Burial societies in Africa are helping the survivors of decedents now as well. Owners of pets who were allegedly scammed by a funeral director who also ran a pet cremation business are cheering a new effort to curb abuses in the industry. And a cremation advertisement for a British cremation firm was banned after it was ruled to have implied a funeral service was included in a package. These stories and more are in the week in funeral news.

NEWS

Some Burial Societies in Africa Now Focus on Helping the Living, Too
By Farai Mutsaka (Associated Press)
Melisa Kasu said her mother died when the family was least prepared. Funerals in Zimbabwe demand a large and expensive send-off with food and music, and loved ones can slide into debt to avoid any public shame. The 29-year-old Kasu said the local burial society arrived to save the day, carrying huge pots and sacks of corn meal and other supplies. They even lit the cooking fire. “That’s the time I decided to join them,” she said. Read more here.

United by Heartbreaking Scandal, Pet Owners Applaud Bill to Crack Down on Cremation Fraud
By Ethan Young (PennLive)
Kirsten Magerl received a heart-stopping letter from the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office last spring. The office notified her that the ashes she received from a pet cremation company in 2021 were not those of her Labrador Retriever/beagle mix, Cooper. They were the ashes of other pets. Magerl learned that Cooper had not even been cremated. Read more here.

Soldier's Brain Buried with Body 85 Years After His Death
By Cameron Buttle (BBC News)
The brain of a Scottish solider who died during World War II has been buried alongside his remains in Germany. Donnie MacRae died in a prisoner of war hospital in1941, after being captured while fighting in France. He suffered from a rare neurological condition and, during a post-mortem examination, his brain and part of his spinal cord were removed for further research. His family did not know the organ had been removed until it was uncovered by an international group of researchers nearly 80 years later. Read more here.

Cremation Firm Ad Banned for “Misleadingly Implying” Plan Included a Service
By Josie Clark (Yahoo! Finance)
A television advertisement in Great Britain for a direct cremation firm has been banned for implying that their standard plan included an attended funeral service. Read more here.

What an Investigation Uncovered After Casket, Remains Found in Florida Park
By Elena Barrera (Tallahassee Democrat)
Tucked into the woods of a Tallahassee, FL, park is a small, unassuming cemetery that marks the final resting place of a historic Black Tallahassee family. A city crew unearthed what historians believe to be more fragments of this family's history–a story that had nearly been lost. Read more here.

Five Extraordinary and Unusual Burial Traditions
By MSN
From prehistoric caves in Israel and Greece to elaborate necropolises in Sicily, burial sites reveal diverse cultural beliefs about death and the afterlife. View slideshow here.

In observance of Independence Day, the office of the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2026.

The office will reopen at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, July 6, 2026.

As our nation marks the 250th anniversary of its independence, we reflect not only on the freedoms we enjoy, but also on the generations of Americans whose service, sacrifice and dedication helped preserve them.

As funeral directors, we are reminded every day of the importance of remembrance, gratitude and community. We wish you and your family a safe and happy Independence Day weekend.

Three New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association member firms are being honored as the first recipients of the association’s Connected in Care Award, a recognition of their commitment to the association, their communities and the families they serve.

The awards were earned by Radzieta Funeral Home, Halpin-Bitecola Brookdale Funeral and Cremation Service and Brunswick Memorial Home based on extensive review of all member firms’ participation in the professional development of their staff and their activity within the NJSFDA and its affiliated entities during 2025.

“Through education, advocacy and collaboration, these firms reflect a shared dedication to professional excellence, community connection and compassionate service,” the NJSFDA said in an announcement of the awards.

The three firms will be recognized at the association’s first Connected in Care Award semi-formal cocktail party, to be held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at the start of the Funeral Directors Convention and Expo.

Point totals were awarded in a series of categories:

Professional Development: This category measured NJSFDA membership totals, Funeral Directors Convention and Expo registration, celebrant training, employer/employee training, webinar registration and attendance at the 2025 gubernatorial meet-and-greets with the Republican and Democratic candidates.

Membership Technology Resource Usage: This category included points for NJSFDA app usage and Funeral Planning CHOICES Online Account Creation.

