Raven Plume Insights

Playing Switzerland

It feels like everywhere you look these days, there’s a new battle line being drawn. Politics, culture, the news cycle, even sports teams seem to spark heated debates (don’t get me started on pineappl...

Sep 28, 2025

0 647

Larry Stuart, Jr.

Labor Day Off?

As Labor Day approaches here in the U.S. and Canada, most people are gearing up for the unofficial end of summer. They’re firing up the grill, packing for a final trip to the lake, or just looking for...

Funeral Director Gratitude History

Aug 29, 2025

0 840

Benjamin Schmidt

Updating Restorative Art

As an educator, I regularly hear from members of funeral service what should and what should not be taught at mortuary school. As instructors, we are beholden to academic standards, deciding what will...

Education Embalming Funeral Director

Jul 30, 2025

0 4599

Larry Stuart, Jr.

Storytelling in Funeral Service Marketing

Let’s be honest—nobody scrolls through a funeral home website looking for a great deal on embalming. What people are looking for is something harder to describe but unmistakable when they feel it: tru...

Marketing Relevancy

May 27, 2025

0 1755

Larry Stuart, Jr.

Remembering the Fallen

With the final Monday in May drawing near each year comes a welcome break from work and a chance to begin the summer season with the warmth and sunshine Americans love. But amidst the leisure and fest...

Education Gratitude History

May 24, 2025

0 2052

Benjamin Schmidt

The Blue Conundrum—

Understanding Methylene Blue in Embalming Methylene blue (MB) is a dark crystalline powder that turns blue when dissolved in water or alcohol. Originally synthesized in 1876 by Heinrich Caro as a text...

Education Embalming Funeral Director Relevancy

Apr 30, 2025

0 2938

Larry Stuart, Jr.

The Changing Landscape of Remembrance

A survey conducted by the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) in 2022 revealed a striking statistic: 25% of U.S. households have cremated remains of a loved one in their home . This growing ...

Cremation Education Education Marketing Relevancy

Mar 30, 2025

0 2853

Benjamin Schmidt

Obedience to Authority: A Funeral Director's View

This exploration of authority in funeral service draws parallels between the Milgram experiment and the role of funeral directors. The Milgram experiment, conducted in the early 1960s by psychologist ...

Business Management Education Funeral Director History Marketing Relevancy

Jan 29, 2025

0 3585

Larry Stuart, Jr.

Likes, Lies, and Lamentations: The Rise of Influencer Culture in Funeral Service

The funeral profession, once a domain of hushed tones, solemnity, and tradition, has become fertile ground for the shimmering mirage of influencer culture. What was once a calling to provide comfort a...

Education Funeral Director Marketing Relevancy

Dec 30, 2024

0 4057

Benjamin Schmidt

Fireside Chat—3 Experts Discuss What NOT to Cremate, Environmental Impact, and Thoughtful Cremation Practices

In this blog, Dr. Jennifer Lares, Ben Schmidt and Larry Stuart Jr. Discuss: · What not to cremate: Items like pets, trash, synthetic materials, and previously cremated remains should never go in the c...

Cremation Education Crematory Operations Crematory Operators

Nov 19, 2024

0 7412

Larry Stuart, Jr.

Understanding the Celebant Role in Modern Funerals

Unlike Traditional Religious Leaders, Funeral Celebrants Focus On Creating Personalized And Meaningful Services That Can Be Secular, Spiritual, Or A Blend Of Both, Depending On The Family's Wishes. Wh...

Education Funeral Director Relevancy

Sep 24, 2024

0 4868

Benjamin Schmidt

The Foolish Nature of Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde, Like All Other Chemicals, Is Not Smart. It Is As Clueless As A Goldfish In A Library. It Will Keep Crosslinking With Proteins Until It's All Gone, Whether It's In A Deceased Human Or Som...

Education Embalming Funeral Director

Sep 2, 2024

0 4861

Raven Plume Insights

Thoughts, teachings, and musings regarding death, memorialization, cremation, and everything else to help enlighten, edify, and demystify the myths and misconceptions surrounding the deathcare profession.

Raven Plume Insights

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