ENGLISH                 ESPAÑOL

24-hour source of INFORMATION ESSENTIAL to the MEDIA for UNDERSTANDING
and exposing the funeral industry and explaining it correctly to the public.

This site is probably the MOST EXTENSIVE FUNERAL SITE on the Internet.   In 17 separate, illustrated documents it provides a
comprehensive, truthful view of the entire U.S. funeral industry.

It provides CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION NOT PROVIDED BY ANY OTHER SITE on the Internet.

This is ESSENTIAL INFORMATION -- KEPT SECRET FROM THE MEDIA and public by EVERY U.S. mortician throughout
the century -- to ENABLE all of the nation's 22,000 mortuaries (all claiming to be "reputable, honest, and caring") to RIP-OFF NEARLY
EVERY FAMILY in every community.

    The unique "PROFIT SYSTEM" of the industry:   All in the funeral industry work together nationally and in every community to enable their "fleecing of America" to continue and expand. Casket manufacturers, local wholesalers, morticians, prepay sales groups, national and local associations, and state funeral boards (composed mainly or totally of morticians) use threats of boycotts and worse to force everyone to "cooperate" in maintaining the "profit system." Essential is keeping the media misinformed so they will be silent or, better, that they will deliver the industry's misinformation to the public.
    Important tactics in the "profit system" and its fleecing of families in the most efficient and lucrative ways possible are:

1) maintaining absolute secrecy throughout the industry,   2) constantly filling the secrecy vacuum with misinformation and myth,
3) charging outrageous prices, and   4) using more than 100 deceptive tactics -- such as the lucrative, harmful "protective" caskets
and "gifts" (bribes) to many clergy to seek their silence and assistance in funneling their families into high-priced mortuaries. (Many of the
tactics are described in this site's 15 Categories of Deceptive Practices.)
    EVERY mortuary assists the nationwide ripoff by using some or many of these tactics.

    The most frequent, most lucrative, most cruel deceptive tactic is extortionately-priced, destructive (not protective), "Protective Seal" caskets, with fraudulent 25-75 year "warranties".
    ALL "sealer" metal caskets (including those with so-called "burp valves" of Batesville and other companies -- whether bronze, copper, steel or stainless steel), after being closed, immediately begin to rapidly BLOAT, DESTROY and LIQUEFY body parts of all your loved ones. Well-sealed caskets EXPLODE daily in mausoleums throughout the U.S., blowing the liquefied body parts out of the caskets -- explosions so strong that they sometimes blow the heavy crypt fronts off the crypts, with the danger of killing persons who are in front of or below the crypts. Families need to be warned not to picnic beneath outdoor crypts, as families are frequently seen doing.
    Regularly, morticians and mausoleums secretly and illegally open caskets and crypts, breaking seals that families paid thousands of dollars for; they unjustly hide the damage of leaks and explosions from families; and they secretly and unjustly dispose of exploded caskets and remaining body parts at city dumps.

    Every U.S. family can SUE EVERY MORTICIAN who ever offered them a "sealer" casket and DID NOT WARN them clearly
about the extreme dangers. YOUR FAMILY can probably sue because most families have been victims of this sealer scam in past years, coaxed into it by their neighborhood morticians whom they "trusted" -- but who coaxed them to buy these caskets although knowing that they were frauds, and intentionally helped to destroy each families' bodies to increase their profits.
    Families can SUE for being falsely led to believe that "sealer" caskets 1) were "better quality" than other caskets or 2) "better for their loved ones" when the exact opposite is true in both cases, whether the caskets are bronze, copper or steel; many of these caskets leak within two or three years, despite 25-75 year "warranties." Mortuaries throughout the U.S. are making these false statements to nearly every family every day. (Read the deceptive "disclaimers" at the bottom of most mortuaries' price lists to see another of your local morticians' misleading tactics. A recent AARP survey found that one-third of morticians told families falsely that sealer caskets "preserve" bodies.)
    Families can SUE for the 1) severe damage to their relatives' bodies and 2) EXPLOSIONS of "sealer" caskets, blowing the liquefied body parts
out of bronze, copper and steel caskets.
    Families can SUE if a mortuary or mausoleum/cemetery tampered with or opened any casket or crypt without their permission.
    Families can SUE if a mortuary or mausoleum 1) didn't notify them immediately about any explosion or leakage; or 2) did anything to hide the
damage from them, or 3) took any body parts to city dumps. Many of the abuses happen hundreds of times every day throughout the country.

    Class-Action Suit: Families can also join a class-action suit (open to all U.S. families without cost) being prepared against all morticians, casket manufacturers, and mausoleums (both public and religious). This suit and settlement could be larger than the tobacco suit because this fraud affects
nearly every family's bodies. TELL all your friends about these fraudulent caskets and their right to sue. This is all explained in sections below.
    (A family which chooses a sealer casket should demand that the seal be removed.)
    MEDIA, FAMILIES: If any morticians or the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) make any claims or denials about any of the above abuses, DEMAND that they provide you with a notorized statement about any specific points above that they claim are not true. This may stop their daily false statements. Any notarized statements you obtain may be useful against them in court cases.

This LONG, OPENING DOCUMENT is an OVERVIEW of the important
information about the industry contained in the attached 17 Main Documents.
Read this document completely to help you understand the other documents.

TOPICS on this extensive page.

Click a topic name below to go to it immediately.
(Click [TOPIC LIST] throughout this document to return to this list immediately.)

1. MEDIA note: Misinformation and dishonesty of NFDA, its spokesman, Mr. Kelly Smith, and others.
2. Quick Media Briefing -- The Four Most Important Consumer Points.
3. Charts of Houston TV station's Price Survey. (Prices from $1,495 to $9,910 for the SAME* funeral and casket).
4. Media comments about this site.
5. The new GOOD SHEPHERD FUNERAL PROGRAM and COLOR BROCHURE

with casket photos, their secret wholesale prices, and Good Shepherd's FAIR PRICE LIST
for Funerals and Caskets -- for all mortuaries to imitate.
6. Questions that media, churches and families should ask EVERY mortician.
7. Latest national media reports, principally 1999-2000.
8. U.S. News cover: "DON'T DIE BEFORE YOU READ THIS: The Death Care Business"
9. "PROTECTIVE SEAL" FRAUD -- and LAWSUIT you can join.
10. Graphic illustrations used by TV and newspaper media.
11. National media reports 1997-1998.
12. JOYFUL, CREATIVE FUNERAL described in a magazine article.
13. Lengthy Summary of the MOST IMPORTANT information in the 17 Documents.
13B. DAMAGE to Religious rites, family traditions, customs.
14. Media Errors, Cautions
15. Media Exposés of the Funeral Industry, principally 1994-1998, and a few of 1984-1994.
16. Graphic -- Mortician's comment about stealing.
17. Detailed LIST of the 17 Separate MAIN DOCUMENTS (Subjects).
18. Questionnaire -- and Your Comments and Questions.

Brief listing of this site's 17 separate Documents -- described in more detail at bottom of this page. (However, clicking on an abbreviated title here will take you to the document immediately. Use your BACK button to return to this page.)
D1-Intro, Exposés | D2-Plan, Embalming/Cremation explained | D3A-Caskets, Decorating | D3B-"Protective Casket" Fraud (coming) | D4-Mortuary Prices | D5-Industry Profit System | D6-National Abuse | D7A-15 Ripoff Categories A | D7B-15 Ripoff Categories B | D8-Media Advice | D9A-Resources | D9B-TV Reports, 1 | D9C-TV Reports, 2 | D10-Letters, Comments | D11A-Contracts | D11B-Refunds, Lawsuits | D11C-Prepay Lawsuit | D12-BASIC ADVICE

Other truthful CONSUMER INFORMATION SITES recommended: . (Note: CLICK the site name to VISIT the site now.)
The Funeral Help Page (A service of the Alzheimer's Research Foundation of Virginia)
Sample topics: Critical First Step. Burial or Cremation. Caskets. Monuments. Ploys and Scams.
Scam of the Month. Veterans and Social Security Benefits
Funeral and Memorial Societies of America (FAMSA)
Lists local non-profit funeral consumer societies in about 140 U.S. communities.
Provides other information useful to all families.

MEDIA NOTE: (July 2000)
    Three basic tactics are used to MAKE POSSIBLE THE CONTINUING GREAT SUCCESS of morticians' many deceptive practices and outrageous high prices and profits even though there are five to ten times too many mortuaries in most areas, many with almost no business, often only two or three bodies a month.
    The tactics: 1) ABSOLUTE SECRECY throughout the industry (about low casket wholesale prices and more than a hundred deceptive practices)
        2) CONTINUAL MISINFORMATION to the MEDIA and CLERGY (filling the vacuum created by the secrecy)
        3) offering GIFTS ("bribes") to the clergy to coax them to make recommendations and distribute their advertising calendars and other materials to funnel church families into the their high-priced mortuaries, and even to abuse their families further by not allowing families to use church facilities for visitation or services -- in order to force them to use the "chapels" of high-priced mortuaries nearby instead of a fair-priced one outside the immediate area. (We urge families who learn of or suffer from the bribery or church assistance to mortuaries' ripoff of families -- to report the situations to their bishops, denominational leaders and the media to expose and stop this injustice.) Examples of gifts offered in the Phoenix area: cars, money (as much as $5,000), golf days and free trips.

