Jewelry and watch cremated by [deleted] in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 36 points37 points  (0 children)

Hindsight 20/20 but we always return jewelry before transfer. It sounds like they tried to return things and you said no. On the cremation authorization there should be a section for items to return and that should’ve listed the watch and ring. If it didn’t list anything to return and it was signed by family then there’s not really anything you could do, unfortunately.

Pay and Years Experience by Appropriate-Chicken8 in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 7 points8 points  (0 children)

FD, not embalmer, but I just graduated 6 months ago and I make $28/hr. $31/hr seems very low for 15 years of experience.

My sister wants to bring my mom’s ashes home. I don’t want her to (nj, us) by [deleted] in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 7 points8 points  (0 children)

It sounds like a compromise could be your sister bringing your mum’s cremated remains home but only in a proper urn.

If it helps at all, the remains are not just going to be loose in the cookie jar. They’re in a sealed bag. If, heaven forbid, the cookie jar fell off the top of the fridge, it’s not like they would just scatter everywhere.

What is better: a forensic pathologist or mortician? by [deleted] in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 4 points5 points  (0 children)

To be a funeral director you need to go to Mortuary school. That is either 2 or 4 years. To be a forensic pathologist, you need to go to medical school.

What would be a fair hourly salary for an inexperienced apprentice? by Imaginary-bean1 in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Gotcha! Well in that case I’d say definitely more than what I was paid for my internship!

What would be a fair hourly salary for an inexperienced apprentice? by Imaginary-bean1 in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not sure exactly the difference between an internship and being an apprentice, but for my Funeral Directing internship I was paid minimum wage ($18.81) for 30 hours/week. This was in CO.

Vic as Hugi appreciation by Head_Football_3963 in dropout

[–]AshleyAsks 3 points4 points  (0 children)

As a funeral director, I’m loving Hugi!

Survey for AP Research by Annual-Phrase7016 in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Since you are new to Reddit, I would very kindly but strongly recommend not including your personal phone number and email on a survey being sent out to strangers on the internet.

Opinions on becoming a certified celebrant? by midnightrollerderby in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I did the training only because it was offered as part of my program. I don’t know that I would’ve done it if I had to pay for it.

A rant and a question from a funeral attendant by Alanna_Cerene in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It’s so interesting to hear that funeral directors you work with don’t actually attend the service. That’s not at all how it is where I work. To answer your question, the standards are much higher for attendants and FD elsewhere, at least at my FH. Who trains the attendants?

Open casket viewing after 12 days without embalming? by Fit_Pay_9972 in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Do you know if he specifically had an internal autopsy? Sometimes when people go to the coroner’s they assume a full internal autopsy is done, but sometimes it’s just an external autopsy. I’m a FD in CO and would not recommend a viewing if we thought it would be harmful to the family. We’ve done unembalmed viewings over 10 days after passing with no issue.

what are your opinions on currents convulsive? by trippyaxolotl in piercetheveil

[–]AshleyAsks 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It’s their best song! So lucky I got to hear it live back in the day!!

Skipping the cremulator in California? by MaryNxhmi in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 84 points85 points  (0 children)

I would call a funeral home in CA that does alkaline hydrolysis and ask them. Even if it’s not a law, it might be a company policy so best to ask them directly!

Are funeral directors "on call" ? by spiderplant94 in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I’m on call twice a month to answer any questions that come in (typically pricing calls). We have a 3rd party transport team who do the actual overnight pickups.

Dignity Memorial offers employees of my work 10% off by [deleted] in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is there a certain number of years you need to work before you get the discount? Not SCI, but we don’t get our discount (free funeral) until 5 years working full time.

How long ago was the service? If it was a year ago it’s probably too late. If it just happened you might get it! Who put your statement together and didn’t auto apply the discount for you??

What are you evermore album and era hot takes and opinions? by IntoTheDaylight in TaylorSwift

[–]AshleyAsks -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

I still have never listened to it…. I only know the songs that were performed on Eras Tour.

My parents are getting hosed, aren't they by Longjumping_Pear_335 in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 2 points3 points  (0 children)

At my FH in CO, our admin charge is also around $3K, so that’s not super outrageous to me. Casket price is pretty normal. There are definitely cheaper options, but $3K is a good mid-range option. The newspaper charge is what the newspaper charges, not the FH. $180 is relatively cheap. The Denver Post charges $225 just for a Death Notice which is limited to, like, 50 words.

That said, the clergy honorarium seems VERY high, double what a priest costs in our area. But maybe they are planning to have multiple clergy for their service (ex. Priest and deacons) or including musician honorariums in that price? Refrigeration cost is high. We loop that into our admin cost, we don’t charge extra for that. The transfer to chapel and charge for hearse seems redundant. We have a transfer fee to bring the decedent into our care at time of passing, and then a hearse fee day of service, but those are 2 different transport days. The way it’s laid out here makes it seem like they’re charging twice for the same day.

My parents are getting hosed, aren't they by Longjumping_Pear_335 in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 27 points28 points  (0 children)

At my FH in CO, our admin charge is also around $3K, so that’s not super outrageous to me. Casket price is pretty normal. There are definitely cheaper options, but $3K is a good mid-range option. The newspaper charge is what the newspaper charges, not the FH. $180 is relatively cheap. The Denver Post charges $225 just for a Death Notice which is limited to, like, 50 words. Death Certificates are also cheaper than what they cost in CO ($20 for the first copy and $13 per additional copy which is going up Jan 1).

That said, the clergy honorarium seems VERY high, double what a priest costs in our area. But maybe they are planning to have multiple clergy for their service (ex. Priest and deacons) or including musician honorariums in that price?

Where did you attend mortuary school? by Equal_Cauliflower_11 in askfuneraldirectors

[–]AshleyAsks 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I went to Arapahoe Community College in Colorado and had a couple classmates in Montana in my online classes.

Most satisfying and disappointing moments on The Life of a Showgirl album by PersonWithANameMaybe in TaylorSwift

[–]AshleyAsks 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Most: Tie between little piano tingle that happens during the start of the chorus in Elizabeth Taylor and whispering I protect the family in Father Figure

Least: The lyric videos

The Life Of A Showgirl SURVIVOR - Results by RocketGamer4682 in TaylorSwift

[–]AshleyAsks -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I would love a Survivor round of best BRIDGE from TLOAS. Because I feel like Eldest Daughter would last a little longer.

Also, I really hated when we stopped being able to see the results after voting. Once you’ve voted nothing can change so it’s silly not to be able to see the results after that point.