CALIFORNIA

On May 25, 2026, Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries (Glendale) honored fallen veterans with free Memorial Day remembrances at five locations: Cathedral City, Covina Hills, Glendale, Hollywood Hills and Long Beach. The family-friendly, parkwide remembrances brought people together to pay tribute to the lives and valor of veterans of the U.S. armed forces. All events included patriotic music, the laying of wreaths, the presentation and retiring of American flags, keynote addresses, presidential proclamations, invocations, giveaways, and coffee and sweet treats. American Sign Language interpreters were present at all events, as well.

The Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills commemoration was the featured event this year. It included keynote speaker Brig. Gen. Dr. David Smith; the resonant voice and presence of emcee Michael Ellington; an invocation and benediction by Monsignor Frank Hicks; a presidential proclamation by Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton; and music by the Los Angeles Concert Band.

Forest Lawn – Glendale’s celebration featured the Glendale Sunrise Rotary’s Field of Honor American flag dedication, which began on May 20 and culminated with a stage event on May 25. Flags were available for a $50 sponsorship; proceeds benefit local veterans. ForestLawn.com

FLORIDA

Foundation Partners Group (Orlando) continues to advance its strategic plan, Pathway to 2028, with investments in care-center and funeral home renovations nationwide. In March, teams in Arizona and Florida hosted grand reopening events that welcomed families, business partners and community leaders for tours, education and fellowship.

In Tucson, Arizona, Angel Valley Funeral Home unveiled the comprehensive renovation of its longtime location in the historic Blenman-Elm neighborhood.

In Rockledge, Florida, Atlantic Mortuary & Cremation celebrated the opening of a new office location, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting team members and delivering consistent, high-quality experiences for families. FoundationPartners.com

GEORGIA

Continuing a proud legacy of service, Wynn, Allie and Reese McBrayer – fourth-generation family members of Jones-Wynn Funeral Home & Crematory
(Villa Rica and Douglasville) – recently served as pages for the Georgia State Senate during the 2026 session of the Georgia General Assembly.

The children of Scott and Ellen Wynn McBrayer, Wynn (a high-school freshman) and twins Allie and Reese
(middle-school students) are no strangers to the value of serving others. They have grown up witnessing their parents’ daily commitment to caring for the community through their family business.

On February 25, the children were notified of their selection as senate pages by District 30 Georgia State Senator Tim Bearden. On March 12, they joined fellow students at the Georgia State Capitol, where they were briefed on their responsibilities and introduced to the legislative process.

As pages, they set aside their electronic devices and spent the day assisting with the daily operations, allowing them to gain firsthand experience in government functions and witness the dedication of Georgia lawmakers. Jones-Wynn.net

Rollings Funeral Service (Peachtree City) has developed a comprehensive training program designed to equip funeral service professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to serve veterans and their families well. The “Boot Camp: Veteran Training for Funeral Service Professionals” course comprises 35 modules that cover a wide range of topics, including veterans benefits, military culture and mindset, burial honors, and other essential aspects of assisting veterans with preplanning or their families with at-need services. Upon successful completion of the course, participants earn the “Certified Veteran Funeral Professional” designation.

Although the program is currently only available to Rollings Funeral Service employees, course creator Nancy Weil, director of community outreach for Rollings, is available to present “Honoring Service, Building Trust: Becoming the Preferred Funeral Home for Veterans” at national and state funeral service conferences. RollingsFuneralService.com

LOUISIANA

This year, in keeping with its motto of “Our Family Serving Yours,” Cox Family Funeral Homes (Oak Grove) celebrates 70 years of dedicated service to the members of West Carroll Parish.

According to The West Caroll Gazette, which published an article about the firm’s milestone anniversary, two businessmen initially established the funeral home – the first in the parish – in 1939. In time, after a few ownership changes, “Charles Cox and Bob Kidder, both formerly of Catron-Gay, joined forces to capitalize a new corporation. In 1956,
Kidder-Cox Funeral Home, Inc., was born.”

In 1973, the company acquired First National Funeral Homes, which had locations in Delhi, Lake Providence and Oak Grove. According to the recent newspaper article, Charles Cox first discussed the acquisition of these firms with his son, Steve, who was only 15 years old at the time. Explaining that he wanted to purchase the locations but wasn’t sure he would “live long enough to pay off a note,” the elder Cox asked his son if he would be interested in continuing the family legacy of service.

The younger Cox eventually obtained his degree from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 1981. Later that decade, in a move that established the business as fully family-owned and -operated, he successfully bought all outstanding company shares from the other stockholders. In 2002, the company added its fourth location, which is in Bastrop.

