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In a message dated 6/5/2003 4:49:09 PM, Joe in California writes:
John,
I see they pulled the bill from voting in the House......? Is this a good thing? Are we winning support? I think now is a great time to "wage" another rally and get everyone to start writing, emailing, and calling the congress reps so we can but this thing to sleep. I for one have been the "VICTIM" of this comp. time for overtime in the past by the "worlds largest death care provider" I had accrued 794 hours of comp. time (equal to about $27,ooo if paid time and a half) but was NEVER able to use it, when I requested to use it or come in late a day or two I was turned down 100% of the time. It amounted to about 5 hours a week I was scheduled (forced) to work for almost 3 years. Upon my resigning I got the "too bad" you don't get compensated for it you were supposed to use it, all the while the General Manager had a smile on his face because he knew he would never let me take it.
This was from the Ventura County Star but it is an "AP National Story" from June 5, 2003. Below is the link.
http://www.staronline.com/vcs/national/article/0,1375,VCS_123_2013165,00.html
Sincerely,
Trocarguy of Southern California
Thank you,
Joseph
MORE
From CBS.MarketWatch.com, online at:
http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid={C799B063-3C31-4485-ABA3-5BB7C3F05B52}&siteid=mktw&dist=&archive=true
GOP CANCELS VOTE ON 'COMP TIME'
6/5/2003 10:03:57 AM
10:03 AM ET Jun 5, 2003
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Republican House leaders canceled a vote Thursday on a bill
that would have given private-sector employees the option of receiving paid time off,
or "comp time," in lieu of overtime pay.
GOP leaders scrapped the scheduled vote after failing to round up the 218 votes
needed in the narrowly divided House for passage. The bill's sponsors vowed to pursue
passage again at a later date.
"Only in Washington could lobbyists and politicians continue to get away with
denying parents the freedom to choose to spend more time with their children.," said
Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Education & Workforce Committee.
"I can assure you that the fight to change this outdated requirement on behalf of
America's working moms and dads is not over."
Opponents say the bill is designed to cheat workers out of overtime wages.
"For workers who receive overtime pay, it accounts for about one-quarter of their
total pay.
For many, loss of overtime pay will mean the loss of health insurance, new
school clothes, and even food on the table," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi,
D-Calif., in remarks prepared for a news conference Wednesday. "This legislation is
another chapter in the Republicans' relentless assault on working Americans."
The bill had the backing of most Republicans and business groups, but it was
fiercely opposed by most Democrats and labor unions. That left GOP leaders seeking
support from Republican members with labor ties who had wavered or resisted the bill.
The bill would have allowed private-sector firms to give employees who work overtime
the choice between time-and-a-half pay, as currently required by law, or compensatory
time off, known as comp time. Comp time would accrue at a rate of one-and-one-half
hours of leave for each hour of overtime worked. See full story.
Proponents said the bill, entitled the "Family Time Flexibility Act," would have
been a boon to employees and families.
"This legislation offers a valuable new benefit to working moms, or any employee who
might want the right to use their overtime hours to go to a ball game, take a sick
relative to the doctor, or extend a vacation," Boehner said earlier Wednesday.
In a message dated 5/27/2003 12:24:45 PM, Patty in Oklahoma writes:
Tomb of the Unknowns to Get Refurbishing Arlington National Cemetery to Replace Cracked Marble at 71-Year-Old Tomb of the Unknowns
WASHINGTON May 26 &emdash;
The 71-year-old Tomb of the Unknowns is cracked on all four sides and Arlington National Cemetery officials have decided to replace it.
The fissure cuts through Greek figures representing Peace, Victory and Valor, said Arlington Superintendent John Metzler Jr.
Miners are searching for matching marble, returning to the old Colorado Yule Quarry site in the central part of the state where the original marble was found.
It should take a year to complete the work after the mining operation is finished, Kerry Sullivan, a spokeswoman for the cemetery, said Monday.
The crack was first discovered in the 1940s during the Truman administration, repaired in 1989, but has now become more visible again.
The blemish may be unsightly, but it does not diminish the emotional experience for visitors, said Sgt. Paul Basso, of the 3rd U.S. Infantry "Old Guard" Regiment that provides security at the tomb.
Basso said he's never had anyone ask specifically about the crack.
President Bush laid a wreath at the tomb Monday before addressing the annual Memorial Day observance at the cemetery.
The rectangular memorial, sitting on a Virginia hill overlooking Washington, solemnly tells visitors: "Here Rests in Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But to God."
The tomb has been at the site since 1921, more than a decade longer than the memorial, when an unidentified soldier from World War I was buried there.
Sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones carved the memorial with wreaths, the three Greek figures and the inscription.
While unknown soldiers from World War II and Korea also are buried at the site, remains from the Vietnam War were disinterred in 1998 after DNA testing identified them as Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie.
Members of the Old Guard regiment provide security at the tomb 24 hours a day, their dress uniforms, polished buttons and changing-of-the-guard ceremony watched by 4 million annual cemetery visitors.
Once the new marble is located, a master carver will have to copy the original design by architect Lorimer Rich.
"Right now we're concentrating on finding the best piece of marble," Sullivan said.
On the Net: Arlington National Cemetery
This Story has been sent to you by : D04 Writes:
Frustration lingers for families, investigators of Georgia crematoryFor the past 16 months, Jannie Moore has tried to find her husband. But now, she's starting to realize, she probably never will. In 1998, Kirby Price Moore died suddenly. A funeral home in Cleveland, Tenn., sent his body to Tri-State Crematory in Walker County.
The full article will be available on the Web for a limited time:
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/6071302.htm
In a message dated 6/15/03 1:47:52 PM, D04 and Mike Flynn in Massachusetts write:
June 12, 2003 NEW YORK STATE
Jack Salomon wanted a proper Jewish burial. So when close friends learned that his daughter and estranged wife had arranged for a cremation, they went to court.
After a brief hearing in Mineola this week, State Supreme Court Justice Ira Raab granted a restraining order and directed that Salomon's body be released to a Jewish funeral home in Manhattan.
The restraining order was sought by Oshrie Zak, a Bronx lawyer who was raised by Salomon and thinks of him as a father. Zak and his mother, Maya, who once lived with Salomon, made the funeral arrangements. Tuesday, religious services were held at Plaza Jewish Community Chapel in Manhattan. Burial was at Beth David Cemetery in Elmont. "It's close to Belmont," Zak said. "I did that because he loved gambling, loved the horses."
According to Zak, Salomon and his wife, Elizabeth, of Manhattan, separated in May, about a week before he was admitted to St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn. He died June 4 after complications from heart surgery. He was 80.
In his ruling, Raab said that because of the estrangement, Elizabeth Salomon did not have rights normally accorded to a widow regarding burial. He also referred to testimony that Jack Salomon observed Jewish traditions and mentioned a headstone in a will written in Hebrew. The judge said he concluded that Salomon intended to be buried according to Jewish law. He also noted that Salomon was planning to divorce his wife and that he also was estranged from his two children from a previous marriage, Doron, of Newburgh, and Arlyne, who lives in California.
The owner of a Manhattan-based limousine service, Salomon was a citizen of both the United States and Israel, and he served as an officer in the Israeli army during the War of Independence, according to Zak.
Salomon married for the third time in 2001. Zak said Salomon met his wife, almost 30 years his junior, through a newspaper ad. "He was too old to take care of himself," Zak said. "He weighed about 300 pounds, had a heart condition. It was a marriage of convenience for both of them."
Elizabeth Salomon could not be reached for comment. "I don't bear any grudges against her," Zak said. "It's water over the dam. I know how rough she had it at the end, taking care of him."
Permanent repeal of federal death tax
During the week of June 16th, the House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 57, a bill to permanently repeal the federal estate tax. NFDA strongly supports this bill and urges you to go to the Congress-At-A-Click section of the Advocacy Section of the NFDA website (nfda.org) and send an e-mail to your Representative urging them to vote in favor of H.R. 57.
I would like to find information on how to offer my scripture quilts to funeral homes. I know from experience that grieving families are in need of this. When someone is given a scripture quilt at the death of someone that they love, their response is incredible. They cling to it as if they were holding their loved one.
I have also had families wrap their loved one in a scripture quilt for burial. I feel that their is a true need for our quilts in this industry.
Can you share how the best way to accomplish this?
Thank you very much and may God bless and keep you!