    Helping to maintain the secrecy and spread the misinformation are highly-paid tasks of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), its current spokesperson, Mr. Kelly Smith, and others.
    Here, and in many other parts of this site, we provide examples of the NFDA's, Mr. Smith's, and others' misinformation and dishonesty in:

evading questions of the media about morticians' nationwide frauds such as the high-priced "protective seal" caskets (including those with so-called "burp" valves) promoted by every mortician's actions or silence -- which destroy bodies within a few months (explained in this site, in various publications, and by IFIC's Fr. Wasielewski in a June 2000 issue of the Arizona Daily Star and July 3 issue of The Arizona Republic newspapers). Smith responded in the newspapers that this couldn't be true (and that Wasielewski thus exaggerated) because the Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule forbids morticians from saying that caskets preserve bodies. However, Smith's statement is about as honest as saying: "I know that nobody speeds because there are laws against speeding!";

misleading printed materials (as Funeral Costs, one of NFDA's deceptive booklets for families. See Document 7A.);

making, unsubstantiated, ridiculous, exaggerated claims, as Smith's recent FALSE, outrageous claim of "60 personhours" involved in a "traditional" funeral (which he used to mislead Episcopal Life, March 2000, the national newspaper of the Episcopalian Church, in order to mislead all U.S. Episcopalian families and clergy. He owes Episcopal Life and all Episcopalians an apology for intentionally deceiving them. Morticians also owe an apology for his deception on their behalf.)
    Other funeral industry spokespersons have made similar false claims of "two forty-hour weeks" (80 hours), "99 manhours," and "104 to 150 manhours with the family in the average funeral" on the national CNBC-TV network, etc.
    However, various morticians admit that only 13.5 to 25 personhours are needed. (Well-known mortician and former Arizona legislator Paul Messenger has listed manhours totaling 29 on his price sheet, but actually only 24-26 hours when organist, clergy, motorcycle police, and other separately-paid or unneeded persons are deleted from the list. See a photo-copy of his list in Document 7A.).

MEDIA: All reporters should DEMAND that Smith provide them with his "fairy-tale" list of mortician's normal funeral tasks, and hours for each, BEFORE THEY BELIEVE/ACCEPT ANOTHER WORD from Smith -- and DEMAND written proof for any other "INFORMATION" from Smith (and from the NFDA and morticians, too) -- since his statements show the ease and skill with which he misleads media reporters in order to assist and increase the nationwide funeral ripoff.

refusing to provide media or the public with casket wholesale prices -- because of the shame to morticians (who pay him to mislead the media and public) which would result from media finding out the outrageous markups/profit charged by most morticians.
MEDIA: We provide the embarrassing, low wholesale prices that Smith, morticians, and even retail "discount" stores refuse to provide. They are immediately below; in our Good Shepherd Color Brochure; in Document 3; and in our other printed materials. We invite you to contact us to obtain more of the wholesale prices. (It is interesting and dangerous [bringing us threats, car damage, etc.] that our IFIC is the first and still the ONLY source of casket wholesale prices for the media and public in the entire U.S.) It is interesting that Smith is willing to provide "inside information" such as exaggerated "personhours" but not "wholesale prices." But it's embarrassing for Smith to admit to markups of 700% and more. If Smith denies such markups, click here: casket markups. That such markups continue can be seen by checking current mortuary price lists.
    Take these prices to mortuaries and retail stores and then publish the high markups and great amount of profit, often thousands of dollars each, on their caskets, especially on some of the higher-priced ones.
    We clearly state that the markup/profit in our Good Shepherd demonstration funeral program is $200 over wholesale on all caskets, not the unfair $1,000 to $5,000 and higher profit usually charged for the same caskets by mortuaries and many retail stores. Our program's price list (in the COLOR BROCHURE below) shows the wholesale cost next to every casket because we are not ashamed of the markup and prices.
    Ask mortuaries and stores to show you their wholesale price lists and see what happens. Show them our brochure's wholesale prices and ask why every one of them refuses to show you their prices. Publish their reasons.

    Our Good Shepherd demonstration program was set up to provide a live example of how decent mortuaries should operate -- hopefully encouraging or shaming U.S. mortuaries into doing the same -- and giving the media, public and families an idea of what a decent mortuary would be like, and giving them an example to compare their local mortuaries with. AS:
    1) low, fair prices for caskets and funeral services (probably the lowest prices in the U.S., with highest-quality metal caskets in a variety of pleasing colors for as low as $497; other prices can be seen below in the description of the Good Shepherd COLOR BROCHURE);
    2) a price list giving clear, truthful information about caskets and the dangers of costly, harmful "protective seals" caskets, urging families not to buy them and offering to remove seals from caskets that have them;
    3) a price list which gives the correct model number/name and wholesale price of each casket, and has the lowest-priced caskets at the top of the list to encourage families to choose them (not at the bottom of the list or in a "miscellaneous container" category, as most mortuaries do) to encourage families to . (Probably no mortuary price list in the U.S. urges families to buy the least-expensive casket, as our list does!)
    4) encouraging and assisting families (without charge) to plan joyful, creative funerals with decorations for church and casket; full-color folders and guest book with color photos of the deceased; participation of children and friends; etc.

Click [TOPIC LIST] to go to the top LIST of this document's topics.

QUICK MEDIA BRIEFING   (Some important basic information, some important actions -- and some questions that media, churches and families should ask every mortician regarding high prices and unfair tactics.)

.

MEDIA:   New, free CONSUMER BROCHURE
that EVERY U.S. FAMILY NEEDS

MEDIA: The FOUR MOST IMPORTANT POINTS that EVERY U.S. FAMILY NEEDS TO KNOW
in dealing with EVERY mortuary, cemetery and pre-pay plan in the U.S.
Media need to include ALL four of these crucial Consumer Points in EVERY article and program.
These points are much more important than the usual "Take a stable person with you," etc. Families must
learn a new way of dealing with mortuaries, cemeteries and pre-pay plans because of the problems
of exorbitant prices, high pressure -- and deceptive tactics used by ALL mortuaries (except for a handful).
Families' loss is increasing due to 1) five to ten times too many mortuaries in most communities (many with
fewer than one body a week), and 2) greed -- desire for high profit by mortuaries, chains, and some religious leaders.
(Nearly everything in our 17 Documents is summed up in these four Consumer Points.)

THE FOUR MOST IMPORTANT CONSUMER POINTS
that every family, church and the media need to know:

==1== KNOW what is a LOW, FAIR PRICE ($1,400-$2,200 total) for a complete funeral with a beautiful metal casket offered in a number of colors. PHONE mortuaries until you find one with FAIR, LOW PRICES like those listed here REGARDLESS of where it is located, even up to 75 or more miles away. Distant fair-priced mortuaries will be happy to provide visitation and funeral services in your local church or home. (Federal law requires mortuaries to give all their prices over the phone.) KNOW that there is a GREAT DIFFERENCE IN PRICES, markup and profit for the SAME funeral services and caskets charged by different mortuaries in the same area. Here are FAIR PRICES charged by a number of urban and rural mortuaries:     COMPLETE "TRADITIONAL" FUNERAL with METAL CASKET (offered in a   variety of colors*): $1,400-$2,200 (not the $3,000-$10,000 charged by most mortuaries).   DIRECT CREMATION (all mortuary/crematory fees): $300-$550 (not $750-$4000 of most mortuaries).    METAL CASKETS - Many beautiful, low-priced models in many colors (non-sealing): $450-$800 (not $1,000-$6,000). (Dozens of beautiful casket models are available to all morticians for $250 to $400 wholesale, and up to 40% lower than these with manufacturers' discounts.) The low prices above provide a FAIR PROFIT to efficient mortuaries.     Media need to provide families with these prices which are available at a few mortuaries in most communities. Families can find them by phoning mortuaries for their prices -- or by calling their local non-profit Memorial Society (1-800-765-0107 national directory). Beware of fake "Societies" set up by mortuaries in many communities to mislead media and families to think that they are non-profit Memorial Societies. ("National Cremation Society" and "Neptune Society" are not non-profit Memorial Societies.) The lowest prices above are available through our new "Good Shepherd Funeral Program" for caskets, funeral services and cremation. The prices are available in Arizona -- and in many communities in the U.S. by families who obtain our color brochure described below.     The program was established by our IFIC to set an example of fair prices for all U.S. mortuaries to follow. It is explained below -- and in our color brochure. Media should compare these prices with those of their local mortuaries, ask why the great difference, and expose the unfair prices and practices. The GS COLOR BROCHURE can HELP YOU OBTAIN FAIR PRICES wherever you live. There is NO EXCUSE for the deceptive tactics and outrageous prices charged by MOST mortuaries and chains. .

