National Funeral Directors Day

National Funeral Directors Day is celebrated annually on March 11th to honor the work of people who help us through some of the most difficult days of our lives. Who are these caring people and what is their daily work life like?

Funeral Directors are similar to other professionals who deal with the intricacies of arranging for an event; they are unlike others because their work involves the details of death, specifically, caring for the physical body of the deceased. In arranging for funerals, visitations, memorial celebrations and the disposition of the body, funeral directors are bound by a plethora of state and federal laws which they must fully understand and execute.

The personal attributes of a director are as critical to their work as the skills of body preparation, details for planning a time of visitation with the family or arranging the many details of a funeral. Good funeral directors are empathetic, open, warm and caring with excellent listening skills. They must have seasoned written and verbal communication skills and be able to maintain professionalism and sensitivity in stressful situations. Their work requires an understanding and compassion for a wide range of religious and secular traditions, respecting and doing justice to each.

In order to complete their daily work, funeral directors need more than personal attributes; they must be able to multi-task, be detail-oriented, good at logistics, and accurate with legal paperwork. Because funeral directors work with so many individuals to facilitate a funeral, such as clergy, support staff, guest and family members, and other institutions like the crematory, cemetery, church and town offices, they must be effective collaborators.

The hours are irregular, including evenings and weekends and one’s personal schedule changes with rapidity, sometimes without notice, making flexibility a stand-out requirement. Funeral Directors are caring people who understand the need to remain in contact with a family as they pass through the immediate stages of a loss. Like many of the helping professions, funeral work can be emotionally taxing and thus is more a “calling” than a job.

Kora Michaud, one of the recently hired funeral directors at Miles describes her role in this way:

Funeral service captures the essence of humanity, encompassing love, loss, and hope, making it an honor to serve in this capacity and provide a beacon of light in the darkness of grief. By touching the lives of those experiencing loss, I am inspired to press on and make a difference.” (Kora Michaud)



For more about our wonderful funeral directors at Miles please read their bios on the staff page on our website: https://www.milesfuneralhome.com/about-us/our-caring-staff

To all our funeral directors at Miles we say thank you and wish you a meaningful celebration of National Funeral Directors Day on March 11th