Funeral Director Celebrates his 100th Birthday and More than 70 Years of Helping People
Dick McLaughlin started his career as a funeral director in 1949 and has worked for four generations of the same family. He still goes to work every week. ROYAL OAK, Mich. — A few weeks shy of his 100th birthday, Dick McLaughlin is still going to work each week as a funeral director, just as […]
More women are entering our industry
Look around either of the William Sullivan & Son Funeral Directors buildings and you’ll see women working in every capacity: Funeral directors, planning advisors, support staff and mortuary science students doing their practicum (internship.) This reflects the trend in our industry: More women than men are enrolling in mortuary science programs. In 2017 they were […]
Meet Michelle O’Hara, funeral planning educator
Michelle O’Hara has joined the staff in Utica to exclusively help people plan their funerals in advance. While she’s had customized training in the field she says the thing that prepared her best for her work was her experience as an elementary school teacher. “I’m using my education degree but in a different way,” she […]
Meet Jack Clock … and Wrigley
At 29, Jack Clock is the youngest funeral director in our company but he brings a lifetime of industry knowledge because five generations of his family have owned funeral homes in western Michigan. “I like everything about this work,” Jack said. “I like meeting with families, learning about the deceased, and helping families honor their […]
Detroit Free Press: Funeral trends and tips for families
The Detroit Free Press recently ran two stories with useful information about how to plan and manage costs connected to your funeral. This article reports that 59 percent of families now choose cremation over burial, a trend we see here at Sullivan & Son. The articles quotes our co-owner, Michael Lope, reporting that, even when […]