WDSE WDSE KEN: ARE AT SCHNEIDERMAN’S FURNITURE STORE.

OUR TOPIC IS OF THE INEVITABILITY OF END-OF-LIFE.

IT’S A BUSINESS.

DEALING WITH END-OF-LIFE PREPARATIONS AND SERVICES AFTER.

IT IS VERY CARING, COMPASSIONATE AND MUCH-NEEDED INDUSTRY, ONE WE WILL DEAL WITH AT A DIFFICULT TIME, CARING FOR A LOVED ONE.

THE INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED AND CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AS ALL BUSINESS DOES AND WE WILL LOOK AT THOSE CHANGES ON "IN BUSINESS."

WE SPEAK TO THE LONGTIME OWNER OF A FUNERAL HOME.

WITH MORE PEOPLE TURNING TO CREMATION, WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST FROM THE MINNESOTA CREMATION SOCIETY.

WE WILL VISIT WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ONE OF DULUTH’S OLDEST AND MOST ESTABLISHED CEMETERIES.

AND IN PREPARATION FOR END-OF-LIFE, WE WILL ALSO VISIT WITH ONE OF THE AREA LARGEST HOSPICE PROGRAMS.

WHY ARE WE AT SCHNEIDERMAN’S FURNITURE?

LAST WEEK I WAS WATCHING AN EPISODE OF GUNSMOKE AND I DOWNED ON -- DAWNED ON ME THAT MATT DILLON WOULD SEND ONE OR TWO PEOPLE TO THE LOCAL UNDERTAKER IN DODGE CITY.

HE ALSO OWNED A FURNITURE STORE.

AND THAT WE FOUND OUT WITH MORE RESEARCH IS HOW A LOT OF FUNERAL PARLORS STARTED.

THEY BEGIN AS FURNITURE STORES.

THE FAMILY-OWNED FURNITURE STORE WOULD SELL WOODEN BENCHES, TABLES AND CHAIRS IN THE FRONT OF THE BUSINESS AND OUTBACK YOU COULD BUY A WOODEN COFFIN.

THAT MORPHED INTO THE FUNERAL PARLOR AND FUNERAL INDUSTRY AS WE KNOW IT TODAY.

WE FOUND ONE FAMILY THAT STARTED AS A FURNITURE STORE, MORPHED INTO A FUNERAL PARLOR, AND FOR GENERATIONS SERVED A SMALL TOWN IN MICHIGAN’S UPPER PENINSULA.

THIS IS "IN BUSINESS."

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WELCOME TO IN BUSINESS.

I'M KEN BUEHLER.

THE END-OF-LIFE SERVICES INDUSTRY IS ONE THAT EVERY FAMILY WILL INTERACT WITH AT SOME POINT, BUT IT'S ALSO A BUSINESS THAT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.

FROM TRADITIONAL BURIALS TO CREMATION AND HOSPICE CARE, THIS INDUSTRY PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE DURING SOME OF LIFE'S MOST DIFFICULT MOMENTS.

WE START TONIGHT AT A LOCAL CEMETERY, WITH A CONVERSATION WITH A SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT THE WORK THAT HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES.

THIS IS IN BUSINESS.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT END-OF-LIFE SERVICES AS A BUSINESS.

TOM MIS WITH US -- TOM IS WITH US AT THE CEMETERY IN DULUTH OVERLOOKING LAKE SUPERIOR, ONE OF THE OLDEST CEMETERIES IN THE CITY.

TOM’S FAMILY RAN THE BELL BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME.

YOU WERE A FUNERAL DIRECTOR THERE FOR A LONG TIME, AND NOW SUPERINTENDENT OF THIS CEMETERY.

HOW DID YOU MAKE THE TRANSITION?

>> FORTUNATE THAT THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS HERE FOR MANY YEARS WAS RETIRING, AND I WAS DOING INSURANCE WORK AND THOUGHT I WANT TO GET BACK TO THE FUNERAL SIDE, ENDED UP HERE, AND HAVE BEEN LUCKY FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.

KEN: THE CEMETERY HAS SEEN SOME CHANGES.

THIS IS ONE OF THE OLDEST BURIAL SITES IN DULUTH.

