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November 2016 directions A MEMBERS-ONLY PUBLICATION OF THE NEW YORK STATE DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION, INC. News Member PAGE 9 Helping Survivors Helping Survivors of Suicide PAGE 10 PAGE County Law Signed Non-Adjacent 16

Funeral in Director An American London PAGE 5 November feature

An American Funeral Director in London NYSFDA member, Heather Rauch, traveled to England 5 recently and toured an active, 200 year-old London funeral home. Read about interesting aspects of British funeral NYSFDA Officers services and honoring loved ones in the UK.

Walter J. Kent President Elmira 607-734-5368 FOOD AND BEVERAGE Wesley A. “Andy” Powell, CFSP President-Elect Amityville Are funeral homes legally able to serve 631-691-0172 food and beverages now? Jeffrey A. Jennings, CFSP Secretary / Treasurer Not yet. The law does not take effect untilJANUARY 17, 2017, at which time Penfield 585-381-3900 funeral homes may start doing so. Douglas R. Brueggemann Immediate Past President Does the law REQUIRE funeral homes to serve food and beverages? East Northport 631-368-1235 Not at all. It is completely up to each funeral home owner whether food Robert C. Enos and/or beverages will be provided. It is also completely up to you which Continuing Past President of the allowed light fare you provide. You also may choose to provide only West Seneca beverages and not food. 716-674-3636 Michael A. Lanotte Executive Director Will NYSFDA be providing more information on the law? 800-291–2629 Randy L. McCullough, CAE Yes! Once DOH issues a formal “guidance” providing more clarification, Deputy Executive Director NYSFDA will be hosting a webinar program and providing written materials 800-291–2629 for the benefit of all members interested in learning more about the food Bureau of Funeral Directing and beverage law. 518-402-0785 DIRECTIONS is published by the New York State Funeral Directors Association, Inc.

© 2016. All rights reserved. 1 South Family Drive IN REMEMBRANCE Albany, New York 12205 PHONE: 800-291-2629 DWAIN CAUNITZ, 52, passed away on October 18, 2016 after a short battle with FAX: 518-452–8667 cancer. He was the husband of Vesta Zaichenko-Caunitz of PrePlan. WEB: www.nysfda.org EMAIL: [email protected] JAMES A. BARNHART, 72, died unexpectedly on October 9, 2016 in Asheville, NC while spending time with his family. Jim graduated from Simmons School of Mortuary Editor: Rana Huber Science in 1964 and began working for C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel in Sidney that same Please send all contributing articles, photos, year. In 1972, Jim purchased the funeral home from Charles Landers and together with and story ideas to [email protected]. his wife, Carol, owned and operated the funeral chapel until his retirement in 2015. Jim held numerous positions in the Leatherstocking Funeral Directors Association and served on the Budget and Finance Committee of NYSFDA. DIRECTIONS Magazine Schedule: The January 2017 print publication deadline is th DEACONESS EVA W. LANE, passed away on October 9, 2016. She was the mother of December 15 . If your copy is not received Milton Lane of Paul Lane Funeral Home, Inc., in . by that date it will be saved for an upcoming issue of DIRECTIONS. DAVID L. MONROE, 85, passed away on October 7, 2016. At a very early age, Dave knew that he wanted to be a funeral director. While in high school, Dave began “LIKE” NYSFDA ON working for Leonard Hall Funeral Home in . Later, Dave began working for the Bookhout Funeral Home and eventually bought the funeral home. He owned and operated the Bookhout Funeral Home for many years until his retirement in 1997. presidential directions

Dear Colleagues:

was contemplating this column as I was driving down the highway to the ALLEGHENY-CATTARAUGUS FDA meeting at HOLIDAY VALLEY RESORT in Ellicottville on a beautiful fall afternoon, with the temperature at 75, sun shining and the fall foliage washing the hills with stunning splashes of red, Iorange and yellow. [See meeting photo below.] It was then I realized that we are just like the leaves. Some of the trees were still green, others were in full color, some were brown and half gone and some were bare.

We, as funeral professionals and as an association, are just like the leaves. When . . . We need new we are new to the profession or association, we blossom in our new role, come to full bloom, spend our “green” time serving and then, step back in the “fall” and let leaders,“ “saplings” if the next cycle begin with new blooms. you will, to keep our That being said, my time, as well as others, will be approaching “fall” in the future. association relevant. As that happens, we need new leaders, “saplings” if you will, to keep our association relevant.

With the help of our Executive Director, MIKE LANOTTE, I have developed a new task force. It will be a group of newly licensed, or new to our association funeral directors.

They will be the future leaders of our association and it is our responsibility to make sure NYSFDA remains the premier funeral service association in the country. Once the task force is set, we will invite them to Albany to begin their new “season.” I’ll keep you informed.

I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weather here in New York.

Happy Fall!

Sincerely,

Walter J. Kent

NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 3 executive directions

Dear Members:

The heart of fall and beginning of winter. When the days get shorter November. and the temperatures cooler. It is also the month that contains Election Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. I don’t know about you, but this year Election Day is eliciting feelings of sadness and embarrassment. Thankfully, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving continue to muster gratitude and honor.

So, while I am sure I could fill the page pontificating and opining on the craziness that defines this year’s presidential election, I’ve elected (pun intended) to focus on the gratitude and honor associated with Veterans Day and Thanksgiving.

Last month, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Their party, which they insisted they were going to arrange on their own, turned into a second wedding complete with renewing their vows. Of the nearly 100 guests were old friends from childhood, new friends from clubs they’ve joined and three generations of family members. Michael A. Lanotte As the party day drew near, all that mattered to them was that they would get to celebrate with their friends and family. And, on the day of the event, the room was At this time of filled with love and happiness. I heard many stories about my parents and how they impacted the lives of so many others. For me, the day reinforced why I deeply admire Thanksgiving my parents. Throughout their lives, they have, without fail, always placed family and friends above all else. There are countless times when they have sacrificed something celebration our to help another or simply to make sure they were there for them. Their unselfish ways thoughts turn have consistently inspired me to do more and to strive to be a better person today than I was yesterday. gratefully to our I am honored to be their son and grateful for all they have done for me. members with warm So, as the November holidays approach, I invite you to ask yourself what matters most appreciation. and what are you thankful for. If you’re like me, the answers won’t take long to find.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Lanotte

4 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 member directions

AN AMERICAN FUNERAL DIRECTOR IN

London By Heather Rauch

trip to London sounded like something out of a dream I may have had once after eating too much fish and chips.

I could hardly contain my excitement. My cousin was going to wed the man of her dreams and she asked me to be her Maid of Honor.

AAs the plans for the big trip with our entire family started coming together, I sat down and took to Google to find some of the more interesting sights to be seen in such a fascinating, historical city.

Of course, being that a funeral director is never off the clock, I was also secretly hoping to gain some insight into the funeral industry in the beautiful city we would be traveling to. NYSFDA Leadership I browsed through a few websites and quickly realized that one funeral home would stand out from the rest. Academy With a history of being family-owned and operated for 200-plus years, F.A. ALBIN & SONS graduate, FUNERAL HOME would be the ultimate location to pay a visit, if they’d have me.

HEATHER With butterflies in my stomach and a grin ear to ear, I quickly composed an e-mailto RAUCH, the address listed on their website. By the following morning, I had received the kindest response, welcoming me to come see how they operate. chronicles her My mom and I took the tube east a few stops from our Airbnb and strolled through a glorious amazing trip to park where several people sat in the morning sun, reading a book and sipping their lattes.

one of the most Upon arrival at the funeral home, we had the immense pleasure of being greeted by Mr. historical, family TOM AMATO, Funeral Director, completely unaware that we were about to be taken back in time, faces in awe, as we followed along behind him. owned funeral Their main location in Bermondsey houses a treasure trove, a museum of meticulously homes in the UK, documented funeral memorabilia specific not only to the funeral industry but also to F.A. Albin & Sons. F.A. ALBIN & SONS FUNERAL Their sprawling history fills the walls of a large room and each hallway on the second floor of their magnificent facility. Beautiful glass cases enclose some of the most remarkable pieces HOME. of funeral history I’ve ever laid my eyes on. > Continued on page 6

NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 4 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 5 Between their eight funeral home locations in the greater three years of training. Candidates can either attend a London area, F.A. Albin & Sons handles in excess of 1,500 Mortuary School for all three years or be trained under the calls per year in the UK. supervision of someone who is already an embalmer.

