National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day Date in the current year: March 11, 2024

A funeral director, mortician (American English) or undertaker (British English) is a person whose job is to prepare dead people for burial and manage funerals. The terms “funeral director” and “mortician” are generally used interchangeably, with most professionals preferring the former, but some larger funeral homes use the term “mortician” for the employees responsible for burials, and “funeral director” for the employees who oversee all aspects of the funeral.

Caring for the dead is one of the oldest professions in the world because respect for the deceased is a common value shared by most cultures and religions. The first civilization where caring for corpses was a full-time profession was probably ancient Egypt with its elaborate funeral practices supposed to ensure immortality after death.

Historically, preparing the dead for burial was considered a woman’s job. The situation began to change in the 19th century, when funeral service became a male-dominated industry in many parts of the Western world, including the United States. It was then that the profession expanded to include all aspects of the funeral.

Today, morticians normally work at funeral homes that provide burial and funeral services, including taking care of the necessary paperwork, making arrangements with the crematory and cemetery, providing obituaries, offering a variety of casket and urn options, ordering floral arrangements, caring for the body in accordance with the family’s wishes, coordinating cremations, funerals, wakes and memorial services, and more.

Losing a loved one is never easy, and it can be hard for grieving family members to deal with arranging a funeral. Funeral directors support them every step of the way; they understand how emotional and stressful the process of planning a funeral can be, and do their best to reduce the stress of grieving families.

Funeral directors are highly skilled professionals with great organizational and interpersonal skills. To become a funeral director in the United States, one needs to get at least an associate’s degree in Funeral Service Education, pass the National Board Examination, and work as an apprentice for one or two years.

In 2008, the United States Senate passed a resolution designating March 11 as National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day to recognize funeral directors across the nation who assist families in their times sadness and grief. Although the bill wasn’t ultimately signed into law, National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day have been observed every year since.

You can observe National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day by reaching out to the funeral directors you know and thanking them for what they do. If you have used their services in the past, send them a thank you card or write an online review recommending their funeral home to others to show your appreciation.