A Look Ahead 2025

A Look Ahead 2025

What does the future hold in store for the funeral profession as we head into 2025? In a word … change. The old way of doing things hasn’t worked for a long time, and heading into the new year, it’s even more important to embrace technology, evolving consumer preferences, and a different way of doing things.

Does this mean the fundamental values of funeral service should be pushed to the side? Absolutely not. Families will always value compassionate, personalized care ... the key will be delivering them in the way families want and need.

How do we know this? We invited funeral professionals from around the country to share their thoughts on what the future has in store in funeral service and what needs to changed going forward.

Licensed funeral director

Owner, Lucas Funeral Homes, Texas

What’s ahead for the profession in 2025 through the lens of funeral directors?

Our physical and mental workload will stay fairly full with the day-to-day duties of a funeral professional. Sometimes we need to look up to see where we are going. The year 2025 no doubt promises significant changes within our profession, driven by shifting demographics, advancements in technology, and evolving consumer preferences. With all of this we’ll obviously continue to humbly take on the sacred trust imparted to us by the families we serve. Understanding trends and leaning into change I believe will promote efficiencies that can equate to a better customer experience. No matter what, these changes represent both challenges and opportunities.

Post-COVID predictions and adjustments have been all over the board. However, I do feel we are coming out of what I call “COVID recoil” and feel that 2025 will feel a bit more normal … or will it? After my mom’s passing this past July, I’ve thought a lot about how we as a profession sit on the precipice of what has been called the Silver Tsunami and what’s ahead of us professionally. I believe in 2025, this generational shift will significantly impact funeral homes, increasing the demand for our services while also requiring sensitivity to the unique preferences of this group. This is our chance to shine as baby boomers are known for their desire for personalization, which means we will need to be innovative and provide creative, meaningful services.

Technology as a whole is excitingly reshaping the way we memorialize loved ones. Livestreaming services, digital memorials, and virtual reality tributes are becoming mainstream, allowing our families to connect and remember across distances. Funeral directors must embrace these tools while ensuring they align with the dignity of the profession.

The good news in 2025 is that funeral directors have an opportunity to play a vital role in guiding families through an increasingly complex array of choices. Embracing technology, personalization, and sustainability while maintaining empathy, compassion, and professionalism will be the key to navigating these changes successfully.

Regan

Moreland

License funeral director and embalmer, Alabama

Do you hear what I hear?

When I think about the future of funeral service, as a first-generation millennial mortician, I can’t help but feel excited. The passion in the voices of new professionals is infectious, and the level of creativity is inspiring. It used to be normal for the halls of funeral homes to be filled with hushed tones and whispers, but there’s a sound that is starting to make its way through those very halls of the past, reverberating a sound of the future.

Families are finding their voices and a new level of comfort within their funeral directors, which provides unspoken permission to step outside the box and create a celebration that embodies who their loved one was and will always be to them.

Funeral directors are no longer hiding in the shadows. “To be seen and not heard” is a dying motto. Families are looking for guidance, acknowledgement, and a presence that will ease their stress and worry. They are reaching out for reassurance, and funeral directors are stepping forward, figuratively and literally, to offer a safe hand to guide them through the dark.

The future of funeral service is bright because the love that we give to our work, our craft, and to our families is shining brighter than ever. Traditional funeral service will always be timeless, but there is a new voice waiting to be heard. This voice is bringing advocacy and heart and is a voice that is demanding to be heard for the betterment of funeral service and for the families we serve.

Licensed funeral director

Owner, Mueller Memorial Funerals and Cremation, Minnesota

As we move into 2025, one of the most significant shifts in the funeral profession will be the continued wave of acquisitions, particularly as baby boomer funeral home owners look to retire. Regional and national acquisition companies will be highly active, and this year may well define their reputations – whether they are viewed as positive forces in the profession or as entities eroding community trust.

For funeral homes facing this decision, remaining fiercely family-owned is a compelling option, especially in markets where acquisitions are becoming commonplace. However, simply being independently owned is not enough to stand out. To remain competitive, family-owned funeral homes must clearly define and communicate one-to-three key differences that set them apart from their corporate counterparts.

In our case, we’ve developed our “Big 3”:

1. Facility Difference: We invest in continuous capital improvements to create a more comfortable, welcoming space for families and guests.

2. Acute Loss Period Support: We recognize the emotional vulnerability during the 10-12 days following a death and guide families through this critical time with care and understanding.