Jennifer Freeman
803-345-0855
In a message dated 6/10/2003 9:51:58 PM, Gary In North Carolina writes:
If you think that the "big corporations" and their activities were
interesting, wait till you see what the "spin offs" are doing. Everyone is
aware of the numbers of sites that were offered back to the holding
companies and individuals who sold them to the chains once the financial
woes set in. Now those sites have been sold off again or for what ever
reasons are hunting financing inorder to survive till they can recover from
5 or 6 buy and sell arrangements. We opened six years ago against a Wall Street corporation. We
all grew tired of the corparation way. Since then they have sold the cluster
that we all watched go down the slide. One of the cluster sites has financed
all they could with the bank and then proceeded to fine 60 plus individuals
or couples in the community to invest from $2,500.00 to $30,000.00 in the
new business. This is where it gets interesting. No dividends are to be paid
for at least 3 years. For $2,500.00 you get a funeral at cost when you die,
if you don't want to sell your stock back. For each $5,000.00 you invest you
get a free funeral of equal value, if you don't want to sell the stock back
to the company. There are no voting rights and no management voice afforded
these folks. Some have already sold their stock at half price to anyone who
would buy it. Those still holding on are working part time at the firm and
visiting in the community going to and from work dressed in funeral attire
with their name tags on. They put the words funeral, funeral home, death,
dying, and any other related word or theme in everything they say and do.
This is all very carefully done to avoid being accused of solicitation. But
that is what it is. My question is this. Do these funerals offered for money
constitute a "pre-need" of any kind? Can the money just be infused into the
business and scores of people be put on the streets working every angle they
can to secure business.. If so how
long will it take this to spread to an area close to you. Will other spin
offs or start ups take this route. Maybe they are just so much smarter than
I am! But, there seems to be something terribly wrong with all this. Is it
just me? Gary from North Carolina.
With budget cuts, we can expect government services to decrease, particularly burial transit permits availability on weekends.
In a message dated 6/8/2003 7:36:37 PM, Mike Flynn in Boston Massachusetts writes:
Per the City of Boston, City Hall Death Records
Certified copies of Death will now cost 12.00 each as of July 1, 2003
Burial Permits with the Boston Public Health Comm. Will be $20.00 which is in effect now.
Corrections for Death Certificates will now cost $50.00
Per Judy McCarthy, City of Boston
MORE
Mike also writes
I got word today from Aries at 1010 Mass Ave. That today was going to be
the last day (Sun. 6/8/03) that the Boston Public Health Comm. Will issue
permits from the Mattapan Location on weekends. No word yet as of where
they will be issued from. Hopefully they will know by Tues. 6/10
As soon as I hear more i ll forward the info
MORE
In a message dated 6/12/2003 10:07:56 AM, Mike forwarded this too!
Effective July 1st Cambridge Mass is increasing their fee for Burial Permits from $5.00 to $10.00
Per Harold Cox
Chief Public Health Officer
Health Dept.
119 Windsor St.
Cambridge
MORE
Town of Brookline Mass. Fee increase for burial permits and removal permits effective July 1, 2003 $20.00
Per Patrick Maloney, MPHA
Asst. Director of Health
Town of Brookline
MORE
City of Lowell, Massachusetts will not have Burial Permits available on weekends or holidays effective July 1st 2003.
Baghdad - An armed man forced 10 mourners and their just-departed relative out of a mini-bus serving as a hearse and sped off on the road to the Shiite Muslim holy city of Najaf, a newspaper reported on Monday.
The mourners and corpse were stranded for several hours until US soldiers happened by and drove them to a cemetery, Al-Ittihad said.
Looting and vandalism have plagued Iraq since the regime of Saddam Hussein fell on April 9.
In a message dated 6/4/2003 10:37:02 PM, Mike Flynn in Boston, Massachusetts writes:
Boston Harbor Cruise!
Cruise Boston Harbor & support Councilor At Large, Paul J. Brasco in his run for re-election!
Saturday, June 21st
M/V Samuel Clemens
Rowes Wharf
Boarding @ 6:30 P.M. / Returning @ 10:00 P.M.
Boat will leave dock at 7:00 P.M.
Ticket Price includes Roundtrip Transportation between Waltham & Boston,
Open Premium Bar & Appetizer Buffet!
(If opting to take complementary transportation, you must specify when purchasing ticket)
Entertainment provided by P & M Sound!
$75 per person
Limited tickets available - Buy Now!
*last day to purchase is June 15th
*For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact
Paul or Stacy Brasco at (781) 209-2567 or pjsjbrasco@rcn.com
In a message dated 6/3/2003 5:21:53 PM, gen4@icfa.org writes:
Recipe for success: Study while others are sleeping; work while others are
loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are
wishing.
- William A. Ward
During my 30+ years as a member of the International Cemetery and Funeral
Association, I've gotten to know many very successful cemetery and funeral
service professionals. Each and every one exemplifies this quote from
preacher William Ward . . . especially that last part: Dream while
others are wishing
ICFA University, July 18-23, will bring together more than 150 of our
profession's most successful, dedicated and progressive owners, managers and
staff for a learning and networking experience unlike any other.
