On Deathcare

Tony Russo sits down with funeral director, entrepreneur, and expat Michaelene Dowers. Moving away from their usual industry-wide discussions, the conversation shifts to Michaelene’s current life in Scotland and her new venture: Combly, an app designed to revolutionize how funeral directors track professional continuing education credits. Subscribe to stay informed on professional development, regulatory updates, and stories from across the funeral service profession. Key Discussion Points: * Life and Business Abroad: Michaelene shares her journey of relocating to Scotland to pursue a PhD, and how she established a cross-border cremated remains scattering service for families in the US and Canada looking to lay loved ones to rest in the UK. * The Inspiration Behind Combly: After facing a stressful state audit in Indiana that resulted in a heavy financial penalty simply due to misplaced digital files, Michaelene realized the immense friction professionals face keeping track of multi-state licenses and continuing education. * What is Combly? * Combly is a specialized app built for funeral service professionals to manage all of their licensing information and CE certificates in one secure place. * Users can easily upload certificates as they earn them and generate clean, comprehensive audit reports (including cover sheets) for state boards on demand. * Covers all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Canadian provinces, with long-term goals of expanding internationally to regions like the UK and Australia as they develop structured licensing frameworks. * Future Roadmap: Michaelene discusses plans for future updates (targeted for 2027) that will allow CE providers to log credits directly into Combly, further reducing the administrative burden on busy funeral directors. * Industry Standards & Accountability: A frank discussion on the importance of baseline education, the realities of multi-state licensing, and how digital compliance tools can help safeguard both professionals and grieving families. Connect & Find Michaelene: * NFDA Annual Convention: Look out for Michaelene wandering the convention floor catching up on her own CEs. She’ll be easy to spot in her bee-themed clothing! Visit Combly.care here. Get full access to On Deathcare at ondeathcare.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Joe Vanella Report, host Tony Russo and roving reporter Spencer Haik break down the latest drama from The Traitors: New Blood. Following a literal “buried alive” challenge that resulted in Naya’s dramatic elimination, the Faithfuls are thrown into chaos. Victor tries to accuse Joe and Tamika of acting suspiciously with fruit around the time of the murder, only for his theory to fall completely flat at the round table. Instead, Michael gets voted out, leaving Joe safe for now. Plus, Spencer shares exciting updates on Vault Funeral Tech’s brand-new partnership with Titan Casket ahead of the NFDA convention in Charlotte! Key Timestamps & Discussion Points * 00:00 – Welcome & Spoilers Avoidance: Tony and Spencer kick off the show, discussing how to dodge reality TV spoilers. * 00:40 – The Coffin Challenge Fallout: Reviewing the shocking burial challenge and Naya’s elimination after Joe’s “murder in plain sight” apple toss. * 02:15 – Enter “Fruit Gate”: Faithful Victor pieces together that Joe and Tamika were acting strangely with fruit on the night of the murder. * 03:30 – The Laboratory & Cemetery Challenge: Contestants run back and forth, matching screams to severed heads to build up the prize pot. * 04:30 – The Round Table Defense: Victor tries to rally the group against Tamika using his fruit theory, but it backfires, leading to Michael’s elimination instead. * 07:29 – Vault Funeral Tech Updates: Spencer shares details on Vault’s major new partnership with Titan Casket to expand B2B marketplace options, express delivery, and inventory. * 09:41 – Upcoming Travel & NFDA: Wrapping up with previews for the upcoming National Funeral Directors Association convention in Charlotte. * Get full access to On Deathcare at ondeathcare.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Tony Russo discusses small stories making waves across the funeral profession, including independent funeral home acquisitions, green burial laws, death doula conferences, corporate earnings updates, and a major new study on women in funeral service. Segment Breakdown & Show Notes 1. Independent Funeral Home Acquisitions & Community Legacy * The Story: Tony speaks with Daniel Symonds, owner of Symonds Family Funeral Chapels in Illinois (Elgin and Cary), who recently renamed his businesses following an acquisition. * The Takeaway: Unlike corporate consolidators who may close smaller or redundant locations (such as a recent Park Lawn acquisition highlighted previously), independent owners like Symonds focus on maintaining a community presence and running a vocation rather than chasing massive profit margins. 2. Terramation (Human Composting) in Australia * The Story: New South Wales is taking steps to become the first state in Australia to introduce terramation as a legal option[cite: 1]. * Details: The bill, introduced by independent MP Alex Greenwich and supported by the NSW government, passed unanimously through the lower house[cite: 1]. * Link: Read more on Alex Greenwich’s Facebook Page. 3. Healthcare Meets Death Care: Cleveland State Conference * The Story: Cleveland State University is hosting the “Labor Out Conference” centered on where healthcare meets death care[cite: 1]. * Details: Held on October 28th, the event brings local death doulas and nurses together to improve hospice collaboration and ease the death process for families[cite: 1]. * Link: Read the coverage. 4. News of the Weird: Miami-Dade Floral Delivery Dispute * The Story: A delivery person dropping off funeral flowers at a Miami-Dade establishment got into an argument after being told arrangements were no longer being accepted. * Details: The situation escalated into physical battery, monkey gestures, and a surprising twist involving police review of security footage. 5. Clarification: Lexington Crematory Debate * Correction/Update: Tony clarifies his previous coverage regarding the town of Lexington and a specialized crematory requested by the South Asian community for religious needs (Hindus and Sikhs). * Details: The town voted 4-2 against building the facility, citing high operating costs versus projected revenue, rather than actively blocking a private group from building one. 6. Open-Air Funeral Pyres in Crestone, Colorado * The Story: A spotlight on America’s only legal open-air funeral pyre, operated by volunteers with the Crestone End-of-Life Project in the San Luis Valley. 7. Corporate Updates: Carriage Services Dividend * The Story: Carriage Services announced they are maintaining their regular dividend at $0.1125 per share, signaling stable financial footing ahead of early November earnings calls. 8. 2026 State of Women in Funeral Service Pulse Survey * The Story: Breaking news and key highlights from the inaugural Funeral Women Lead industry pulse survey report. * Key Findings: * Emotional Depletion: 73% of women feel emotionally depleted at least sometimes, though 75% plan to stay in the field. * Burnout Triggers: 36% cite compensation; 30% cite staffing and schedules. * Mentorship Gap: 64% lack a mentor, and 49% want a sponsor, but only 14% currently have one. * Generational Breakdown: Gen Z reports the lowest voice (4% feel adequate influence) and highest depletion; Millennials carry the heaviest burnout squeeze (45%). Get full access to On Deathcare at ondeathcare.substack.com/subscribe

