Blog

“We needed different things while we were grieving. Some of us were tortured by the thought of his ashes sitting in a closet, while others were tortured by the thought of letting him go at the wrong time with no way to reclaim the moment.” - In this personal essay, ASD Staff Writer, Jessica Farren, recounts the indecision her family faced when trying to decide what do with her father’s cremains.

ASD recently conducted a research survey to better understand the relationship between funeral home marketing and communication. More than 1,700 funeral professionals provided feedback on their funeral homes’ marketing methods, communication habits, training procedures and more. The results of the survey were published in Kates Boylston’s Funeral Directors Guide to Statistics (2017).

AtlasObscura.com holds a treasure trove of stories that would fascinate funeral professionals. You can explore some amazing grief passion projects or learn about how archeology sheds new light on early funeral practices. From ancient tomb discoveries, to unique headstones, to cemeteries that look like they are on a different planet, we encourage you to explore these intriguing Atlas Obscura finds.

We are flying high here at ASD today as we celebrate the first Super Bowl victory of the Philadelphia Eagles. For those grieving someone who was a big sports fan, that person’s absence is felt very strongly during major events like the Super Bowl. For many people in Philadelphia and in the surrounding region, watching the Eagles is as sacred as visiting a grave.

A skateboard-riding hermit crab, a stogie-smoking pup and a crime-fighting iguana. These are just a few of the many hilarious entries in the Funniest Pet Photo Contest we are holding for our staff. This week marks National Love Your Pet Day – a celebration of the incalculable love animals provide. Help us celebrate by voting for your favorite submission in ASD’s 1st Annual Funniest Pet Photo Contest!

In your career as a funeral director, you can probably count on one hand the number of occasions when you had nothing to keep you busy. With such a multitude of responsibilities, finding ways to streamline everyday duties can make a big difference to both your business and peace of mind. Here are some simple, tried-and-true methods for reclaiming your free time.