OVER THE YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN HERE, WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CHANGES IN THE CEMETERY SIDE OF END-OF-LIFE?

>> THIS PROFESSION GENERALLY HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN SLOW TO CHANGE.

THE RAPID CHANGE WE HAVE SEEN FROM TRADITIONAL BARRIERS -- TRADITIONAL BURIALS TO MORE CREMATION HAS ALTERED CEMETERIES AND FUNERAL HOMES DRAMATICALLY OVER A SHORT TIME.

SPECIFICALLY MORE FAMILIES, IN A HEALTHY WEIGHT, TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THEIR BURIALS, SPECIFICALLY WITH CREMATION.

THEY ARE ABLE TO, OUTSIDE OF THE FUNERAL HOME, SET UP THEIR TIME AND DATE FOR THE BURIALS AND IT IS MORE FAMILY ORIENTATED FOR THE BURIAL SERVICES WITH CREMATION.

>> YOU SAID SOMETHING EARLIER THAT I GRAVITATED TOWARDS, AND THAT IS THE REASON FOR A FUNERAL, THE REASON FOR THIS SEPARATE BURIAL, THE REASON FOR THESE AFTERLIFE EXPERIENCES, WHY IS THAT?

>> A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN AROUND DEATH A LOT.

FOR MOST PEOPLE, IT’S A ONCE OR TWICE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE.

IT IS ONE OF THOSE EXPERIENCES YOU REMEMBER FOREVER, WHETHER IT IS FAMILY TOGETHER, SOMETHING ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAPPEN, WHETHER IT IS HUMOROUS OR THE HUG AT THE RIGHT TIME.

IT COULD BE ANYTHING FOR ANYONE, BUT IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF LIFE.

>> IF YOU ARE AWARE OF THESE THINGS AND YOU LOOK AROUND AND YOU SEE, IT GIVES YOU CLOSURE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THAT MEMORY OF CLOSURE I THINK STAYS WITH YOU.

IT IS NOT JUST THE ACT OF THE BURIAL, YOU TAKE THOSE MEMORIES WITH YOU THE NEXT 10, 20 YEARS.

THE CLOSURE KEEPS WORKING.

KEN: IT KEEPS A TRADITION ALIVE, IT KEEPS A FAMILY MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THIS COMMONALITY.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT?

HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL TO BE PART OF THAT?

>> IT FEELS GOOD.

WE ARE HELPING THEM DO WHAT THEY ARE CHOOSING TO DO.

ANY TIME YOU GET TO HELP SOMEONE, IT FEELS GOOD.

KEN: HOW DID YOU GET INTO THIS?

>> BEING A FUNERAL DIRECTOR -- I DID NOT WANT TO SAY ENOUGH, BUT IT WAS NOT A FIT FOR ME.

THE HELPING PEOPLE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE IT FEELS GOOD.

THIS FIT SPECIFICALLY FOR ME, BECAUSE EVERY DAY IS SO DIFFERENT, WHETHER I AM ON A LAWNMOWER, WITH THE FAMILY, A MUCH WIDER VARIETY OF WHAT I AM DOING EVERY DAY.

IT HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD FIT FOR ME.

KEN: A NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION, WHAT GOES INTO RUNNING THIS PLOT OF LAND?

>> IT’S BASICALLY MY JOB TO KEEP THE CEMETERY RUNNING.

I AM OVERSEEN BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

I HAVE AN OFFICE MANAGER AND OFFICE HELP AND A FULL-TIME UNION LABORER.

WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN GRASS CUTTERS IN THE SUMMER TO HELP TREAT THE CEMETERY -- HELP KEEP THE CEMETERY LOOKING AS NICE AS IT CAN.

KEN: AS A NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION, IS IT MORE TRADITION, OR ARE THERE FOR PROFIT CEMETERIES?

>> AND A GENERAL SENSE MOST CEMETERIES ARE NOT-FOR-PROFIT, JUST BASICALLY BECAUSE THEY STARTED A LOT OF THEM WITH CHURCHES, AND A COUPLE CEMETERIES IN DULUTH DO HAVE A CHURCH LUTHERAN BACKGROUND.

WE ARE NONDENOMINATIONAL.

THERE ARE PRIVATE CEMETERIES.

