2025 PUB. 4 ISSUE 1 MFDA Working Hard in Helena During the 2025 Legislative Session OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MONTANA FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
When your marketing is generating quality leads, your sales team is delivering happy customers, and your product is safe and secure, preneed becomes one less thing you need to worry about. Our mission is to make sure your entire preneed program is operating to its fullest potential. Grow Your Market Share With Total Confidence 2X your preneed with Precoa’s end-to-end marketing & sales program How to Grow with Precoa VISIT PRECOA.COM TO GET A FREE MARKET ANALYSIS ASK FOR A FREE MARKET ANALYSIS 1 GET A PROACTIVE MARKETING PLAN 2 2X YOUR PRENEED 3 SERVE MORE AT-NEED FAMIIES 4 27 MIN AVG COMMUTE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Organizations ORGANIZATIONS 521 521 ORGANIZATIONS 521 ORGANIZATIONS 521 ORGANIZATIONS 521 ORGANIZATIONS 521 ORGANIZATIONS 521 COMMUTE TIME 0 5% 25% 20% 15% 10% OCCUPATIONS 0 5% 25% 20% 15% 10% Office Man Farm Labor Mach Office Office Office Office Office Office OFFICE ADMIN SUPPORT MAN. EXECUTIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND MANAGERIAL FARM FARMING, FORESTRY, & FISHING LABOR HANDLERS, EQUIPMENT CLEANERS, HELPERS, & LABORERS MACH MACHINE OPERATORS, ASSEMBLERS, & INSPECTORS PROD PRECISION PRODUCTION, CRAFT, & REPAIR SPEC SPECIALTY SALES SALES SERV SERVICE TECHN TECHNICIANS & RELATED SUPPORT TRANSP TRANSPORTATION & MATERIAL MOVING RENT VS OWN 60% OWN 40% RENT AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME $56,732 MEDIAN INCOME 0 5% 25% < $10k $10 - $15k $15 - $25k $25 - $35k $25 - $35k <4 MIN 5–14 MIN 15–29 MIN 30–44 MIN 45+ MIN $25 - $35k $25 - $35k $25 - $35k $25 - $35k $25 - $35k 20% 15% 10% MARKET SHARE BY ZIP CODE 66047 66049 66046 66044 66025 97352 97489 ZIP City FH Cases Estimated Market Share Lawrence 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% Lawrence 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% Lawrence 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% Eudora 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% Baldwin City 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% Linwood 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% Tonganoxie 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% Perry 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% Lecompton 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% Tecumseh 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% Berryton 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% De Soto 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% Lawrence 52 100% 1,450 Other Lead Sources 4.0% 97045 97553 97266 97045 97352 97489 Mailable Households Estimated Return Rate Lead Source Distribution DEMOGRAPHICS DETAILS 66047 66049 ZIP City Population 55+ Population Lawrence 17,777 2,673 29 101 15,133 567 $52,211 $481,039 595 Lawrence 23,955 3,135 32 137 20,348 787 $63,283 $578,244 1,024 Median Age Estimated Deaths Caucasian African American Hispanic Median Income Avg. Net Worth DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN Caucasion 83% African American 3% Hispanic 6% 8% Other OVER 55 14% 66046 Lawrence 16,851 2,346 28 96 12,949 849 815 $43,989 $313,113 66044 Lawrence 25,282 2,933 26 144 20,710 1,290 1,144 $32,293 $282,304 66025 Eudora 6,120 1,047 32 35 5,687 38 166 54,646 $394,608 66006 Baldwin 6,591 1,235 35 38 6,186 56 112 $63,324 $539,210 66052 Linwood 1,931 369 4 0 15 1,792 5 66 $60,999 $507,257 DEMOGRAPHICS DETAILS 66047 66049 ZIP City Population 55+ Population Lawrence 17,777 2,673 29 101 15,133 567 $52,211 $481,039 595 Lawrence 23,955 3,135 32 137 20,348 787 $63,283 $578,244 1,024 Median Age Estimated Deaths Caucasian African American Hispanic Median Income Avg. Net Worth DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN Caucasion 83% African American 3% Hispanic 6% 8% Other OVER 55 14% 66046 Lawrence 16,851 2,346 28 96 12,949 849 815 $43,989 $313,113 66044 Lawrence 25,282 2,933 26 144 20,710 1,290 1,144 $32,293 $282,304 66025 Eudora 6,120 1,047 32 35 5,687 38 166 54,646 $394,608 66006 Baldwin 6,591 1,235 35 38 6,186 56 112 $63,324 $539,210 66052 Linwood 1,931 369 4 0 15 1,792 5 66 $60,999 $507,257
