a turn-key solution to the members to offer their families quality memorials and monuments

The program is free and offers the following services:

• Full training and outstanding customer support

• All memorial options are per-sonalized to the styles, sizes, and colors that sell in your market

• Free marketing materials

• Cemetery setting and installa-tion available

• Online design program is easy to navigate and offers printable final designs

• Online ordering and approval systems eliminate mistakes

• In-stock standard orders are produced immediately upon receiving final approval

• Fastest imported granite delivery in the industry

• Setting schedules get your me-morials to the cemetery ASAP once the foundation is installed

• Excellent pricing and favorable credit terms

If you would like to participate in the program or have questions, please contact Todd Miller at 614-471-0660 or visit him at the upcoming June 8th – 10th IFDF Annual Conference and Trade Show in Orlando

Tecstone Granite USA

Welcome, new members of IFDFThank you for taking the opportunity to get involved and help shape the industry while you build for the future.

Funeral Home Curlew Hills Memory Gardens Inc. Palm Harbor

Carnegie Dalla Funeral Services Gainesville

Funeraria San Juan Kissimmee

Knauff Funeral Home Williston

Trahan Family Funeral Home Milton

IndividualDavid J. Wilson Sr.

StudentJacqueline Wade

Partnership AllianceGas-SouthTecstone Memorial Granite

Partnership Alliance Profile


Q: Is this a question that the Funeral Director should ask the family?

A: Yes, the funeral director will continue to ask if the decedent was a U.S. Veteran.

If yes, a new question will appear asking if “Did a service-connected disability contribute to the veteran’s death?” If the family states yes, put a “y” in the box and if a fax attestation physician, please fax a copy of the letter to physician. If an online physician, the system will send the letter.

If the family says the answer is No, then enter ‘N’ for No. If the family is unsure or doesn’t know, enter “U”. No other action is needed on the part of the Funeral Director.

Q: Is this a question that the Funeral Director should ask the certifying physician?

A: No, the service-connected disability question is simply to acquire information from the family. No follow up is needed with the certifying physician or medical examiner. If the certifying physician or

medical examiner feels it is related to the cause of death, they will enter that separately in the cause of death section.

Q: Is this changing the way we file a death certificate?

A: No, electronic filing is the same, we are asking that if the family indicates that the death is related to a service-connected disability, that you manually fax, to the certifying physician, the service-connected letter provided under the REQUEST tab of the electronic death record.

Q: What if the family does not know if the decedent’s death was due to a service-connected disability?

A: You will enter “U” for unknown or “N” for no. The funeral director does not need to do anything else.

Q: Is the funeral director, certifying physician or medical examiner subject to any liability?

A: No. If the family has questions, refer them to Vital Statistics in Jacksonville.

Vital Statistics VA Service-Connected Disability FAQs

New Brochure Available to Help Veteran’s FamiliesThe Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics has partnered with the U S Department of Veteran’s Affairs to develop an informational brochure to assist veteran’s families when their loved one dies The brochure provides information and direction on veter-ans’ service-connected disabilities and helps to ensure that families provide the attending physicians and funeral director with the neces-sary information to properly certify the cause of death

Some residents, especially those outside of the military, are unfamiliar with the term “service-connected conditions ” What is even less known is that, when a veteran passes away from a service-connected condition, the surviving spouse and family members may be entitled to compensation Mike Mason, Polk County Supervisor of Veteran Services and vice president of the

Photo courtesy of Veteran’s Affairs


Q: What is the benefit of inquiring about a service-connected disability?

A: By collecting this information on the death certificate, it elimi-nates the need for a potential amendment, and helps benefit the surviving spouses when requesting VA benefits. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will work with veterans and their families to encourage them to provide all non-VA physicians with copies of their VA disability rating letter.

Q: Does the funeral direc-tor, physician, or medical examiner have to do a follow up?

A: No, the surviving spouse should work with the VA Administration/VA Service Officer to address any questions or concerns that they may have. There is no follow up regarding cause of death. When death certificate is returned, do what you currently do in e-vitals.

