The Funeralcast

Funeral service can be fun, and some of the best ways to have fun on the Internet is with memes! In part one of this two part series, I have two of Instagram’s favorite funeral meme pages; @thefunerallife and @opencasketculture! If you have ever wondered what these two were like in real life, here’s your chance to find out!  Please rate and review this show! Email Ben bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow Ben @thefuneralcast Follow Frigid @frigidfluid Follow @opencasketculture Follow @thefunerallifeCheck out our wide variety of fluids and prep room supplies!

2025 was the best year for The Funeralcast so far. We tackled tough subjects like suicide and the mental health of funeral directors, got well informed on topics like alkaline hydrolysis, how to place unclaimed created remains, and the Dover Port Mortuary Affairs. We had the first podcast episode approved by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice for credit. Most importantly, we heard the opinions of funeral directors and other funeral service professionals from all over the world on a variety of topics. Please come and listen to parts of my favorite episodes from the last year.  Please rate and review this show! Email Ben bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Follow Ben @thefuneralcast  Follow Frigid Fluid @frigidfluid Follow Joél @thegravewoman Follow Anita Grant @nbereviewcoach Follow Jesse Pettaway @nbeexamprep Follow Amanda King @amekgraphics Follow EIleen Hollis @hollisfuneralhome Follow Ryan Cattoni @aquagreen_dispostions Follow Ashley Johnson nationalendoflifedoulaalliance Find Lanae Strovers on Facebook  Follow NTCC Funeral Service on Facebook 

Walker Posey is a fourth-generation funeral director but as the owner of Posey Funeral Directors, he doesn’t take his long-standing relationship with the community for granted and is always looking for new ways to engage them. Pleas rate and review The Funeralcast wherever you listen!Email Ben bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow Ben @thefuneralcast Visit Posey Funeral Directors Get your holiday gifts here!

This year, Ben asked every at one at The National Funeral Directors Association's Convention and Expo "what would you do if NFDA gave you a free booth?" Enjoy their answers, and if you'd like to share what you would do with your booth, you can email Ben at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com.

Please rate and review this show wherever you get your podcasts!  Lisa Baue is a former CEO and funeral home owner who through a series of lief events detailed in her book Wake Up Calls: A Journey of Learning to Lead and Succeed in the Funeral and Deathcare Profession has recognized the value of leadership in organizations. She seeks to move funeral service forward as the Founder/CEO of Funeral Women Lead an organization geared toward women in funeral service.  Buy Lisa’s bookConnect with Funeral Women LeadEmail me with your comments! Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Follow Ben @thefuneralcast  Shop our selection of embalming fluids and prep room equipment  

The barber surgeons were an interesting chapter in medical and funeral history. The idea of surgeons who learned the job instead of going to school nowadays is unheard of in today's culture, but their legacy still lives on...  Todd Harra is an accomplished author, funeral director and calendar model. Find his books here https://www.toddharra.com/new-page Be sure to rate and review this show wherever you are listening! Follow Ben @thefuneralcast  Email me with your comments! Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Shop our selection of embalming fluids and prep room equipment  

End- of –Life Doulas (aka Death Doulas) are a growing group in end-of-life care. Ashley Johnson is the President of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance and the founder of Loyal Hands an end-of –life doula consultancy. She joins Ben to explain the role of end-of-life doulas and how they can work to the funeral home’s advantage.  Please rate and review this show wherever you get your podcastsFind Ashley at The National End of Life Doula Alliance  Follow The National End of Life Doula Alliance on Facebook Email Ben at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow Ben @thefuneralcast Free Expo passes here! We are booth 1231!  

Prion diseases and how to handle people’s deceased loved ones who have them is a difficult and misunderstood topic in funeral service and in medicine in general. Aaron Koethe and Danielle Jordan are both part of the team at the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center (The Prion Center), who work with patients afflicted with prion diseases and their families as well as funeral homes nationwide to better understand the nature of their diagnosis.  Please be sure to rate and review this show! Email Ben at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow Ben @thefuneralcast Visit the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center  Free Expo passes here! We are booth 1231!  

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and in an effort to raise awareness in how it affects both funeral service professionals and the families they serve, Ben speaks to Sara Murphy, a respected thanatologist and suicidologist about the topic.  Find Sara Murphy and read her articles at deathdoc.com  Email Ben at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com   

Please be sure to rate and review the show! Mental health is such an important topic in funeral service, and everyone seems to be talking about it. Jade Dacus, one of this year’s Texas Emerging Leaders University Speakers, is both a licensed funeral director and licensed professional counselor joins the show to offer some guidance that will help us all.  Email Jade jade@sametimenextweektherapy.com Email me with your comments! Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Free Expo passes here! We are booth 1231!  Follow Ben @thefuneralcast  Shop our selection of embalming fluids and prep room equipment  

It’s time again for Texas Emerging Leaders University! One of this year’s speakers is Dylan Stopher, who’s presentation “What Does It Mean To You?” is an examination of the motivation and drive within each funeral service professional.  Be sure to rate and review The Funeralcast! Follow Dylan on LinkedIn Email me with questions! bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow Ben @thefuneralcast Free Expo Passes! Booth 1231!