Of those 1,500 calls, about 400 of them come and go In the UK, an embalmer differs from a funeral director through ALBIN INTERNATIONAL, a branch of their funeral in that a funeral director is a businessman/woman who home which provides International Repatriation Services. performs the duties of the title and is not typically a licensed embalmer. They also deal with over 1,000 repatriations for those who have passed outside the UK and are transported back home I had the pleasure of meeting both embalmers on staff, Ms. or to other countries worldwide. PAULINE FARRELL, Senior Mortician and Embalmer and Mr. DAVID SPALDING, Mortuary Manager and Embalmer Over the years, London has become somewhat of a cultural who were gracious enough to give me a tour of their facility. melting pot and Repatriation Services are required far more often than years past. I was also quite impressed to be greeted by two members of the British Military. According to the Office for National Statistics, in 2014, 1 in 8 of the usual resident population of the UK was born abroad On a regular basis, the staff at Albin’s provides training to whereas only 1 in 11 was born abroad in 2004. nursing home staff, clergy, Ministry of Defence personnel, healthcare and other professionals who face bereavement Since 2002, F.A. Albin & Sons has held the contract with the issues as part of their daily duties. British Military, or Ministry of Defence, to bring home those who have died while serving their country. As you know, our services are held relatively quickly after the time of passing. Members of their staff have traveled abroad to escort soldiers back home, a task they take to heart – honored to At F.A. Albin & Sons, this is not the case. Services may not serve in such a manner. occur for several weeks after one’s passing.

Their facility is truly something to marvel at. Everything is taken care of over time, and families are given ample time for grief and preparation. When a removal is made, the deceased is placed into a cooler, a fascinating apparatus which has the capacity to Also, the funeral home provides the family with invitations house up to 100 individuals at any given time. when requested, which are sent out to print once funeral arrangements have been made. Each body is placed into the cooler, five units high and four units wide, from the outside. The family is then given the time to write them out, mail them, and receive a response from friends and relatives. Their embalmers can, in turn, access each individual from inside the preparation facility. Also, their arrangers put together what are called “Service Sheets” which outline the events of the service and include The deceased are fitted with a tracking bracelet favorite photographs of the deceased. and personal items are logged into a computer These are also sent out to print and are provided to family system. At each stop along their journey, the and friends on the day of the funeral service. deceased are checked to ensure their personal Families are granted any reasonable amount of time prior items still remain with them. This system can to services being conducted whether it be days or weeks. also tell a director what stage of preparation the Two coffin fitters are employed to ensure the measurements deceased has reached at any given time and from of the coffin will accommodate the deceased appropriately. any of their locations. Occasionally, an American casket may be utilized, but for the most part, a standard coffin is typically chosen and A sprawling board of organization, color coded and funeral customized to suit the deceased. home specific, lays out the tasks at hand. The lid – completely detachable – is slid downward toward There are three preparation tables and two full-time the foot end, just enough for viewing. embalmers on staff. Their funeral home is open during normal business hours. In order to be an embalmer in the UK, one must complete

6 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 A series of viewing rooms line one of the main halls just I know what you’re thinking, and yes, that means no long beyond the reception desk. I was led into a viewing room lines out the door, in the freezing cold, into the wee hours. which was just large enough for the coffin, a register book, and several mourners to pay their last respects. The funeral home employs full-time pallbearers as it is rare for family and friends to carry their loved ones’ coffin. Like a typical American Funeral Director might, I immediately wondered where the long line of relatives are to stand all Staffed pallbearers are dressed in standard F.A. Albin & night during calling hours. Sons attire, a black stroller with burgundy accessories to accompany their custom fleet of Jaguars of the same rich As it turns out, calling hours differ in the UK compared with color scheme. in the US in several ways. The coffin is carried to and from the ontheir Upon meeting with a funeral arranger, the family will choose shoulders. A funeral director or “conductor” as they say, is what day/days their loved one is to be viewed. often seen with his top hat and cane, marching in front of the hearse. If there is a restriction as to whom the family will allow to visit, they then give their arranger a password, specific to As F.A. Albin & Sons staff travel past the family home, a their loved one. single rose is placed on the doorstep.

The family is free to forward that password to anyone they Beautiful, custom-made vehicles are a crown jewel, asI choose and those people may come to the funeral home mentioned, in a sharp black and burgundy. Jaguars are their during normal business hours, speak the password to the standard coach and limousines of choice, yet the options receptionist, and pay their respects to the deceased in are endless. private. Multiple times per year a horse-drawn hearse is requested Should there be no restriction, family and friends may and delivered. simply speak the name of the deceased and they will be led to the viewing room to pay their respects. > Continued on page 8 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 6 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 7 The funeral home Once the pallbearers have placed the coffin within the retains an original 1930’s hearse at the funeral home, the hearse and limousines will Rolls Royce hearse pull up and the flowers will be draped over the top of each which is still available of them as a tribute. upon request. I was privileged to see some of the more ornate A memorial garden, arrangements such as a small red power chair made from spacious and beautiful, carnations and individual floral letters which spelled out is situated to one side of “Grandad Our Hero.” the funeral home. It is a place where cremains Just prior to the conclusion of our tour, Mr. Amato planned may be scattered within a hollowed cross, they may be for me to witness a funeral procession departing the facility. placed within a niche or they may not be present at all. It was a thing of such beauty and prestige, I would think A plaque remains to commemorate those lives that have they were conducting services for the Queen of England as been lost. It serves as a peaceful place for family and friends they began through the courtyard. to pay their respects and to connect with one another as a source of friendship and comfort. I looked on as their pallbearers carried the coffin to the awaiting hearse and could see through the giant windows A calming coy pond is situated at the far end of the garden of the back end as they gently placed it inside. where rocks also serve as memorials. Mr. Albin-Dyer himself is laid to rest within a mausoleum in his beautiful garden. The hearse pulled forward and the flowers were loaded in and around the vehicles. In this instance, they were heading More so than I’m used to, floral arrangements truly express to the family home where loved ones would be collected to something special. proceed to their place of worship.

They may spell out “Grandad” or “Mother” and are I left with such a feeling of honor and privilege tohave commonly arranged on and around the roof racks of the witnessed such ceremony and history. hearse and family limousines during a procession. I will forever be grateful to the staff at F.A. Albin & Sons who One thing I found fascinating was that several small name took the time out of their busy schedules to educate me. plates lined the iron fence just before the entrance to the memorial garden. They have evolved from one of the oldest family-owned funeral homes in London into one of the most modern and As it turns out, the flowers are not carried into the funeral accommodating while still preserving their rich heritage home and placed on display on or around the coffin as is and history. common here. As funeral directors, we will never know it all, but there is Just prior to each funeral, florists will pull up to this nothing more fascinating than opening our eyes to another designated area and unload their arrangements in front of culture’s final goodbyes. the respective names for whom services will be conducted that day. For more stories like this one, visit NYSFDA’s blog: www.SympathyNotes.org

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8 AFCad_NYSFDA_1_121815.inddNYSFDA Directions • November 3 2016 12/18/15 12:27 PM outmoded impediment to a funeral director wishing simply GOVERNOR CUOMO to act at the direction of the family to safely and efficiently retrieve their loved one’s body in order to prepare it for SIGNS NON-ADJACENT final disposition. The necessity to obtain a prior permit or receive prior permission simply because the county is “non- COUNTY LAW adjacent” delays this critical process, creating unnecessary emotional upset for the family. legislation to allow a licensed NYSFDA’s funeral director to remove the Second, NYS EDRS, once fully implemented, will eliminate body of a deceased person from a county non-adjacent to the need to communicate by telephone and require permits the county in which the funeral firm is located was signed to be obtained electronically. into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo on September 30. The law took effect immediately. Third, and perhaps most notably, the elimination of this impediment will, in facilitating the removal of the deceased As a result, the need for a funeral director to first get a from a place of death, work to uphold and respect the permit, or obtain verbal permission from a registrar, requirement of some religions that the body of a deceased to remove a body from a non-adjacent county is no longer individual must be buried no later than 24 hours after the needed. time of death.