Q: Is the funeral director responsible for contacting the certifying physician?

A: No, if the certifier is a fax attestation certifying physician, we ask the funeral director to fax a copy of the letter to physician and no other action is necessary. If the physician is an online physician, the system will send the letter to the physician.

County Veterans’ Service Officer Association, brought to light some cases where the family members had to fight for a number of years to obtain this compensation As a result, a workgroup was assembled with the goal of educating and raising awareness to the veterans, their families, funeral homes and the medical community

Actions taken by the work-group include:• Developed a brochure to educate

the stakeholders

• Presented the brochure locally and well as in interviews on local TV

• Received the endorsement of the Florida Veterans Foundation and County Veterans’ Service Office Association

• Ken Jones, State Registrar, Bureau of Vital Statistics (BVS), presented the initiative to:

- Board of Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services

- Medical Examiner’s Commission

- National Association of Public Health Statistics and Information Systems (NAPHSIS) annual meeting in June

- Positive feedback was received from all three groups

• BVS is currently working on a way to include service-connect-ed conditions into the e-Vital system

The Bureau extends our thanks to Ulyee Choe, DO, Director Pinellas/Polk County Health Departments; Mike Mason, VA; and Lisa Makal, Chief Deputy Registrar, Polk County Health Department, for all their work on this project To obtain copies of the brochure email Mike Mason at: mikemason@polk-county net

Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes Honors 40 Year EmployeeAnderson-McQueen Funeral Homes honored John A. Anders, CFSP on achieving 40 years of service with the company. A St. Petersburg native, John Anders began his career with Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home on April 28, 1976 at the age of 18 as an apprentice. John went on to gradu-ate with honors from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service and became a licensed funeral director and embalmer. Adept at all aspects of funeral service, John’s expertise has been in the area of restorative art.

Retired employees and manag-ers attended the ceremony as well as the former president of Gupton-Jones College, Daniel E. Buchanan, to share memories of Mr. Anders’ forty year career. “Our family is proud of the dedication and commitment John Anders has shown to our company and most importantly the families we serve for the last four decades,” stated John T. McQueen, President & CEO of Anderson-McQueen.

“I have been fortunate to work for a company and a family that truly cares about the families they serve but also about their employ-ees,” said John Anders. “I am truly looking forward to many more years as part of the team.” His passion for the profession led him to be named the 2015 Funeral Director of the Year Runner Up by Kates-Boylston Publications.

“We are blessed to have a great team of caring professionals who work tirelessly to help families during life’s most difficult moments,” added McQueen, “but having an employee like John Anders has brought a certain continuity to our company.”

In addition to a 40-year plaque, John Anders was presented with a brand new 2016 Ford 150 Lariat Super Cab for his years of dedica-tion and professionalism.


Undertakers are accustomed to clip-ping a lock of hair for the family of the deceased to have as a keepsake – but could it soon become routine for them to take a DNA sample, too? Four funeral firms in England and Scotland are launching a DNA sample service which aims to prevent crucial information for the health of families and future generations being lost forever once a loved one dies

The idea is the genetic sample, taken with a swab, will provide a lasting record of the deceased’s genetic health, which family members can use to help with their own health in the future Detailed genetic history can help with faster diagnosis and more effective treat-ment of everything from simple skin disorders to cancer, heart disease, dementia and diabetes

Analysis of the DNA sample could also help with identifying patterns of health risks within fami-lies and enable a potential problem to be treated before it is too late It may also help to estimate the risk of passing conditions to children

The four UK firms have signed up to the DNA Memorial service, set up by a group of Canadian scientists who have discovered a way of preserving DNA in people’s homes without the need for refrig-eration – meaning the sample can be kept until it is needed The manufacturer says it could remain intact for over 500 years or more

Taking a DNA sample from a swab test is not in itself new – what’s made the DNA memorial

