A.P McDonald Funeral Services, Devizes funeral directors (2024)

FAQs

How stressful is being a funeral director? ›

There are a lot of situations and deaths we deal with that are very difficult emotionally. The day that I get hardened it's time for me to walk away because I won't serve families who come through our door as well as I should.

Your Funeral Director will ask you about the deceased's religious beliefs, their personal preferences, and the type of funeral they may have wanted. They will also discuss the different options available such as burial or cremation, and the total cost of the funeral, as well as any additional fees where applicable.

The funeral director will arrange for your loved one or their ashes to be transferred to another location, where required. They'll also plan for the floral tributes to be forwarded to family members, organisations or charity, depending on your requests.

You can also check if the person who died made a Will – and if they left instructions about funeral arrangements in their Will. If you want to choose a funeral director, it can help to think about the following: Ask for recommendations from friends, or a local faith leader. Use the directory in The Good Funeral Guide .

How Much Do Funeral Director Jobs Pay per Year? $52,500 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $76,000 is the 75th percentile.

The sale of caskets happens to be one of the most profitable ventures that funeral homes engage in. Usually, they make the caskets necessary for each family. And to say the least, the coffins are priced to make a profit.

Mouth closure is achieved through various methods. The body is first prepared by relieving rigor mortis, usually through massage. The oral and nasal cavities are swabbed clean, checked for any purge material, then the throat area is packed with cotton. A common method of mouth closure is via needle injector.

It's absolutely possible to spend time visiting someone or have an open coffin at the funeral when the person hasn't been embalmed. We've done this many times and the person will be just as well cared for and should look peaceful.

Funeral directors typically do not receive gratuities. However, it's customary to thank the funeral director with a thank-you note, and by leaving a positive review for the funeral home online.

What is the meal after a funeral called? ›

A repast is any gathering of people after a funeral service. Some people called it a reception, which is the term most commonly used. That said, repasts are less formal than a funeral service or memorial.

Most American funerals take place within one week or less from death. With the help of a funeral home, a week is typically enough time to make arrangements and contact loved ones.

The funeral director will cover three broad areas with you: the ceremony itself and all that needs to be organised, the documents that need to be completed, including the death registration, and the costings and payment options.

The terms undertaker and mortician are more antiquated but are pretty much synonymous with funeral director.

EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT

If you're on call, you may get a call at three in the morning to pick up a loved one at their home and stay for as long as the family needs you. Another day may involve five cremations, or numerous phone calls with a florist, priest, medical examiner, and estranged spouse, for example.