Women in funeral service..

Forty plus years ago, a majority of women were at home, yes the June Cleaver days of
Leave it to Beaver. Moms were home makers, working as hard as the husbands who were
out in the work force trying to make a wage to live on.  The gals that were working back
then were secretaries, teachers, librarians, etc. Then came the women's revolution and
the women of America wanted in... and it hasn't been the same ever since.

A lot of the 'business barriers' were torn down, jobs that traditionally done by men were
now being sought by the opposite sex, and things started changing quickly.
It was rare 40 years ago to find a gal in funeral service, unless of course her mom and dad
owned a funeral home, then it was a natural progression that she would follow in the
foot steps of the parents. Back then, only about 5% of people in funeral service were
females. Through the seventies and eighties, the numbers started in increase dramatically,
and today; almost 45% of those in funeral service are women. Does that surprise you?
It doesn't me. When I graduated from mortuary school, 1980, there were a good number
of gals in our class...and many are still at it. And they do very well at it too.
 Most women funeral directors I know are very well respected and well thought of. In many instances, I sometimes feel it's easier for a grieving family to  make arrangements with a
 gal....I think they may be able to connect a little better in some situations. They seem less
 'business' like, and more understanding of what a family might be going through.

The job is a  physical one, as well as mental, and I'm sure it has been a challenge for
some ladies who might be of a smaller physique. After all, making a removal of a
deceased person does require some good upper body strength and good muscle tone.
So if a females can jump that hurdle, then she is 'good to go' as they say.
So the number of females funeral directors continues to climb. The NYS funeral
directors association from where all of these numbers come from, now reports that
the Milwaukee Institute now has a 75% female graduation rate....that in itself is unreal!

As funeral service continues to evolve, fewer caskets are being sold, thus fewer
full ground burials and more cremations. This means a deceased will have to be
moved fewer times between death and final disposition, and that in itself will
lessen part of the physical requirements of the job.

So will all those old white guys like myself in black suits go? Well, we might still
be around in some capacity, but like all things, change is inevitable.  It just might
be the female persuasion that will save funeral service and offer new programs
and choices. Welcome ladies in those stylish blue suits.....the baton is passed to
your very capable hands...run with it and serve well!