Family Experience: Points were awarded on consumer reviews left for each firm.

Bonus Category: Additional points were awarded for New Jersey Funeral Service Education Corporation donations and the top Funeral Planning CHOICES Online Account Creation user.

The competition was strong, with the six top member firms all within 10 points of each other. The grading system was weighted to provide both small and large firms an equal opportunity to gain points.

The cocktail party honoring the awardees will feature an open bar and passed hors d’oeuvres. Attendance is limited to association members who are registered to attend either In-Person Continuing Education or the Convention. Each member may also bring one guest at no additional cost.

For more information on attending the 2026 Funeral Directors Convention and Expo and joining your colleagues in celebration of their achievements, click here.

Even in death, he rocked.

A music fan who died after driving his car into a pond during a medical emergency was celebrated with a casket completely covered in stickers from his favorite bands.

“He used to joke about making people put band stickers on his casket and throwing candy inside,” the unidentified man’s sister, whose X.com handle is “the vampire lenee” wrote on the platform. “Never thought that day would come so soon but we made sure he had the most punk coffin in history.”

The sister’s X post went viral, with the photos of the decorated casket gathering 7.5 million views since it was posted on June 10, 2026. And respondents were supportive of the gesture.

“We did the same thing for my dad,” an X user named “foof” wrote in reply. “I was 15 when he passed back in 2016. He had stickers covering everything, and we made sure that we did the same thing for his casket.”

Count the sticker-covered casket as part of the growing trend of augmenting funerals so that the decedent’s personality shines through. Certified celebrants have reported incorporating toolboxes and sports clothing and paraphernalia into funerals. The Broken Wand ceremony for magicians is still practiced. Even graveside practical jokes can be part of what people often believe is simply a solemn occasion.

The decedent’s sister discussed her brother’s efforts to craft a better life for his children and his desire to make people laugh, but it was that “punk” part of his personality that was the finishing touch on his funeral. And that was enough to at least 990 replies and 21,000 shares of her post.

The outpouring of support meant the world to “the vampire lenee.”

“He'd love that it's reaching so many and that fans of bands he loved are seeing this,” she wrote.

Attending the annual Funeral Directors Convention and Expo is always a rewarding experience, but there is one way to enhance your time there, build your community and nurture relationships: Book a room at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.

By booking a room for this year’s Convention, you will be able to fully immerse yourself in this important gathering and come home ready to tackle the challenges facing the funeral industry.

Reserving a room allows you to arrive early for the day’s events and stay late to enjoy the social events. You can meet, greet and get to know people who can help you improve your business without the pressure of a drive home.

In short, if you want to partake of all the Convention has to offer, staying at the Hard Rock is the best way to do it. Rooms are available at a discounted rate of $129 a night, resort fees included, for Sunday, September 13 through Thursday, September 17. Rooms must be booked by Monday, August 31.

Experience the Hard Rock

In addition to browsing the Hard Rock and its incredible collection of rock-and-roll memorabilia, those attending the Convention will notice that the venue has undergone a renovation to make it even more appealing.

Updated rooms in the north and south towers of the hotel, along with new carpeting in the casino, will make your experience even more enjoyable.

As always, the Hard Rock features excellent restaurants, but new eateries are adding to the flair of the hotel. The Sitar Indian Restaurant features traditional dishes to wow your palate, and Federal Donuts and Chicken, a Philadelphia chain, can provide those comfort foods people crave.

A bonus is being on the iconic Atlantic City Boardwalk in late summer, so prepare for a stroll on the always vibrant boards and listen to the waves washing across the beach.

With all these benefits, why wait? Book your room today, and get ready for a fun, fulfilling and productive Convention. It’s time to invest in yourself and your business.

Beware of Third-Party Booking Vendors

Those seeking to book a room at the Hard Rock should be aware of third-party vendors advertising cut-rate hotel rooms to those attending the Convention. Those vendors may provide either shoddy service or no room at all.

Vendors are soliciting prospective attendees by email, urging people to book through their companies before their block of rooms runs out.