CEMETERIES THROUGH THE 70’S AND 90’S FINANCIALLY DID PRETTY WELL AND YOU SAW A LOT MORE FOR-PROFIT, WITH MORE CREATION AND LESS MONEY COMING IN, I’M GLAD THAT WE ARE NONPROFIT.

KEN: TOM IS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THIS CEMETERY IN DULUTH.

OVERLOOKING LAKE SUPERIOR.

THANK YOU FOR BEING ON "IN BUSINESS."

>> YOU ARE VERY WELCOME.

KEN: THIS IS "IN BUSINESS."

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION, WE'RE NOW TAKING A BROADER LOOK AT THE END-OF-LIFE SERVICES INDUSTRY.

JOINING US TONIGHT FOR A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION, ALLISON CRAFT, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE CREMATION SOCIETY OF MINNESOTA.

AND DAN DOUGHERTY, OWNER OF DOUGHERTY FUNERAL HOME.

THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

DAN, GENERATION UPON GENERATION UPON GENERATION OF DOUGHERTY FUNERAL HOMES.

DAN: MY DAD’S DAD WENT FROM LITCHFIELD TO HIBBING IN 1903, TO BE A BOOKKEEPER, THEN ENDED UP BUYING THE FUNERAL HOME.

MY DAD WAS THE OLDEST, SO WAS PRETTY MUCH TOLD HE WOULD BE A FUNERAL DIRECTOR, WHICH HE DID.

AFTER THE WAR HE WENT BACK TO HIBBING AND THE FUNERAL IN DULUTH CAME FOR SALE, SO HE MOVED DOWN HERE IN 1948.

HIS TWO YOUNGER BROTHERS EVENTUALLY TOOK OVER THE BUSINESS THERE.

I WENT TO WORK FOR DAD IN ABOUT ’82.

I STARTED DRIVING FOR HIM WHEN I WAS 16.

THAT GIVES ME 51 YEARS OF THE FUNERAL BUSINESS.

IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE IT HAS BEEN THAT LONG.

I AM A THIRD GENERATION.

MY SON IS A FOURTH-GENERATION.

MY SISTER’S GRANDDAUGHTER IS OUR FIRST FIFTH GENERATION.

KEN: THERE IS A FAMILY OF MANY OTHER FUNERAL DIRECTORS IN THE DOUGHERTY FAMILY.

DAN: CORRECT.

MY COUSIN CHRIS, WHO WAS BUYING OUT MY UNCLE JOHN THE SAME TIME I WAS BUYING OUT MY DAD, HIS DAUGHTER MARY AND HER HUSBAND CAME TO WORK FOR US ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.

THEY ARE FANTASTIC.

KEN: ALLISON CRAFT IS IN THE BUSINESS OF THE CREMATION SOCIETY OF MINNESOTA.

IT HAS OPERATION IN DULUTH.

YOU ARE THE GENERAL MANAGER IN MINNEAPOLIS .

.AND DAN DOUGHERTY, OWNER OF ALLISON: LEO, HIS SONS MARK AND KEVIN DECIDED TO START THE CREMATION SOCIETY OF MINNESOTA IN THE 80’S.

THEY STARTED BACK BECAUSE THERE WAS A DESIRE TO HAVE MORE CREMATION, BUT NOT MANY PLACES OFFERING IN MINNESOTA.

THEY DID A LOT OF RESEARCH, WORKING WITH THE CREMATION ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA, AND THEY STARTED THE CREMATION SOCIETY OF MINNESOTA.

WE HAVE FOUR LOCATIONS IN THE METRO AREA, ST.

PAUL, BROOKLYN PARK, AND MINNEAPOLIS, THE ORIGINAL LOCATION WHERE THEY LIVED UPSTAIRS, LIKE ALL GOOD FUNERAL DIRECTORS.

[LAUGHTER] WE PURCHASED ONE HERE IN DULUTH IN 2001.

WE HAVE BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.

KEN: MORE PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO CREMATION AS A CHOICE IN A TRADITIONAL BURIAL.

THE WORK THE MINNESOTA CREMATION SOCIETY HAS DONE HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THAT PART OF THE INDUSTRY.

ALLISON: YES.