==2== NEVER have viewing or any memorial services in a mortuary but HAVE VIEWING and ALL SERVICES in your local CHURCH or SYNAGOGUE or at your home (or borrow a nearby church if needed) -- so that you are free to use a fair-priced firm located outside of your neighborhood and are not forced to use a high-priced mortuary nearby in order to use their "commercial chapel" to have a viewing or service nearby. Fair-priced mortuaries in other communities or areas will be happy to take care of your funerals, and even come to your home to make arrangements.   Choosing a FAIR-PRICED MORTUARY is the MOST IMPORTANT STEP any family can ever make. It is much more important than the frequent media advice to "Take a 'stable person' with you." If you go to a high-priced mortuary, you will be ripped off by $1,000s of dollars even if you take a dozen 'stable' persons with you.   A Houston TV station educated its viewers via the charts below. It also did a PRICE SURVEY of its area's 120 mortuaries, offering it to viewers, churches, hospitals, agencies, senior groups and others. Other areas' stations and newspapers have joined in doing complete or partial surveys (Phoenix, Denver, Tucson, Las Vegas, Cincinatti, Minneapolis, Baumont, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Detroit, and others -- most with help from our IFIC). A price survey is the best help that anyone can provide to families. ALL MEDIA should do a price survey in every community. We can provide survey forms to help do it quickly and accurately. See the Houston survey in Document 4. CLERGY/MORTUARY BRIBERY: Many mortuaries offer generous "gifts" (bribes) to clergy to coax them to not allow services/visitation in church to force families to use high-priced mortuaries nearby -- or to coax clergy to distribute mortuary advertising calendars and harmful pre-pay plan advertising, and to recommend the mortuaries. Families should report to the media the name of any pastor who refuses to allow visitation or evening services in the church or other church facility, thereby forcing families to use high-priced mortuaries nearby (probably in return for "gifts" received or promised to him/her by the mortuaries; forgetting that the church was built by the people for their religious needs, not for his/her profit). Media should expose this clergy/mortuary collusion and secret contracts involved. See more about clergy/mortuary bribery in sections below -- and in the June 2000 issue of Sojourners social justice magazine; the March 28, 1998, U.S. News & World Report magazine and others. (Catholic parishes and dioceses are more often offered "gifts" by morticians because of their large congregations. Various denominations' churches seriously harm their own people by distributing calendars advertising high-priced mortuaries and harmful pre-pay plan promotional materials. Catholics complain about unfair high prices of mortuaries operated or sponsored by several archdioceses [Los Angeles, Denver, Montreal]. There are also complaints about Dallas, Tucson and Pittsburg dioceses' unfair funeral/cemetery contracts, prices and profits.) A mortician passes a "gift" envelope behind his back to a clergyman in an Arizona Republic newspaper editorial cartoon.

Click [TOPIC LIST] to go to the top LIST of this document's topics.

==3== DON'T BUY "PROTECTIVE SEAL" CASKETS. These are not "protective" -- but, rather, are costly, fraudulent and "DESTRUCTIVE," often displayed with fraudulent "warranties" with deceptive 25-75-year protection claims, and waste every family's money. Demand to see some of the many low-cost, SAFE, non-sealing caskets available in many beautiful colors. If a mortuary doesn't cooperate, phone some others or contact a local or national retail casket dealer. (Or demand that the mortician REMOVE the harmful seal.) ALL "protective" caskets (including those with so-called "burp" valves) begin to destroy your relatives' bodies rapidly as soon as the casket is closed. Many burst/explode, especially in mausoleums -- with your "trusted" mortician taking portions of your relatives' bodies in the damaged caskets to city dumps -- and hiding the damage from you so that he can continue to DEFRAUD you on every funeral. (The harmful seal is a thin strip of neoprene-rubber gasket about one-inch wide and 1/8" thick, usually black [as in the photo below]. It runs along the top edge of the casket all the way around the casket. Lift up the cloth lining that hangs over the front edge of the casket to see the seal.) FRAUD SUIT: Families are winning large awards from mortuaries which sold them sealer caskets in the past, and DID NOT WARN THEM of the body destruction. YOUR FAMILY probably bought a number of harmful sealer caskets in past years and so may qualify to be included without cost in a proposed class-action suit. CALL (602) 253-6814 (IFIC) if you are concerned about what happened to the bodies of ALL your relatives in caskets you obtained from your local mortuaries - and think that your family should be repaid for the unfair high prices mortuaries charged for the caskets, for being misled, for the damage to your relatives' bodies, and for the body portions taken to your city dumps. Ask for information about these caskets, how to sue, or how to join the class-action suit. Below you will find complete explanation of how you and your neighbors have been overcharged, your relatives' bodies destroyed, and your right to sue. .

"Protective Seal" Fraud: On ABC-TV's 20/20 program, a hand tilts up the edge of the narrow strip of black neoprene rubber "protective" seal lying on the top edge of one side of a Batesville company's casket. On the 20/20 program, Jessica Mitford's researcher says: "They are constantly selling 'protective seal' caskets -- to 'protect' your loved one. This is outrageous." "In a 'protective' casket or a 'protective' vault -- instead of the natural process of decomposition -- drying out and becoming a skeleton, you get a SLIMY, MOLDY process, and it's much more gruesome. If anybody could see the outcome of such an event, they would never choose that. But, they're not telling you that."

==4== DON'T BUY A PREPAY PLAN.   This is the advice of MONEY magazine and many consumer groups. Many pre-pay plans are dangerous. Elderly often cause their families more problems, not fewer, by buying plans because of the deceptive sales tactics used by most plans and salespersons. Serious Problems include: 1) Most plans COST MUCH MORE than funerals bought at time of death. 2) The "fine print" of many contracts tricks and cheats families. 3) Many salespersons LIE to families about prices, cancelling, refunds, transfer of       plan, penalties, etc.       (Many contracts say: "No promise or agreement of the salesperson,       whether oral or written, is valid." This means that the salesperson is allowed to       LIE to you about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to coax you to sign.) 4) With many contracts, you can't cancel, or you get little or no refund -- if you       need to cancel (because you find you've been cheated, find a better plan, decide to       move; can't pay because of emergency, lack of money, etc.) 5) Many companies can CANCEL your plan if a monthly payment is LATE and       give NO REFUND of thousands of dollars you have paid. This is in the "fine print"       on the back of many contracts. Have you read every word of your contract?       You may be in danger of losing everything you have paid!!! 6) Many families don't get the funerals they paid for because:       Salesmen may defraud you by intentionally writing an incorrect or incomplete         description of the services or casket you have chosen -- so your family will         have to pay thousands more for your funeral later. (See class-action suit below.) ADVICE: Make plans for your funeral -- but DON'T give any money to a plan or mortuary; instead, put it in a small insurance policy, savings account or "Totten Trust" account (all explained below). DON'T SIGN any contract until a lawyer, banker or accountant examines it!!! .

Click [TOPIC LIST] to go to the top List of this document's topics.

 
Charts from a 1996 funeral investigation by a Houston TV station.

CHART 1: This shows the great difference in prices of different mortuaries in Houston, as in most cities,
for the SAME lowest-priced "traditional" funeral and lowest-priced metal casket* at each mortuary.
Prices ranged from $1,495 to $9,910  (for no apparent reason except to obtain up to $8,400 extra profit on
each mortuary's lowest-priced "traditional" funeral and casket). (*Casket offered in three or more colors,
at least one a pleasing color that is not a shade of gray, brown or green.)
ALSO: The price for the lowest-priced metal casket* at different mortuaries ranged from $485 to $5,895
(for no apparent reason except to obtain up to $5,400 extra profit on the lowest-priced caskets).
Prices for Direct Cremation (no viewing/memorial services) ranged from $450 to $3,985 (for
no apparent reason except to obtain up to $3,500 extra profit).

CHART 2: This shows one mortuary's $1,795 price for a casket -- a markup of six times the wholesale cost,
a PROFIT of $1,495 on a $300 wholesale casket. A mortician in the report said that markups of six or seven
times wholesale are common, and markups may go as high as TEN times wholesale -- a PROFIT of $2,700
on a $300 casket.  Such profits are possible only by:  1) the ABSOLUTE SECRECY by ALL of your local
morticians about wholesale costs and deceptive tactics used throughout the industry, and  2) ALL
morticians' promotion and sale of costly, harmful, fraudulent "protective seal" caskets.

Click [TOPIC LIST] to go to the top List of this document's topics.

The beautiful brochure (above and below) is the FIRST and ONLY PUBLICATION ever offered in the U.S. "to help EVERY FAMILY obtain FAIR funeral prices ANYWHERE in the U.S." It has been designed by our IFIC, and is available in English and Spanish versions.
    It provides families with the most important information they need 1) to plan a funeral and 2) to obtain a fair-priced funeral and avoid the rip-off tactics used by most mortuaries.
    This is the first and only publication ever offered which contains color photographs of caskets available in all states -- with 1) their "TOP SECRET" wholesale prices, 2) the high prices charged by most mortuaries, and 3) the low, fair prices available through the Good Shepherd Funeral Program in the Phoenix area -- and now available to all U.S. families. (Sources are listed in the brochure.)

IT EXPLAINS OUR GOOD SHEPHERD FUNERAL PROGRAM, Your Legal Rights, Caskets, Planning Joyful Funerals, Etc.

    It gives information about: our new, non-profit "Good Shepherd Funeral Program"; your legal and FTC rights; how all "protective seal" caskets destroy bodies; how to plan joyful, creative funerals celebrating the new life of the deceased; and other important points and helpful ideas for families. It suggests that families choose the LEAST-EXPENSIVE CASKET and then involve children and friends in decorating the casket and helping with other creative activities that will benefit everyone.
IT PROVIDES "TOP SECRET" WHOLESALE PRICES AND FAIR RETAIL PRICES
    It lists fair prices:
Complete "Traditional" Funerals, with Beautiful Metal Caskets in a variety of colors for less than $1,400 total (not the $3,500 to $9,000+ that most mortuaries charge for their lowest-priced funeral similar to this).
Complete "Traditional" Funeral for $900 (not the $1,800 to $3,000+ that most mortuaries charge).
Beautiful metal caskets in a variety of colors for $497 (not the $1,500 to $3,000+ that most mortuaries charge for their lowest-priced metal caskets in pleasing colors). (Our "Last Supper" casket is $511; many mortuaries: $3,000)
Direct cremation (all mortuary/crematory fees; no viewing/services) for $395 (not the $750 to $4,000 that most mortuaries charge).
Many other kinds of funeral choices for adults and infants at low, fair prices -- which families can use to judge the fairness of prices in their states. Most efficient mortuaries could charge prices similar to ours -- but prefer to rob you.