A funeral director may now travel to and remove This new law is a natural and logical progression from two a body from any facility or private home located in previous changes in law: one from the 1950s which first a non-adjacent county in the same manner as has allowed such removals from other registration districts and long been allowed for deaths in adjacent counties. a subsequent law from the 1970s that allowed unfettered removals from adjacent counties, all without the funeral NYSFDA initiated and secured enactment of this law based director first securing either a permit or verbal permission on several comments received from members. from a registrar.

First, in our increasingly mobile society, the routine need for It is important to note, however, that funeral directors must some individuals to receive the requisite level of specialized still eventually obtain the required burial permit, just not or end-of-life care at facilities in more metropolitan areas prior to the removal. You must also still notify the coroner has made common instances when a person passes away or medical examiner of any death occurring from other in a county that is not adjacent to where their family than natural causes, and return the body to the registration and/or their funeral director of choice are located. This district in the county where the death occurred whenever societal change, coupled in part with advances in medical the coroner, medical examiner, or district attorney requests care, is not at all reflected in the current decades-old law the return of the body for investigation or post-mortem governing removal of bodies -- a law which serves as an examination.

NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 8 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 9 For Most Important Passengers BY ED MUNGER

enerable and distinctive, the hearse has served as a hallmark of funeral processions for more than a century.

And with good reason, according to Funeral Director WALTER J. KENT – it’s the central vehicle Vin a funeral because of who it carries. This summer, Kent became one of only two-dozen people worldwide to acquire a 2016 GRAND VISTA CLASSIC COACH.

With a long frame, white-walled tires and chromed highlights, the new hearse brings back the old style of early vehicles yet gives Kent modern-day reliability.

Custom-built in Arkansas, the WALTER J. KENT FUNERAL HOME’s new hearse comes with an automatic transmission, a General Motors drivetrain and an LS - 3 Corvette motor, providing modern reliability Kent depends on.

Kent, the 2016 NYSFDA President, flew down to the Arkansas workshop of theROSEWOOD CLASSIC COACH CO. to take a brief test ride and his first real drive was the 120-mile trip he took from the Convention in Rochester back home to Elmira.

“It just ran great,” he said.

The Rosewood Classic Coach Co. is owned by fourth-generation Arkansas funeral director RICHARD NEAL, who acquired molds and designs from a business partner MAX PRINZING, a custom vehicle maker from Minnesota.

It didn’t take long for the newest vehicle in the fleet of the Walter J. Kent Funeral Home to draw attention. People started stopping by about five minutes after he got back home from Rochester.

“No less than 25 people pulled in the parking lot, got out and looked and took pictures,” he recalls. A couple people posted photos of the car on their Facebook pages.

“It’s a unique vehicle and it garners a lot of attention,” said Kent – himself a car aficionado.

He’s not only a car fan – he’s a serious businessman when it comes to his funeral firm.

“I love the car. I just like the uniqueness of it – nobody else has one, and I do.”

It’s not spoken about often in public – but there’s fierce competition in the funeral profession. Kent expects his new vehicle might help bring more families his way.

He doesn’t expect every funeral home to go out and place an order, though. He’s already heard some hesitation from those seeing it for the first time.

One person he met at the Convention put it bluntly, Kent recalls. “One guy said `why would you buy something like that? That would never work in my town.’”

10 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 range in price from $99,500 to $105,000 – according to some reports. Kent said he didn’t pay more for his custom vehicle than he would have for a new hearse. Unclaimed Veterans’ And the Classic Coach, as far as Kent is concerned, is “timeless.” Cremains Law

“It’s no more expensive than a Cadillac or Lincoln hearse – but they become dated. You pay all that money for a car, and most funeral directors keep them for quite a number of years,” Kent said.

It looks a lot like a Duesenberg Motors car of the 1930s, and it also brings the qualities of the old horse-drawn hearses nitiated by NYSFDA, this 2010 law allows for the interment – following Kent’s guidance during of veterans’ unclaimed cremains by removing the barriers planning for the build. that previously existed, while also providing the flexibility and liability protections necessary for funeral directors In terms of work, the look of the car and veterans’ organizations alike to carry out this noble doesn’t detract from its utility. It will endeavor. fit any size casket and comes with the I proper gear to hold it in place. This law established a much needed framework to allow funeral directors to determine whether cremated remains It has a vintage-style wooden dashboard, in their possession are those of a veteran, and, at their round gauges and carpeted flooring. option, may enlist the assistance of certain veterans’ But it’s not extravagant – the interior is service organizations (VSOs) in the process of interment. A `leatherette’ – not some fancy Italian leather. VSO may also help in identification if requested by a funeral director. Kent’s hearse is the first “Grand Vista” Leaders of the NYS Veteran Recovery Program / Patriot Guard model with a full glass window – it gives Riders approached NYSFDA in early 2010 to express their strong a full view of the primary guest of a desire to work with us to craft legislation to allow funeral directors funeral – the deceased. to work with them and other veterans’ groups voluntarily to help locate, identify and inter the unclaimed cremains of American “The most important person goes in that veterans. car,” Kent said. The law was the culmination of those collaborative efforts; it serves as a model throughout the nation for similar groups in other states to work in tandem for the betterment of those we serve. NYSFDA also received the support of the Vietnam Veterans of America – New York State Council in proposing this law.

To schedule an interment: BILL SCHAAF Veteran Recovery Program, State Coordinator NYSFDA President Patriot Guard Riders, Assistant State Captain Walt Kent's 2016 Grand Vista Classic Coach on display at the PHONE: (518) 542-0608 E-MAIL: [email protected] NYSFDA Annual Convention in Rochester in August.

NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 10 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 11 X20505-API-911 Flag.qxd_Composition 8/25/16 3:56 PM Saint Teresa of Calcutta, MC Born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu no day shall erase you 26 August 1910 from the memory of time Üsküp, Kosovo Vilayet virgil Died 5 September 1997 Calcutta, , India Canonized 4 September 2016 Rome, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus.

September 11, 2001 In memory of those whose spirit shines in the darkness. May We Never Forget

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12 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 Scheduling a Burial with the National Cemetery Administration We received the following update from the NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION SCHEDULING OFFICE recently:

o schedule a burial, first fax all discharge Other: documentation to the NATIONAL CEMETERY SCHEDULING OFFICE at • Type of emblem of belief for headstone/marker 1-866-900-6417 or scan and e-mail the (if desired) documentation to [email protected] • Did the decedent reside within 75 miles of Twith the name of the decedent in the subject line. requested cemetery? Please follow-up with a phone call to 1-800-535-1117 • ZIP code of decedent at time of death once your documents have been sent. • County of decedent at time of death • Type of burial To better serve you, thy ask that you please have the • Casket; or following information readily available when you call: • Casket size/liner size

• Cemetery of choice Cremation: • First or subsequent burial (Veteran or dependent already buried) • Urn size/urn vault size • If subsequent interment, who is already interred, social security number and section and site More: number (if known) • Marital status of deceased (if Veteran is buried in a Decedent’s: private cemetery, must provide documentation of • Full name marital status of spouse at time of death) • Gender • Is surviving spouse a Veteran? • Social Security Number (SSN) • Date of death • Any disabled children for future interment (must • Date of birth provide name and date of birth). If requesting • Relationship (Veteran or dependent) immediate interment (must provide marital status, doctor’s statement stating type of illness, date of Funeral director’s contact information: onset of illness and capability of self-support). • Military Honors requested. It is important to • Funeral director’s name note that scheduling of military honors is the • Funeral home’s name responsibility of the funeral home or family member • Address; and requesting the interment. Our representative will • E-mail address of the funeral home be able to provide those telephone numbers for your convenience. Next of kin information: Should you experience future issues or if you have • Name additional concerns regarding long wait times, please • Relationship to deceased contact them using their INQUIRY ROUTING & • SSN INFORMATION SYSTEM [https://iris.custhelp.com/], • Telephone number so they can track inquiries and respond promptly. • Address

NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 12 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 13 Do you have a photo, story or event Member directions you would like to share with the readers of DIRECTIONS? Email your news item, including contact information to [email protected].

