Resources for: Mortuary Science

Covers the activities associated with the physical burial of the dead.

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The Morgue

The Morgue is Kansas City Kansas Community College’s premier author, title, journal, and subject index of English language journals within the field of Mortuary Science.  he database can be searched by author’s name, journal title, article title and subject. The Morgue does not index articles relating to association news, conventions, interviews, features, reader’s forums, advertisements, classified ads, obituaries, or briefs.

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Online resources

Britannica Online

  • Burial: Encyclopedic entry about various burial types, practices and facts, with links to related content.
  • Death: Encyclopedia entry about death -- definitions, types and meanings.

Regulations

  • Funeral Directors' Handbook on Death Registration and Fetal Death Reporting
    This handbook is designed to acquaint funeral directors with the vital registration system in the United States and to provide instructions for completing and filing records of death and fetal death. Emphasis is directed toward the responsibilities of the funeral director in handling these certificates and reports and in obtaining proper authorization for final disposition of a dead body. Background information is included on the importance of these documents for legal and statistical purposes and specific instructions for obtaining the necessary. (2019 revision)
  • Complying With the Funeral Rule
    Aimed at professionals in the funeral service industry, the Federal Trade Commission defines who in the funeral service profession must follow the Funeral Rule, which was created to protect the interests of consumers needing funeral services or goods. 
  • FTC Funeral Rule
    A guide for consumers from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
  • Model Guidelines (International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association)
    The ICCFA Government and Legal Affairs Committee has developed a set of 28 model guidelines for state laws and regulations, which have been approved by the Board of Directors. The guidelines combine a sensitivity to consumer protection issues with the need for all industry members, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, cemeteries, funeral homes, retail monument dealers or crematories, to conduct their operations according to sound business principles.

Associations, organizations, and societies

  • American Board of Funeral Service Education
    The American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) serves as the national academic accreditation agency for college and university programs in Funeral Service and Mortuary Science Education. ABFSE is the sole accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation in this field.
  • Cremation Association of North America
    Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America is an International organization of over 1500 members, composed of cemeterians, cremationists, funeral directors, industry suppliers and consultants.
  • Funeral Service Foundation
    Funeral service industry's charitable foundation. Supports scholarships, consumer assistance programs, research, education and the Howard C. Raether Library, a premier research library about funeral service through the ages.
  • International Cemetery and Funeral Association
    The International Cemetery and Funeral Association (ICCFA), was founded in 1887 as the American Cemetery Association. The organization was created by cemetery owners and managers whose goal was to improve the appearance and operations of their properties. ICCFA is composed of more than 7,500 cemeteries, funeral homes, memorial designers, crematories and related businesses worldwide.
  • International Conference of Funeral Examining Boards
    The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (ICFSEB or "The Conference") is a not-for-profit voluntary association providing examination services, information and regulatory support to funeral service licensing boards and educators, legislators and other regulatory agencies, and the public at large in various states, districts, provinces, jurisdictions and internationally.
  • International Order of the Golden Rule
    The International Order of the Golden Rule is an international, not-for-profit membership organization of independent locally owned, family owned Golden Rule funeral homes.
  • MN Association of Cemeteries
    The Minnesota Association of Cemeteries (MAC) was founded in 1924 as a nonprofit resource for cemetery managers. MAC has come to represent the interests of everyone concerned with the present and future of cemeteries in Minnesota.
  • National Funeral Directors Association
    Largest funeral service organization in the world. Links to state associations, career information, continuing education, consumer information. Publishes The Director
  • National Funeral Directors & Morticians Association, Inc
    Membership association of professional funeral directors and morticians and embalmers, whose members and members-at-large are also members of state associations of funeral directors, morticians and embalmers dedicated to promoting the common professional and business interests of its members.

Consumer information

  • Funeral Consumers Alliance
    A Federation of Nonprofit Consumer Information Societies protecting a consumer's right to choose a meaningful, dignified, affordable funeral since 1963.
  • Shopping For Funeral Services: Consumer Information
    When a loved one dies, grieving family members and friends often are confronted with dozens of decisions about the funeral — all of which must be made quickly and often under great emotional duress. What kind of funeral should it be? What funeral provider should you use? Should you bury or cremate the body, or donate it to science? What are you legally required to buy? What about the availability of environmentally friendly or “green” burials? What other arrangements should you plan? And, practically, how much is it all going to cost?  Provided by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Directories

  • Online Funeral Home Search
    Powered by the Red Book, National Directory of Morticians.  This is NOT the e-Red Book (electronic copy of the Red Book designed for funeral directors.   Free directory for consumers