While some of these third-party companies are legitimate, others are scammers that provide substandard services or do not book rooms but instead steal credit-card information.

The Hard Rock and NJSFDA will never contact you by phone to offer room rates and deals; be wary of phone calls offering discount room rates.

Make sure to book through the NJSFDA and the Hard Rock, using this link, the group code GFDA26Z or group name New Jersey State Funeral Directors to avoid any potential problems with your stay.

Convention Registration Information

Those wishing to attend can register online on the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association website. Register by July 1 and save 10 percent off registration. The online option will remain available until Tuesday, September 1, 2026. On-site registration will also be available.

Tickets for the annual Convention Party can be purchased separately at the time of registration.

More information on the Convention, including a list of scheduled speakers, featured events and details about the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, can be found on convention.njsfda.org.

Health investigators examine whether a funeral in the Congo was ground zero for the Ebola outbreak. A historian in Dublin, Ireland, explores changing funeral rituals in the country. And a family in England says a new DIY burial shroud kit erases the “anonymity of the coffin.” These stories and more are in the week in funeral news.

NEWS

Was a Funeral in the Congo Ground Zero for Ebola Outbreak?
By Malay Mail
The body of a 44-year-old Congolese pastor lay inside a wooden coffin strapped into the back of an aging Nissan SUV with the backseats pushed flat. A group of young relatives were crammed in, too, sitting ‌atop the casket. The drive across Ituri province takes about three hours, longer when the dirt roads are as dry and broken as they were that February day. The four-wheel-drive bucked violently, showering dust over the potholes, rocks and gullies carved into the red earth. By the time the truck reached Mongbwalu, the coffin was cracked, after collapsing under the weight of those sitting on it. These are among events being examined by investigators hunting for the “patient zero,” or earliest infection, of the Ebola epidemic raging in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, according to four experts on the team conducting the health ministry inquiry. Read more here.

Wrong Woman Put in Casket for Funeral, Buried in Wrong Grave
By Charlotte Alerts News
Vivian Fairley, 54, died on May 30, 2026 and Steller Williams, 78, died the following day on May 31, 2026 both in North Carolina. Vivian’s body was placed in the wrong casket. Read more here.

Family Leaves Relative’s Body in Bush After Village Denies Burial Land over Long Absence
By Emmanuel Jacob Amissah
A family in Ghana was forced to leave the casketed body of a deceased relative in a nearby bush after community leaders allegedly refused to allocate burial land for his interment. Read more here.

Mix-Up of Remains Angers Filipino Government Official
By the Daily Tribune
The secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers in the Philippines has ordered an investigation into how the remains of two overseas Filipino workers killed in Lebanon were mistakenly switched before being repatriated to the Philippines. Read more here.

Company Launches DIY Funeral Shroud Cover Kit
By Amelia Hill (The Guardian)
In the days leading up to his wife Claire’s death, Andrew Kent sat with her and talked about fabric leaves. She wanted them in different shades–greens, browns and golds, the colors she saw on walks. Later, after she died, each of her three children would take one home. The others would be stitched to the wool cover Andrew was designing for his wife’s funeral shroud–the soft wrap she had chosen instead of a coffin. “The shroud cover took away the anonymity of the traditional coffin,” Kent said. “It meant that during the funeral, we were looking at designs that made us think of her life rather than at a cold, anonymous box.” Read more here.

Beyond Burial and Cremation: How Ireland Is Rethinking Remembrance
Dr. Brian Casey (Dublin Cemeteries Trust)
The location of a person’s body carries significant value in terms of their life and the interests of the deceased person. For many people, the physical remains of a person, placed in a coffin and buried in a grave, are the carrier of memories, images and desires. Cremation is another way of carrying these memories in a different way. Read more here.

Ancient Ethiopian Discovery May Represent the World’s Earliest Evidence of Cremation
By Henock Yared (The Reporter)
A newly published study in the journal of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that archaeological evidence unearthed in Ethiopia’s Afar Rift Valley and dating back roughly 100,000 years may constitute the earliest known scientific evidence of cremation ever documented. Read more here.