I am so honored to have been elected to serve as your president this coming year. My family has been a part of OGR for over 50 years. As a young child I remember going on family vacations based on the location of the annual convention. Dad would spend the day in meetings and the rest of the family would explore the area and make great vacation memories out of it. There were many destinations my parents took friends to then stayed for an extra week to vacation.

OGR's monthly feature previewing education, events and other opportunities coming up over the next three months.

OGR's monthly feature previewing education, events and other opportunities coming up over the next three months.

Marianne Turcotte and Mark Muir are co-owners, managers and funeral directors at Beau “Lac” Funeral Home and Crematorium, Ltd. in Spirtwood, Shellbrook and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan with branch offices in Big River and Leask, Saskatchewan.

Are you facing a tough challenge or change at work? You might get frustrated if you expect steady progress or quick resolution. None of us is going to glide smoothly from start to finish. So, what do you do when you hit a rough patch? Your answer can mean the difference between success and defeat. Change your perspective to realize you’re collecting footage for your montage. 

You may see it in ads or on social media posts. I saw it in the newspaper for a local mattress company with a holiday sale announcement. It is the three words that anger me the most: "Happy Memorial Day." 

A record nine students were awarded scholarships through OGR’s charitable foundation this year. All demonstrated solid academic performance, community involvement and a dedication to the independent funeral service model OGR stands for.

We can safely say that cremation is here to stay. With an annual growth rate of 1.5 – 3% across the U.S. and an upswing in direct-to consumer e-commerce platforms, it’s no wonder that traditional funeral homes are feeling a financial pinch when it comes to the overall decrease in revenue per funeral.

Brittany Lawrence Teaster is a 37-year-old funeral director and office manager at Boone Family Memorial Home in West Jefferson, North Carolina.

“It’s hard to deal with a loss of a loved one when cops are sitting here with radar guns. Thanks for the consideration guys!”

“Thank you for offering such a wonderful resource for people like myself who are grieving to know I am not alone in this journey. I look forward to our next grief support group meeting." - Ann

Think this has nothing to do with your funeral home since you are not a pet funeral provider? Think again. Offering this service can gain your funeral home free publicity, forge partnerships within your community and build a list of grateful humans who see your funeral home as a supportive place to turn to.

OGR prides itself on being a place where our members can connect with one another to share ideas and spur each other on to better serve their communities, but it’s also a place where our members forge personal connections that extend beyond the funeral home. 

I'm looking forward to seeing you this year at OGR's Annual Conference! Our board and staff have worked to offer virtual connection opportunities in the three years since our last in-person meeting to help keep our connections strong, but I am excited that we will finally have the opportunity to step outside the Zoom box and see each other again in the flesh.

Fuel your think-tank at OGR's Annual Conference!

Register for a three day race with multiple educational pit stops along the way! Take the time to reunite with colleagues and friends for the first time since the pandemic started, while delving into topics that focus on leadership and innovation. PLUS the schedule allows ample time for networking and idea-sharing amongst peers. 

OGR's monthly feature previewing education, events and other opportunities coming up over the next three months.

Now that COVID is moving into its endemic phase, we’re all breathing a sigh of relief. Everyone is tired of pandemic life. Funeral home staff, especially, have been asked over and over again to go above and beyond. Understandably, you’re tired, you’re numb, and many of you are probably traumatized.

Say hello to Amy Waninger! Join us in May at OGR's Annual Conference to hear her speak on how you can "move from panic to purpose" in your own business even as the funeral profession changes more rapidly than ever before. 

Saint Francis Cromo announced in March that they will now be known as “Reliable Funeral Supply, a division of Saint Francis Cromo.” The rebrand also comes with a shift to offering customers the option of ordering directly through Reliable Funeral Supply instead of going through a distributor.