ORSFDA GATHERING

NYSFDA Executive Director, MIKE LANOTTE, and Director of Preneed Trust Services, ADAM SCHROM, attended the ORANGE ROCKLAND SULLIVAN FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION’S end of summer BBQ held in Newburgh on October 4. Pictured left to right: ADAM SCHROM; RICHARD J. SULLIVAN of QUIGLEY BROS. FUNERAL HOME; RICH LALLI of WILLIAM M. GAGAN FUNERAL HOME; TYLER ZYGMUNT MURTIE of ZYGMUNT-MURTIE FUNERAL AND CREMATION SERVICE; and MIKE LANOTTE.

A LOOK BACK IN TIME

This photo is from the NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY: All-white HORNTHAL & COMPANY hearse parked next to the MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY in New York City, November 6, 1916. Photographed for Hornthal & Company, undertakers’ suppliers, 329 E. 53rd Street. Do you have an old photo you’d like to share? E-mail it to: [email protected].

STATEWIDE SENIOR ACTION COUNCIL

NYSFDA Deputy Executive Director RANDY L. McCULLOUGH [pictured far right] and NYSFDA Director of Preneed Trust Services ADAM SCHROM [center], presented at the STATEWIDE SENIOR ACTION COUNCIL Convention in Saratoga Springs on September 28, 2016 with GARY BROWN, NYS Assistant Attorney General. StateWide is a grassroots membership organization made up of individual senior citizens and senior citizen clubs from all parts of New York State.

Greg Shepardson Tom Fusco 315-437-1760 Fred Gifford III 516-568-9142 [email protected] 207-252-6741 [email protected] [email protected]

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14 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 NEW STATE LAW ALLOWS PETS TO BE INTERRED WITH OWNERS State Cemetery Division now starting implementation

By Randy L. McCullough, NYSFDA Deputy Executive Director

fter a three-year effort, a bill allowing New Yorkers to be buried with their pets has become law by signature of the Governor on September A 26, 2016. Under provisions of the bill – which took effect immediately and overturns a previous regulation banning the practice – cemeteries may choose to offer the option of allowing pet cremated remains to be interred with their owners. The law does not apply to any incorporated or unincorporated religious cemetery. Pets are increasingly Cemeteries wishing to offer pet with their owners must first have their charges approved by the NYS CEMETERY BOARD and, summarily, provide a viewed as “a member list of these charges to anyone interested in this service. of the family” and, with All payments received by a cemetery for interring pet cremated remains must be deposited into the cemetery’s PERMANENT MAINTENANCE FUND. approximately 62% of Although the law is now in effect, the NYS DIVISION OF CEMETERIES is U.S. households owning currently working on interpreting the bill (possibly through regulation) and determining what is needed for the purposes of implementing it, such as a pet, funeral directors devising an application. and cemeteries have Thus far, the Division has rendered that the law only applies to domesticated animals (not including pet tigers or other exotic animals) and that there will be been increasingly asked no requirement for pet euthanization upon the death of the owner. However, under current law, pet means any domestic animal that has been adapted about this burial option. or tamed to live in intimate association with people and includes, but is not limited to, dogs, cats, rodents, fish, birds, snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs and rabbits. We will keep you informed as we go forward as to any detailed procedures that are established by the Division. In the interim, however, I would recommend that funeral directors keep abreast of which of their local cemeteries plan to offer the interment of pet cremated remains.

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NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 14 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 15 Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is November 19, 2016

SURVIVOR DAY is the one day a year when people affected by suicide loss gather at events in their local communities to find comfort and gain understanding as they share stories of healing and hope.

ll gatherings will include a screening of LIFE JOURNEYS: RECLAIMING LIFE AFTER LOSS, a new AMERICAN FOUNDATION OF SUICIDE PREVENTION (AFSP) produced Survivor Day documentary that traces the grief and Ahealing journey that follows a suicide loss over time. The film features three individuals from New York State. FIND A SURVIVOR DAY EVENT IN YOUR AREA

Additional programming is specific to each event and may include presentations by loss survivors and mental health professionals. Not all events can accommodate teen or child attendees,registration is requested at afsp.org/find-support/ ive-lost-someone/survivor-day.

9 a.m. – 2 p.m. • The New School, 66 West 12th Street, NYC 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. • NY Presbyterian Hospital, Sturgis Hall, 21 Bloomingdale Road, White Plains 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. • Mental Health Association of Rockland County, 140 NY-303, Valley Cottage 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. • Schuyler United Methodist Church, 150 Church Road, Frankfort 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. • United Methodist Church, 604 Oswego Road, Liverpool 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. • 26 Main Street, Granville (Co-sponsored by ROBERT M. KING FUNERAL HOME) • Albany High School, Media Center, 700 Washington Avenue, Albany • Crandall Public Library, 251 Glen Street, Glens Falls • Lutheran Church, 1 Center Street, Oneonta • Krause Center, 2212 Burdett Avenue, Troy • Walton Central High School, 47-49 Stockton Avenue, Walton 11:00 a.m. – 3 p.m. • University of Rochester, 415 Elmwood Drive, Rochester • Brodock Press/Mill Square Building, Suite 401, 502 Court Street, Utica 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. • Lansing Community Center, 29 Auburn Road, Lansing • Four Winds Hospital, Mastrianni Hall, 30 Crescent Avenue, Saratoga Springs 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. • Huntington Hilton, 598 Broad Hollow Road, Melville Noon – 3:30 p.m. • Butler Rehabilitation Center, 400 Forest Avenue, Buffalo • CareFirst, 3805 Meads Creek Road, Painted Post 12:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. • Galleria Mall at Crystal Run, Community Room A, 1 Galleria Drive, Middletown 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. • Mental Health Association of Genesee and Orleans Counties, location TBA, Albion Time TBA • Union College Hall, 807 Union Street, Schenectady

UNABLE TO ATTEND AN EVENT IN PERSON?

On Survivor Day, AFSP will host a 90-minute program that will include a screening of the documentary LIFE JOURNEYS; a post-screening discussion on coping with a suicide loss; and a Q&A with online viewers. For more information, visit: afsp.org/find-support/ive-lost-someone/survivor-day. New events are added every day. If you don’t find an event near you, please check back.