KEVIN AND MARK WHEN THEY STARTED THE CREMATION SOCIETY, THEY DID THE HARD WORK IN LEARNING HOW TO DO IT REALLY WELL, AND BECAME EXPERTS IN THAT CREMATION FIELD.

THEY WERE ABLE TO EXPAND BECAUSE THEY WERE KNOWLEDGEABLE.

THEY KEPT THE CORE VALUES OF FUNERAL SERVICE.

WE ARE HERE TO SERVE FAMILIES, TO BRING THEM WHAT THEY NEED IN THIS HARD MOMENT OF LIFE.

I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT JUST BY DIRECT CREMATION AND DON’T WANT ANY TYPES OF SERVICES.

I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF FIGURING OUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE AND BRINGING THEM WHAT THEY NEED.

THEY MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE FUNERAL INDUSTRY TRADITION BY OFFERING SURFACES, HELPING WITH OBITUARIES, STAYING UP FRONT WITH WHAT FAMILIES NEED AND HELPING THEM THROUGH THAT GRIEF JOURNEY, BUT ALSO OFFERING CREMATION.

THAT TRADITION HAS CONTINUED THESE LAST ALMOST 50 YEARS.

KEN: DAN IS A MORE TRADITIONAL FUNERAL HOME, BUT YOU STILL DO CREMATIONS IF YOU ARE ASKED.

DAN: THE MAJORITY OF OUR SERVICES ARE CREMATION.

WE DON’T DO AS MANY AS THEY DO.

WE DON’T SEE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CREMATION MEMORIAL SERVICE AND CASKETED FUNERAL SERVICE.

YOU STILL HAVE THE PASTOR, THE VISITATIONS, EXCEPT ONE DOES NOT HAVE A BODY PRESENT.

YOU CAN STILL HAVE A BODY PRESENT IF YOU USE A CEREMONIAL CASKET AND GET CREMATED AFTERWARDS.

THE PEOPLE THAT EVOLVED ARE STILL HERE.

THE ONES THAT DIDN’T SOLD OUT TO A CORPORATION, AS A RULE.

KEN: AS A FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS, WHAT TRADITIONS HAVE YOU SEEN CONTINUE THAT PEOPLE STILL LIKE AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH AT THE TIME YOUR SERVICES ARE NEEDED?

DAN: IN OUR PLACE, THEY LIKE A FAMILIAR FACE.

AND WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED FOR EVER.

WE HAVE PAUL AND HIS SON WHO WENT TO WORK, THEN MY COUSIN’S DAUGHTER WHO WORKED WITH US.

MY SON AND I ARE THERE.

WE ARE A FAMILY.

PEOPLE ARE USED TO SEEING THIS THERE.

-- US THERE.

WE DO OUR JOB.

I THINK WE DO IT WELL.

I LOVE THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH.

KEN: WHAT ARE THE TWO OF YOU SEEING AS THE NEW TRENDS?

I SAW A VIDEO PRESENTATION THAT WAS RATHER NEW.

ALLISON: THERE ARE SO MANY NEW TRENDS EVERY DAY.

NOWADAYS, ESPECIALLY WITH CREMATION, IT OPENS SO MANY DOORS OF WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH CREMATED REMAINS.

TO MIRROR WHAT DAN SAID, I THINK THE IMPORTANCE IS TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF WHAT THE SURFACE NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE FOR THE FAMILY TO CONTINUE THROUGH THIS JOURNEY.

WHILE BURIAL IS A FORM OF DISPOSITION AND CREMATION IS A FORM OF DISPOSITION, THAT IS JUST ONE SMALL PART OF IT.

THE BIGGER, LARGER PART IS THE SERVICE WE PLAN TO MEMORIALIZE, THE PERSONALIZATION.

THAT IS WHAT THOSE NEW TRENDS ARE OFFERING, ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO MEMORIALIZE SOMEBODY THAT MIGHT BE MORE MEANINGFUL FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON.

WE CAN CUSTOMIZE SERVICES MORE TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.

AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT THOSE DOORS THAT OPENING NOW ARE SHOWING.

KEN: DAN, WHAT HAS ALWAYS STAYED THE SAME IN THE END SERVICE INDUSTRY?

DAN: SERVICE.

