Funeral director and arrangement officers take care of all the arrangements for a funeral on behalf of the deceased's family. At the offices of funeral directors or undertakers, all the tasks concerning a funeral are divided between two persons, namely, the funeral director or undertaker and an arrangement officer. The tasks of funeral directors and arrangement officers include:
A complete service is offered to the public with regard to all arrangements that have to be made regarding a person's death. The next of kin first contacts the funeral directors and informs them of the death. The funeral directors then collect the body, in the case of death as a result of natural causes such as illness or heart failure, and take it to the undertaker’s premises where it is placed in a cooling unit. The arrangement officer then makes arrangements with the next of kin for the funeral or cremation.
The day, place and time of the funeral, as well as all other arrangements such as the flowers, organist, seating of guests, funeral leaflets, contacting the parish clerk, organizing the grave, the booking of the church or crematorium and the minister, as well as the hearse and traffic arrangements, can all be done by the arrangement officer.
Arrangement officers have to support the next of kin throughout and offer them assistance, as it is often difficult for them to make decisions about the funeral in their grief. They will also arrange the obituary notices about the death and funeral or cremation service.
The funeral director has to see that all the procedures that are prescribed by the authorities are adhered to, such as the obtaining of a medical certificate, registration of the death, post mortem, etc. They also prepare the coffin and the body for the funeral.
On the day of the cremation or funeral, the funeral director takes the body to the church or chapel for the service. If requested by the family of the deceased, the people attending the funeral or cremation service can look at the deceased in the coffin for the last time to bid farewell. The coffin is usually carried into the church or chapel, if the family prefers it and if the church allows it.
After the service the funeral director is responsible for transporting the body to the cemetery and for the ceremony at the grave. In case of a cremation service, the funeral director has to take the body to the crematorium and carry out the necessary administrative duties there. The funeral director as well as the arrangement officer, have to have knowledge of the customs of different cultural groups on the death of a loved one.
Satisfying Aspects
- the challenge of beautifying the deceased to a state that is acceptable for open-casket viewing by mourners
- rendering a vital service to people in a state of shock and bereavement
- working with people
Demanding aspects
- dealing with grieving people, who might unintentionally be rude or difficult
- responsibility of ensuring a dignified burial and accompanying arrangements
- this can be emotionally exhausting work and can be seen more as a service to the community and as a calling, than as a career
Requirements
A funeral director should have/be:
- knowledge of the customs of different cultural groups when a death occurs
- empathetic, kind and tactful
- able to remain emotionally uninvolved
- excellent communication skills
- able to support and comfort grieving people
- able to act sympathetically, gently but firmly
- deep respect for the dignity of the deceased
- able to handle the dead in a worthy manner
School Subjects
Have at least a Grade 10 Certificate for a Technisa course and older than 25 years of age
National Senior Certificate meeting diploma requirements for a diploma course
Each institution will have its own minimum entry requirements.
Compulsory school subjects: None
Recommended school subjects: Religious Studies, other languages
Training
UNISA offers a 2-year correspondence course for funeral directors. Those who already have a National Senior Certificate, can get exemption for some subjects.
A funeral director receives in-service training and can progress to the level of an arrangement officer. A person with previous experience could be appointed as an arrangement officer.
Employer
- a funeral director's business
- self-employment - it is possible to start one's own funeral service business with a lot of capital and knowledge of the industry
Contact
Private Funeral Directors’ Association
P O Box 148
Bergvliet, 7864
Tel: (021) 448-9340 Fax: (021) 448-9349
Funeral Academy for Africa
Cnr President Burger & Church Street
Pretoria West, 0183
Tel: (012) 327-4714 Fax: (012) 327-7246
www. fafa.co.za