Why taking the DNA of a dead loved one could help save your life: Undertakers launch a new macabre-sounding service

By Phil Shanahan for The Daily Mail

service possible is the ability to store the extracted DNA at room temperature – so it can be kept at home, rather than in a lab DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the body’s genetic ‘blueprint’ – in very simple terms, it tells cells what to do and when DNA molecules are very vulnerable to damage from water and air (In our bodies, there are constant repair processes to keep DNA molecules stable)

Normally, when used by genetic researchers, for example, extracted DNA has to be stored at ultra-low temperatures of around -85c DNA Memorial Service has developed a way of bonding the DNA with other chemicals so that it is more stable and doesn’t need to be frozen

After the sample is taken by the funeral home (the swab is taken from the inside of the cheek), it is sent to a specialist laboratory where the DNA is extracted from the cells in the swab sample, purified, treated so that it is stable and then sealed in a sterile vial filled with an inert gas to protect it from oxygen It will be returned to the family for safekeeping until needed It costs $295 per sample The service doesn’t offer analysis of the DNA sample – the idea is this will be done by doctors if it’s deemed necessary at a later stage

It’s not clear how this will work within the NHS in practice, but experts suggest that using DNA as part of diagnosis and treatment will become increasingly

commonplace – part of what’s known as ‘personalized medicine’

Simon Rothwell is the European director of CG Labs, the Canadian DNA company behind the initiative, and director of Flexmort, the European distributor DNA enables doctors to zoom in on specific medical issues, rather than having to do A-Z medical investi-gations, and will also help identify appropriate treatment ‘Genetic clues can identify health weak-nesses, too, and prevent conditions from developing ’

Professor Nicholas James, director of the cancer research unit at the University of Warwick and a professor of clinical oncology at the Cancer Centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, is in no doubt about the value of banking a family’s genetic history ‘The increasing availability of DNA-based technologies is leading to a revolution in medical care,’ he says ‘This is generally referred to as personalized medicine, and means using DNA-based data to try and predict responses to therapy to allow more precise tailoring of therapy options

‘In the future, DNA data will be key to understanding disease in general and individual varia-tions both in disease outcomes and response to treatment ‘Having access to one’s DNA heritage would greatly aid the understand-ing of many diseases such as prostate cancer ’

In principle Dr Giles Yeo, director of genomics at the Medical


ClassifiedsPositions Available Seeking Licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer in Southwest Florida Very established family owned and operated funeral home seeking licensed director/embalmer Salary commensurate with experience Email resume to: familyfunerals2@yahoo com

Full or Part Time LFD- TampaFull time or part time position open in Tampa for a small operation Retired are welcome to apply too Please contact Sam at: Floridafuneral@gmail com OR (571) 393-7601

Seeking LFD/EM in Central FloridaFamily owned funeral home & crematory in Polk County seeking full time licensed funeral director/embalmer. Offer competitive benefits, salary and health insurance Contact Don McLean at 863-533-8123 or whiddenmclean@yahoo com

LFD/Embalmer position open in the Jacksonville areaPlease reply to jlgaver@gmail com

LFDs for Marion Lake and Sumter County Funeral Homes Baldwin Brothers – Funeral & Cremation Society a private, locally owned and operated firm is seeking ambitious, creative, empathetic personality funeral directors with current day computer skills to join our team in Marion, Lake and Sumter Counties Competitive salary with incentive opportunities, the position is full time and includes fully paid personal health insurance, matched 401K, PTO and vacation as well as an incredibly friendly and professional working environment Send resume to ruthanne@baldwincremation com

Positions Wanted Funeral Director/EmbalmerFuneral Director/Emblamer licensed in another state, reciprocating to Florida in 2016 I am interested in living in Southern Florida (West or East Coast) If your funeral firm will have a vacancy in 2016 or if you have a current vacancy, please contact me for a resume and references Currently licensed since 2012, previous retail store management experience Timothy Gibbons tgibb11@gmail com