THAT IS ALL ANY FUNERAL HOME HAS TO SELL, IS SERVICE.

THE BEAUTY OF OUR BUSINESS IS THAT NO TWO FUNERALS ARE ALIKE AND NO TWO FAMILIES ARE ALIKE.

IN OUR BUSINESS, THERE IS NO BOREDOM.

SOMETIMES THERE IS A LOT OF HURRY UP AND WAIT, BUT EVERY FAMILY, EVERY FUNERAL IS DIFFERENT.

YOU BETTER PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

KEN: DAN DOUGHERTY IS THE OWNER OF DOUGHERTY FUNERAL HOME.

AND HIBBING?

DAN: THAT IS A SEPARATE FAMILY MEMBER.

KEN: THANK YOU FOR THE CONVOCATION.

ALLISON CRAFT, THE CREMATION SOCIETY OF MINNESOTA.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON, HERE'S A QUICK LOOK AT SOME BUSINESS NEWS FROM ACROSS THE REGION.

THE U.S.

SENATE VOTED 50 TO 49 TO OVERTURN A MINING BAN NEAR THE BOUNDARY WATERS, POTENTIALLY ALLOWING A PROPOSED MINE NEAR ELY TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND IN HERMANTOWN, THE MARCUS LAKES 10 CINEMA WILL CLOSE PERMANENTLY.

NEXT, WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT HOSPICE CARE AND THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN SUPPORTING PATIENTS AND FAMILIES.

"IN BUSINESS" CONTINUES AND OUR TOPIC IS END-OF-LIFE AS AN INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS, BUT ALSO HAS COMPASSION.

THAT IS WHY WE ARE TALKING TO SHARON, A SUPERVISOR HERE AT ST.

LUKE’S.

SHE IS IN CHARGE OF THEIR HOSPICE PROGRAM, WHICH IS ALL ABOUT COMPASSION.

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH A PROGRAM IN THIS COUNTRY THAT HAS NOT BEEN AROUND THAT LONG.

>> IT STARTED IN THE LATE 70’S COME EARLY 80’S.

IT WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN ENGLAND AND CAME HERE.

IT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT MEDICARE SAW THAT PATIENTS WERE BEING KEPT OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND IT WAS VERY COST-EFFECTIVE.

MEDICARE STARTED THE MEDICARE ELECTION BENEFIT.

HOSPICE USED TO BE ALL VOLUNTARY .

THAT PIECE WAS KEPT IN THE BENEFIT AS WELL.

EVERY PROGRAM HAS TO HAVE VOLUNTEERS AS WELL.

KEN: AS SUPERVISOR YOU WOULD RECRUIT AND TRAIN THESE VOLUNTEERS.

WHAT DID THEY DO?

>> VOLUNTEERS CAN PROVIDE A LITTLE RESPITE IF THE FAMILY MEMBER WANTS TO TAKE A NAP OR RUN TO THE GROCERY STORE OR DO A LITTLE SHOPPING, WHATEVER.

WE ALSO HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT DO MASSAGE OR MUSIC THERAPY, AND THE MOST EXCITING PIECE IS OUR PET THERAPY.

WE HAVE DOGS OF ALL SIZES.

THEY HAVE ALL BEEN TRAINED TO BE A SUPPORT ANIMAL.

IT IS FUN.

KEN: AT ST.

LUKE’S YOU ARE AFFILIATED WITH THE HOSPITAL.

THE HOSPICE PROGRAM IS OUTREACH.

HOW DOES THAT INTERTWINE?

>> WE SEE PATIENTS WHERE THEY ARE AT.

THEY CAN BE IN THEIR OWN HOMES.

OR IN A NURSING FACILITY OR ASSISTED LIVING GROUP HOMES.

WHEREVER THE PERSON IS LIVING.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF HOSPICES, THERE’S THE NONPROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT.

THE NONPROFIT IS OUR PROGRAM AND ESSENTIA’S PROGRAM.

THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOR-PROFIT AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT IS, WITH US AS NONPROFIT, YOU STAY WITHIN YOUR HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY.

YOU KEEP YOUR OWN PHYSICIAN.

YOU CAN USE THE HOSPITAL.