©2025 The Montana Funeral Directors Association (MFDA) | The newsLINK Group LLC. All rights reserved. Directors Digest is published four times per year by The newsLINK Group LLC for MFDA and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review, consideration and education. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of MFDA, its board of directors or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. Directors Digest is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of MFDA. While a first-print policy is encouraged, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at (855) 747-4003. 6 14 Cover courtesy of the Montana Secretary of State Office. President’s Message 4 Our Membership Is Our Strength By Steve Kirkegard, President, MFDA Executive Director’s Report 6 Starting 2025 Off Strong By James Brown, Esq., Executive Director, MFDA 8 2024-2025 MFDA Board of Directors 9 NFDA Update By Chris Holt, State Association Representative, NFDA 10 MFDA Legislation Report By Brad Longcake, Lobbyist, MFDA 10 MFDA 2025 Convention & Trade Show 11 Congratulations to Our 2025 Award Recipients 12 Montana Board of Funeral Service Update By Rick Walter, Board Member, MFDA 13 Parker Sappington MFDA’s Dennis Schoepp Memorial Scholarship Recipient 13 Office of Victim Services Crime Victim Compensation (CVC) 14 2025 Mid-Winter Conference In Loving Memory 16 Margaret “Peg” Kathryn Whitesitt Burt Douthit Jr. 18 The Hardest Funeral You Will Ever Do By Lincoln Plain, Licensed Funeral Director, Sales Representative, The Dodge Company 22 Scammers Impersonate FTC Officials, Including Chairman Andrew Ferguson By BCP Staff NFDA News 23 New USPS Shipping Requirement for Shipping Cremated Remains Directors Digest | 3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Steve Kirkegard, President, MFDA the Montana Legislature that puts us in a position to better serve our members and their clients by revising statutes that allow the investment of preneed funds in vehicles beyond government-backed securities. We think this is vital to the future of the MFDA’s administration of the funeral trust in which we serve as fiduciaries. We aim to provide avenues to slow the decline of corpus gross funds by allowing the trust to invest in things that produce more return than the traditional government-backed options we have now. Stay tuned. This is perhaps the biggest challenge and task facing us, both long- and short-term, and we are committed to attempting to make the situation better for you and your trust customers. There is another bill being carried that has to do with the various forms of disposition, specifically alkaline hydrolysis and natural organic reduction. The board has chosen to take a patient approach in terms of Greetings, I hope you had the opportunity to spend a joyful and meaningful holiday season with your loved ones and friends. The weather seems to be determined to remind us that winter exists in Montana following the New Year’s holiday! I’m sure work has been busy and beyond for you as it has for me, but there are exciting things to talk about as we are now well into 2025 with MFDA. Thank you for your attendance at the virtual district meeting this past fall. Turnout has been greater than imagined and everyone seems to enjoy that format for the fall meeting. We will continue to provide quality continuing education credits and the opportunity to network. Again, thank you for your attendance. The MFDA is supporting and working on the draft of a bill submitted to Our Membership Is Our Strength 4 | Directors Digest
consideration and support of this bill being sponsored by Rep. Denise Baum from Billings. We have previously discussed the need to add statutory language recognizing these new forms and the process by which licensing and endorsement take place but have committed to our members our belief that this should be primarily brought by the Board of Funeral Service for the 2027 legislative session. There is a great deal of language and process that will take time to parse through, and we feel that supporting a bill now without sufficient time to discuss the topics in depth will not serve the law or the membership. Although some of these dates and events may have passed, it’s important to show the efforts the association puts on to assist our membership in terms of continuing education, advocacy and networking. Lastly, we hope you make it to Billings for this summer’s 2025 MFDA Convention at Northern Hotel, held from June 22-24. During the convention, we