HOW FAMILIES CAN USE THE BROCHURE TO OBTAIN FAIR CASKET PRICES WHEREVER THEY LIVE:
    Go into any mortuary casket display room. Say: "That $2,000 blue casket over there; I see a photo of it in this brochure. The brochure shows that you bought it for about $297 wholesale. The Good Shepherd program sells it for $497, $200 over wholesale. There are two 800-numbers here from which I can buy the casket and have it flown in to your mortuary overnight for about $700.
    "Do you want to drop your price to about $700 from your $2,000 -- or shall I have it flown in tomorrow?"
    Any intelligent mortician will immediately drop his price to $700. (This gives him a more-than-fair profit of $400. Otherwise he makes no profit.)
    If he refuses, order the casket by phone, using a credit card or other payment. Federal law requires him to accept the casket without penalizing you.
    If any mortuary gives any trouble, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urges you to call them immediately, 1-877-382-4357 (FTC-HELP).
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN U.S. HISTORY, via this brochure,
    1) Families will know how much caskets are worth, and where to get them immediately if a mortuary won't act justly.
    2) And, therefore, for the first time, FAMILIES CAN DEMAND FAIR PRICES from their local morticians!

FAMILIES and MEDIA can use the brochure when phoning mortuaries or take it with them to mortuaries to compare prices -- and ask why their prices are thousands of dollars higher. It offers to assist people in all U.S. communities to set up a similar program to assist and protect all families.
CHURCHES and AGENCIES are giving the color brochure to families, providing it to social workers, police and others, using it in workshops, etc.
    A packet containing the brochure and other useful consumer materials is available by calling (602) 303-0857; or by sending a self-addressed envelope (about 8" by 10") with a $2 donation to help with printing and mailing. Address: Good Shepherd Funeral Program, P.O. Box 939, Tempe, AZ 85280. (Quantities can be arranged.)

. .
Above: Two beautiful metal caskets (from the left page, inside the brochure) with: 1) their Good Shepherd Program prices ($200 profit);
2) the high prices that mortuaries' usually charge families; and 3) the low wholesale prices that mortuaries pay for the caskets.
Subtract the wholesale prices from mortuaries' retail prices to see the great amount of profit morticians make by keeping
their wholesale costs secret. And then they add high charges for every part of the service, plus a high "professional" fee
(which other businesses don't charge -- to increase their profits even higher).

MEDIA and families: Above is the brochure's price section. Compare these low, fair funeral and casket prices
with your local mortuaries, casket "discount" stores, and Internet casket dealers who say their prices are the "lowest" anywhere.
You'll find that our prices are actually the LOWEST in the U.S.
The others could charge these prices but prefer to make high profit.
Take a good look at others' prices in the far-right column, as compared with the Good Shepherd prices. Our brochure will help you
to obtain FAIR prices wherever you live. (You and a couple of friends, or your church, can easily start a Good Shepherd program
(no money is needed to start it) in order to protect and help everyone in your area. A couple of us started the program here. It has
saved dozens of families thousands of dollars. We will help you do the same. Just call us.)

o Click [TOPIC LIST] to go to the top List of this document's topics.

EXORBITANT PRICES
1. Some attractive, efficient mortuaries in nice neighborhoods charge $1,495 to $2,200 for a complete "traditional" funeral and lowest-priced casket* in several pleasing colors (with viewing, visitation and services in the family's church).
    Why do you charge $3,000 to $10,000 for the same services and casket?

2. The fair-priced mortuaries above charge $450 to $800 for 20-gauge steel caskets in many beautiful styles and colors. (20-gauge is the most common casket thickness. Dozens of 20-gauge models and colors are available to all mortuaries with free delivery in a few hours in most cities for $250 to $450 wholesale, and even less with discounts.)
    Why do you charge $1,000 to $6,000 for your lowest-priced caskets in a variety of pleasing colors*?

3. The fair-priced mortuaries above charge $300 to $550 for Direct Cremation (no viewing or memorial services).
    Why do you charge $700 to $4,000 for the SAME Direct Cremation?

COSTLY, DESTRUCTIVE "PROTECTIVE SEAL" CASKETS
4. All morticians know that "Protective Seal" metal caskets are NOT PROTECTIVE, but DESTRUCTIVE -- starting severe damage to every body IMMEDIATELY after the casket is closed. Despite this, every mortuary in every neighborhood highly-promotes them (with special placement, lighting, fraudulent 25-75-year warranties, sales talks, etc.). Morticians who claim that they are "honest, reputable and caring" try to coax every family to buy them because of the $1,000 to $8,000 or more profit they can make on most of them. They all know that these caskets destroy your relatives' bodies within a month or two -- by liquefying the soft parts of the bodies and causing high pressure which rapidly bloats bodies completely out of shape. In addition, the high pressure in many caskets bursts many seals, blowing the liquefied body parts out of the caskets (especially in mausoleums). The "trusted, caring" morticians in your community have kept this a "top secret" throughout this century so that ALL morticians could make high profits off of EVERY U.S. FAMILY.
    Why do you display so many of the costly, destructive "Protective Seal" caskets and few or none of the many beautiful, safe, low-priced non-sealers?
    Why do you mislead families by putting the deceptive term "Protective Seal" next to the harmful caskets' names on your price list, by displaying fraudulent 25-75 year warranties in the caskets, and by urging families to buy these caskets?
    Why don't you WARN families about the damage to bodies that all costly sealer caskets cause, especially when placed in mausoleums? Why don't you warn that they don't protect bodies? Why don't you warn that they are a fraud and a waste of families' money?
    Can you really say that you are "caring," "honest" and "reputable" when you intentionally cause the destruction of most families' bodies, urge families to buy these harmful caskets, charge exorbitant markups and prices for them, and don't warn families about the destruction -- in order to increase your profit?
    Morticians know from their embalming textbooks and from mausoleums of the severe damage caused within a month or two by the neoprene rubber seals/gaskets (which activate the highly-destructive anaerobic bacteria in the body, as described in several sections below).

RECENTLY ADDED ITEMS: (August 2000)

  This Web site is an extensive one with more than 17 separate Documents [listed at the bottom of this page]; many color photos; confidential wholesale casket prices; summaries of major television and print reports;
  deceptive practices [of the National Funeral Directors Association; state funeral boards; casket manufacturers; mortuaries; cemeteries; prepay plans; and clergy, religious leaders, health care workers and others who accept "gifts" from morticians];
  constant industry efforts to coax legislatures to pass unfair laws, and efforts to mislead the media, clergy and families.
  There are samples of deceptive information distributed by most local mortuaries; explanations of embalming and cremation, and other features to help you understand the funeral industry.
  There is also information about: efforts of consumers and others to protect families and change the industry, "correct" consumer advice, creative funeral ideas, fair prices, and available printed information.
  (This Home Page is rather long; you may wish to scroll down through it to get an idea of its contents.)

Click [TOPIC LIST] to go to the top List of this document's topics.

LATEST NATIONAL MEDIA REPORTS, 1999-2000:

"FUNERAL PROBLEMS OF HISPANICS," investigative report by Aquí y Ahora (Here and Now, similar to NBC's Dateline), on the national Spanish-language Univisión TV Network, June 6, 2000.
    It presented the network's first explanation of families' problems with the funeral industry, and featured our new Good Shepherd Funeral Program as a solution.
    (Our IFIC provided assistance to the report, and was featured in it.)

"CHURCHES, FUNERAL COSTS, ACTION," investigative report by Sojourners social justice magazine, May-June 2000. Articles by Julie Polter. (Our IFIC provided assistance to the magazine, and was featured in it.)
    Articles:

"We All Have to Die -- But does it have to COST SO MUCH!? -- What churches can do about funeral rip-offs" (includes: families' experiences, church assistance to families, church-produced educational materials, mortuary "gifts" to influence clergy, harmful "sealer" caskets, need for clergy to inform and help families).
    With: For Further Reading: Caring for Your Own Dead book, Profits of Death book, and Interfaith Funeral Information Committee Website (this website).
        Click to see: "We All Have to Die". Use your BACK button to return here.
"Shop Before You Drop -- Steps to getting the funeral you want and can afford."
"Reclaiming Our Rites -- The power of ministering to the bereaved. You can't say no once you're dead, and your survivors may not have the strength or knowledge to do it for you."

"AVOIDING THE CEMETERY TRAP," extensive investigative report by Consumers Digest magazine, June 2000.
    (Our IFIC provided assistance to the magazine.)

"FUNERALS and PROBLEMS," report by Modern Maturity magazine of AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), March-April 2000.
        (Our IFIC provided assistance to the magazine.)

"FUNERAL ABUSES PROBED: Elderly victim paid $132,000", report by USA TODAY newspaper, April 10, 2000.
    Report regarding: Hearings by the U.S. Senate Special Committee on the Aging

"ADDED GRIEF FOR THE BEREAVED: Prepaid Plans For Funerals Can Come Up Short", extensive report and charts
    "STATE REGULATION OF 'PRE-NEED' FUNERALS URGED", reports by Washington Post newspaper, April 10, 12, 2000.
    Reports regarding: Hearings by the U.S. Senate Special Committee on the Aging

"FUNERAL ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY", two days of hearings by the U.S. Senate Special Committee on the Aging, live TV coverage by C-Span TV Network, broadcasts on April 10-11, 2000. It was entitled: "Funerals and Burials: Protecting Consumers from Bad Practices; The purpose of this hearing is: (1) to educate consumers about the industries (2) to expose bad practices and (3) to explore the extent of consumer satisfaction."