FOR-PROFIT, IF YOU NEED TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR ACUTE SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT AMOUNT THEY NEED TO DISCHARGE AND READMIT YOU WHEN YOU COME OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.

SO IT’S KIND OF NICE TO KEEP EVERYTHING THE PATIENT HAS KNOWN FOR MANY YEARS, KEEP ALL THOSE PROVIDERS IN THEIR CARE.

KEN: WHEN IS IT DETERMINED THAT HOSPICE IS THE FINAL PATH?

>> A PERSON CAN QUALIFY FOR HOSPICE IF THEY HAVE A TERMINAL DISEASE.

IT CAN BE CANCER OR RESPIRATORY, CARDIAC, PARKINSON’S, ALS, DEMENTIA, ALZHEIMER’S.

THERE HAS TO BE A SHORTENED LIFE EXPECTANCY.

MEDICARE SAYS SIX MONTHS OR LESS IF EVERYTHING FOLLOWS THE NORMAL COURSE.

KEN: SHARON IS THE SUPERVISOR FOR THE HOSPICE PROGRAM AT ST.

LUKE’S IN DULUTH.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT END-OF-LIFE PREPARATIONS AS AN INDUSTRY.

THERE’S BOTH BOTH THE PROFIT AND NONPROFIT SIDE OF HOSPICE.

IN THE PROFIT SECTOR, THEY STILL ARE COVERED WITH THAT ELECTION THROUGH MEDICARE AND MEDICAID.

>> CORRECT.

EVERYTHING IS THE SAME.

PAYMENT IS THE SAME.

SERVICES NEEDED TO BE THE SAME.

IT IS PATIENT CHOICE IF THEY WANT TO GO WITH THE PROFIT OR NONPROFIT.

>> WORKING IN THIS FIELD, HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL AND SURROUNDED BY ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT CARE SO MUCH?

>> I HAVE WORKED IN HOSPICE FOR OVER 30 YEARS?

I HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT AVENUES BUT ALWAYS COME BACK.

THERE IS SOMETHING REWARDING ABOUT GETTING A PATIENT’S SYMPTOMS MANAGED.

I HAVE ALWAYS SAID IF THE PERSON PASSES AWAY AND THE FAMILY HAS NO REGRETS, THEN WE HAVE DONE OUR JOB.

KEN: SHARON IS THE SUPERVISOR FOR HOSPICE SERVICES AT ST.

LUKE’S.

THANK YOU FOR BEING ON "IN BUSINESS."

NEXT WE LOOK BACK AT THE HISTORY OF FUNERAL SERVICE BUSINESSES, INCLUDING ONE FUNERAL HOME WITH ROOTS AS A FURNITURE STORE, A PATH THAT MANY IN THE INDUSTRY SHARED GENERATIONS AGO.

THIS ALL STARTED WHILE WATCHING GUNSMOKE, AND IN DODGE CITY, PERCY HAD THE FINISHER -- THE FURNITURE STORE AND IN THE BACK WAS THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR FOR THE COMMUNITY.

A FAMILY IN THE FURNITURE BUSINESS, GOING INTO THE FUNERAL BUSINESS WAS NOT UNCOMMON BACK IN THE DAYS.

THERE WAS A REAL LINK BETWEEN FURNITURE STORES AND FUNERAL PARLORS.

WE FOUND A PLACE WHERE THAT LINK CONTINUES AS A TRADITION THAT BEGAN AS A FURNITURE STORE AND EVOLVED OVER TIME.

JEFFREY DENNIS IS WITH US AND FUNERAL DIRECTOR FOR THE PIERCE FUNERAL HOME IN MICHIGAN IN THE UPPER PENINSULA, AND IT GOES BACK TO 1881 WHEN THE PIERCE FAMILY STARTED WITH A FURNITURE STORE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> TELL ME THE HISTORY OF THE PIERCE FUNERAL HOME, HOW IT BEGAN AND HOW FURNITURE STORES GOT INTO THE FUNERAL BUSINESS.

>> IN 1881, THE PIERCE FAMILY STARTED A FURNITURE STORE HERE ON THE MAIN STREET.