Michael E. Hyde, Bagpiper for All OccasionsProfessional, licensed, full-time bagpiper Available seven days a week, any time of day or evening Full formal attire All the tunes of glory played on either the Great Highland Pipe or the Shuttle Pipe (suitable for chapel setting) Attention Veterans: Michael is available to pipe at the National Cemetery in Bushnell and the South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth. Affiliate member of IFDF Please visit my website at www MichaelHydeBagpiper com to see Michael and hear sample tunes Email MichaelEHyde@bellsouth net or call (772) 696-3568

Trade Funeral Directing and EmbalmingMy name is Jeffery Eichacker. I am a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer in the state of Florida I am seeking subcontracting services for embalm-ing, restorative art and assisting with funeral services in the Central Florida area. Do you find that you are short staff? Do you find that you need an extra embalmer? Are you in the need for an expert in restorative art? If the answer is yes, email me at eichackerprofessionalservices@gmail com or contact me at 386-228-7207 My price list will be submitted upon request

Research Council’s metabolic diseases unit at the University of Cambridge, agrees ‘Firstly, because all diseases and conditions have a genetic component,’ he says ‘And secondly, genetic studies are at their most powerful with large amounts of family data - which this sort of DNA banking would provide if families consented for it to be used for research ’ However he adds that the value of preserved DNA will differ from family to family: ‘For some, where there is a clear single gene defect that explains a disease, the utility is self-evident ‘Where, however, in the majority of cases, the genetic provenance of a disease turns out to be complex, the value to an indi-vidual family is less obvious ’

POST-SCRIPT UPDATE: The Association of Independent Funeral Directors of Florida [IFDF] is one of the first U.S. organizations to launch the DNA Memorial program [Fall 2015]. By taking the initiative and extending infor-mation as to the importance of DNA, IFDF members support the importance of the program and extend the product awareness to all Floridians through the independent funeral home operations as “Have you ever heard of a funeral home SAVING lives?”

Reprint from: http://www daily-mail co uk/health/article-3217449/Why-taking-DNA-dead-loved-one-help-save-life-Undertakers-launch-new-macabre-sounding-service html#ixzz45i30XwS3


You receive a call from a family member that their loved one has died and they want your establish-ment to handle the arrangements What steps do you take to begin the process of securing a signed death record?

When contacting the certify-ing physician for assurance the physician will sign a decedent’s death record, what questions do you ask on that call? Of course you need to know if this physician will sign, and obtaining that assurance will be one of the first questions you ask But don’t stop there Do you know that you also need to ask another important question, “Was there any external cause or factor that should be referred to the medical examiner for their review?” This statement could make you a best friend of the medi-cal examiner

Florida Statute 406 11 provides a list of external factors that define the jurisdiction of the medical examiner Think about it; what happens if you don’t ask the question, but only ask if the death was of natural causes; you ship the deceased out of state, bury or entomb the body and find out

shortly thereafter that the person had suffered a fall or died from delayed complications of a criminal assault Do you want to be the one to tell the family their loved one must come back to Florida or be disinterred? Do you want to be the one to make that call to your medi-cal examiner? What will you tell the medical examiner when asked why you did not let them know of the case before ship-out, burial or entombment? The possible conse-quences are not pleasant, so make sure your staff understands what questions they need to ask Write them a script if you want to be sure they are all on the same page

Once you start asking this question, you also will be helping the physician to understand the role they play in this process That physician needs to understand that even though the immediate cause or mechanism of death might be pneumonia, more importantly, what contributed to that pneumonia? Was there some type of trauma? If you want to make your interac-tions with physicians a bit easier, tell them about the Vital Statistics online tutorial (http://www icattlearning com/)

which explains their responsibili-ties, what they need to do as far as it relates to the medical examiner, how the disease conditions and circumstances of death should be noted on the death record At the end of the day, your physician ends up helping you!