April 10: Testimony by Fr. Henry Wasielewski, member of our IFIC, and several other consumers and consumer groups.
    To read his written testimony from the "senate.gov" site, click here: TESTIMONY. Click your BACK button to return here.
        (His more-detailed, verbal testimony will be provided here shortly.)
    To read other consumer testimony, click here: Other Consumer Testimony.
April 11: Testimony by FTC and funeral industry representatives

"FINAL ACTS," three-issue investigative series by Episcopal Life newspaper of the U.S. Episcopal Church; February, March, April 2000.
(Copies: 1-800-334-7626) (Our IFIC provided assistance to the newspaper.)
Articles:

February: "Death rites' 'comfort' comes at great cost; More personal alternatives less pricey" and "Who can help you" (list of organizations, including our IFIC)
March: Photo of our "Good Shepherd Funeral Program" color brochure. The article shows photos of caskets in the brochure and available through the Good Shepherd Program -- with the caskets' wholesale prices, and the program's low casket prices vs. mortuaries' high prices.)
March and April:
"Alternative Choices: Your decisions"
"Memorial Societies: Answers and aid for bereaved families"
"Sources for caskets"
"The wisdom of pre-planning; the dangers of pre-paying"
"The church's role at death, things done and left undone"
"Helpful tips for a difficult time"

OTHER EXTENSIVE ARTICLES in:

Family MONEY magazine
Parent Care Advisor magazine
    (Our IFIC provided assistance to the magazines.)

TV INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS in:
Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, Phoenix, and other cities.
    (Our IFIC provided assistance to the stations.)

"TV and PRINT EXPOSES," investigative reports by several national media.

EARLIER IMPORTANT REPORTS: (principally 1997-1998

U.S. News FRONT COVER HEADLINE:
"DON'T DIE BEFORE YOU READ THIS:
  The Death Care Business; How the funeral business makes money off your grief"

COVER STORY AND EXTENSIVE REPORT by U.S. News & World Report magazine, March 23, 1998.
Articles:
"The Goliaths of the funeral industry are making lots of money off your grief"
(Includes information about the "protective seal" fraud.)
"Don't Get Stiffed: Useful tips for a tough time"
"Opting Out: A home funeral for her husband"
    The articles have extensive coverage of our IFIC's efforts to inform and protect the public from the harmful, nationwide industry, mortuary and cemetery tactics to deceive and overcharge families; low, fair prices for funerals, caskets and cremation; tactics of high-priced mortuaries and chains; SECRET contracts made with chains by some religious leaders to profit from the ripoff of their own people; and the costly, harmful "protective seal" fraud.
    Click here U.S. News "DON'T DIE" report if you wish to go to the magazine's Web site now and read the three articles in the report. (Click your BACK button to return here.)

    NOTE: The IFIC has received hundreds of phone calls requesting packets of information about fair prices offered in the article. We have urged all of the callers to phone their local TV and radio stations and newspapers -- and urge them to 1) phone U.S. News for copies of the March 23rd issue and 2) do a survey of prices of local mortuaries and offer them to their viewers and readers. Several TV stations and other media have followed the suggestions and have already completed price surveys (Cincinatti, Las Vegas and others) of their areas and offered them to the public.

NOTE of April 2000:
    SECRET CONTRACT of L.A. Archdiocese Cardinal Mahony with Stewart Enterprises -- to build and operate giant Stewart mortuaries on its nine cemeteries, using deceptive practices, fraudulent "protective seal" caskets (bloating and destroying bodies; exploding and blowing body parts out of the caskets), and outrageous markups to rip-off the Cardinal's own Catholic families, and share the rip-off with the Cardinal. It is difficult to understand why the Cardinal speaks FALSELY, telling families the mortuaries are "OUR CATHOLIC MORTUARIES," although totally owned and operated by Stewart.
    SECRET CONTRACT of Tucson Diocese Bishop Moreno with Loewen Group to operate the diocese cemetery, using unfair tactics to help defraud families and share the rip-off with the Bishop.
    SECRET CONTRACT of Dallas Diocese with SCI to take over its cemetery operation, cheat Catholic families and share the rip-off with the Bishop.
    SECRET CONTRACT of Montreal Archdiocese with SCI chain to cheat Catholic families (65,000 sq. foot mortuary) and share the rip-off with the diocese.
    DENVER ARCHDIOCESE BISHOP operates the diocese mortuary and cemetery, using the above unjust tactics to cheat its Catholic families and keep all the rip-off for itself.
    NOTE: Catholics should demand an end to secret contracts and theft of their own families' money by their Bishops and Cardinals. Catholics and members of other denominations should demand an end to their clergy and religious executives accepting "gifts" and bribes from mortuaries throughout the U.S. All must demand NO MORE CONTRACTS with chains, which are daily trying to make contracts with more dioceses and denominations.

CONFIDENTIAL 1997 and 1998 CASKET WHOLESALE PRICES

These prices have been kept "TOP SECRET" by the funeral industry throughout this century. The ABSOLUTE SECRECY by every facet of the industry, including every mortician in every community, has prevented the media from exposing the outrageously high prices and many deceptive practices used by nearly every mortician to ripoff nearly every U.S. family. These secret wholesale prices and the fraudulent promotion by nearly every U.S. mortician of profit-boosting, body-destroying, explosive "protective seal" caskets are now REVEALED nationally for the first time in U.S. history by this site. More prices have been added to Document 3.
Click here Document 3 -- Caskets. Extortionate Markups, Prices, Profits if you wish to go to Document 3 now.
Click here Documents 7A/B -- 15 Categories of Ripoffs to go to Documents 7A and B.

"PROTECTIVE SEAL" CASKET FRAUD SUIT (These high-priced caskets RAPIDLY, SERIOUSLY DAMAGE BODIES):
(NOTE: All information about these fraudulent caskets, body damage and lawsuits relating to them is being gathered together into one document to make it easier for everyone to understand this fraud. Document 3B will be added shortly.)
YOUR FAMILY PROBABLY QUALIFIES: Your neighborhood morticians probably sold your family one or more of these fraudulent caskets in past years WITHOUT WARNING YOU about the severe damage -- even though they KNEW that THEY personally and intentionally were seriously damaging your loved ones' bodies -- in order to make high profit from your family.
   Phone (602) 253-6814, IFIC, and ask for information or a brochure about these caskets or how to sue or join a class-action suit without cost to you.
FRAUD: Morticians make great profit by charging high prices for these harmful caskets -- which are nearly every mortician's most-highly promoted item, the biggest moneymaker, and greatest fraud. (Most morticians display many of these fraudulent, high-profit caskets; and display almost none of the hundreds of beautiful, low-cost, safe, "non-sealer" metal caskets immediately available in dozens of colors. Although your neighborhood mortician constantly claims to be "honest" and "caring," he has probably sold you one or more of these fraudulent caskets for a high price and high profit although he knew he was cheating you. If he is honest, he should be happy to show you his wholesale price list if he disagrees with this price comment. Or you can see the wholesale prices he doesn't want to show you -- in our Document 3.)
BODY, CASKET, FINANCIAL DAMAGE:
   Rather than "protecting" your loved ones' bodies, these caskets have rapidly destroyed their bodies. The neoprene rubber seals of all sealed caskets activate anaerobic bacteria which cause SERIOUS DAMAGE: rapid bloating; liquefying of soft body parts (turning them into mush) within a month or two; production of enormous amounts of gas which causes many casket seals to burst/explode and blow body parts of your relatives out of the caskets. This destruction happens daily in cemeteries and mausoleums throughout the country, sometimes blowing granite fronts off of the crypts -- with mausoleums then usually hiding the damage.
   Morticians' century-long secret of casket seal EXPLOSIONS was first revealed nationally by THIS SITE in 1995. Damage to bodies is further described on this page and in Document 2, and has been described in morticians' embalming books, in The American Way of Death and The High Cost of Dying books, in the industry's confidential Funeral Service Insider newsletter, in the 1994 Death To Dust book, on ABC-TV's 20/20, in the recent Caring For The Dead and Profits Of Death books, in the November 1997 Harper's Magazine [quoted below], in the March 23, 1998 U.S. News & World Report magazine [listed above], and by other sources listed in this site.
   TO HELP ALL MORTICIANS MAKE HIGH PROFIT from these destructive caskets -- most casket manufacturers, and your local morticians and cemeteries have:
    1) knowingly and intentionally not warned your family of these caskets' severe damage to your relatives; and/or
    2) intentionally, secretly and illegally opened the seals (to prevent casket explosions) -- thus stealing thousands of dollars
that you and others paid for "sealer" caskets; and/or
    3) intentionally hidden the damage to bodies, caskets and crypts -- without permission of families or courts; and/or
    4) intentionally not notified your family of the damage.
EMPLOYEES: Former and current employees of death care businesses are invited to offer information about any of the activities above or below -- especially: employees of casket manufacturers, embalming fluid firms, mortuaries, body transportation firms, cemeteries, mausoleums, etc. Phone the numbers above. All your information will be kept confidential.
YOUR FAMILY: Your family may qualify to receive a financial award if it bought one or more of these caskets in past decades. There is no charge to enter the suit. Phone for an information brochure.
WHAT YOU CAN DO IMMEDIATELY: Examine your mausoleum crypts to see if any tampering has occurred, or if any leakage has been wiped off the bottoms of your crypts or any nearby crypt fronts; and continue to watch for any sign of tampering. Ask cemetery employees if they have seen any tampering or hiding of damage -- or if their supervisors have warned them not to tell anyone what they have seen or heard.
   Ask the mausoleum to open your crypts (invite witnesses) to see if casket seals have been illegally opened, if the seals have burst and blown body liquids out of the caskets, and how much damage or tampering (as illegally putting plastic "disaster packs" around the caskets to hide the damage from you) may have occurred. Because tampering and damage is so common it is a good idea to do this whether the deaths were recent or were 10, 20, 40 or more years ago. You may wish to have the caskets opened to see what body damage has been caused by the seals. (Extensive bloating and other severe damage by seals inside the caskets can be most clearly seen if caskets are opened a month or two after death. MEDIA: Television programs or families may wish to put video cameras in crypts during the first two months after the crypts are closed, with the cameras set to record the bursting of expensive, 25-75 year warranted "protective sealer" caskets that may occur within two months. See Document 2.)
   Write down what you and your relatives remember about what mortuaries said or displayed regarding "sealer" caskets (illustrated leaflets, fraudulent 25-75 year certificates, etc.). Find mortuary price lists using the fraudulent term, "protective." Find invoices from past funerals which list the casket model names or numbers, or use the term, "protective." Ask relatives what they remember. Did they see the mortician close* the lid of a "sealer" casket (or crank it shut), thereby knowingly and intentionally joining in damaging your relative's body?
   Cruelest of jokes: Did any mortician give your family a gold-plated "sealer" casket crank handle, saying "This is a remembrance of your "care" and "protection" of your relative's body."? Unknown to you, this was a cruel joke about his intentional "destruction" of your relative's body! (Casket manufacturers join in this joke by providing morticians with gold-plated cranks and leatherette-covered boxes in which to put the cranks when presenting these cruel "keepsakes" to wives and other relatives.) What a wonderful industry this is!
   YOU CAN SUE the manufacturers, morticians and mausoleums (or join the class-action suit):
    1) You can sue if they promoted or sold you this destructive type of casket, and/or sealed it (closed the lid), especially if they displayed any leaflets, 25-75 year certificates, or price lists with the word "protective" on them, or said or hinted anything about "protection."
    2) You can sue if they DID NOT WARN YOU about the damage which would occur.
    3) You can sue for damage to your relatives' bodies caused by these caskets.
    4) You can sue if they secretly and illegally opened the seals after the funeral without your permission (as is regularly done by morticians and mausoleums), ending the claimed "protection" and stealing from you the extra thousands of dollars they charged you for the "sealers."
    5) You can sue if the seals burst and blew your relatives' body parts out of the caskets, further damaging the bodies, caskets and/or crypts.
    6) You can sue if they opened the crypts to hide the damage without permission of you or the courts.
    7) You can sue if they did not notify you of the damage or problems.
    YOUR RELATIVES' BODIES TAKEN TO CITY DUMPS
    8) You can sue if they took portions of your relatives' bodies to city dumps or other disposal sites.
    (When a casket explodes in a crypt, mausoleum managers call your "trusted" mortician to come secretly during the night to move the body from the damaged casket to a replacement casket, to put the replacement casket in the crypt, and to wipe everything clean so that you will never know that your relative was destroyed. HOWEVER, bodies which are in exploded caskets are mushy and tangled from the anaerobic activity and the explosion -- so morticians cannot lift a body normally but, instead, must scoop portions of it with a shovel from one casket to the other, but they don't want to waste time trying to remove it all. They then take the damaged casket containing the remaining portion of your relative's body to the city dump.
    They NEVER TOLD YOUR FAMILY WHAT DESTRUCTION "SEALER" CASKETS DID TO YOUR RELATIVES so that they could continue to sell these harmful, money-making caskets to you and others.
    And they NEVER TOLD YOU HOW MANY portions of your wives, husbands, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, children, and other relatives they TOOK TO CITY DUMPS. They HID THIS FROM YOU so that they could continue to do it to every member of your family. What "wonderful" morticians you "trusted" all these years. How many of your relatives' bodies have gone to the city dump?)
*(Morticians' fears: Some morticians are so afraid of being sued personally for body damage caused by their selling and sealing a casket that they ask other employees to close casket lids for them.)
Phone the numbers above about how to sue join the class-action suit. Families have won millions of dollars in suits and settlements for promotion and sales of fraudulent "sealer" caskets, tampering, leaking caskets, and body destruction.
Share the above information with neighbors and friends in your area and in other states because they have all probably been sold these same caskets and suffered the same damage. Suggest that they also read the U.S. News report at their local libraries.

