George R. Kelder Jr., CFSP

If you’ve been paying attention to the legal landscape lately, you’ve noticed an uncomfortable trend: Courts are taking a long, hard look at funeral statutes and finding cracks. Big ones.

The most recent example comes out of California, where federal courts rejected the state Cemetery and Funeral Bureau’s argument that a death doula’s speech and limited hands-on assistance required a funeral director’s license. Translation: Once again, judges decided that certain end-of-life services that we have long assumed were “ours” don’t automatically fall under licensure simply because we say they should.

This isn’t a one-off. It’s the second time federal courts have ruled in favor of death doulas performing tasks historically perceived as exclusive to licensed funeral directors. And if history tells us anything, it won’t be the last.

Now, before anyone fires off an angry email about “unqualified outsiders” and “the erosion of the profession,” let’s pause. Because this moment might actually be less about losing ground and more about refusing to acknowledge what has already changed.

Death doulas are not showing up because they want to replace funeral directors. They’re showing up because families are asking for something different at the end of life. More presence. More guidance before the death occurs. More conversation about dying that doesn’t start at the arrangement table.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: most funeral homes aren’t built to do that work right now. Not because we’re incapable but because our systems, staffing models and regulations were designed for after death, not before it.

(Foot note: The New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association developed a prototype for this type work a dozen or so years ago called “Matters of Life/Matters at Hand,” promoting three distinct services provided by funeral homes centered around organizing, housekeeping and finances for those at the end of their lives. It failed during our beta testing because funeral directors wanted to stick to their own knitting and stay within their own post-death space.)

This gap is where doulas currently live.

Instead of treating end-of-life doulas as invaders, it’s time to ask a harder question: Why are families seeking them out in the first place?

For decades, funeral service has fought to protect its scope of practice through licensure and rightly so. Licensing matters. Education matters. Public protection matters. But courts are increasingly drawing a line between commerce and conversation, between technical care and emotional support. When a doula is providing companionship, education, advocacy or even limited physical comfort, judges are saying, “That’s not embalming. That’s not disposition. That’s not funeral directing.”

We can argue with that reality, or we can adapt to it.

Imagine a future where funeral homes partner with or even employ end-of-life doulas instead of bracing for battle. Doulas supporting families before the death, helping them articulate wishes, normalize conversations and prepare emotionally, then transitioning those families to a funeral home that already understands their story.

That’s not erosion. That’s continuity.

It also opens doors. Pre-need that actually feels helpful instead of transactional. Aftercare that doesn’t feel bolted on. A deeper role for funeral service professionals as educators and guides, not just responders.

Of course, there are real concerns. Oversight matters. Standards matter. Families deserve clarity about who is certified, who is not and what that means. But pretending doulas will disappear if we glare hard enough is wishful thinking and the courts are making that clear.

Here’s the bigger risk: If we define ourselves solely by what others can’t do, we shrink. If we define ourselves by what we uniquely bring–technical expertise, legal accountability, ethical responsibility and deep knowledge of ritual–we grow.

End-of-life doulas aren’t dismantling funeral service. Courts aren’t conspiring against us. The profession is simply being challenged to evolve in a world that is finally talking openly about death.

So, maybe it’s time we joined the conversation before someone else (once again) finishes it without us.

Ryan Buckland, President

In today's society, maintaining ethical standards feels increasingly difficult yet remains profoundly necessary.

We live in an era where success is often measured solely by profit margins, social media likes and personal advancement which can become a culture that can quietly erode our moral foundation.

Ethics in business begins with a simple but powerful principle. This powerful principle can be easily attained if we all could treat people as human beings and not just as resources to be exploited. This means paying fair wages, creating safe working conditions and conducting business with honesty and transparency.

When our businesses prioritize quarterly earnings over employee wellbeing or conservational responsibility, they may gain short-term profits but lose something far more valuable, which could be trust and human dignity.

The challenge intensifies when unethical behavior appears profitable. Competitors may cut corners, mislead customers or exploit workers. While this may give an illusion that these businesses are thriving, it may cause ethical businesses to struggle. Yet history consistently shows that sustainable success is built on integrity, not deception.

Companies that are known for ethical practices–treating employees well, being honest with customers, contributing positively to communities–ultimately build loyal customer bases and attract quality talent.