16 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is Why I’m Volunteering for November 19, 2016 Survivors of Suicide Loss Day

SURVIVOR DAY is the one day a year when people affected by suicide loss gather By MARY J. KING, Robert M. King Funeral Home, Granville, NY at events in their local communities to find comfort and gain understanding as I learned about this event in a continuing education program during the NYSFDA Convention in August. I was intrigued they share stories of healing and hope. and made a decision that we needed to be involved. ll gatherings will include a screening of LIFE JOURNEYS: RECLAIMING LIFE AFTER LOSS, a new AMERICAN I live in a fairly small, rural community in upstate New York. We are located on the border with FOUNDATION OF SUICIDE PREVENTION (AFSP) produced Survivor Day documentary that traces the grief and Vermont. About half of our business comes from Vermont. Ahealing journey that follows a suicide loss over time. The film features three individuals from New York State. I do not know if this is the experience of other funeral directors but it seems in the last five years suicide has been on the rise in our area. We have served nine FIND A SURVIVOR DAY EVENT IN YOUR AREA families in that timeframe who have experienced this type of loss. PTSD-related suicide has claimed the highest number and the others Additional programming is specific to each event and may include presentations by loss survivors and mental health we may never know. Living and working in a small rural area means that professionals. Not all events can accommodate teen or child attendees,registration is requested at afsp.org/find-support/ we personally know the deceased and their families. ive-lost-someone/survivor-day. When I listened to the speaker in the class, what she was saying was so 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. • The New School, 66 West 12th Street, NYC true. It goes without saying that we are the first people families deal with when faced with this trauma. 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. • NY Presbyterian Hospital, Sturgis Hall, 21 Bloomingdale Road, White Plains I am sure we all do our best to help families through this difficult 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. • Mental Health Association of Rockland County, 140 NY-303, Valley Cottage time. We take away the burden of the details and logistics involved in starting their grief journey. Every family we serve, we guide through 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. • Schuyler United Methodist Church, 150 Church Road, Frankfort as best we can. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. • United Methodist Church, 604 Oswego Road, Liverpool All deaths put families through a trying time, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. • 26 Main Street, Granville (Co-sponsored by ROBERT M. KING FUNERAL HOME) • Albany High School, Media Center, 700 Washington Avenue, Albany but accidental, suicide or other unexpected • Crandall Public Library, 251 Glen Street, Glens Falls • Lutheran Church, 1 Center Street, Oneonta deaths are much more trying. • Krause Center, 2212 Burdett Avenue, Troy • Walton Central High School, 47-49 Stockton Avenue, Walton Having been through this with what I feel is a large number of 11:00 a.m. – 3 p.m. • University of Rochester, 415 Elmwood Drive, Rochester families, I felt we needed to take a further step. • Brodock Press/Mill Square Building, Suite 401, 502 Court Street, Utica This event seemed to be a good first step. 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. • Lansing Community Center, 29 Auburn Road, Lansing • Four Winds Hospital, Mastrianni Hall, 30 Crescent Avenue, Saratoga Springs I feel that we, as funeral directors, are by nature compassionate and caring. But I have never experienced a suicide in my family 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. • Huntington Hilton, 598 Broad Hollow Road, Melville firsthand and therefore feel limited when it comes to helping Noon – 3:30 p.m. • Butler Rehabilitation Center, 400 Forest Avenue, Buffalo someone. • CareFirst, 3805 Meads Creek Road, Painted Post I always advise the family that while I am ready to listen and 12:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. • Galleria Mall at Crystal Run, Community Room A, 1 Galleria Drive, Middletown give advice, I can not say I have been where they are. Only someone who has walked in those shoes can truly understand. 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. • Mental Health Association of Genesee and Orleans Counties, location TBA, Albion Therefore, we at ROBERT M. KING FUNERAL HOME are Time TBA • Union College Hall, 807 Union Street, Schenectady sponsoring this event to connect families with others who are on the same path. Whenever we can help families make an UNABLE TO ATTEND AN EVENT IN PERSON? important connection such as this, we are taking our jobs to the next level. On Survivor Day, AFSP will host a 90-minute program that will include a screening of the documentary LIFE JOURNEYS; a post-screening discussion on coping with a suicide loss; and a Q&A with online viewers. For more information, visit: We are looking forward to this event and hope to be a part of afsp.org/find-support/ive-lost-someone/survivor-day. New events are added every day. If you don’t find an event near the AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION you, please check back. for many years to come.

NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 16 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 17 CLASSIFIEDS If you have a listing, please e-mail [email protected], or call 800-291-2629 and an ad will be placed in DIRECTIONS and on www.nysfda.org. Please contact the office immediately when the posting is no longer needed. Ads will be listed as space permits or for a maximum of three months unless otherwise notified. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of any listing; it is the responsibility of the candidate, potential buyer or seller to verify authenticity of the other party. We reserve the right to censor, revise, edit or reject any advertisement. • STAFF WANTED Funeral Director Opportunity Available in Suffolk County, Long Island. Licensed Funeral Director Wanted. F/T position at family owned funeral home Well established funeral home is interviewing for an experienced located in Bronx, NY. Must be a self starter and able to work under pressure. Funeral Director. This person will interact directly with the families The applicant must know how to process and file any documents associated during their time of need and is responsible for creating and maintaining with a funeral, must be able to embalm and perform home/hospital removals. the highest level of the family’s satisfaction. A competitive salary and Please be knowledgeable about life insurance, VA benefits, Crime Victim’s comprehensive benefit package is offered. Please e-mail resume to: Assistance, Social Security and all aspects of preplanning. We seek a well [email protected]. All correspondence will be kept rounded person who works well with various family and religious customs. confidential. Bilingual in English and Spanish is a plus. Please send your resume and letter of interest which should include a bio about yourself as well as any salary Licensed Funeral Director Sought. Long established Central New York requirements you may have. Please e-mail [email protected]. independent funeral firm is looking for a NYS licensed funeral director to assist in all phases in operation of the funeral home. Must possess a valid Resident/Apprentice Opportunity Available in Rochester. Well-established funeral directors and driver’s licenses, be willing to take night and weekend funeral home is looking for a recent or soon-to-be graduate of Mortuary call when scheduled, be competent and presentable and possess excellent Science who is professionally motivated and wants to gain direct experience character. Health insurance, group life insurance, payment of professional with a top-tier organization. Interested? Send cover letter, resume, and and civic organization fees, clothing allowance, use of automobile and transcript to: [email protected]. adequate scheduled time off are provided. Send resume with character references to [email protected]. Resident - Upper East Side NYC. Resident position available for a fast-paced, Upper East Side Funeral Home in New York City. 300 call volume with lots of Funeral Director or Resident Needed in Roscoe, NY. Family-owned funeral extras and possible full time position at the end of residency. Candidate needs home seeking a newly licensed funeral director or a resident funeral director. clean driving record. All inquiries can be sent to [email protected]. Individual must have good social skills and be self-driven – everything else we will help you learn. Housing, salary and benefits are negotiable; looking Wanted: Licensed or Resident funeral director to work alongside owner who to fill position immediately. Please send your resume and include a bio of would like to retire in a few years, 85-95 call a year business independently yourself as well as any salary requirements you may have. Please e-mail owned. Offering a competitive salary, large 2 bedroom apartment with utilities [email protected]. included and scheduled time off. Must have a clean driver’s license, be able to lift, self motivated, neat and pleasant. Please e-mail resume and expectations Funeral Home in Long Island Seeks Experienced Funeral Director. Position of salary and qualifications to [email protected]. includes a 401K, vacation and sick days, health benefits and a flexible schedule. Interested applicants please contact us at: [email protected]. Resident or Funeral Director Wanted. We are looking for a Resident or Funeral Director wanting to learn all aspects of Funeral Service in Upstate NY. Area Manager - Rochester. New Comer Funeral Home is a family owned, Please contact me at [email protected]. multi-location funeral home organization looking for an experienced and motivated Area Manager to lead our Rochester team! This position Job Opportunity for Resident in Queens / Brooklyn. Funeral Home on the will direct and control operational activities for two funeral homes in the Brooklyn / Queens border is seeking a full time resident with a valid NYS driver Rochester area ensuring family satisfaction, directing staff and managing license. Ability to speak French / Creole and Spanish is a plus. Please e-mail the funeral homes financial performance. Candidates must be a Licensed resumes to [email protected]. Funeral Director in the State of New York and have 5 years of management experience. Newcomer offers an attractive benefits package and life Funeral Director Wanted in Binghamton. Busy suburban funeral home in balance! Join our team today. EOE. Apply online: www.nfsgi.com. the Binghamton area seeking licensed funeral director. This position interacts directly with client families during their time of need and is responsible for Central New York Funeral Director Needed. We are looking for both a creating and maintaining a premier level of client family satisfaction. Our full-time, licensed funeral director and possibly a part-time, semi-retired funeral directors are looking for more than a career – it’s a calling. Must licensed funeral director as well. Living quarters are available. Salary will have NYS Funeral Directors License and clean driving record. Newly licensed be based on experience. Free health insurance is included. Newly-licensed applicants are welcome. Excellent interpersonal skills and proficiency in applicants are welcome to respond as well. Please send your resume to Microsoft Excel and Outlook required. Apply online at www.sci-corp.com or [email protected]. e-mail resume to [email protected].

