Off and on over the last few years, that I was working pretty much full time, I worked in the funeral and cemetery industries. For the most part I enjoyed it. It was very satisfying to assist people make their final arrangements and help them do so without their over-spending.

The joy sort of went out of the business for me when the national corporations began buying up the local funeral homes and cemeteries. They were more concerned with making a quick buck than in helping clients. At least that is how it seemed to me and the fun and enjoyment rapidly disappeared.

Most people view those working in the funeral and cemetery industries as solemn, staid and reserved without much of a sense of humor. Movies and television have done much to foster this image of funeral directors and morticians but I found them to be quite the opposite.  Almost without exception they have a wonderful sense of humor and are fond of sharing funny stories. It didn’t matter whether the situation involved them or others, if it was funny, it was shared.

The following is one of my favorite stories from that time and no matter how many times I hear it, I chuckle.

A young preacher was asked by the local funeral director to conduct a graveside burial service for a man who had no family or friends. The preacher left early for the cemetery but quickly got lost, having made several wrong turns.

Eventually, a half hour late, he saw a backhoe and its crew, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. Nearby a few workmen were eating lunch. The diligent young pastor went to the open grave and found the vault lid already in place. Taking out his book, he read a passage. Feeling guilty because of his tardiness, he preached an impassioned and lengthy service, sending the deceased in style to the great beyond.

As he returned to his car, the preacher overheard one of the workmen say, “I’ve been putting in septic tanks for 20 years, and I ain’t never seen anything like that.”