knowing that you have done something incredibly meaningful for the living that will stay with them always. It seems more spiritual in recrudescence than just a commodity, skill or job and will remain so until my time for leaving comes too. In 2008, we sold our business interests to our most valued employee, Steve Schnackenberg and his wife Denise, knowing that the families we serviced would be in good, competent hands. A year later, on a sunny June morning, I had an enjoyable conversation with Dennis Schoepp, a very close friend and colleague in Columbia Falls. A little over an hour later, his associate called me in a panic, saying Dennis was on his way to the hospital in an ambulance and that it looked very bad. Bobbie and I loaded up the car and headed for Columbia Falls, receiving a call halfway there from his wife saying that they wanted her to “pull the plug” as he was brain dead. For the next thirteen months, we resided in Whitefish as interim managers of the Austin Funeral Home and the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls, which was a very interesting experience that we gladly did in honor of our friend Dennis and his wife, Kenria. Dennis served as President of MFDA on two separate occasions and also served on the NFDA Policy Board; he was a very active member of our association, serving our profession well. During my tenure on the MFDA executive board and later as President, I missed Dennis deeply. Our MFDA scholarship in Dennis’s memory so generously funded by his wife Kenria is a very appropriate tribute and acknowledgment of his service to us all. In 1997, I was appointed by Governor Marc Racicot to serve on the State Board of Funeral Service and was later re-appointed by Governor Judy Martz for an additional term. During that time, the board re-vamped laws and regulations, both MCA and administrative, almost entirely and added new sections. The last total re-vamp was done in 1962 with many bandaids added on through the years with almost nothing regarding cremation, pre-need and cemeteries, so the task was daunting. I have huge respect for the talent and intelligence of my fellow board members in accomplishing this monumental task, along with the assistance of the adjunct committee of MFDA past presidents Rick Evans and Dean Whitesitt. I was amazed that this massive piece of work made it virtually unscathed across both floors of the legislature; I later found out this was indeed a miracle! I have come to realize that our ongoing professional development and well-being of funeral service in Montana (or any state) lies, to a large degree, on the relationships we have with one another. I believe this is what our founding MFDA members had in mind over a century ago, and it remains the same. Part of being a life-long learner is found in relationships. A late colleague and friend, John Austin, founder of Austin Funeral Home, Whitefish, who was a lifelong learner, used to occasionally send along various publications to me dealing with many aspects of funeral service; I always appreciated this. Among the final materials he sent me was a hard-back book on management. He signed off on the inside cover: “Dear Niles, Hope you enjoy this and it contributes to your learning.” And then he finished cryptically: “It is certain to say that one of us will not be at the other’s funeral. Regards, John.” I could almost hear him smirking. Point well made. ■ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 16 Montana Funeral Directors Association
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