In our personal lives, ethics means aligning our actions with our values even when no one is watching. It means choosing honesty over convenience, courage over comfort and principle over popularity. In an age of a digital presence seen by the world and moral relativism, being and remaining ethical requires intentionality.

Maintaining ethical standards demands three commitments. First, clearly define your values and non-negotiables. Second, surround yourself with people who share those same values and will hold you accountable in all things. Third, recognize that ethics aren’t situational, but they apply equally in boardrooms and living rooms, as well as in public and private moments.

Ultimately, ethical living isn’t about perfection but about consistency and course-correction when we may sometimes fall short. It’s about building a life and legacy defined not by what we can accumulate but by how we treat people and whether we leave things better than we found them.

Winter in New Jersey has a way of reminding us who’s really in charge. Snow, ice, bitter cold and now terms like bomb cyclone don’t just test our patience, they test our buildings, our staff and sometimes our bodies.

I’ve lived this from more than one side. I’m a former funeral home owner and now an insurance agent who works closely with funeral professionals. I’ve also been the guy who relied on snow removal companies and later the guy behind the plow and shovel. Some of those early mornings, my kids were bundled up beside me, helping keep the place open at the small cost of hot chocolates and doughnuts for the extra help.

Over time, those kids grew up and stopped showing up. What started as a family effort eventually became just me, alone in the dark, clearing snow at 3 a.m. so families could safely arrive a few hours later. I know many of you have had that same moment.

Funeral homes don’t get snow days. Death doesn’t wait for the weather to clear, and families expect us to be open, safe and calm no matter what’s going on outside.

From an insurance perspective, winter brings some very real risks:

• Slips and falls in parking lots and walkways
• Roof issues from heavy snow and ice
• Frozen or burst pipes causing water damage
• Vehicle accidents during storms
• Injuries from shoveling, lifting or overexertion

Make no mistake, these aren’t “what ifs.” These are claims we see every winter.

There’s no right or wrong way to handle snow removal, but there are insurance considerations no matter your choice.

If you hire a snow removal company:

• Make sure they’re properly insured
• Ask for a certificate of insurance naming your funeral home as an additional insured
• Confirm their policy actually covers plowing and salting
• Have a written agreement spelling out expectations

If you handle snow removal yourself or in-house:

• Understand the liability if someone gets hurt
• Make sure any plow vehicles are insured for that use
• Remember employees–and owners–are exposed to workers’ compensation risk
• Fatigue and overdoing it are real issues during long storms (think back to our OSHA back and lifting discussions)

I’ve done both. When I was younger, I pushed through exhaustion without much thought. Looking back, I realize how risky that was–not just physically, but for the business.

When storms hit fast, it’s easy to miss the basics:

• Dress properly; cold stress sneaks up on you
• Stay hydrated, even in cold weather
• Shut off and drain outside water lines before deep freezes
• Keep heat on in unused areas to prevent frozen pipes
• Check roofs during prolonged storms when it’s safe
• Don’t overdo ice melt; it can create refreeze problems

We’re seeing winter storms develop faster and hit harder. From an insurance standpoint, that means more sudden losses, fewer available contractors and longer repair times. Reviewing coverage before winter starts matters more than ever.

Winter has a way of stripping things down to what matters. For me, it was those quiet hours alone in the snow, realizing how much responsibility we carry as funeral directors. We’re not just keeping buildings open we’re making sure families can get through the door safely on some of their hardest days.

Taking winter risk seriously isn’t being negative. It’s being professional. Stay warm, stay safe, and make sure your insurance is reflective of your needs.

Do you have questions about your premium costs? Please contact one of our Thanexus Financial Services, LLC insurance agents at 888.483.5138 for more information or a personalized quote for your individual insurance needs. All funeral directors have access to insurance coverage. This is not a benefit limited to members of Thanexus, Inc.

Thanexus Financial Services, LLC is staffed by salaried, non-commissioned producers with no personal financial interest in your decisions regarding coverage. By using salary-based compensation, our agency force focuses on service rather than volume. Our staff members are licensed in New Jersey, as well as Connecticut, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania.

Thanexus, Inc. is a funeral service cooperative and economic development initiative of New Jersey Funeral Directors Services, Inc. For more information about joining Thanexus as a shareholder, contact our Agency Manager, Jonathan C. Krowicki, at 732.282.5117.

