Apparently last week I ruffled some feathers when I mentioned the struggles we have as women in the funeral industry.

Lynn asks the question: “What is it like to be a woman working in what seems to be a man’s field, and what advice do you have for other women who might be interested in working in the funeral industry?”

This week, we have the pleasure of hosting Amanda James Shropshire from Kermit Funeral Home as our first guest interview. Her insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by women in the funeral industry will undoubtedly be enlightening.

This week's episode is a question from Tim!

Tim asks what all goes into a first call and what should families expect?

If you've never been present when a funeral home arrives to bring someone into our care, this episode is sure to help you understand the process and everything it entails.

What's the fuss about Green Burials? Ever been interested in a Tibetan Sky Burial? You might change your mind after listening to this episode.

Janie asks “Mark and I go back and forth about our final wishes...Buried with family at a local cemetery or buried/ cremated with family at Veteran’s Cemetery. And then my daughter comes up with “natural burial”. What exactly is it and do any cemeteries around here allow it?

Learn about green burials and more on this week's episode.

We need questions! Send us your best or worst at finaltouchpodcast@gmail.com

Warning: this episode talks about decomposition and dismemberment. Discretion is advised.

In this week's episode, we take a look at some of the recent funeral home issues making national headlines. This includes the widely shared video of pallbearers tumbling into a grave and the funeral home in Houston, Tx that was improperly storing bodies.

We also share some of our own funeral flops as well!

Link for pallbearer video here: https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/09/us/video/pallbearers-fall-into-grave-philadelphia-contd-digvid

Link for the Houston Funeral Home:

https://nypost.com/2025/04/14/us-news/stabbing-at-texas-funeral-home-leads-to-discovery-of-10-decaying-smells-like-rotten-blood/

We've got an awesome episode for you this week.

Anonymous asks the question: "I know that you live in the old funeral home, is it haunted? And does anyone live in the current funeral home?"

Break ins and ambulances? Think you know everything about the history of funeral homes? Guess again!

This week's episode examines the often-overlooked issue of individuals passing away without family or a designated person to handle their funeral arrangements. What happens when a family cannot pay for a funeral service? What is the fate of their body and estate? Amidst rising homelessness in major cities, the response may be startling.

Today we answer a question from Baillie.

Baillie asks “What are some of the most memorable things that someone has requested to be buried with their loved one? (Memorable because it’s funny, random, unique, or whatever) And have you ever had to say you can’t bury something with someone? What was it if so?

In this introduction to The Final Touch Podcast, you meet your mortician, Gillian, and learn about how she came to be a part of the field of mortuary sciences, how she struggles with death anxiety, and what it's like to live and serve families in a rural community.

You've got questions? We can't wait to hear what YOU want to know. Find us on social media as The Final Touch Podcast or shoot us an email at finaltouchpodcast@gmail.com