Career Opportunity for NYS Licensed Funeral Director at Hellman Memorial Chapels in Spring Valley, NY. This is a full service position (arranging, directing, embalming, removals, etc.), but with a focus on care of • SEEKING EMPLOYMENT the families. Comprehensive benefits package. Interested candidates please Resident Position Sought in NYC, Albany County or Orange County. Recent reply to: [email protected] with “For Funeral graduate of AAMI seeking residency in the five boroughs, Albany, or Orange Director Position” in the subject line. County. I have a B.S in psychology, a B.A in English, and am willing to relocate. Please contact Theodore Harp Lafontant at 484-291-4277. Licensed Funeral Director or Resident - Catskill Region. Independently owned, Southern Tier/Catskill Mtn. funeral home is seeking a licensed NYS Licensed Funeral Director Position Wanted in Cheektowaga/Suburbs funeral director or a resident funeral director for all aspects of operation. area. I have a strong background in customer service with impeccable Salary and benefit package commensurate with experience. Housing communication and people skills. I maintain old-fashion values, providing available. This opportunity can lead to ownership for the right person. superior service to the families I deal with. A vital asset to your funeral Contact [email protected] for more information. firm. Will provide resume with excellent references upon request. Please contact Marie Luh: (H) 716-897-1638, (C)-716-462-1055 or e-mail Great Employment Opportunity for Talented Funeral Professionals. We [email protected]. offer a challenging career, continuous learning, competitive benefits and the opportunity to grow professionally. Must be a licensed NYS funeral director. Funeral Director Seeking Full or Part-Time Work. Semi-retired, licensed Please e-mail your resume to [email protected] or fax funeral director in eastern Suffolk County available for sign-ins at Calverton, to 844-669-1726. All inquiries will be confidential. Pinelawn area cemeteries; or other Suffolk County cemeteries. Also available for funeral arrangements, directing, floor duty and driving. Contact Joe at Resident Sought - New Comer Funeral Home Albany. Are you looking for 631-252-3847. the right position to start your career in funeral service? Newcomer Funeral Service Group is a progressive, growth oriented family-owned funeral home NYS Licensed Funeral Director Seeking Employment. I’m a licensed funeral firm. We are currently seeking a resident who is professionally motivated director who has experience in the funeral industry. I’m looking for any part- and wants to gain direct experience in all aspects of a funeral home to serve time, fill-ins or full-time position in the Nassau/Suffolk area and even in the in our Albany chapel. Newcomer offers an attractive compensation and metro area of NYC. I am a hardworking and enthusiastic individual who wants benefits package and work/life balance. Join our team today. EOE. For more to succeed in this field and would be a great asset to any firm. Please contact information and to apply online, visit: http://www.nfsgi.com/. me at [email protected] or 631-572-7751 (cell) or 631-983-8302 (home).

18 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 Licensed Funeral Director Seeks Part-Time in Manhattan and Brooklyn. I Licensed Director Seeks Career in Capital Region. Licensed Funeral Director am a Licensed NYS Funeral Director seeking part-time work in Brooklyn or for 5 years looking for a full-time position in the Capital District or surrounding Manhattan. I am available for directings and arrangements. Please contact areas. I have had experience in all aspects of Funeral Service. Please contact me at: [email protected]. [email protected].

Residency Sought in or Near Westchester County. Recent Funeral Services graduate eager to begin serving families seeks Residency in or near Westchester County. Contact Diane at 914-255-6681 or via e-mail at • WANTED [email protected]. Stretcher Wanted. Preferably with both handles in the front, not a one-man stretcher. Please e-mail [email protected]. Licensed Director Seeking Manager Position. NYS Licensed Funeral Director seeks manager position. I’m currently a location manager for a multi-location Capital District Family Owned Funeral Home Looking to Expand Business. firm. I have vast experience and am willing to relocate. I can be reached via We are currently in the process of searching for a well-respected family e-mail at: [email protected]. owned funeral home in the Capital District area. We promise to carry on your legacy of being a well respected, community oriented, family run funeral home. All inquiries will remain confidential. Only serious inquiries are urged to contact us at [email protected]. H.R. Corner NEW FEDERAL OVERTIME RULE TAKES EFFECT DECEMBER 1

The U.S. Department of Labor’s new Overtime Rule takes effect on DECEMBER 1, 2016. Under the new rule, anyone earning less than $47,476 per year ($913 per week) will be eligible for overtime pay. (The current salary cutoff for overtime pay is $23,660 per year/$455 per week.)

If a funeral home is not able to pay a licensed funeral director $47,476 a year, the funeral director may continue to be paid a salary, but must also be paid overtime for additional hours worked beyond 40 hours per week.

It is important to track the hours worked for all nonexempt employees. “Punching the clock” is not required, but some type of written documentation should record of the number hours worked. It is important to note that when a funeral director employee is on call, the time on call is not considered hours worked as long as the employee can enjoy personal freedom at home or within a certain geographical radius of the funeral home.

Please refer to the article in the July 2016 issue of DIRECTIONS or visit https://nysfda.org/index.php/business- management for complete details as you plan for and pay your employee compensation beginning in December 2016.

STATEWIDE GRADUATED AND REGIONAL MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE TO $15 AN HOUR

• NYC businesses with 11 or more employees – increases to $11.00 an hour on DECEMBER 31, 2016 and then annual $2.00 increases until reaching $15.00 on DECEMBER 31, 2018. • NYC businesses with 10 or less employees – increases to $10.50 an hour on DECEMBER 31, 2016 and then annual $1.50 increases until reaching $15.00 on DECEMBER 31, 2019. • Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester County businesses – increases to $10.00 an hour on DECEMBER 31, 2016 and then annual $1.00 increases until reaching $15.00 on DECEMBER 31, 2021. • The rest of the state – increases to $9.70 an hour on DECEMBER 31, 2016 and then annual $0.70 increases until reaching $12.50 on DECEMBER 31, 2020. In 2018 the Division of Budget and Labor Department will create an index/schedule for after DECEMBER 31, 2020 for the minimum wage to increase to $15.00.

NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 18 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 19 NEW YORK STATE TRIBUTE FOUNDATION Donations and Tributes Recap The contributors listed below are those who have made donations to the Tribute Foundation. The levels at which they are listed are the “cumulative levels” they have attained since the Foundation began. Gifts of Remembrance and Gifts in Honor and Celebration are also cumulative and count toward the levels of giving.

