From the Winter 2025 issue of The Independent magazine.

OGR's Independent magazine recently caught up with Aaron Tirpack from Ferguson Funeral Home in Sussex, New Jersey about his career in funeral service, Future Leaders involvement at OGR, his professional goals, and more! Read this excerpt below, or OGR members can read the full article in our magazine archive. 

What is your official job title and age? 

I am a managing funeral director and embalmer for Ferguson Funeral Homes, and I am currently 35 years old. 

How many years have you worked in funeral service? 

I began working in a local funeral home during my freshman year of college in 2007 and I have not looked back since!

Why did you begin working in funeral service? 

I grew up living across the street from my grandfather, a retired New York City funeral director and very gifted storyteller. I always idolized him and the way he would command the room with stories of his long, illustrious, and often hilarious time in funeral service (he even wrote a book, Provolone in the Casket, about his life as an Italian American funeral director). So, when I was a freshman in college, I decided to explore funeral service for myself. I had an assignment for a class to interview someone who is currently working in a field you are considering and inquire about the good, the bad, and the ugly, to see if it would be right for you. I interviewed the owner of the funeral home in my community and enrolled in mortuary school the following fall. 

What is the most rewarding part of your occupation? 

There are a lot of rewarding moments in this calling: when a large and detail-oriented funeral goes off without a hitch, when a family is so grateful that they feel the need to invite you to the repast or write a card to express their gratitude, the mere fact that no two days are ever the same, and so many more. My absolute favorite part of this job is the feeling that we are helping people in the worst time of their lives and that we get to truly connect with them in the process. 

What are your professional goals? 

I would love to own my own funeral home(s) one day, but whatever happens, I want to have a long and successful career and make a good reputation for myself. 

What are some important/notable trends that you have noticed in funeral service? 

We are still in a "traditional" area, but even here we are noticing a rise in cremations, particularly direct cremations. There is a lot of value in celebrating a life well lived, but it is up to us as professionals to convey the importance of what we do and set ourselves apart from merely being a direct disposition service. 

To read the full interview with Aaron Tirpack, check out The Independent magazine archive.