PRE-PAY PLAN FRAUD: Your plan or insurance policy may be BAD.
To find out, click here RLW2000@aol.com to E-mail to the lawfirm the name of the company at the top of your plan, regardless of how old the policy is. TELL everyone with any plan to contact the RLW firm to see if they qualify for full refund, interest and penalties from a Class-Action Lawsuit filed in January, 1997, seeking millions of dollars in penalties from hundreds of plans. Click here to see the Law Suit and return to this page.
   "DON'T PREPAY YOUR FUNERAL" is the advice of MONEY magazine and consumer groups because of the many problems people find with prepay plans, high-pressure salespersons, prices, contracts and fine-print ("non-refundable," "non-revocable," etc.), and not being able to get the funeral or casket they paid for (as in this suit).

SUMMARY of information about the funeral industry that is provided in this site's many documents is below this section.
Recently added is information about a seriously harmful ripoff, DAMAGE TO FAMILY and RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS/CEREMONIES by morticians and chains; and about churches opening mortuaries to help stop the ripoff nearly every U.S. family.of their congregations. A national Catholic newspaper urges dioceses to start fair-priced mortuaries to help stop the ripoff. However, the cardinals of two archdioceses have done the opposite -- signing unjust contracts with two high-priced chains which will result in great financial loss by Catholic families.

 

An animated tombstone, engraved with a dollar sign -- springs up from a grave with the
clanging sound of an old cash register. This was used by ABC-TV's HOME show to illustrate a
report about high funeral and casket markups, prices and profits, and the resulting harm to families.

A mortician passes a "gift" envelope behind his back to a clergyman in an Arizona Republic
editorial cartoon (one of the largest cartoons ever used by a newspaper -- more than a half-page
high). It illustrated a group of articles exposing mortuary/clergy bribery, a nationwide problem.
Bribes and "gifts" are offered to clergy by mortuaries which ask or expect pastors to recommend
the mortuaries or to distribute their advertising calendars and other materials to their congregations.
A few clergymen were reported demanding payoffs from mortuaries.

Click [TOPIC LIST] to go to the top List of this document's topics.

RECENT MEDIA EXPOSÉS AND NEWS (principally 1997-1998, in reverse chronological order; described in more detail in the Media Exposés/Reports section):

"FUNERAL CHAINS EXPOSED," report by CBS-TV's 60 Minutes program, February 1, 1998.

The program reported on the SCI (Service Corporation International) chain secretly buying many mortuaries and cemeteries in communities, often raising prices nearly double, keeping the mortuaries' old names -- misleading families to think they are dealing with the same mortuaries and prices as in the past.
    Darryl Roberts, former owner of mortuaries and cemeteries, urged all families to phone a number of mortuaries and cemeteries for their prices before choosing one. (A TV survey showed that 14 million families watched the program, but chains will continue take extra millions from families because they think that most people won't remember the program, nor follow the advice to phone ahead for prices in order to protect themselves.) (Churches, groups or individuals should survey local prices and offer them to TV stations, newspapers and parishioners.)
(Our IFIC provided assistance to the producer.)

The article provides information on how to assist the dying; how to arrange a beautiful, creative funeral (without the expensive help of a mortician) in which family and friends help with preparations, decorations and ceremonies. A priest, Fr. Wasielewski, points out that the FAMILY is the "FUNERAL DIRECTOR" of its own funerals (not morticians who have decided to call themselves "funeral DIRECTORS") and that families can arrange everything as they wish without permission or expensive help of a mortician.
      Prices. He says: "The most important thing is to know what a reasonable price is." Reasonable, low prices that families should be able to find at a few mortuaries in most U.S. communities are: Complete funeral and metal casket available in several pleasing colors for $1,800 to $2,200 total; Direct cremation for $350 to $550 total -- although most mortuaries in these communities probably needlessly charge two to five times more for the same funerals and caskets. Families should phone mortuaries until they find one with fair prices like the above, and have viewing and all services at their local church or synagogue so that they can use one of their areas's few fair-priced mortuaries regardless of where it is located (even up to 50 or more miles away). Parishes should phone for the prices of all nearby mortuaries and the prices of some fair, low-priced mortuaries in nearby areas or cities, and provide the surveys to all parishioners. The article provides an example of the ripoff of a family and the financial harm to families caused by pastors who distribute advertising calendars of high-priced mortuaries.

      JOYFUL, CREATIVE FUNERAL. Described in the magazine is the funeral for the father of a family which decided to hold his funeral in a church which he had built when he was a contractor in earlier years, and where the family had gone to weekly Sunday Mass as the children grew up. The family arranged to have the funeral in the evening so that it would be at the most convenient time for people (not requiring people to skip their jobs), with burial the next morning (people were invited to meet at the cemetery, eliminating the need for a procession and paid motorcycle escorts). The obituary announced: "Gathering of friends at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass at 8 p.m."
      Friends who called to express the usual "regrets and sorrow" were told that the family was not in sorrow but was celebrating their dad's "new life" in heaven. Friends who offered the usual: "Let us know if there's anything we can do," were invited to bring refreshments and sheet cakes with wording like: "Welcome to Heaven, Dad" and "Congratulations! You Made It."
      Early arrivers and grandchildren were given gold and silver crepe paper streamers and balloons, and invited to go into the church and decorate it and the casket. (The mortician had been invited to leave after he delivered the body to the church so that attendees wouldn't feel inhibited or badgered by his presence.)
      In the enclosed patio in front of the church, visitors were welcomed by several joyful singers and musicians, refreshments, renewal of acquaintances and conversation, a large display of photos of the life of the newcomer to heaven, and a wide banner over the church doors: "Welcome to the Celebration of Dad's New Life."
      His wife had died about 20 years before, so a memorial folder was created by the family (not the usual, bland mortuary type) with a cover photo of the smiling faces of the mom and dad together in earlier years, with the words: "Finally, together again. Joyfully celebrating their New Life with God and us, and inviting us to celebrate with them today. Praying for all of us, and waiting for us to join them."