TRIBUTE LEGACY SOCIETY $10,000 OR MORE KEYSTONE CONTRIBUTOR $1,000 - $2,499 • Wayne and Sally Baxter (Fox Funeral Home, Forest Hills) • Fred Bryant (Bryant Funeral Home, Inc., East Setauket) • Douglas and Lillian Brueggemann (Brueggemann Funeral Home of • Beth Burlingame (NYSFDA) E. Northport, Inc., East Northport) • Jack Conway (Island Sea Services, LLC, Douglaston) • Timothy P. Doyle, CFSP (Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home, Poughkeepsie) • Peter DeLuca (Greenwich Village Funeral Home, New York) • Dutchess Putnam Ulster Funeral Directors Association • Peggy and Jeff Gaines (Ozone Park) • Peter J. Nolan and James P. Nolan, Jr. (Nolan & Taylor-Howe Funeral • Chad and Chatherine Green (Donaldson Funeral Home, Massena) Home, Inc., Northport) • Richard and Donna Hazzard (Patterson) • Ontario-Wayne-Yates County Funeral Directors Association • Rana and Joe Huber (NYSFDA) • Jeffrey A. Jennings(Jennings, Nulton & Mattle Funeral Home, Inc., CORNERSTONE BENEFACTOR $5,000 - $9,999 Penfield) • Walter J. and Diane Kent (Walter J. Kent Funeral Home, Elmira) • Scott B. Anthony, CFSP (Anthony Funeral & Cremation Chapels, Webster) • Bruce K. Mason (Mason Funeral Home, Fort Ann) • James P. Dean (Campbell-Dean Funeral Home, Inc., Oneida) • F. Roy Meserole (Inwood) • Erie-Niagara Funeral Directors Association • Wesley A. and Wesley C. Powell (Powell Funeral Home, Amityville) • William F. Flooks, Jr. (Beecher Flooks Funeral Home, Inc., Pleasantville) • Patricia Knight Scholl (Keegan-Osbelt-Knight Funeral Home, Syracuse) • John Fraser (Holy Rosary Church, Hawthorne) • G. Robert Sweet (Sweet’s Funeral Home, Inc., Hyde Park) • Leatherstocking Funeral Directors Association • Bonnie McCullough (Niskayuna) • Scott and Eben Miller(Miller Printing & Litho, Inc., Amsterdam) TRIBUTE PIONEER $500 - $999 • Joseph B. Papavero (Papavero Funeral Home, Maspeth) • American Funeral Consultants (New Paltz) • Richard J. and JoAnne Sullivan (Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush, Inc., • Ivan and Melissa Antonyuk (NYSFDA) Highland Mills) • David Demmerley (Donald M. Demmerley Funeral Home, Inc., • Sal Stratis (Abigal Press) Hamburg) • Carl W. Trainor (Trainor Funeral Home, Inc., Boonville) • Curtis A. Cunningham and Scott M. Zielonko (A.J. Cunningham Funeral Homes, Inc., Greenville) MEDALLION CIRCLE $2,500 - $4,999 • Kelly and Stephen Deitz (NYSFDA) • Michael Heredia (Conway Funeral Home, Jackson Heights) • Capital District Funeral Directors Association • McVeigh Funeral Home (Albany) • Joesph E. Dietrich (Dietrich Funeral Homes, Inc., Amherst) • Marianne and Adam Schrom (NYSFDA) • Robert C. Enos (Hoy Funeral Home, Inc., West Seneca) • Henry Gutterman (New York) FRIEND OF THE FOUNDATION $100 - $249 • John and Susan Kelly (Edward L. Kelly Funeral Home, Schroon Lake) • Anthony and Lynne Martino (Hess-Miller Funeral Home, Middle Village) • Michael Lanotte (NYSFDA) • Gordon and Joan Terry (Houk-Johnston-Terry Funeral Home, Inc., • Kim McGuiness (NYSFDA) Edmeston) • Homer Dick (Vandercher & Dick Funeral Home, Buffalo) • Tri-County Funeral Directors Association • Catherine Marinello (Marinello Funeral Home, Inc., Coram) • Upstate New York Transplant Services • Peter Rose (Betz, Rossi, Bellinger & Stewart Family Funeral Homes, Inc., • Doug and Sharon Wilson (Wilson Funeral Home, Inc., Norwich) Amsterdam) PIMS SERVES SIMMONS’ GRADS

PITTSBURGH INSTITUTE OF MORTUARY SCIENCE (PIMS) is pleased to announce that they will service transcript requests from those that attended SIMMONS INSTITUTE OF FUNERAL SERVICE.

has custody of the permanent grade records from 1950 through 2014 when Simmons ceased operations PIMS and has agreed to serve in this capacity in perpetuity. Requests for certified transcripts may be made via a form through www.pims.edu. According to Department of Education regulations, transcript requests may only be made via U.S. mail or via fax machine. E-mailed requests are not permitted due to security issues with private information.

PITTSBURGH INSTITUTE OF MORTUARY SCIENCE, INC. 5808 Baum Boulevard Pittsburgh, PA 15206 Fax: 412-362-1684

For more information contact: EUGENE C. OGRODNIK at [email protected] or 412-362-8500.

20 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 NEW YORK STATE TRIBUTE FOUNDATION Tributes In Honor/Memory Of: Please consider a contribution to the Tribute Foundation.

IN HONOR N MEMORY In Memory of Don Kalec Sr. In Memory of John Strong • Walter and Diane Kent • Carl W. Trainor • Tri-County FDA In Honor of President In Memory of Mary Apostle In Memory of Russell B. and Dorothy Robert C. Enos • Wayne and Sally Baxter Lawrence, Sr. In Memory of Dean Talcott • Wayne Baxter • Henry M. Gutterman • Carl W. Trainor • Timothy P. Doyle, CFSP • Martha and Doug Brueggemann • Carl W. Trainor • Peter C. DeLuca In Memory of Leonard “Len” Audette In Memory of Alexander McHoul • Timothy P. Doyle, CFSP • American Funeral Consultants • Dutchess Putnam Ulster FDA In Memory of Mel Thompson • S. Scott Mason, CFSP • Beth Burlingame • G. Robert Sweet • Jack Conway • Curtis A. Cunningham and Scott • Peter C. DeLuca In Honor of President M. Zielonko In Memory of Peter Milano • Peggy and Jeff Gaines Douglas R. Brueggeman • Dutchess Putnam Ulster FDA • Christopher Milano • Henry Gutterman • Timothy P. Doyle, CFSP • Carl W. Trainor • Anthony and Lynne Martino • Doug and Sharon Wilson In Memory of Adaline Paul Loucks • John and Janet Sommese In Honor of Past President • Dutchess Putnam Ulster FDA Timothy P. Doyle In Memory of John Betz In Memory of Michael Torsone • Martha and Doug Brueggemann • Carl W. Trainor In Memory of Thomas Pavlot • Timothy P. Doyle, CFSP • Carl W. Trainor • Dutchess Putnam Ulster FDA In Honor of President-Elect Walter Kent In Memory of Sally Bidleman • Richard and Donna Hazzard • Martha and Doug Brueggemann • Beth Burlingame In Memory of Relatives and Friends • G. Robert Sweet • Peggy and Jeff Gaines In Honor of Continuing Past President In Memory of Mark Burlingame In Memory of Wesley A. Trainor Joe Martin • Beth Burlingame In Memory of Herman Sandles • Carl W. Trainor • Martha and Doug Brueggemann • Capital District FDA • Nassau Suffolk FDA • Curtis A. Cunningham and Scott In Memory of Pierre Voskoyan In Honor of Bonnie L. McCullough M. Zielonko In Memory of Eileen Scamardella • Walter J. Kent • Scott B. Anthony, CFSP • Robert and Mimi Enos • Michael A. Heredia • Wesley C. Powell • Peter C. DeLuca • McVeigh Funeral Home • Dutchess Putnam Ulser FDA • Carl W. Trainor In Memory of Teresa Ann Scarano In Memory of Lottie Weldon • Jeff and Peggy Gaines • Peter C. DeLuca • Timothy P. Doyle, CFSP • F. Roy Meserole In Memory of Patrick L. Burns • Michael Heredia • Henry M. Gutterman • Carl W. Trainor • Anthony and Lynne Martino In Honor of NYSFDA Board of Directors In Memory of George Siegel • Martha and Doug Brueggemann In Memory of Gerald Chestney • Richard and Donna Hazzard In Memory of Erma Werth • Peter C. DeLuca • Richard and JoAnne Sullivan In Honor of Marianne Schrom • Timothy P. Doyle, CFSP In Memory of Charles Sontheimer • Gordon and Joan Terry • Dutchess Putnam Ulster FDA • Dutchess Putnam Ulster FDA In Memory of Dorothy Wilson • Robert and Mimi Enos • G. Robert Sweet • Martha and Doug Brueggemann In Honor of NYSFDA Staff • Dick and Donna Hazzard • Timothy P. Doyle, CFSP • Doug and Martha Brueggemann • James, Mark and Peter Nolan In Memory of John Stoltz • Robert C. Enos • G. Robert Sweet • Beth Burlingame • Richard and Donna Hazzard In Honor of Secretary Treasurer • Dutchess Putnam Ulster FDA • Gordon and Joan Terry Wesley “Andy” Powell In Memory of Donald Demmerley • Curtis Cunningham and Scott • Martha and Doug Brueggemann • David M. Demmerley Zielonko • G. Robert Sweet In Memory of Brett Grandaw • Chad and Catherine Green