Said Steve Cox in the newspaper article: “We’ve been blessed to have had devoted staff over the years, that have the same values as we do … This organization has been very blessed, and we are grateful to God for that.” CoxFuneral.com

OHIO

Busch Funeral and Crematory Services (Cleveland) recently held its third-annual Nurse Memorial Service, in partnership with the Northeast Ohio Nurse Honor Guard. This year, two services were held in observance of National Nurses Week. The first took place on May 6 at the company’s Parma location; a second service was held the next day at its Northfield site.

Honoring the lives and legacies of nurses who died, the events offered comfort and connection to those who gathered in remembrance. Each service included a brief presentation and demonstration by the Northeast Ohio Nurse Honor Guard, an opportunity for attendees to add their loved ones’ names to a memorial tree, and time for guests to share memories of the nurses who made an impact on them.

The Northeast Ohio Nurse Honor Guard, established in 2022 by Barb Hertrick and Vanessa Ryks, is a group of volunteers who perform “The Nightingale Tribute” at funeral and memorial services for nurses. Dressed in traditional white uniforms, they provide the final recognition of a nurse’s service and lifelong commitment to caring for others. BuschCares.com

SOUTH CAROLINA

The Southern Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association (SCCFA; Kingston Springs) recently held its 2026 Convention & Family Reunion. Hosted in partnership with the Texas Cemeteries & Crematories Association and the South Carolina Cemetery Association, the convention took place June 14-16 at the San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas.

This year’s program featured Carlos R. Quezada, CEO and vice chairman of Carriage Services Inc., and Chris Cruger, CEO of Foresight. The event also featured Ben R. Upton, Buchanan Group executive vice president of sales, marketing and Fewell Monument; Dan Ford, NFDA president and president of Alderson-Ford & Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Homes; Erin Wilson, senior director of education and program strategy at Funeral Women Lead; John Bolton, International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association president and vice president of operations for development at Park Lawn Corporation; Sam James, owner of James Funeral Home and Northlake Memorial Gardens; and Wendy Wiener, SCCFA Legislative Committee member and regulatory counsel for the Florida Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association. SCCFA.info

NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL

The International Order of the Golden Rule Foundation recently announced the recipients of this year’s Awards of Excellence scholarships. The foundation distributes a total of $10,000 in scholarship funding annually to support continuing education. Each year, the scholarships are awarded to students who exemplify strong academic achievement, hands-on experience in funeral service, and a genuine commitment to caring for families with compassion and dignity. This year’s recipients include: Alexandra Allen-Byam, Peterborough, New Hampshire; Megan Young, Ontario, Canada; Tiffany Slone, Elkhorn, Kentucky; Larry Malinger, Aberdeen, New Jersey; Roxanne Simpson, Fredericksburg, Virginia; and Donna Hairston, Collinsville, Virginia.

All scholarship applicants receive complimentary student membership through December 31, 2026. Membership grants them access to resources and networking opportunities within the funeral service profession. OGR.org/Foundation

The International Memorialization and Supplier Association (IMSA) appointed Mandy Benoualid, founder and president of Keeper Memorials, as its new president. Having recently served a multiyear term as IMSA vice president, Benoualid brings extensive leadership experience to her new role. Spanning the memorialization, funeral, cremation and cemetery sectors, her diverse background provides her with a comprehensive understanding of the needs of deathcare suppliers. IMSA-Online.org

Selected Independent Funeral Homes (SIFH) elected new officers and members to its board of directors. J. Sheridan Lee, owner of Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Garner, North Carolina, will serve as president; and David Moore, owner of Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapels, Mason City, Iowa, will serve as board chair.

The incoming board directors are Stephen R. Christianson, Hill and Wood Funeral Home, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Rachel Gunderson, Gunderson Funeral & Cremation Care, Madison, Wisconsin.

Lee, Moore, Christianson and Gunderson will begin their leadership terms at the 2026 SIFH Annual Meeting, which will be held September 2-5 in Louisville, Kentucky. Selected
FuneralHomes.org

The Selected Educational Trust announced that Gunderson Funeral & Cremation Care, Madison, Wisconsin, will sponsor the spring cycle of its Second-Career Scholarship Program through 2030. This program funds two $1,500 scholarships that are awarded each June to aspiring funeral service professionals pursuing education and work within independent funeral service.

The trust is grateful to Gunderson Funeral & Cremation Care for its continued commitment to this program. The firm previously sponsored the spring cycle from 2022-25 and has renewed its support with this new five-year pledge. SelectedTrust.org