Defying traditional norms, Hamilton’s Funeral Home in Des Moines, Iowa, is leading the way in transforming funeral practices amidst rising costs. This approach comes as cremation rates climb and consumer preferences evolve. Lanae Strovers, a director at the funeral home, recounts a touching story of honoring a young hunter who passed away. Instead of a somber ceremony, Strovers worked with the family to create a memorable tribute: the hunter’s cremated remains were placed into shotgun shells for a symbolic last hunt.
This is not an isolated incident. Strovers has also crafted memorable experiences for other families: transforming the funeral home into a baseball field to honor a beloved Little League coach, recreating a circus for a child taken too soon, and organizing a cocktail hour complete with a fashion runway in memory of a deceased model and designer.
As the national cremation rate soars, funeral homes are facing challenges with diminishing profits alongside rising operational costs like gasoline and embalming supplies. The industry’s traditional framework is being tested, prompting funeral directors to innovate and adapt.
Strovers, who is also a spokesperson for the National Funeral Directors Association, remarks, "I don’t want to say that we’re going to become party planners, but those two lines are crossing over." This sentiment captures the essence of how personal celebrations of life are becoming integral to contemporary funerals, reflecting a growing directive to honor individual stories and unique legacies. In doing so, funeral homes are not only surviving; they are reimagining how we celebrate life and death in our communities.