OSHA REMINDERS Following the NYSFDA OSHA seminars last month, there may still be a few items for you as an employer to do to ensure your funeral home is OSHA-compliant:

• Now is a good time for to review/update your EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN • Now is a good time for review/update your SAFETY DATA SHEET (SDS) binder • Remember - employers must keep 3 years’ worth of OSHA training records for each employee • Do you have a DISTRACTED DRIVER POLICY? • Do you have an EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN? Have you reviewed this with your staff lately? (<10 employees can be verbally communicated, >10 employees must be written plan)

NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 20 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 21 BUSINESS SERVICES PrePlan® Corner, Adam Schrom

www.preplan.org

incorrect information and when we have been unable to obtain a valid address. We need your help to correct as many WHERE DID of these as possible before the tax statements are mailed in January.

Have any consumers reached out to your funeral home to GO? update their address? Or perhaps they reside in another state during the winter months? Is there an apartment 2016 number that should be added? Please double check your It is hard to believe that the holidays are just around the corner! While everyone is thinking about turkey, records to be sure that such changes and updates have been gifts, and family gatherings, PrePlan is preparing for relayed to PrePlan. tax season! It’s easy to modify or change the address on a PrePlan account. Simply visit www.preplan.org, mail or fax a GENERAL his January, PrePlan will mail nearly 120,000 tax ADMINISTRATION FORM, or email us (preplan@preplan. statements! From past experience, we expect org) with the consumer’s account number, accountholder’s approximately 2,500 of them will be returned to our name and current mailing address. Toffice for incorrect or insufficient addresses. This will create obvious delays that will prevent those consumers Steps to modify an address on PrePlan.org: from receiving their tax information in a timely manner. And - PrePlan staff will then be tasked with researching aClick CONTRACT tab and determining the accurate addresses for those aClick UPDATE EXISTING CONTRACT (from navigation accountholders. menu on left) aSearch for contract We would greatly appreciate your help. Please take a few aSelect/click contract number under search results grid moments to review your monthly statement available on aMake necessary changes our website. Are any of your accounts flagged as “invalid aScroll to the bottom and click NEXT [Forms] address”? If so, these flagged accounts are not receiving aScroll to the bottom and click SUBMIT correspondence from our office, and therefore will not receive their 2016 tax statement. We’re pleased to welcome PrePlan flags these accounts when the U.S. POSTAL LARUE & PITCHER FUNERAL HOME, INC., SERVICE has returned mail to our office for missing or in Ogdensburg to the PrePlan family!

22 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 BUSINESS SERVICES Directors Choice Credit Union, Kim Young

Your CREDIT UNION The more you use it, the more you SAVE!

id you know you’re saving money—maybe hundreds of dollars a year—just by being a DIRECTORS CHOICE CREDIT UNION (DCCU) member? Credit unions typically charge fewer and lower fees than other D financial institutions, according to the CREDIT UNION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION’s (CUNA) latest www.DirectorsChoiceCU.com membership benefits report.

Of course, the amount you save has a lot to do with your financial habits and the number of DCCU products GET DIGITAL WITH YOUR and services you use. ESTATE PLANNING On average, credit union member households in the U.S. save about $159 a year. You most likely have started planning for the disposition of your physical assets if something Some of those savings comes from higher rates on were to happen to you—but have you considered savings products. For example, according to CUNA’s what will happen to your FACEBOOK page or the latest report, money market accounts at credit unions money sitting in your online poker account? earned an average interest rate of .18%, while the same accounts at banks earned .09% interest. The digital footprint we leave behind at our deaths can contain both personal and financial CONSIDER THIS: Financing a $25,000 new information important to our loved ones. In this car for 60 months at DCCU would save you an average of $171 per year in interest digital age, it is a smart idea to plan ahead so that expense compared to what you would loved ones are able to access these digital assets. pay at a banking institution. That’s $855 in savings over five years. It’s important to create a financial inventory that lists your financial assets, how they’re structured—investment The main reason DCCU can offer a better specifics, beneficiaries, what documents are on file— value is that we’re a member-owned, not-for-profit and how to contact the institution holding the assets. cooperative. We exist to meet members’ needs, not Don’t forget automatic payments for things like utilities, to make a profit and maximize the wealth of outside cell phones and newspapers that you’ve set up through shareholders, as banks do. financial institutions or directly with businesses. Include social media and other account types too, any account with log-in information. BOTTOM LINE: If you are looking for a safe place to save and borrow, without getting nickeled and dimed The best place to store your financial inventory and to death, credit unions are the beast deal—bar none. important documents might be in a safe deposit box. Consider an online “digital safe-deposit-box” service, such Give DIRECTORS CHOICE a call (800-593-5920) . . . as AssetLock (www.assetlock.com). you will be glad you did. NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 22 NYSFDA Directions • November 2016 23 Scan for the most Upcoming Calendar current listings. November 2016

Family Assistance Commission Meeting NYSFDA offices will be NYSFDA Headquarters, Albany, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. CLOSED on November 11th 2 for Veterans’ Day and November th th NYSFDA Education Task Force Meeting 24 - 25 in observance of the 3 NYSFDA Headquarters, Albany, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Thanksgiving holiday. Budget & Finance Committee Meeting 3 NYSFDA Headquarters, 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. NYSFDA WEBINAR: All You Ever Wanted to Know About Powers of Attorney, 1 NYS Law CEU Presented by Mackenzie Monaco, Esq. NYSFDA members: FREE Non-members: $199 per person 8 See below for more details Nassau-Suffolk FDA General Membership Meeting, 2 CEUs Irish Coffee Pub, 131 Carleton Ave, East Islip, 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. 8 National Cemetery Presentation by Lisa Mongiello and Tony Thomas COST: $75 for NSFDA members, $120 non-members, $30 students/residents RSVP: [email protected] Directors Choice Credit Union Board Meeting 15 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Dutchess-Putnam-Ulster FDA Meeting, 2 CEUs The Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel, 40 Civic Center Plaza, Poughkeepsie, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. The Workplace presented by the Occupational Health Program of Saint Francis Hospital 16 COST: $65 per DPUFDA member (includes buffet) / $80 per non-member RSVP: Robert J. Gaus at (518) 943-3240 Continuing Education by Jack Rampulla, 4 CEUs Adria Hotel & Conference Center, 221-17 Northern Blvd, Bayside 19 More Customer Service, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., 2 CEUs More Diversity Awareness, 1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m., 2 CEUs Cost: $50 per-class Contact: [email protected] to register

All you ever wanted to know about Powers of Attorney, and why you need to know Tuesday, November 8, 2016 :: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Presented by Mackenzie Monaco, Esq., from our law firm of Carter Conboy

Not every POWER OF ATTORNEY (POA) is the same. While there are a number of forms that may be used throughout the state, and which may be presented to you, not all are created equal. The goal of this program is to remove some of the mystery associated with POAs and to provide direction to you, the funeral directors, on what to do when presented with a purported power of attorney. This program will provide a basic primer on the common purposes of a POA, the differences between a general and limited POA, discussion on the impact of authority if the POA is durable or springing and how this may impact your business practices in responding to the same. Register TODAY at www.nysfda.org. COST? NYSFDA Members - FREE Non-Members - $199

This webinar has been approved by the BUREAU OF FUNERAL DIRECTING for 1 NYS LAW “LIVE” CREDIT. Call instructions will be provided to registrants prior to the program date.