Set on the beautiful and historic campus of the University of Memphis, ICFAU
is an important ingredient in our profession's recipe for success. If you
would like to take your career and your company to new levels of achievement
and service, I invite you to join us for this one-of-a-kind program.
You will choose from among eight academic disciplines filled with advanced
yet highly practical training in the management or operational area that
interests you most. You will participate in classroom discussions and
activities designed to provide new methods for addressing your real-life
workplace challenges. You will network with dozens of colleagues from across
the United States and abroad through our on-campus dining and housing
programs.
You will study . . . work . . . prepare . . . dream. And most important,
you'll learn how to make your dreams a reality.
ICFA University students are welcome to attend for just one, two or three
years, though many choose to continue for four years (or more) and become an
ICFAU graduate. For more information and to register today for ICFA
University, please visit "http://www.icfa.org/icfau03.htm" or call 1-800-645-7700.
Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you in Memphis!
Robert A. Gordon Sr., CCFE
ICFA University Chancellor
and Managing Director
Eternal Hills Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home
Klamath Falls, Oregon
P.S. Funeral directors, you can earn up to 24.5 CE credits at the ICFA University! Register today!
In a message dated 5/27/2003 8:05:49 AM, LRK@endor.com writes:
BTW, I'm also a writer and working on two funeral-related books that I'd like input on:
One is Stones & Bones: A guide to New England's unique cemeteries. Here are details:
"Stones & Bones: A Guide to New England's Unusual Cemeteries" will be published in Spring 2004 by Globe Pequot Press. It is a book that will spotlight 15-20 of the most interesting and notable cemeteries in each of the six New England states. The selections will depend on certain subjective criteria -- who's buried there, the cemetery's location, the distinctiveness of the headstones, notorious events that occurred in the cemetery, its abandonment, notable animals that are buried there, etc. The book will be a combination guidebook and history book. Travelers who wish to visit the most distinctive cemeteries in a particular area will find the book to be a useful tool, but historians who are formally or informally researching a person, place or time period will also find the book to be a valuable resource. Suggestions for cemeteries for me to consider beyond the obvious -- like Mount Auburn in Mass. and Hope Cemetery in Barre, VT -- are welcome. They must be located on public land for inclusion.
The other is Death Warmed Over: A Funeral Food Cookbook. This is a book that will profile the food and food-related customs that 100 different ethnic groups and religious groups serve at funerals and wakes. I will describe the customs and background, provide at least one recipe, include anecdotes where possible, and include mail order sources, if possible. This will be published by Ten Speed Press next summer.
Responses for both books should be sent to me via email at LRK@endor.com
Thanks!
Lisa Rogak
Everything You Ever Needed to Know, You Learned in Mortuary College ... NOT!
Sure, your embalming courses offered you a great basis for your
profession. But real life doesn't look like a classroom ... you face
challenges and decisions no textbook could ever answer. Now finally,
you've got a place to learn advanced techniques of your trade!
Join us July 18-23 for the ICFA University College of Embalming &
Restorative Arts at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee.
You'll participate in nearly 4.5 days of classroom and laboratory
instruction by six of the nation's top funeral directors and embalmers.
What's more, you can earn up to 24.5 hours of CE credits.
Open only to Mortuary College graduates, this course provides an
advanced techniques curriculum that will update you on the latest tools
and materials available, ways to handle the aftereffects of today's
medical procedures, solutions to common restorative arts challenges and
much more.
Just as valuable as the course instruction will be the chance to network
with your peers. You'll have numerous opportunities to participate in
roundtable discussions where you can share your ideas and best
practices. You'll also share meals together in the University of Memphis
Fogelman Executive Dining Hall.
Don't delay! Class sizes and on-campus housing are limited and will be
available on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, the first 40
students to register for the College of Embalming & Restorative Arts
will receive a free copy of the third edition of the text book
"Embalming: History, Theory and Practice."
The deadline for registration is June 13. For more information and to
register, please visit http://www.icfa.org/icfau03.htm or give me a call
at 1-800-645-7700.
Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you in July!
Linda Budzinski
Communications Director
International Cemetery and Funeral Association
Reston, Virginia
In a message dated 6/1/2003 12:40:20 PM, Mike Flynn in Boston Massachusetts writes:
http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradentonherald/5949536.htm
Bradenton Herald | 05/27/2003 |.
OCEAN RIDGE - A woman who spread her mother's cremated remains worldwide only to discover they actually were another person's remains has settled a lawsuit against a funeral home owned by a company that's being sued by others for allegedly moving bodies.
