Fun Facts About Being a Mortician

​Being a mortician is not always at the top of high school or college graduates’ career wish lists, but it is an interesting and necessary profession. Those that do choose this occupation consider it to be a higher calling.

The term ‘mortician’ was invented by the funeral industry to replace the word ‘undertaker.’ They are also known as funeral directors or embalmers and must have an associate or a bachelor’s degree in mortuary science. Morticians must be knowledgeable in the preservation process and have a solid understanding of biology as well as a general grasp of business practices. While a mortician’s main responsibility is preparing the bodies of the deceased, they also take the stress off grieving families by setting up funerals, communicating with cemeteries and hospitals, and handling important paperwork.

Little known facts about morticians:  
They don’t drive hearses to pick up decedents. These days most morticians use minivans or white cargo vans to pick up bodies. Hearses are usually only used for transporting the prepared body to funerals and cemeteries. Believe it or not, hearses are not allowed to travel in HOV lanes because the body is considered cargo. 

It runs in the family. Many people become funeral directors because they were born into the business and helped with odd jobs during their childhood. The most successful family funeral homes collaborate and blend tradition with fresh ideas.   
 
They must repair donor and autopsied bodies. Morticians have reported that this is often an extremely difficult task. Given the circumstances, they appreciate it when family members choose cremation if it does not violate their religious beliefs. 

They must wash and disinfect the body. A mortician gives a person their very last bath. They are also responsible for washing the hair and styling it.   
 
They are makeup artists. Morticians know how to make the dead look more like they did in life.  
 
“Applying makeup on a body is different than putting it on living skin. I have used regular cosmetics for embalmed bodies, but the skin is so firm, there’s no way to work in your foundation. Using an airbrush gets you streak-free, nice coverage.” – Jaime Reed, Embalmer
 
They rise to the challenge. Morticians do their best to honor the wishes of the deceased and   their loved ones. Requests can sometimes seem outlandish, but funeral directors do their best to accommodate.  
 
"My grandfather was a mortician. He told me that he had a request one time for dirt to be put in the dead guy's socks. Not just any dirt though—dirt from the road the guy lived on since he grew up. My grandfather honored their wish, and the family was very pleased." - Buzzfeed

Alternative Morticians Are Becoming Mainstream
While death itself will never change, how it is handled is evolving. Alternative morticians are advocates of home funerals and eco-friendly burials, which are also called green burials.

For a burial to be eco-friendly, the body must be preserved in a manner that will not harm the environment. This means that the deceased cannot be embalmed with formaldehyde, which is a toxin. Safe substitutes involve refrigeration or dry ice, but there are chemicals morticians can use such as ENIGMA ecobalming fluids that provide temporary preservation.
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Alternative morticians are very familiar with their community’s digital cemeteries. Not only do these modern graveyards offer green burial services, but they rely on EverArk digital cemetery management software to strengthen their communication with morticians. As a result, the decedent’s loved ones can grieve with the peace of mind that all their wishes will be carried out properly and with the utmost respect.  

A mortician’s job is never easy. However, when the inevitable happens, they do all they can to make the experience peaceful and pleasantly memorable for all involved.

If you are interested in discovering how digital cemetery management software is revolutionizing the industry, request a demo of EverArk today!  
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About the blogger

MELANIE MARSH

Melanie is an accomplished freelance writer and researcher.  She graduated in 2000 from Virginia Wesleyan College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in English Literature with a focus in Creative Writing.  In addition to freelancing, She is a part-time caretaker at a beautiful parrot sanctuary in Virginia called Project Perry.