NFDA and the Funeral Service Foundation have established a scholarship to honor Nicodemus’ memory.

For Immediate Release: September 25, 2026

Media Contact: Jessica Koth, 262-814-1536, JKoth@NFDA.org

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) is mourning the death of longtime colleague Mike Nicodemus, a nationally recognized cremation expert and educator whose more than 50-year career in funeral service had a profound impact on the profession. Nicodemus, who served as NFDA’s vice president of cremation services, died peacefully September 19 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He was 73.

“It is difficult to put into words what Mike meant to all of us at NFDA,” said NFDA CEO Christine Pepper, CAE. “For 13 years, he gave so much of himself to this organization, our members and a profession he truly loved. Mike had an incredible depth of knowledge, but he never kept it to himself. He was always willing to take the call, answer the question, tell the story or spend a little more time helping someone understand. That generosity was simply who Mike was. We will miss his expertise, certainly, but even more, we will miss Mike – our colleague, our friend and a very special part of the NFDA family.”

A Career Devoted to Funeral Service

Born September 22, 1952, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Nicodemus graduated from Altoona Area High School, where he excelled in basketball, baseball and track. He attended Nathaniel Hawthorne College in Antrim, New Hampshire, before enrolling at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science (PIMS). After graduating from PIMS in 1974, he began a career in funeral service that would span more than five decades.

Nicodemus joined Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home & Crematory in Virginia Beach in 1979, beginning a 35-year tenure with the firm. He eventually rose to vice president of cremation operations before retiring from Hollomon-Brown in 2013 and joining NFDA that same year.

A licensed funeral director and one of the profession’s most respected authorities on cremation, Nicodemus also served as president of the Cremation Association of North America (CANA). Throughout his career, he was a strong advocate for due diligence and professional standards in cremation. His expertise was frequently sought in cremation-related litigation, where he served as an expert witness, and he became a trusted resource for funeral professionals navigating the operational and risk-management issues surrounding cremation.

Transforming Cremation Education

When Nicodemus joined NFDA, he took on the task of developing what became one of the association’s most successful educational programs. He launched the Certified Crematory Operator Program in 2013, which later evolved into the NFDA Cremation Certification Program to better reflect the diverse roles funeral professionals play throughout the cremation process.

During his 13 years with NFDA, Nicodemus continuously expanded and strengthened the program. He traveled extensively throughout the United States and internationally to teach cremation best practices, due diligence and risk management. He also staffed NFDA’s Cremation Hotline and authored numerous resources that helped funeral professionals answer questions, solve problems and better serve families.

His influence extended well beyond the classroom. Known throughout funeral service for his deep expertise and willingness to share it, Nicodemus became a trusted resource and mentor to funeral directors at every stage of their careers.

Nicodemus was also a memorable presence. Tall and unmistakable, with a booming voice that could command a room, he brought warmth, humor and an obvious passion for funeral service to his teaching. In the classroom, where he was perhaps most at home, his decades of experience came alive through stories, practical advice and a genuine desire to help other funeral professionals succeed.

“Mike was one of those people you were always glad to see,” said NFDA President Dan Ford. “He had a presence about him – you knew when Mike was in the room – but behind that booming voice was an incredibly warm and generous person. Nowhere was that more evident than when he was teaching. Mike loved sharing what he knew, and he wanted every funeral director in that room to leave better prepared to care for families. He taught so many of us, challenged us and made our profession better. That is a legacy that will live on for a very long time.”

A Lasting Legacy

Nicodemus’ influence on cremation education will continue through the program he spent more than a decade building. In 2026, as he prepared to retire from his work with NFDA, the association began transitioning leadership of the Cremation Certification Program while ensuring the standards, rigor and emphasis on due diligence that Nicodemus championed would remain at its core.

For Nicodemus, funeral service was more than a career. He often described being a funeral director as “a calling, not a job,” and took particular pride in knowing that he had helped families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. His commitment to families, to funeral professionals and to continually raising the standards of the profession defined his career.

Away from funeral service, Nicodemus was an avid sports fan who followed the Boston Celtics and Pittsburgh Steelers and especially enjoyed college basketball and March Madness. His work also gave him the opportunity to travel extensively with his wife, Elizabeth, eventually visiting all 50 states. Those who knew him also knew his enthusiasm for a great meal and his ability to recommend a favorite restaurant in seemingly any city.

Nicodemus is survived by his wife of 32 years, Elizabeth; daughter, Erin (Wendell) Van Houten of Virginia Beach; son, Ryan (Stacy) Nicodemus of Midlothian, Virginia; and four grandchildren, Garrett, Evan, Ella and Graham. He was preceded in death by his parents, Maxine (Nicodemus) Larson and Richard Nicodemus; stepfather, Donald Larson; sister, Ann Harshbarger; brother, Patrick Nicodemus; and daughter, Erica Nicodemus.

Services and Memorial Information

The Nicodemus family will greet friends Friday, October 23, at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Virginia Beach, where Mike was a longtime member, beginning at 10 a.m. A funeral Mass will follow at 11 a.m. His obituary is available at hollomon-brown.com.

NFDA and the Funeral Service Foundation have established the Michael Nicodemus Memorial Scholarship to honor Nicodemus’ memory and ensure that his commitment to education and the funeral service profession continues to benefit future generations of funeral professionals. Please visit funeralservicefoundation.org/donate-nicodemus to make a contribution.

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association representing 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit NFDA.org.

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