Think you might want
to become a mortician? Or just curious to know more about the inner
workings of Poway Bernardo Mortuary? Shonna Smith is here to give you
all of the details.
Q: Have you ever had to embalm a friend
that had died and if so was it hard to do? If your parents died could
you prepare them to be buried? Is Rick a part of the family because
it says it is a family run mortuary?
A: Fortunately I have never had to embalm someone that was a close
friend, however, I have embalmed "acquaintances." I sometimes wonder
if I would be able to embalm my own parents, the driving force for me
to do it is that I would know that I was able to do everything myself
as perfectly as possible. Rick was engaged to my Sister, Melissa, but
they broke up however, Rick is considered part of the family.
Q: I was wondering what the California
or National Funeral Directors Association think about your show. It
seems to me that they would not really want to show the behind the scenes
banter among employees.
A: A HUGE percentage of our peers in the industry are supportive. Funeral
Home Owners that have been in the business for generations and have
owned their Funeral Establishments for over 100 years write to us and
call us to tell us "thank you" for showing us as professionals and human
beings. I also believe that you will never be able to please everyone
and that is just human nature, so I really do not concern myself with
anyone that may not be supportive. The National Funeral Director Association
is a club that consists of many different people, and while I cannot
speak for the group as a whole, many members have written and called
us to tell us they support us.
Q: What's the name of the theme song
for your show and who sings it?
A: The track is called "Hell" and is performed by the "Squirrel Nut
Zippers" off of their CD called "hot".
Q: I would like to get in the same kind
of business as all of you. I just want to help the grieving families
of the passing of their loved ones ... in every state you must be a
''mortician.'' I just want to counsel? ... I don't want to be a mortician.
Can you help me please?
A: Each state is different regarding their requirements. Call your
State Board of Funeral Directors in your state for info!
Q: How long has this company been in
business and how did all of one family end up working at the same place?
A: Unfortunately Rick and Melissa just could not work things out, and
I asked Rick to hire my family members as needed one by one!
Q: When did you decide to become a mortician?
And did you have to ever have trouble getting over any of the "ick"
factors when you were in school?
A: I knew since I was 7 years old at my Great-Grandfather's Funeral
in Detroit that I wanted to become an Undertaker. However, my original
goal was to go to College and be a Music major because Music is my life!
However, when I was a senior in high school I dated an older brother
of one of my good friends who happened to be a Mortician in Chicago.
So that kind of re-awakened my interest in the field so I went to College,
served my apprenticeship, went to Mortuary College, passed all the State
and National Board exams and received my Licenses.
Q: My question is how long does it take
to become a Mortician and Is there a best school to go for becoming
a Mortician?
A: Each state is different on their requirements. Some states require
a Bachelor's Degree, then Mortuary College, then a two year internship,
then State Boards, THEN you get your License! Call the Board of Funeral
Directors and Embalmers for your state.
Q: I've heard when your embalmed you
take out all the vital organs, such as bowels, lungs, stomach, liver,
is this true?
A: Unless an autopsy has been performed, all of the organs remain intact
during the embalming process.
Q: How do you prepare a body that has
been severely burned?
A: To answer your question, you don't. If the remains are so badly
burned, unfortunately there is nothing that you can do other than close
the casket.
Q: How long can a body can be viewed
when it has NOT been embalmed?
A: We offer to our client families what is called a "one-time viewing
or identification viewing of unembalmed remains". Ideally, this process
should be done as quickly after death occurs as possible, as an unembalmed
remains can and will begin to decompose and take it's natural course.
Q: What is the your least favorite thing
about embalming someone and what is your favorite part of your job?
Also, what advice would you give to someone wanting to get involved
in this career?
A: Least favorite part of embalming would be the unpleasant odors,
favorite part of the job would be when I have someone that has been
so sick for so long and after I embalm them and prepare them and I make
them as beautiful as I can and the family sees them and comes up to
me and gives me a hug and they cry and tell me how wonderful their loved
one looks, THAT is the favorite part of my job!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Advice
would be to make sure in your heart that this is what you want to do
for sure.
Q: How many services a year do you have?
Do you have a night crew or do you guys pull night duty?
A: We also run a shipping business here as well, so complete total
would be about 700 ?!!! And we do not nave to do night duty.
Q: Why do dead bodies still move after
they are pronounced dead?
A: I've never seen a dead body move and I've been doing this for 19
years and have seen thousands of dead bodies!
Q: I need to know if I want my precious
cat to be buried with me and my dog's ashes to be buried with me is
this allowed?
A: Every state is different regarding laws of interment concerning
Human Remains and animals. I suggest you check with your State Board
to see what they will allow!
Q: How do you dress a dead person? Do
you split their clothes down the back and put them on, Or do you just
put them on?
A: I dress the remains in full undergarments first, and I usually split
the clothes, as I can make them fit better that way, but every Embalmer
does it different!
Q: What is the hardest embalming you
have ever done?
A: Hardest embalming was a lady that jumped off a bridge and did not
leave a note! (Very Sad) |