Bereavement and grief counseling

General Resources

  • Family Means Center for Grief & Loss
    The Center for Grief provides a unique and critical service to the greater St. Paul and Minneapolis area and outlying regions of Minnesota. In operation since January, 1996, the Center for Grief has responded to the harsh reality of traumatic loss from homicide, suicide, accidental death, and multiple family losses.   Merged with Family Means in 2012.
  • The Compassionate Friends
    The mission of The Compassionate Friends is to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive. The Compassionate Friends is a national nonprofit, self-help support organization that offers friendship, understanding, and hope to bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings. There is no religious affiliation and there are no membership dues or fees.
  • Coping with Grief and Loss
    This article describes the common symptoms of grief, myths and facts about grief and tips for coping. HelpGuide is a nonprofit mental health and wellness website. Our mission is to provide empowering, evidence-based information that you can use to help yourself and your loved ones.
  • Grief Support Directory
    “... here are many support organizations and bereavement centers for families. We have outlined some of the services available to families below.”  Mouse over state to see list
  • GriefNet.org
    An Internet community of persons dealing with grief, death, trauma, and major loss.
  • Guide to Grieving Support Resources
    Over 40 of the best grief-related resources on the Web for children, parents, spouses, siblings, friends, acquaintances, coworkers and employers that are categorized into sections that make it easy to find what you – or someone else – needs from Wise Old Sayings

Children and Teens

  • Dougy Center for Grieving Children and Families
    The Dougy Center provides a safe place for children, teens, young adults and their families who are grieving a death to share their experiences. They do this through peer support groups, education, and training.
  • Death and Grief
    This article contains information for kids and teens about the process of grief and how to ultimately feel better.  From Kidshealth.org
  • National Alliance for Grieving Children
    The National Alliance for Grieving Children (NAGC) provides a network for nationwide communication between hundreds of professionals and volunteers who want to share ideas, information and resources with each other to better support the grieving children and families they serve in their own communities. Through this network, the NAGC offers online education, hosts an annual symposium on children's grief, maintains a national data base of children's bereavement support programs and promotes national awareness to enhance public sensitivity to the issues impacting grieving children and teens.

Military

  • American Gold Star Mothers, Inc
    This organization of mothers honors fallen sons and daughters of the military through their services to veterans and military events.
  • Gold Star Wives
    The belief of Gold Star Wives is that surviving spouses and dependent children need an organization that’s dedicated to their unique needs, concerns, and welfare no matter what.

     

  • Military OneSource: Support After Loss
    "You were part of the military family when you supported your service member in his or her mission. And you're still part of the family now. That’s why the military has designed programs especially for survivors – tools and services to help you cope, make informed decisions, grieve in healthy ways and begin to envision a life with new opportunities."

     

  • TAPS: Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
    The TAPS Institute provides training and education on coping with loss for bereavement professionals, bereaved individuals, and grieving military and civilian families.

     

  • Veterans Administration: Bereavement Counseling
    Surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member who died while serving their country, may qualify for bereavement counseling through VA.

Parents

  • Bereaved Parents USA
    Provides a safe space where grieving families can connect, share our stories, and learn to rebuild our lives.
  • MISS Foundation
    An international 501(c)3, volunteer based organization providing C.A.R.E. [counseling, advocacy, research, and education] services to families experiencing the death of a child.

Widows and Widowers

  • National Widowers’ Organization
    The National Widowers’ Organization is a virtual toolkit for men coping with the loss of a loved one, a place where men can meet others going through the same transition.
  • Soaring Spirits:
     "Soaring Spirits is an inclusive, secular organization focused on hope and healing through the grieving process. We are positive, and forward-thinking, while offering our community members the tools and resources they need to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the death of a spouse or life partner. We provide both online and in-person opportunities for finding peer support."
  • WidowNet
    Established in 1995, it is the first online information and self-help resource for, and by, widows and widowers. Topics covered include grief, bereavement, recovery, and other information helpful to people, of all ages, religious backgrounds and sexual orientations, who have suffered the death of a spouse or life partner.

     

Cultural considerations and burial rituals

Selected list of websites on cultural or burial rituals

  • Association for Gravestone Studies
    The Association for Gravestone Studies (AGS) was founded in 1977 for the purpose of furthering the study and preservation of gravestones. AGS promotes the study of gravestones from historical and artistic perspectives, expands public awareness of the significance of historic gravemarkers, and encourages individuals and groups to record and preserve gravestones
  • National Museum of Funeral History
    With over 20,000 square feet of exhibition space the National Museum of Funeral History is the largest educational center on Funeral Heritage in the United States.
Last Updated: Nov 17, 2023 2:27 PM