Florida Statutes support these directives The Medical Examiner Statute, Section 406 12, requires anyone with knowledge of possible trauma to report that fact to the medical examiner Florida Statutes, Section 382 006, the Vital Statistics Statute, charges the funeral profes-sional with the responsibility of obtaining the certifying physician’s assurance that the death was from natural causes and there was no evidence of trauma or external cause of death This assurance must be obtained prior to final disposi-tion – you can’t assume you have that approval and ship-out, bury or entomb the remains before receiv-ing it

Through technology, funeral professionals are working with the Bureau of Vital Statistics to improve the registration process as it relates to the physicians Medical examiners are working with the Bureau of Vital Statistics and funeral professionals towards that same goal Let’s see if together, we can make this age-old issue into a non-issue

Funeral Professionals – What Do You Ask the Certifying Physician?

From Jody Brandenburg, Chairman Board of Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services

Bruce A. Hyma, M.D. Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department


In medieval times, the word ‘undertaker’ was used vaguely for anyone undertaking a task, whether house building or funeral work It doesn’t derive from taking the deceased six feet under but, by the 17th century, the term ‘funeral undertaker’ was being abbreviated to ‘under-taker’ and, as this association became widespread, folk in other trades stopped calling themselves ‘undertakers’ Death by association

I’m not sure when undertak-ers started referring to themselves as funeral directors, but my hunch is it was in the early-20th century, or perhaps the 19th century? The title reflects the public, ceremonial role played on the big day itself, conjuring up an image of somber-suited bearers and polished hearses It perhaps glosses over the prepara-tion done before arriving at this stage: the embalming or ‘hygiene treatment’; the safekeeping in the Chapel of Rest or cold storage in the ‘hub’

Then again, you expect a director to be an efficient admin-istrator, entrusted with booking venues and celebrants, and answering individual needs You also expect to talk business with a director, to buy their products and services This is in stark contrast to the word ‘mortician’, someone you

envisage wearing rubber gloves and performing rather unpleasant acts in a back room Ironically, the American trade coined the word, ‘mortician’, believing it sounded less gloomy than ‘funeral director’—surely only to those who didn’t know the Latin root of ‘mort’? They also thought it had a professional ring Exactly, it sounds rather too much like ‘physician’

Early undertakers tended to work as builders, joiners and carpenters, skills that translated to coffin-making at times of death in the village This was often the case even in the early 20th century The family would inform their doctor first to certify a death, and then the local ‘layer out’—usually a woman—would help carry out the ‘last offices’, attending to the needs of both bereaved and deceased They would call on the parish

priest to perform the Last Rites, and summon the undertaker to take measurements for a bespoke coffin, made in haste from sanded and polished hardwood, and sealed inside with wax and bitumen to avoid leakage

The undertaker would return to the house to deliver the coffin, sometimes having to remove a window as the door was too narrow The deceased, clothed in their best nightdress

or Sunday suit, would then rest in the front parlour until the funeral, usually held three or four days after death Sweet smelling flowers were placed around the room to absorb bad odours and the undertaker would visit to check on any unpleasantness Embalming was only performed for wealthy clients, and it wasn’t until the 1950s that Chapels of Rest became established in funeral homes

The typical cost of a funeral in the mid-1940s was about £20, which included the making of the coffin, providing four bearers, hearse and car, church fees and grave digger The fee of half a crown was paid to the person who performed the ‘laying out’ With the average wage being only £2 75 per week, the cost of funerals today is comparable

We thought you might enjoy this perspective from the U.K.