In this weekly rundown of news from around funeral service, Tony Russo covers major institutional changes, regulatory hurdles, corporate shake-ups, and legal updates from across the globe. Key Topics & Stories Covered 1. Pierce Mortuary Colleges: Leadership & Consolidation * Board Expansion: Pierce’s Board of Directors expanded from three to seven members. * Consolidation Goals: The move signals progress toward the colleges’ long-term effort to secure a single accreditation for its three campuses rather than maintaining separate accreditations for each. * Notable Appointment: Dr. Shana Garrett was added to the board, bringing valuable expertise in higher education distance learning to help navigate this unprecedented transition. 2. Park Lawn Corporation Executive Shake-Up * Corporate Restructuring: Following dramatic leadership changes earlier in the year, Park Lawn announced its current board and executive team. 3. International Spotlight: Australia & New Zealand News * Industry Profile: Judy Cole of Canberra’s family-owned William Cole Funerals was recently profiled in Region Magazine, discussing her multi-generational legacy, running the business alongside her husband and daughter, and the challenges of being a woman in a historically male-dominated industry. * Leadership Role: Cole was named Senior Vice President of the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales Division of Funerals Australia. 4. South Dakota Vital Records System Bottlenecks * Tech Glitches: A new statewide vital record system launched by the South Dakota Department of Health caused severe processing delays, backlogs, and financial stress for families and funeral homes. * State Response: Health officials stated they are actively working to clear the software bottlenecks, though a hard resolution date has not been set. 5. Legal Update: Anderson, Indiana Embezzlement Case * Plea Deal: Former funeral director Adriana McCoy avoided prison under a plea deal after stealing nearly $50,000. * Clarification on Victims: While early reports suggested families were the primary victims, statements from Legacy Cremation and Funeral Services clarify that McCoy mostly stole from her employer, alongside instances of altered billing. Under the deal, she is ordered to return $30,000. 6. Frank Duca Crematory Zoning Battle in Pennsylvania * Building Dispute: Funeral director Frank Duca faced fierce opposition from an anonymous citizens’ association (”Cambria for Responsible Development”) after leaving space for a crematory during a building expansion. * Zoning Hearings: After arguing that a funeral home zoning default should cover a crematory, Duca is now formally pursuing a zoning variance, leading up to a public hearing. 7. Connecticut Funeral Director Arrested for Stalking * Pending Charges: A funeral director in a small Connecticut town was arrested for allegedly stalking his former business partner and competitor following a years-long falling out. Tony will have detailed reporting published on Connecting Directors. Get full access to On Deathcare at ondeathcare.substack.com/subscribe

Key Highlights & Discussion * Show Dynamics & Timing: * Tony notes this is Episode 3 of the podcast following a week off, while Spencer clarifies that The Traitors has released multiple episodes per drop, putting the show on Episode 5 overall. * Round Table & Strategy: * Joe took a quiet, hands-off approach during the initial round table, allowing other players to draw heat and argue among themselves. * The “Murder in Plain Sight” Task: * The host announced an evening wake for a player to be murdered that night. * The Task: Joe and his fellow traitors had to murder a player in plain sight during the day by getting them to catch an apple tossed from the kitchen. * Joe’s Plan: Joe casually tossed an apple to himself to appear unsuspicious. * Failed Attempt: Joe attempted to toss the apple to a target player who failed to move, leaving the apple to drop to the floor. Joe panicked and ate the apple to play it cool. * Suspicion Arises: At least one non-traitor player grew suspicious that a murder was being executed via fruit. * The Graveyard / Wake Ceremony: * Joe eventually succeeded in getting someone to catch an apple in the final moments. * The group dressed up and attended an outdoor graveside service where four potential victims (including Joe) were placed into closed coffins in the ground. * While in the coffins, the remaining players gave heartfelt speeches about the buried contestants; one player gave a particularly touching speech about Joe, creating internal conflict for him as a traitor. * Cliffhanger: The episode ended, leaving four people in coffins (Joe plus three potential victims), with the identity of the murdered player left unrevealed. * Traitor Susceptibility & Heat Ranking: * Katie (Highest Heat): Received early suspicion for being younger and acting panicky. * Tamika (Middle Heat): Placed at 50/50 risk. * Joe (Lowest Heat): Well-liked by the group, giving him the best chance to deflect or spin fruit-related suspicions. * Game Mechanics Summary: * Every week ends in a round table vote where players present evidence and vote off suspects based on behavior, communication, and trust dynamics. Get full access to On Deathcare at ondeathcare.substack.com/subscribe