3. Grief Compass Program: We provide ongoing grief support, helping families navigate their loss long after the service ends.

By focusing on unique, meaningful differentiators, family-owned funeral homes can build trust and loyalty in their communities, positioning themselves as the preferred choice –regardless of the growing presence of corporate players.

Licensed funeral director

C.R. Lyons & Sons Funeral Directors, Danvers, Massachusetts

In 2025, my hope for the funeral service industry is for funeral directors to reclaim the essence of our profession. Recently, the rise of aggressive preneed marketing has altered our community in concerning ways. At the national level, our associations have grown so reliant on funding from such companies that they have relinquished control over much of their programming and thought leadership. This dependency compromises the integrity and focus of our national bodies, diverting attention from our core mission of serving bereaved families. Regionally, there is a push to identify and ultimately hire the best and brightest students in our schools. However, the influence of preneed insurance marketers as employers may will affect how these future leaders are trained and what values they prioritize.

The most distressing change has occurred at the local level, where funeral service professionals work directly with families. The traditional role of a funeral service counselor, known for their empathy and guidance, is increasingly replaced by commission-driven salespeople. This shift reduces the family-focused experience to mere transactions, undermining the compassionate service families expect during their time of need.

For 2025, I envision a renewed focus on the fundamental values of funeral service, where directors prioritize empathy and support over commercial pressures. Reclaiming our profession means restoring trust and respect in the communities we serve and ensuring that the heart of funeral service remains dedicated to compassion and care, not sales metrics created by these outside influencers.

Licensed funeral director

Co-owner William R. May Funeral Home Inc., Glenside and North Wales, Pennsylvania

Here we are with the end of 2024 clear upon the horizon and the dawning of a new year just weeks away. For me, 2024 has had its ups and downs and while I’m both happy and sad to see it end, it’s the bright future for funeral service in 2025 that keeps me looking forward and not back.

In recent years our profession has been thrust into enormous change. Good, bad, or indifferent, many of those changes have stuck for better or worse.

What I believe and hope the new year will bring for our profession is unity. Competition can be fierce in this profession, no matter what area of it you work in. I hope we will be able to be more unified rather than divided in how we serve families during their darkest hours. Say what you want, but alternative disposition options, death doulas, and the like are here to stay, and I would love to see the focus in 2025 be for all of us to unite. It will only enhance our ability to meet families where they are and do it together rather than against each other.

There is no shortage of opinions about the recent changes sweeping funeral service. Regardless, from vendors to owners to the newly licensed funeral director out on the frontlines serving families daily, we must now more than ever meet the needs of those who place their trust in us as a united front and do our best to put competition and personal feelings aside.

Matthew R. Bailey

Licensed funeral director, certified celebrant

President, CT Life Tributes, Connecticut

Interestingly, as funeral homes offer this information upfront, I believe we’ll see proof that cost alone does not drive consumer decisions. Families increasingly choose providers based on trust, reputation, and the ability to deliver meaningful, personalized services. While price remains a factor, it’s clear that families prioritize quality, comfort, and the expertise of the funeral director in helping them create an experience that truly honors their loved one.

In 2025, forward-thinking funeral homes that embrace transparency will likely find themselves not only aligned with regulatory trends but also more in tune with what families genuinely seek. By establishing trust through open practices, funeral homes can foster long-term relationships and help shift the public perception of the profession as both service-oriented and compassionate.

David Gallentine

Licensed funeral director

Location leader, Foundation Partner Group’s Englewood Community Funeral Home, Florida

From virtual arrangement conferences and e-signatures to multimedia websites and e-commerce options, the way we connect with and serve families is rapidly changing. I predict that the number of consumers who vet, select, and pay for funeral services online will continue to increase this year as families discover the multitude of options now available to honor and memorialize their loved ones.

Families will recognize the value of a funeral director when they are guided through their options. Years ago, when funeral directors heard “cremation,” they would sigh and resign themselves to quick transactions without additional merchandise or services. Today, we have the opportunity to take each family’s memories and create an end-of-life celebration that is as unique and special as the individual it honors. With our guidance, a select catalogue of products and services can become a memorial that will echo through generations of family members.

Thanks to new technology we now have more time to ask the important questions and connect with families on a deeper and more meaningful level – a level that helps build trust. No website or artificial intelligence platform will ever replace a trusted and compassionate funeral service professional. •

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