A brief history of undertakersBy Richard Rawlinson


In Loving MemoryRememberingRichard E. “Gene” WilliamsAugust 18, 1945 – January 12, 2016Williams-Thomas Funeral Home Gainesville

Richard E “Gene” Williams born August 18, 1945 to Dick and Louise Taylor Williams of Hawthorne, Florida died Tuesday, January 12, 2016 following a courageous battle with cancer He graduated from Miami Dade College of Mortuary Science a licensed funeral director and embalmer As the second generation funeral director of Williams-Thomas Funeral Home, he expanded upon the foundation to include a new facility in Hawthorne and most recently Westarea Funeral Home to better serve the families of Alachua County Gene is survived by the love of his life, his wife, Vonda; his son, Richard E “Rick” and Kelly Williams; grandchildren, Blake Richard, Hannah Lynn, and Lauren Bailey Gene is also survived by his mother-and father-in-law, Charlotte and Steve Weiss; sisters- and brothers-in-law, Teresa Pettit, Rebecca (Heath) Jaye, George Pettit-Weiss, and many nieces and nephews, cousins and beloved friends He was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Lee “Sandy” Williams, and sister, Mary Kathryn Milam Remembering

Harold LambAugust 10, 1928 - January 12, 2016Hancock Funeral Home Fort Meade Harold D Lamb, 87, passed away Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at his home in Lakeland Harold was born August 10, 1928 in Haines City, FL and was a lifelong resident of Lakeland He was a funeral director, working with Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes and Dukes-Steen Funeral Home in Lakeland for many years He currently worked with Hancock Funeral Home in Fort Meade, and to date the oldest active funeral director in Polk County He is survived by his cousin, Margaret Townsend, Live Oak, FL; adopted family, Allen, Margie, Chuck and Russell Hancock, all of Fort Meade, FL; three step-sons, several step-grandchildren, and many friends

Donations may be made to: Military Order of the Purple Heart, Polk County Chapter 535, 1325 Grasslands Blvd , Lakeland, FL 33803 or to Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service, 5141 Snapfinger Woods Dr , Decatur, GA 30035

RememberingBettie Jean Ward-GriffinMay 31, 1948 – February 22, 2016Funeral Family Assistant withChristian Memorial Chapel

Mrs. Bettie Jean Ward-Griffin, age 67, of Marianna, FL went home to be with the Lord on Monday, February 22, 2016 in the Campbellton-Graceville Hospital in Graceville, FL following a sudden illness. Mrs. Griffin was employed as a Funeral Family Assistant for over 20 years with Christian Memorial Chapel of Graceville, Florida Bettie was preceded in death by her parents, Odell and Lillie Mae Wilson Ward and husband Walter She is survived by her sister, Ida Mae Abner of Saint Petersburg, FL; a loving and devoted niece and her family, Evelyn Renee McNealy and husband Steve of Campbellton, FL; numerous other relatives and friends and her Christian Memorial Chapel family

RememberingJames Robert “Jim” Loomis, Sr.July 8, 1944 – December 23, 2015Loomis Funeral HomeApopka

James Robert “Jim” Loomis, Sr , 71, of Apopka, FL, passed away December 23, 2015 Mr Loomis was born July 08, 1944 in Fairview, FL He was a member of the Rotary Club of Apopka, Sertoma Club of Apopka, Elks Lodge #2422, Apopka, FL, Masonic Lodge #165, Winter Garden, FL, Errol Estate Country Club, Apopka Chamber of Commerce, Member of Independent Funeral Directors of Florida and a EAA Registered Ultralight Pilot Mr Loomis is survived by his loving wife of 50 years Betty S Loomis of Apopka; two sons, James R Loomis, Jr and Steven P (Paulette) Loomis; grand-children, James R Loomis, III, Mark B Loomis, Steven P Loomis, Jr and Trevor O Loomis and his beloved chocolate lab, Rosie

January 2012 • Texas Director 25

Feature

AD002

Receiving Remains for Arlington National Cemetery Casketed- $620 • Cremains - $60


January 2012 • Texas Director 25

Feature

AD002

Receiving Remains for Arlington National Cemetery Casketed- $620 • Cremains - $60


independent Funeral directors of FloridaPO Box 10969119 East Park AvenueTallahassee, FL 32302-2969ifdf org

Presort StandardU S Postage

PAIDTallahassee, FL Permit No 801

the independent reporter - memberclicks · 6 the independent reporter e ts 7 reasons you don’t...

Documents