This is a beautifully written book by a funeral director who speaks to the special calling of his profession. I was very touched reading this book.
Being a funeral director is one license (in the US) and being an embalmer is a separate license. Both involve apprenticeship, VERY odd work hours, and a closet full of dark suits. Someone is always “on duty” at the funeral home because you never know when someone is going to die.
The funeral director deals with all the legal paperwork regarding disposition of human remains. This requires good organizational skills and excellent people skills. The funeral industry relies on families coming back to the funeral home with each successive death, so the effort to do a good job is really important. Funeral directors often participate in Rotary Club and other civic organizations and are often leaders in their towns (build trust). Collecting bills for funeral services that have been provided can often be delicate because you want/need the return business.
A funeral director arranges for transportation for the family and the body (from a far away place to the location of the funeral, from the funeral home to the church and/or cemetery, etc). A funeral director must be familiar with many different religious traditions to honor the various customs of different families. Often a funeral home will only handle Jewish funerals and others specialize in Catholic funerals.
An embalmer’s job is to restore the deceased to a natural and life-like appearance. They prepare the body with chemicals and makeup to temporarily stave off the natural decaying process so the family has the option to see their loved one in death which often helps the grieving process. The embalmer’s work, as indicated above, is often a real art. The dying process, for some, involves startling injury that can be repaired with the right skills directed by caring and talented hands.
Some funeral director’s also hold embalming licenses, but others have employed licensed embalmers and only do the funeral directing.