Some airlines placed an embargo on cargo, affecting casket deliveries and leaving funeral homes without the merchandise needed to complete arrangements, according to a published report.

Funeral homes in Michigan have reported delays in delivery because airlines are limiting the amount of cargo allowed in airplane holds.

“I have to call the family and tell them they won’t be booked on this flight … I’m trying. I’m trying. I’m trying," Brice Green, the owner of James H. Cole Funeral Home in Southfield, MI, told Click On Detroit.

Green, who told the news outlet that this is the worst delay in delivery he has seen in 40 years, said he has had to reschedule several services because of the disruption.

Delta, which lifted its embargo on January 28, 2026, told the news outlet that it restricted cargo to ensure the safety of the flights. But some delays remain.

The House Ways and Means Committee is seeking information concerning allegations that two healthcare facilities allowed foreign nationals to jump the wait list for organ transplants.

The two facilities, the University of Chicago Medical Center in Illinois and Montefiore Medical Center in New York, were told by the committee in letters to turn over documents that could shed light on published reports that wealthy foreign recipients were bumping U.S. residents on the organ transplant wait list.

The allegations, first reported in The New York Times, highlighted a growing concern that the organ donation and transplant system in the United States is in serious need of reform. Specifically, the Times report found that hospitals were aggressively advertising their transplant services to foreign nationals who were coming to the U.S. as “transplant tourists.”

The Ways and Means Committee has jurisdiction over tax policy and organizations that claim tax-exempt status, a designation that Chairman David Schweikert (R-AZ) said was at risk for the hospitals if the allegations are proven.

“If a tax-exempt hospital is running what amounts to a concierge transplant program for wealthy foreign nationals while our own citizens wait, that is a breach of public trust and of the spirit of the tax code,” Schweikert said in a press release. “Our committee is going to follow the math and the receipts, contracts, financials, transplant data, and if the facts show American patients were treated as second-class, then Congress has an obligation to step in and fix it.”

The House committee has been scrutinizing organ procurement organizations throughout the country, including the NJ Sharing Network and its leadership team, including President and CEO Carolyn M. Welsh. Schweikert had previously demanded information from NJ Sharing Network concerning whistle-blower complaints that the organization had “fraudulently billed Medicare” and attempted to strong-arm a hospital into harvesting organs from a patient that still showed signs of life.

The Times article found that international patients were prioritized at Montefiore, generating a huge revenue stream for the hospital. The Times said that approximately 20 percent of lung transplants at Montefiore were performed on foreign nationals. Nationally, about two-thirds of overseas recipients are from the Middle East, and several hospitals have signed contracts with foreign governments, setting out a price list for organ transplants.

Specifically, the committee is seeking information on:

• Whether Montefiore received any Medicare reimbursements for a foreign national receiving a transplant
• Any contracts between the hospital and foreign governments concerning transplants
• A list of any transplants performed on a foreign national since 2020
• The total number of transplants performed on U.S. residents and foreign nationals for the past six years
• Average prices for transplants for foreign nationals and, separately, for U.S. residents, over the past six years
• Total revenue from transplants for foreign nationals over the past six years

While hospitals in California, Washington, D.C., and Texas were also mentioned in the Times report, the committee zeroed in on Montefiore and Chicago.

“Montefiore’s decision to provide foreign nationals with this critical service–and preferential treatment over American citizens–in return for massive payments far exceeding the market rate is completely inappropriate, given that over 100,000 Americans are currently waiting for an organ transplant and every year 5,600 Americans die on the wait list,” the committee’s letter to the hospital states.

Montefiore, in a statement to the Times, said the facility “strictly adheres” to transplant policies and protocols. But the committee questioned that commitment.

“Contracting with a foreign government to provide these crucial services to foreign nationals over American citizens raises serious questions as to the nature of the community benefit that you are providing in order to maintain your tax-exempt status,” the letter states.

Kearns

Our sincerest condolences to Tri-County Funeral Directors Association member Barbara A. Kearns on the death of her mother, Barbara Ann Kearns, who died on January 5, 2026.

Vainieri

Our sincerest condolences to Bergen County Funeral Directors Association member and former Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Hudson County Funeral Directors Association member and North Bergen Township Commissioner Anthony Vainieri Jr. on the death of their father, former New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association member and former Assemblyman Anthony P. Vainieri, who died on January 21, 2026.