will also be holding the MFDA Board Meeting at 9 a.m. on June 23. We want You are the reason we exist and succeed. Your Local, Family-Run Supplier of Caskets, Urns & Vaults At Medallion Vault & Casket, we’re a second generation family-run funeral supplier providing personal, friendly and professional service to our funeral home clients. Get in touch to learn more about how we can serve you! (406) 652-6605 • medallionvc@outlook.com www.medallioncasket.com to make this a memorable event with great opportunities. We hope to throw in some fun events in the Magic City to make your attendance and stay a memorable one. Thank you all and we look forward to your comments, thoughts and attendance as MFDA events in 2025. You are the reason we exist and succeed. Best, Steve Kirkegard Directors Digest | 5
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT Welcome to the inaugural 2025 edition of Directors Digest! 2025 marks my 10th year as executive director of the MFDA. Looking back over the last decade-plus, I am heartened by how far the Association has come. Working together, MFDA has achieved much over this time, including increasing its associate membership numbers, growing annual convention participation, expanding member services, and strengthening our partnership with NFDA. Thanks to the hard work and diligence of the NFDA Board, the Association has bucked the national trend by growing at a time when many state funeral services associations are contracting. Looking forward, 2025 has started out to be another great year for Montana’s premier funeral Association. Starting 2025 Off STRONG MFDA is here to partner with you and to advocate for you. James Brown, Esq., Executive Director, MFDA 6 | Directors Digest
MFDA has once again retained the services of Brad Longcake to serve as the MFDA lobbyist for the 2025 Montana Legislative Session. Brad is no stranger to the MFDA, having been the Association’s lobbyist during the 2023 session, wherein he helped push through legislation to revise internship criteria. As the 2025 Montana Legislative session kicked off on Jan. 6, by the time you read this, Brad will have hit the ground running on behalf of MFDA’s membership. The MFDA Board is pleased to partner with Brad and feels confident that MFDA’s policy agenda will receive favorable treatment by Montana’s legislators. Looking further into 2025, at the request for MFDA’s membership, the Association is pleased to announce that the annual convention will return to Billings. The annual convention and tradeshow will be held at the Northern Hotel from June 22-24, 2025. Coming off the 2024 convention, wherein the Association experienced high member and associate member participation, as well as high sponsorship levels, MFDA expects the June convention to be one of its most widely attended yet. So, save those dates on your calendar and join us for big fun, engaging speakers and good times in Montana’s Magic City. And, as a reminder, your personal interaction at the convention with your industry peers is the highest member benefit MFDA can, and does, provide. There are some additional things to note as we move through this new year. MFDA member and associate member renewal packets were mailed out in December. If you have not renewed your membership, what are you waiting for? Get those renewals back in. If you did not receive your 2025 membership packet, please contact me or Terri James to get your membership renewal information. Further, as you likely know by now, in November, I was fortunate to be elected to serve as Montana’s State Auditor. My four-year term of office kicked off on Jan. 6. I very much appreciate the support I received from the MFDA board and membership during my run for office. With agreement of the MFDA board, for now, I will continue on with the association until such time a replacement is hired. Speaking of tradeshows and conventions, NFDA has announced that its national convention will be held in Chicago this year. The national convention is slated for Oct. 26-29. NFDA’s convention is the world’s largest funeral service expo. So, mark your calendar now to attend that event. And we will see you in the Windy City this fall. Finally, I write this article on the heels of the very successful Mid-Winter Conference. The Conference brought together industry folks and members of the legislature to discuss matters of importance to