In The Funeralcast Episode 69. Online Mortuary School with Rebecca Gardner, three students reflect on their experience with mortuary school online and share information they wish they knew. This is their standalone segement.

Alkaline Hydrolysis is a dispostion you may have heard of but are not familiar with. Ryan Cattoni at the age of 23 years old brought alkaline hydrolysis as a legal form of disposition to Illinois. A visionary at a young age, he has led funeral service in this type of disposition through funeral industry presentations and local media appearances.  Be sure to rate and review this show wherever you get your podcasts!  Visit AquaGreen Dispositions website Follow @aqua_green dispositions on Instagram  Email me with your comments! Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Follow Ben @thefuneralcast  Free Expo passes here! We are booth 1231!  

Over the summer, Ben made the speaker circuit and along the way he asked funeral directors in Indiana, Texas, and West Virginia what one positive change they have seen in funeral service since they started. You might be surprised at what they said!  Please rate and review this show! Free NFDA Expo Passes, just use our company and booth 1231! Email me with your comments! Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Find upcoming continuing education and take the test for Funeralcast Episode 58. Jewish Ceremonies for CFSP credit!  Follow Ben @thefuneralcast  

There’s a debate about online mortuary schools and their ability to produce capable funeral directors. Ben speaks with Rebecca Gardner, the program director at Northeast Texas Community College, a fully online mortuary school and three recent graduates from the program. Learn how Ms. Gardner designed the program in order to allay the concerns of the greater funeral directing public and how it benefited the graduates.  Please rate and review the show! Free Expo passes here! We are booth 1231!  Email me with your comments! Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Check out Northeast Texas Community College's Program Follow Ben @thefuneralcast  

In 2023, 74% mortuary school graduates were women, and that number holds steady today.  Dr. Lucia Dickinson did her dissertation on the experiences of ten women who are mortuary school graduates in order to learn more about their experiences as they integrated into funeral service.  Be sure to rate and review this show wherever you get your podcasts!  Email Lucia ldickinson89@gmail.com Find Lucia on LinkedIn Email me with your comments! Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Follow Ben @thefuneralcast  Find upcoming continuing education and take the test for Funeralcast Episode 58. Jewish Ceremonies for CFSP credit!  Shop our selection of embalming fluids and prep room equipment  

Lanae Strovers is a funeral director and the trainer for the National Funeral Director’s Association. One of her most important professional missions is to locate families for people who have been cremated and remain unclaimed, which is a common funeral home problem. In this episode she offers her advice on how funeral homes can place their unclaimed cremated remains. She has been so recognized for her efforts in this capacity that they even made a movie about her, which you can check out here.  Be sure to rate and review this show wherever you get your podcasts!  Email me with your comments! Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Donate to The Final Salute! Email Lanae lanae.strovers@nfda.orgFollow Ben @thefuneralcast  Follow Frigid Fluid @frigidfluid  Find upcoming continuing education and take the test for Funeralcast Episode 58. Jewish Ceremonies for CFSP credit!Shop our selection of embalming fluids and prep room equipment  

Danielle Wilk is the Port Mortuary Branch Chief at Dover AFB base, place where fallen US service members go to be cared for.  Be sure to rate and review this show wherever you get your podcasts!  Email me with your comments! Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn Follow Ben @thefuneralcast Find upcoming continuing education and take the test for Funeralcast Episode 58. Jewish Ceremonies for CFSP credit! 

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms in funeral service!!!On Episodes 28 and 29 of The Funeralcast, Amanda King and Eileen Hollis share the challenges and joys of being pregnant in funeral service. Well guess what? The babies are here and are about 1 year old! Now they tell us the stories of how they have navigated their first year trying to balance life with a new child and funeral service.  Be sure to rate and review this show wherever you get your podcasts!  Email me with your comments! Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Find upcoming continuing education and take the test for Funeralcast Episode 58. Jewish Ceremonies for CFSP credit!  Follow Ben @thefuneralcast  Follow Eileen @hollisfuneralhome Follow Amanda @amek_graphics Follow Frigid Fluid @frigidfluid  Shop our selection of embalming fluids and prep room equipment  

Seth Holmes is new to funeral service! In December he took the role as the Midwest Territory and Sales Manager. He is no stranger to good customer service and will no doubt do well supporting funeral service professionals. He has lots of questions though, and Ben is here to help him learn more! In this episode, Ben is on the other side of the interview as he tries to help Seth get more information about his customers.  Be sure to rate and review this show wherever you get your podcasts!  Email me with your comments! Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com  Follow Ben @thefuneralcast Email Seth with questions he should ask me! sholmes@frigidfluid.comFind upcoming continuing education and take the test for Funeralcast Episode 58. Jewish Ceremonies for CFSP credit!Read the Frigid Blog  Shop our selection of embalming fluids and prep room equipment