THERE BECAME MORE AND MORE OF A DEMAND FOR FURNITURE STORES TO PROVIDE CASKETS OR COFFINS IN THOSE DAYS, AND EVENTUALLY THAT EVOLVED INTO THE OWNERS OF THE FURNITURE STORE PROVIDING THE SERVICES OF AN UNDERTAKER, INCLUDING TRANSPORTING THE BODY IN THE COFFIN TO THE CHURCH AND CEMETERY.

AND AS THINGS EVOLVED EVEN MORE, THEY SENT ONE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES FROM THE FURNITURE STORE TO BE TRAINED AS AN IN BALL MARK -- AS AN EMBALMER.

HE RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE IN EMBALMING.

HE WAS ABLE TO DO THE EMBALMING PROCESS AND PRESERVE THE REMAINS SO THEY COULD BE VIEWED OVER A LONGER TIME, AND IT EVOLVED FROM THE FURNITURE STORE AND TO EVENTUALLY A SEPARATE FUNERAL HOME.

THIS FUNERAL HOME IS NOW ALL THAT REMAINS OF WHAT WAS A FURNITURE STORE EMPIRE WITH FIVE OR SIX LOCATIONS ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN.

KEN: ONE OF THOSE STILL EXISTS NEAR WHERE THE FUNERAL HOME WAS TODAY, WHICH BACK IN THE DAY WAS THE ACCOMMODATION.

>> YES, THE BUILDING IS STILL STANDING.

THE FURNITURE STORE OWNERS, THE FAMILY BUILT A SEPARATE BUILDING FOR THE FUNERAL HOME, BUT NOW THE FURNITURE STORE HAS SINCE CLOSED AND IS USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES, BUT THE BUILDING STILL EXISTS ON THE MAIN STREET IN FRONT OF THE FUNERAL HOME.

KEN: JEFFREY DENNIS IS THE OWNER AND FUNERAL DIRECTOR OF THE PIERCE FUNERAL HOME IN LAKELAND AND FUNERAL HOME.

WE ARE TALKING OF FUNERAL HOMES STARTING IN MANY CASES AS FURNITURE STORES.

YOU TRANSITIONED OVER THE YEARS.

WHAT SERVICES DOES PIERCE FUNERAL HOME PROVIDE?

>> WE DO WHAT WE WOULD CALL TRADITIONAL FUNERALS, VISITATION, A FUNERAL SERVICE OR MASS, BURIAL SERVICES, CEMETERY BURIALS, CREMATIONS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE CREMATIONS.

AND THEN IS IN GETTING INTO SOME GREEN BURIALS.

THERE IS OTHER THINGS WE CAN HELP WITH.

THAT INCLUDES FREE PLANNING FUNERALS AND PROVIDING CEMETERY MARKERS AND MONUMENTS.

KEN: TELL ME ABOUT THE TRANSITION OF OWNERSHIP OVER THE YEARS FROM THE PIERCE FAMILY TO NOW YOU OWNING THIS ESTABLISHMENT.

>> JOSEPH PIERCE WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE FURNITURE STORE.

AND THAT STARTED IN 1881.

IT STAYED IN THE PIERCE FAMILY THROUGH A COUPLE OF GENERATIONS AFTER JOSEPH PIERCE, AND THEN THE FUNERAL HOME WAS EVENTUALLY SOLD OUTSIDE OF THE PIERCE FAMILY I BELIEVE IN THE 1970’S.

AFTER THAT, I ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MYSELF, RECEIVED A DEGREE IN MORTUARY SCIENCE, AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY DAD AND I PURCHASED THE FUNERAL HOME IN LAKE LINDEN.

IN 2000 OR 2001, AND I HAVE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.

KEN: WE THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE HISTORY OF THE FUNERAL HOME IN LAKE LINDEN AND THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE.

I’M KEN BUEHLER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING IN BUSINESS.

THANK YOU ALSO TO OUR SPECIAL GUESTS FOR A VERY HEARTFELT AND INFORMAIVE DISCUSSION.

IF YOU MISSED ANY PARTS OF TONIGHT'S SHOW, YOU CAN ALWAYS WATCH IT AT PBSNORTH.ORG OR LISTEN ON MONDAYS AT 5:30 P.M.

ON THE NORTH 1033.

THANKS AGAIN FOR WATCHING, AND UNTIL NEXT TIME, LET'S TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.

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