Donna Bello and her husband, Gary, received an undisclosed cash settlement and her mother's remains from E. Earl Smith & Son Funeral Home under the settlement reached earlier this month, her attorney Rafael Roca said.
"They're very happy to put this behind them," Roca said. "It's been a very traumatic event for them."
The funeral home is owned by Houston-based Service Corporation International, the world's largest cemetery owner. The company and two employees have been charged criminally, and the company is facing a class-action lawsuit for allegedly misplacing bodies, overselling plots and dumping remains at two of its South Florida cemeteries. SCI spokesman Don Mathis would not discuss the settlement with the Bellos.
Donna Bello's mother, Grace Violet Billingham, died in 1997 at age 80 and was cremated. The Bellos separated her ashes into four plastic bags and scattered them in Vermont, Bali, Hawaii and beneath a gardenia bush at their home. In 2001, Donna Bello looked inside the container that had held the cremated remains and found an identification tag that did not match the cremation certificate. She sued.www.pbpost.com
In a message dated 6/1/2003 1:13:27 PM, Mike Flynn in Boston, MA writes:
By Associated Press, 5/31/2003 21:38NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (AP) A 44-year-old Plainville man is facing assault charges after his brother had a heart attack when the two got into a minor argument outside a wake for their mother, city police said. Police say Steven DeMay and his brother Robert Demay, 48, of Torrington, had an argument Thursday night after a wake for their 70-year-old mother, who died Tuesday. Robert DeMay suffered a heart attack and was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Witness reports about the intensity of the brothers' fight vary, said Police Capt. Michael Sullivan, but the state medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide. A police investigation is ongoing, and Sullivan said the homicide ruling does not necessarily mean the death was murder.
In a message dated 5/29/2003 12:24:11 PM, lacorn@icfa.org writes:
Linda Budzinski
Communications Director
International Cemetery and Funeral Association
1-800-645-7700, ext. 220
lacorn@icfa.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ICFA INTRODUCES TWO NEW MEMBERS BENEFITS:
GROUP SAVINGS ON INSURANCE, CREDIT CARD PROCESSING
Reston, Virginia (May 29, 2003) - The International Cemetery and Funeral Association has developed two new benefit programs designed to save members money on necessary business expenses.
First, the ICFA has teamed up with Driver Alliant Insurance Services Inc., based in San Diego, California, to offer a group insurance program that allows members to purchase commercial property and casualty insurance at prices they could not afford on their own. The program includes insurance for general liability, commercial property, automobile liability and physical damage, umbrella liability, professional liability, workers compensation, employee benefits and more.
"For many cemeteries and funeral homes, especially some of the smaller properties, commercial property and casualty insurance can represent a significant expense," said ICFA External Chief Operating Officer Bob Fells. "This program allows our members to take advantage of the buying power the ICFA provides as a group."
In addition, the ICFA and The Transaction Group of Chicago, Illinois, now offer members a credit card processing program with a special low discount rate of just 1.57 percent. This new benefit will make it less expensive for cemeteries, funeral homes, memorial designers and related businesses to accommodate customers who wish to pay via credit card.
RESTON, VA (May 29, 2003) - The International Cemetery and Funeral
Association's Small Cemetery and Funeral Management Conference offers
small and mid-sized cemetery and funeral home operators unsurpassed
educational and networking opportunities. "Sand, Sea and Seminars" will
be held in Santa Monica, California, September 18-20, 2003, with
workshops on management topics including:
o "Sales Without Selling" techniques: How to turn customer questions and
complaints into sales opportunities.
o Threat assessment and negligent hiring prevention: Ways to safeguard
your employees and your facility.
o Disaster response: Firsthand stories from Ground Zero in New York City
and Oklahoma City.
o Avoiding common lawsuits: Effective strategies to protect your company.
o Ethnic funeral services: How to meet changing customer needs by
embracing and incorporating ethnic ceremonies.
o Water conservation and recycling practices: Cost-effective ways to
conserve and recycle water in green spaces.
o Challenges of municipal cemeteries: How to implement a successful
cemetery management plan.
o Proper procedures for airline disaster casualties: Proper steps to
follow for the return of casualties.
o Cremation challenges: How to meet and serve the needs of cremation
consumers.
o And more!
In addition to the educational sessions, the conference also will
feature facility tours of Woodlawn Cemetery in Santa Monica and Rose
Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary in Whittier, California, as well as a
table-top trade fair of industry suppliers, equipment demonstrations,
roundtable peer discussions and networking receptions and dinner.
Funeral directors can earn up to 10 continuing education credits at the
conference.
