The CCMS Sale, Minnesota Burial Troubles, and a Funeral Home Estate Sale

In this week’s roundup, we dive into the major shifts impacting mortuary education, a bittersweet farewell to a historic Polish funeral home, and ongoing legal battles regarding religious burial rights in Minnesota. We also look back at a personal essay about Black casket salesmen and tease a massive new data report from the Johnson Consulting Group.Key Stories This Week* Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science Major Changes: Following a year of student protests and leadership turnover, CCMS has announced it is rejoining Xavier College and selling its 16-acre site for $7.2 million. We explore what this means for the future of private mortuary schools and the shift toward online credentialing.* A 119-Year Legacy Ends: The Giminski-Wysocki funeral home in Syracuse is closing its doors. Known for serving the Polish community, the home’s remaining antique furniture is being sold via an estate sale, highlighting the challenges of maintaining traditional physical estates in a changing market.* Religious Rights & Green Burials in Minnesota: An update on the legal “limbo” facing a conservation burial ground and a new lawsuit against Estes Funeral Chapel and Elmhurst Cemetery regarding the alleged refusal to accommodate Islamic burial rites.* History of Segregation in Casket Sales: A look at a personal essay detailing the experiences of Black casket salesmen at Batesville during the 70s and 80s, including the landmark anti-discrimination suit against Hillenbrand Industries.* Industry Data Deep Dive: The Johnson Consulting Group released an analysis of over 650,000 records. Preliminary findings show that 10.2% of surveys generate leads, primarily in grief support and pre-need services. Get full access to On Deathcare at ondeathcare.substack.com/subscribe