      Family members served as hosts and hostesses (instead of acting as the usual sad, bereaved family), standing by the huge Spanish-style archway to the grassy outdoor patio, introducing the arriving visitors to one another and inviting them to enjoy refreshments. All was planned to help everyone become a "community and family" which could better participate together in creating a really joyful funeral celebration. The celebration was attended by relatives, friends, the bishop, priests, nuns, acquaintances and visitors from other churches and faiths.
      At 8 p.m., everyone followed the musicians into the church which, along with the simple, blue metal casket, had been brightly-decorated (without money wasted on an expensive casket and costly flowers, the money instead going to charities and family needs).
      At the beginning of the Mass, the priest (a son of the dad) explained that the family believed that their dad was celebrating his "new life" and wanted all to join in joyfully celebrating with him. He mentioned that because the family believed that heaven is not a place -- but is a new life with God, who is everywhere, including at the celebration -- they believed their dad was there celebrating with them. For this reason, the casket had been placed near the side wall of the sanctuary, rather than in the middle aisle, so that the celebration could focus on the "new life" of the honored member, instead of the dad's now unneeded body. He introduced family members and groups of visitors, and explained Catholic symbols for the benefit of visitors.
      The funeral Mass included joyful songs written or modified to mention the dad and to fit the celebration and feelings of the family. There were scripture readings, short poems and reflections on the dad's life by family and friends. The daughter narrated a color slide presentation of the life of her dad. After the Mass, the celebration continued in the patio with conversation, music, song, cake and ice cream.

      (Our IFIC provided assistance to the magazine and is featured in the article. Our new Good Shepherd Funeral Program provides caskets and assists families to prepare funeral celebrations, songs, and colorful visitors' folders and guest registration books. The program's COLOR BROCHURE, described below and available by mail, gives many suggestions to assist you to help prepare funerals which require almost no morticians' activity (no mortuary "chapel," and no "funeral directing," but only inexpensive embalming and delivering the body to your church door or home, and to the cemetery -- totaling much less than $1,000 worth of mortuary time and paperwork), thus saving thousands of dollars -- funerals which allow many children and adults to help, and produce joyful, creative funeral celebrations similar to the one above.)

in alliance with church", extensive report by the National Catholic Reporter newspaper, January 30, 1998.
      Harmful contracts. The report's articles describe how the Archdioceses of Los Angeles and Montreal have not opened mortuaries providing low, fair prices to their people (ads described in the item below have urged dioceses to open such mortuaries), but have signed contracts with the high-priced chains. Los Angeles has contracted with the Stewart Enterprises chain of Louisiana to build six of its own commercial mortuaries on church cemetery property. Several priests and morticians who spoke to the newspaper, commenting about the injustice and coming harm to families, did not want their names mentioned, apparently fearing the displeasure of Cardinal Mahony's office.
      Confidential newsletters. Several confidential industry newsletters quote analysts speaking of the new contracts as "the atomic blast of the industry," etc. -- apparently indicating that nothing this century has ever affected the industry and hurt families as much as these contracts will -- and predicting that "the Catholic Church will reap big money from its lease arrangement with Stewart."
      Publications refer to a recent document of the NATIONAL CATHOLIC CEMETERY CONFERENCE which recommends that every diocese should help families by 1) "owning and operating its own funeral homes" or 2) setting up "parish-based funeral networks" which would each either a) have a central embalming facility and a licensed mortician, or b) affiliate itself with one or more funeral homes willing to provide these services. However, the Los Angeles and Montreal archdioceses are doing the opposite of providing low, fair-priced funerals -- instead, they are joining with commercial chains to make huge profits from Catholic families.
      Archdiocese helps the ripoff. In the new Los Angeles archdiocesan arrangement, officials admit that families visiting church cemeteries will probably be funnelled into the Stewart mortuaries and prepay plans. (Some dioceses send advertising calendars of high-priced mortuaries to pastors to distribute to their people, harmfully guiding families into ripoff situations. The archdiocese is probably considering doing the same for its Stewart mortuaries and prepay plans.)
      A Houston price survey (displayed in Document 4) of the lowest-priced "traditional" funeral and casket* at each mortuary showed prices ranging from $1,495 to $9,910 for the SAME or similar funeral and metal casket. Stewart mortuaries charged $4,495 to $6,495 for the same combination, thus, charging families $3,000 to $5,000 more than the lowest-priced, reputable mortuaries. *(The lowest-priced metal casket offered in a choice of three or more colors, one of which is not a shade of gray, brown or green.)
      Stewart is quoted in one newsletter as saying that, of the 10,000 burials in the six cemeteries each year, the company expects to get the funerals of 5,000 to 7,000 of the families. Local mortuaries say their loss of 5,000 or more funerals will force some of them to go out of business or sell out to one of the chains. They ask why the archdiocese did not contract with local mortuaries instead of with a Louisiana chain. (Perhaps high-priced Stewart offered more money to the archdiocese.)
      Interestingly, the archdiocese says it is not revealing the contents of the contract. This is strange because the people have a right to know what is happening to them, and the cardinal has no reason to keep it a secret unless it is a dishonest contract. Parishioners hear about the contents of contracts for church contruction, etc. -- so the only reason this contract which affects their own family finances is being kept secret must be that that the ripoff arrangements are embarrassing and would damage the archdiocese's reputation. (People should sue to force the contract to be revealed.)
      All Catholics in danger. Unhappily, the chains say that they are talking to all dioceses to get them to sign such contracts. You can imagine a daily, constant stream of worried representatives of chains and high-priced mortuaries visiting bishops' offices throughout the U.S., each one trying to offer the diocese a "bigger share of the ripoff" than the others are offering -- knowing that a long-term contract with one of them will leave the rest of them out in the cold for years to come. SCI says that it has even set up a "Christian Family Services" department to deal with dioceses. Analysts expect the chains to be talking to all denominations, so everyone is in danger.
(Our IFIC provided assistance to the newspaper. The report displays a photo of this Web page.)

in the National Catholic Reporter national weekly newspaper (Monthly ads from May 2, 1997 to Jan. 23, 1998). The ads encourage readers to urge their denominations and dioceses to OPEN FAIR-PRICED mortuaries at their cemeteries -- with the dioceses operating and controlling them, keeping the prices low and fair. Small mortuaries without chapels can be opened quickly and inexpensively, with all funeral services held at families' own churches.
Church leaders should NOT ALLOW HIGH-PRICED CHAINS to build mortuaries at their cemeteries -- with the dioceses joining with chains to RIPOFF THEIR OWN FAMILIES by $20 to $50 million per year. Seeking to share handsomely in harmful ripoff of their own people, the archdioceses of Los Angeles and Montreal have recently contracted with the Stewart and SCI chains.
      Some Catholics are calling it a "sellout" of families by their own bishops and cardinals -- and calling for people to BOYCOTT the Stewart and SCI mortuaries, and to PICKET the archdiocese offices and STOP CONTRIBUTING to the archdioceses and parishes until the unjust contracts are cancelled. Some compare it to Judas saying "How much will you give me if I deliver all my people to you to fleece?"
The National Baptist Convention recently cancelled a contract that their leaders made with the Loewen chain. People complained about high prices and payoff to the denomination. Baptists compared the contract to Judas' 30 pieces of silver.

Regarding "sealer" caskets: "far from protecting the body, the expensive protective seal is the best way to guarantee that anaerobic bacteria will turn the body into goo in record time."
(Our IFIC provided assistance to the magazine.)

(Our IFIC provided assistance to the researchers.)
• Sections:
• "Corporations are gobbling up local funeral homes."
• "Service charges have exploded."
• "Prepaid funeral plans are failing to deliver on promises."
  "What you should pay. This guide may be your best defense against the death-care industry's predatory pricing. Services. Caskets. (Advice: Don't buy a sealing casket.) Other products."
• "THE GRAVEYARD'S STING"
• "CREMATE WITH CAUTION"
• "PAY NOW AND PAY LATER" (Problems with mortuary and cemetery prepay plans)
  (Each of the above ends with a "Here's what you can do:" section.)

RECENT CHAIN COUNT: (Numbers of facilities acquired or built by the largest chains):

Service Corporation International (SCI), Houston:
    June 1997: 3,012 mortuaries, 365 cemeteries and 156 crematoriums in the U.S., Canada, England, France, and other countries. (Mortuary Management magazine, Dec. 1997)
    March 1996: 2,795 mortuaries, 324 cemeteries, 138 crematoriums. ("Merchant of Death: Overpaid price gouger or legitimate entrepreneur?", Texas Monthly, June 1996. The article reports that SCI had a profit margin nearly twice the average of all American companies; $1.7 billion in annual sales; $2.4 billion in pre-paid plan funerals. Says SCI bought France's largest funeral chain for $423 million in June 1995. Says salary of Robert Waltrip, SCI's founder, averaged more than $9 million a year recently, making him the twelfth most overpaid executive in the U.S., with a salary about $7 million higher than the average of CEOs of comparative companies, according to The Crystal Report.)
    Early 1995: 1,494 mortuaries, 275 cemeteries, 102 crematoriums. Company worth: $1.2 billion. ("Fraud in the Funeral Industry," Consumers Digest, Oct. 1995)
Loewen Group, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada: 1995: 791 mortuaries, 180 cemeteries ("Sharing the Vision," Loewen, Nov. 28, 1995)
Stewart Enterprises, New Orleans: 1997: 378 mortuaries and 127 cemeteries in 23 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Spain. It recently acquired five mortuaries in Portugal. (Mortuary Management, Nov. 1997)

Click [TOPIC LIST] to go to the top List of this document's topics.