Program Chair Mike Steen, cemetery superintendent of Woodlawn
Cemetery-City of Santa Monica, and the ICFA Small Cemetery and Funeral
Operations Committee developed the conference program. The complete
program and registration forms are available at www.icfa.org/small03.htm
or by calling 1-800-645-7700.
For additional information on these and other ICFA member benefits,
visit www.icfa.org/benefits.htm or call the ICFA at 1-800-645-7700.
Founded in 1887, the ICFA is the only international trade association
representing all segments of the cemetery, funeral and memorialization
industry. Its membership is comprised of more than 6,000 cemeteries,
funeral homes, memorial designers, crematories and related businesses
worldwide.
In a message dated 5/28/2003 1:25:27 PM, Anonymous writes:
From CBS.MarketWatch.com, online at:
http://cbs.marketwatch.com/tools/quotes/newsarticle.asp?siteid=mktw&sid=4422&guid=%7BB5ADDF2D%2D0D93%2D495C%2DBCF5%2D9AAD0C4659A3%7D
FUNERAL COMPANY ACCUSED OF MOVING BODIES
5/22/2003 3:39:00 PM
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., May 22, 2003 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- A funeral services
company and its local operators were charged Thursday with felonies for allegedly
unearthing older bodies to make way for more burials at two South Florida cemeteries.
Menorah Gardens, its parent corporation, Service Corporation International, and two
of its directors were charged with misconduct and incompetence in operating a
cemetery, woeful negligence and failing to obtain authorization from a family before
disinterment.
SCI and Menorah Gardens officials did not immediately return calls Thursday seeking
comment. SCI is based in Houston and is the world's largest funeral services company.
SCI has blamed gravediggers for the burial problems and said it has quickly
responded to other problems as they developed.
Prosecutors planned to release a statement later Thursday.
Jeffrey Frucht, vice president for SCI's Jewish cemeteries in South Florida, told a
judge last year that he knew about record-keeping problems as well as "problem
burials" in which people could not be interred where they were supposed to be because
of lack of space.
He is expected to turn himself in at the Palm Beach County jail on Thursday, and
former general manager Robert McKay is expected to turn himself in later.
A civil lawsuit filed against Menorah Gardens on behalf of 1,400 families claims the
cemetery operator dug up at least three graves and dumped the remains in nearby woods
after ignoring problems with crowding.
Families say investigators have confirmed two cases with DNA tests.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved
In a message dated 5/28/2003 1:33:39 PM, ronhast@aol.com writes:
From CBS.MarketWatch.com, online at:
http://cbs.marketwatch.com/tools/quotes/newsarticle.asp?siteid=mktw&sid=4422&guid=%7BC78A0228%2D0027%2D42C4%2D8E63%2DADE6568383A0%7D
MORE THAN 97 PERCENT SAY EXPECTATIONS MET OR EXCEEDED;
DIGNITY MEMORIAL(R) BEGINS FOURTH YEAR OF INDEPENDENT SURVEY
5/27/2003 2:39:00 PM
HOUSTON, May 27, 2003 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Service Corporation
International ... An ongoing, independent survey of Dignity Memorial funeral and
cremation services recently entered its fourth year with more than 97 percent of
respondents saying their expectations were met or exceeded. The families served by
the Dignity Memorial network of funeral and cremation providers also rated them as
"excellent" in courtesy and politeness, helpfulness, overall professionalism and
having a kind and caring manner. The results were from a continuous customer
satisfaction survey that was initially launched in 2000.
Families also determined Dignity Memorial staff to be "excellent" in the areas of
dress, attitude and fulfillment of arrangements. In addition, 98.6 percent indicated
a willingness to recommend Dignity Memorial services to friends or relatives.
Minnesota-based Data Recognition Corp. administers the survey, which is mailed to
families three to four weeks after services have been conducted. Throughout its
three-year history, the survey has generated an extremely high response rate of more
than 40 percent from families assisted by Dignity Memorial funeral and cremation
service providers.
The survey asks families to measure the service they received in all areas,
including "arranging the funeral/cremation," "prior to the funeral/cremation," "on
the day of the ceremony," and "after the ceremony." Families are also invited to make
written comments or suggestions about Dignity Memorial services. Though the majority
of comments are complimentary, staff members immediately address those reflecting
concern or dissatisfaction.
The Dignity Memorial network of funeral, cremation and cemetery providers includes
affiliates of Service Corporation International , as well as many other independent
funeral establishments. For more information about Dignity Memorial, visit www.DignityMemorial.com .