Montana’s funeral homes and providers. We hold this event every two years in Helena in order to both promote the Association’s membership and to bring public awareness of the unique services you provide to your local communities. You will find herein photos from that great event. Can you spot yourself in one of them? I trust you will enjoy this edition of Directors Digest. MFDA staff are proud of the continued quality of this publication. And, to this end, we encourage you to let us know of all the "doings" and "recognitions" at your funeral home so that we can include them in the magazine. We thank you for all you do on behalf of your communities, your customers and your colleagues. MFDA is here to partner with you and to advocate for you. From us to you and yours, wishing you a happy, fun and productive year. Regards, James Brown Directors Digest | 7
2024-2025 Steve Kirkegard President Bullis Funeral Home and Cremation, Hardin skirkegard@yahoo.com Office: (406) 538-8711 Bri Mulvaney Vice President Axelson Funeral Home and Cremation, Butte bri@axelsonfuneralhome.com Office: (406) 494-4264 Rick Walter Secretary Schnider Funeral Home, Great Falls rick@schniderfuneralhome.com Office: (406) 727-1368 Katie Baca Future Development Leaders Director Just Cremation Montana, Missoula katie@missoulafuneralhomes.com (406) 543-4190 Tyson Moore Immediate Past President Garden City Funeral Home, Missoula tyson@agelessinc.com Office: (406) 543-4190 Cell: (406) 317-3874 Jim Brown Executive Director jim@thunderdomelaw.com Office: (406) 449-7444 Terri James Association Assistant info@montanafda.org Office: (406) 449-7244 Cell: (406) 490-7712 Fred Nelson Western District Governor The Lake Funeral Home, Polson flatheadpolson@centurytel.net Office: (406) 883-2808 Cell: (406) 261-0579 Jessie Billquist Southwestern District Governor Longfellow Finnigan Riddle Funeral Home jessie@anacondafuneralhome.com Office: (406) 563-3371 Brooke Conover Eastern District Governor Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home Miles City brooke@stevensonandsons.com Office: (406) 232-4457 Austin Asper Northcentral District Governor Asper Funeral Homes austinasper@gmail.com Office: (406) 434-2172 Jim Asper Treasurer Asper Funeral Homes jim@asperfh.com Office: (406) 434-2172 Chris Holt NFDA State Association Representative Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, Helena chris@aswfuneralhome.com Office: (406) 442-8520 Matt Coon Southcentral District Governor Billings mtc12022@outlook.com Cell: (406) 951-1546 MFDA Board of Directors 8 | Directors Digest
NFDA Update By Chris Holt, State Association Representative, NFDA As you all know, we recently wrapped up our Mid-Winter Conference here in Helena. We had a great turnout and some great CE opportunities. It was nice to mingle with the association members and catch up on what is happening with everyone. I always enjoy seeing all of you. Now to the update on what we are watching: Health Savings Accounts: New legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives, the “Funeral Coverage Act of 2024” (H.R. 7963), which would designate funeral expenses as a qualified expense eligible for coverage under Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). This means that families that have saved money for healthcare expenses can use those funds for funeral and burial expenses after the person dies and no longer needs the money for healthcare costs. Consensual Donation and Research Integrity Act (S. 2191/H.R. 4275), which has been introduced in both the House and Senate, will provide the Secretary of HHS with oversight and authority over facilities that receive donated human bodies and body parts for education and research. The bill will protect the dignity of donors and give families peace of mind by creating standards for inspection, chain of custody, labeling and packaging, and proper disposition. We are still watching the EPA and its formaldehyde ruling. There is still some discussion and rumblings on the effects of formaldehyde in our industry. We were told there will be some more panel meetings and studies to come. Lastly, the Funeral Rule is being reviewed by the FTC. This issue is to keep on our radars. There are meetings and committees on the revisions, but nothing has been implemented or moved on yet. We need to keep this in mind and wait and see what will transpire. We will be flying into D.C. for the Advocacy Summit in April. With the new administration and some new Montana lawmakers, it will be an interesting event. I will keep you all posted, and I hope to have some new information as soon as we get back. Stay warm and God Bless. Directors Digest | 9