Summary of the information in the 17 documents:

1) RIPOFFS:
A) SERIOUS FINANCIAL HARM:
This site explains how NEARLY EVERY U.S. MORTUARY - - CHEATS NEARLY EVERY FAMILY by THOUSANDS of dollars. (See REASONABLE PRICES vs. unjust RIPOFF MARKUPS, PRICES AND PROFITS below in this outline.)
THREE MAIN PROBLEMS in the industry today which lead to the nationwide ripoff:
a) FIVE to TEN times TOO MANY mortuaries in most communities. Many have fewer than a body or two a week,
and so charge exorbitant prices to unfairly stay in business.
b) GREED -- desire for outrageous profits. High-volume mortuaries, with 5 to 10 bodies a week or more,
could charge a HALF or a THIRD as much as the others because of the economy of scale/sharing facilites. Instead, they charge as much, and often charge SEVERAL TIMES HIGHER for the SAME or similar funerals and caskets, to make TREMENDOUS PROFITS.
c) HUGE CHAINS have been buying mortuaries and cemeteries at a furious pace in nearly every U.S. community.
They usually keep the former manager and the mortuary's former name, giving the impression that it is still the same mortuary -- instead of now being operated by: SCI, Service Corporation International (which pays one of its officers $9.3 million a year; see below), the Loewen Group, Stewart Enterprises, etc.
Chains often mention that they obtain great savings by economy of scale and sharing of facilities, but often don't share this with customers but, rather, raise prices greatly. With high volume and sharing, they could charge a HALF or a THIRD as much as others but frequently charge SEVERAL TIMES HIGHER for the SAME or similar funerals and caskets, to make TREMENDOUS PROFITS.

B) DAMAGE to RELIGIOUS RITES, FAMILY CUSTOMS, TRADITIONS -- U.S., Canada, Brazil and New Zealand
MEDIA: This subsection "B" is presented in MORE DETAIL than the rest of this summary because you in the media need to understand that MANY FAMILIES SUFFER MORE from morticians' and chains' ripoff in this area than from the hardship caused by the industry's tremendous financial ripoff of these families.
The reason is that this particular ripoff deals with the REAL, BENEFICIAL PURPOSE of funerals, the important place of the FAMILY CHURCH in families' ceremonies, and the RELIGIOUS RITES and CUSTOMS of families and communities -- much of which is being distorted by the funeral industry's desires for profit, control and status. Notice in the actions and comments below the constant intention of morticians through the years to take control of funerals away from families and churches, and the heavy-handed tactics they are willing to use.
Take time to imagine the pain of families which lose not only a loved one -- but find that they have also lost control of their own funeral activities to morticians. They have lost the right to celebrate and grieve as they wish -- and must now fit themselves into a "standard" funeral design (which morticians call 'TRADITIONAL" in order to deceive families) dreamed up by businessmen whose bottom line is profit. This is not an assault on families in the U.S. only. Caregivers in this and other countries have written that FAMILIES AND CHURCHES NEED TO RETAKE CONTROL OF THEIR FUNERALS away from morticians and chains -- that families need to "arrange" funerals with their clergy and not with morticians; not use morticians' costly, unneeded facilities and assistance; and call upon morticians for only a few things that families might want morticians for (perhaps embalming and some paperwork). A clergyman quoted below says all this succinctly: "New Zealanders need to reclaim the heritage that is rightfully theirs and become more involved with, and responsible for, the final farewells to loved family and friends who have died."

(DELETED at this point in the outline is a DETAILED LIST OF EVENTS AND STATEMENTS from 1938 to 1997 which illustrate HOW MORTICIANS HAVE DESTROYED AND DISTORTED RELIGIOUS RITES AND FAMILY TRADITIONS in order to benefit their profit-making, control, and other purposes. The list is provided at the end of this outline, after section 16, rather than here, to make this SUMMARY OUTLINE easier to follow.)

MEDIA, an example to follow: In 1997, ads which inform and encourage families to urge their denominations and dioceses to OPEN FAIR-PRICED MORTUARIES began being placed in religious periodicals by a group, Catholics for Fair Funeral Prices. The ads list low, reasonable prices for funerals, caskets and cremation -- compared with widespread, unfair, rising prices -- and invite readers to phone several mortuaries to compare their prices with those in the ads. The ads warn about huge corporations' massive buyouts of mortuaries and cemeteries in nearly every community, followed by the raising of all area prices. They warn of increasing abuse of family/religious traditions, "gifts" to religious leaders to coax them to stay uninvolved, and the passing of unfair laws, etc. The ads seek to inform the public and clergy about prices and abuses, and to motivate them to ask their denominations and dioceses to follow their duty to act for justice to protect families, especially the poor and elderly, by opening fair-priced mortuaries. Small mortuaries can be added inexpensively at their cemeteries (just as chains are opening mortuaries at cemeteries they acquire). Chapels aren't needed; all services can be held at families' churches.

ALL MEDIA and EVERY REPORTER should ask NATIONAL and LOCAL denominational leaders what they are doing, or should be doing, to protect their people's finances, church ceremonies and traditions. Most religious leaders stand by, watching the destruction, and do nothing to stop it or even warn their people about it. Some stay uninvolved or even help with the ripoff of their own congregations because of "gifts" (bribes) from morticians.
FAMILIES should phone or write to their national and local leaders. Shortly, we'll provide the phone numbers and addresses of major denominations.

C) ABUSE of FAMILIES and COMMUNITIES; LAWS benefitting PROFIT-MAKING (Additions shortly)
• ABUSE: A Miami Herald editorial said, "In Florida, the most outrageous misrepresentation, intimidation, and harassment of bereaved survivors are a matter of FREQUENT record. ... It would be better if funeral directors would conduct themselves as honest workmen performing a needed service in a fair manner. There is NO SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT from within the business ... TO REFORM what has become a ghoulish, profit-above-all, final ripoff. ... (the unfair practices are) not isolated occurrences confined to the unethical few."
  Industry people claim honesty, fair prices, etc. However, the OPPOSITE is reported by investigation after investigation throughout the U.S. by media and agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission -- and constant E-mail to this site.

D) MEDIA REPORTS of various kinds of ripoffs.
• This site places heavy emphasis on investigations in various parts of the U.S. conducted by TV network programs, local stations, newspapers and other publications. Many color photos and quotations from the reports are in Documents 9A, 9B and 9C. These reports give an idea of how widespread the abuses are -- and the many methods and tactics used by mortuaries, cemeteries, manufacturers and other parts of the industry.
  (Graphic of a flower-covered casket used by ABC-TV's 20/20 program)

E) The ONLY way to STOP the century-long, fast-growing ripoff: OPEN FAIR-PRICED MORTUARIES.
Denominations and Catholic Dioceses can do this.
• LESSER steps can help protect SOME families from harm -- steps such as Price Surveys and other work of consumer organizations such as Memorial Societies, Interfaith Funeral Information Committee, American Association of Retired Persons, etc.
  However, with prices going ever higher, and many fair-priced mortuaries being bought out and their prices raised, many communities soon will have no fair prices. Consumer groups will have to be satisfied with recommending the least bad of the worst.
• Many long-time observers believe that the only valid, permanent solution is the starting of fair-priced mortuaries which will keep their prices fair, respect church ceremonies and families' cultural traditions, and will not allow themselves to be bought out.
• Many religious leaders of Jewish, Protestant and Catholic faiths have spoken out against abuses of rites and traditions -- and have recommended the opening of religiously-based mortuaries. Some have already done so (as described above).

• DENOMINATIONS and CATHOLIC DIOCESES can quickly and easily open fair-priced mortuaries at the cemeteries they have in communities throughout the U.S. The Archdiocese of Denver opened a mortuary at its Denver cemetery in 1980 to provide fair-priced funerals -- when it found that low-income families and elderly couldn't afford prices of Denver mortuaries without serious financial harm. The mortuary found that it could provide funerals for one-half the price of the lowest-priced mortuary, while paying the highest wages in the area, building rent, and all taxes, fees and expenses of other mortuaries.
  A long article in the National Catholic Reporter in 1987 told of the co-op mortuaries started by people in Quebec, other provinces and northern U.S. states, and about the Archdiocese of Denver's mortuary. Its editorial stated: "... there appears to be fresh hope in what may develop into a major push toward cooperative morturies. Cooperative mortuaries are not a new idea. ... The churches (of various faiths) could help. More dioceses could start low-priced mortuaries (and keep them low-cost)."

  In 1997, ads encouraging readers to urge their denominations and Catholic dioceses to OPEN FAIR-PRICED MORTUARIES began being placed in religious periodicals by a group, Catholics for Fair Funeral Prices. The ads urge denominations and dioceses to follow their duty to act for justice by starting mortuaries to protect families, especially the poor and elderly, from the serious harm caused by the rapidly-increasing unjust high prices and other industry abuses. (See more about the ads in 1997, in Subsection B above.)

2) This site points out that MOST morticians are NOT the REPUTABLE, HONEST, CARING "PROFESSIONALS" that they
constantly claim to be because MOST MORTICIANS continually OVERCHARGE and DECEIVE most families, as:
a) MOST PROMOTE the FRAUDULENT "protective sealer" caskets -- intentionally DAMAGING BODIES in order to increase their profits
b) MOST DO NOT WARN families of this FRAUD and the DESTRUCTION of their loved ones' bodies. (See Document 2 and others)
c) MOST use UNJUST "PROFESSIONAL" FEES, MARKUPS and PRICES, from 4 to 10 times wholesale. (Documents 4 and 5)
d) MOST use DECEPTIVE TACTICS. (See 15 Categories of Ripoff Methods in Documents 7A, 7B and Media Reports below.)