For additional information, contact:
Robyn Sadowsky - Corporate Communications Office 713-525-7795
Cell 832-277-5582
Terry Hemeyer - Corporate Communications Office 713-525-5497
Cell 713-819-1322
SOURCE Service Corporation International
Robyn Sadowsky, Corporate Communications, +1-713-525-7795, or
cell, +1-832-277-5582, or Terry Hemeyer, Corporate Communications,
+1-713-525-5497, or cell, +1-713-819-1322, both of Service Corporation
International
http://www.DignityMemorial.com
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
In a message dated 5/29/2003 8:34:59 AM, TJ in Massachusetts writes:
What we leave behind
Each year in U.S. cemeteries, we bury:
827,060 gallons of embalming fluid
1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete
90,272 tons of steel
14,000 tons of stainless steel
2,700 tons of copper and bronze
30 million board feet of hardwoods
Source: Mary Woodsen, Pre-Posthumous Society, compiled from
statistics by Casket and Funeral Association of America, Cremation
Association of North America, Doric, Inc. and Rainforest Action
Network
In a message dated 5/14/2003 3:54:47 PM, kmonfre@nfda.org writes:
Contact: Fay Spano
800/228-6332
For Immediate Release
"Discover Your Oasis" at NFDA's Annual Convention & Expo
NFDA Offers New Business-building Educational Opportunities
Brookfield, Wis. &endash; The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)
is offering funeral service professionals an "oasis" of opportunity in
the ever-changing business environment, at its 122nd Annual Convention &
Expo, October 19-22, 2003, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las
Vegas, Nev.
"You will want to be at this year's convention, which will help you
manage the changes occurring in funeral service," explains NFDA Chief
Executive Officer Christine Pepper. "With more than 20 first-time
exhibitors and brand new seminars, the convention will highlight the
latest products and services, while providing forward focused training
to help you better serve your families."
NFDA will bookend its convention with two powerful keynote speakers.
At the opening session, Al Walker, CSP, CPAE, will share secrets about
small characteristics that make a big difference in anyone's quest for
excellence. Walker's entertaining and inspiring presentation, "The
Gateway to Excellence Is as Big as a Barn," will provide insightful ways
to achieve success.
Closing session will cap off the convention with NFDA's most
highly-rated keynote speaker of all time. During his speech, Larry
Winget will address the simple principles of success with his
laugh-a-minute presentation "Success is Simple, Money is Easy and Life
is a Hoot!" Many members still recount the valuable lessons and plunger
wearing antics from Winget's first appearance. With his all-new
presentation, Winget is back with more laughs and useful tips on what it
takes to succeed in this changing society.
Business-building tools
Pepper said, "Among this year's professional development offerings is a
series of "business-building" topics that will better prepare you for
the changing wishes of today's families." These courses were developed
in response to NFDA's research and Future's Forum event. The courses
address topics such as, Is Your Business Strategy Future-Proof;
Exceptional Events: A New Frontier for Serving Families; and Consumer
Attitudes: Uncovered.
The professional development schedule also includes courses on working
with hospice, strategies for small funeral homes, building customer
loyalty, and working with the media. Two workshops specific to NFDA's
Pursuit of Excellence program also will be available.
A special session will be held on Monday, October 20 to review NFDA's
Consumer Education Campaign. "This seminar was developed to help you
educate the public about the importance of what you do," explained
Pepper.
North Carolina: Mrs. Mary Estelle Swaringen Aldridge, 97, mother of William Stephen
Aldridge, Sr. of Stanly Funeral Home in Albemarle, died June 4, 2003.
The funeral was held on Saturday, June 7, at 3:00 PM at the Stanly
Memorial Chapel in Albemarle with burial in the Union Chapel United
Methodist Church Cemetery in Albemarle.
In a message dated 6/14/03 11:13:40 PM, Diane in Georgia writes:
CNN.com - Popular diner eulogized in Waffle House funeral - Jun. 13, 2003
JEFFERSON, Georgia (AP) --The place Lawrence "Tuna" Clark called his "office" -- the Waffle House on Highway 129 -- became the site of his funeral as waitresses, cooks and customers remembered the good deeds the longtime regular did for them.
Clark, who died June 6 after a long illness, ate at the restaurant at least once a day and befriended many of the restaurant's employees, who called him "the Waffle House taxi service" because he drove them to work when they had no transportation.
"We wouldn't have jobs without him. Where would our kids be without him?" asked Belinda Cole, who attended Thursday's funeral.
Clark's jacket was slung over his favorite chair, and black coffee, milk and cigarettes sat side by side on the counter, the way he always placed them.
The 67-year-old bachelor's ashes were placed on the hood of a Chevrolet parked in his favorite parking space. Large boards displaying family photos were covered with funeral wreaths and loose flowers.
Clark's niece Joyce Bicksler said that in his last days, he told her he wanted to be memorialized at the restaurant.
"He wanted people to remember him as he was. He didn't want to be in a casket," Bicksler said. "He wanted to be here."
Waitress Terri Treadaway said Clark drove her to the Waffle House every day for three months when her car was broken.
He was known for ordering scrambled eggs on lightly toasted bread, but he would eat just about anything on the menu.
Clark also was known at several other Waffle Houses, in part because he continued to help employees after they got transferred or moved.
"You could go from Braselton to the South Carolina line, and people in Waffle House will know him," Treadaway said.
Waffle House Vice President Pat Warner said Thursday's restaurant funeral was the first he had heard of.
In a message dated 5/27/2003 7:55:28 AM, LRK@endor.com writes: Hi there. The message is that I buy old funeral items, everything from hearses and casket biers to embalming machines and makeup kits to old magazines and catalogs.
Thanks,
Lisa Rogak
New Hampshire 603-523-7877
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In a message dated 5/27/2003 12:24:45 PM, Dan in California writes:
Dear John,
Following on what Steve in Arizona had to say about NFDA and ICFA, it seems, but both organizations may be chasing independent tails (note the mutliple ambiguity). NFDA is taking a perplexing stance as if to flex previously hidden political muscle to assure itself a future job of fending off legislative entrapments. Perhaps it is a potentially reasonable trade off in negotiating semiprofessional or independent status, time may tell. But there are other unaddressed yet important basic issues to be considered. Will that happen? Neither ICFA nor NFDA can act without compromise in the absolute best interests of independent funeral operators, but the good news may be stagnant dues ... so they'll not disturb us any further.
Dan in CA ...
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In a message dated 5/27/2003 2:32:32 PM, nov25@adelphia.net writes:
John, Jeff & Michelle Levesque of the Brady & Levesque Funeral Home are pleased to announce the launching ot the Brady & Levesque Funeral Home's Web Site. It can be found at www.bnlfh.com . We are very pleased with how it came out and proud of it. Please visit us and tell us what you think
Jeff Levesque
Funeral Director
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where Are They Buried? How Did They Die?--Fitting ends and final
resting places of the famous, infamous, and noteworthy"
By Tod Benoit
Published by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
Covers people from Louis Armstrong to Malcolm X, hundreds in all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Got any Hot News for us. Issues that involve funeral service, in your community, it in, Everything you see here was send in by someone just like you. If there is a newspaper article in your area, send the link and we can all learn from it, even if it is your opinion we all learn from one another. Any HOT NEWS OR SCUTTLEBUTT WILL BE POSTED IN THE READER'S WRITE BACK SECTION.
Send your story or issue to FSPA just click here --->Lowellma@aol.com
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You are welcome, to write us with your comments, suggestions, complaints and especially stories about funeral service. Please remember only FSPA members will have information posted in the weekly update, it's easy click here ---> Mailto:Lowellma@aol.com Your participation is appreciated and essential.
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To make life easier on me
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Because e-mail can be altered electronically, the integrity of this communication cannot be guaranteed. Any of the items you read here, you are free to reuse, understand, the postings are just that, the items are for the most part cut and pasted from E-mail, others FAXed and of course from funeral publications and other media. What you see here is never checked, if you do decide to republish or quote any thing FSPA puts out, check it out, please do not name the individual who sent the article without their permission. If you see fit to use any information from FSPA please give us credit. Ages ago a state association news letter posted a quote using the senders name, she was not a happy camper nor was her company, please use caution in the future. We appreciate your understanding and we need your support.
Consider these steps for your life.
1. Work like you don't need the money.
2. Love like you've never been hurt.
3. Dance like you do when nobody's watching.
C YA
John
BOTTOM LINE: WE ALL WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF FUNERAL SERVICE PROFESSION AND THE DEATH CARE INDUSTRY THE CONSUMERS WE SERVE AND THE PROFESSIONALS WE WORK WITH. IF YOU SEE ANYTHING WRONG, IF SOMETHING HERE REALLY OFFENDS YOU, LET'S WORK TOGETHER. PLEASE NOTIFY FSPA IMMEDIATELY, YOU CAN E-MAIL TO lowellma@aol.com Or call FSPA in the United States Voice 978-458-6816 Fax 978-459-0115 or the old fashioned way through the mail at FSPA c/o 14 Highland Street Lowell, Massachusetts 01852-3399 USA
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