MFDA Legislation Report Week five is in the books and we continue to see fireworks from the Senate. Work in the House continues at a steady pace with bills flowing through committees and the House floor. Friday brought the first-floor debate of the much-anticipated Medicaid Expansion bill with it passing handily. The House also debated several of the property tax reduction bills this week. The property tax debate is far from over and there will be several more as the session moves on. There are multiple ideas and the bills differ significantly on their merits. As for what bills will remain in the end, it is unknown, but the governor will have different options to sign if they make it to his desk. The Senate continues the investigation of ethics complaints against Hamilton Republican Jason Ellsworth. As Republicans looked to remove Ellsworth from his committee assignments, Minority Leader Pat Flowers of Belgrade motioned to suspend the Ethics Committee and move the investigation to the Department of Justice. It was a lively Senate floor debate into Thursday evening and ended with Democrats and nine Republicans, including Ellsworth, voting in favor of suspending the Ethics Committee. H.B. 248 has successfully moved through both second and third readings and is now headed to the Senate, where we will start the process over again. We had very good support and expect the same on the Senate side. To stay updated on the legislation relevant to MFDA, scan the QR code. https://www.billtrack50.com/public/ stakeholderpage/9-sBr_CXQ06jEnCzbjiAaA MFDA 2025 CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW NORTHERN HOTEL JUNE 22 24 BILLINGS, MONTANA 406 867 6767 For more information or to register, scan the QR code. If you have additional questions, call us at 406 449-7244. Connect Learn Grow MFDA has served Montana since 1901 as the Treasure State’s only funeral association. By Brad Longcake, Lobbyist, MFDA 10 | Directors Digest
to Our 2025 Award Recipients Plaques 1975 — 50 years Fred Nelson Jim Axelson 1985 — 40 years Dennis Ralph Terri Stevenson Todd Stevenson 1990 — 35 years Randy Wilke 1995 — 30 years Matt Coon Steve Schnackenberg William Rothie 2020 — 25 years Charlie Fisher Pins 2010 — 15 years Lee Darlington TJ Stevenson 2015 — 10 years Sibley Jankoviak Vanessa Shook Bronwin Hanshew Timothy Meyers 2020 — 5 years David Vaupel Vanessa Hannah Ware Luke Paulson Congratulations Awards will be presented at the MFDA Convention & Trade Show. Directors Digest | 11
Montana Board of By Rick Walter, Board Member, MFDA Funeral Service Update The Montana Board of Funeral Service convened to deliberate on several critical matters affecting the funeral industry in the state. The meeting was marked by discussions that ranged from the potential requirement for funeral homes to post their General Price Lists (GPL) online, to the various licensing requirements, and the findings from inspections of funeral homes and crematories. The meeting opened with a fervent discussion regarding the possibility of instituting a law or rule that would mandate funeral homes to post their GPL online. One board member passionately recounted their experience following the death of a close friend, advocating that the Montana Board of Funeral Service should require funeral homes to make their prices accessible online. However, several members voiced their concerns, stating that funeral homes already have pricing procedures regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). One member questioned the legal authority of the Funeral Board to impose such a requirement, pointing out potential legal constraints. Following the GPL discussion, the Board turned its attention to the various types of licensing required in Montana. Board members debated the possibility of revising the current rules and license types within the state’s funeral industry. They recognized the need to revisit this topic after the conclusion of the current Montana Legislature session, as there are potential bills under consideration that might impact these licenses and their classifications. The Board then received a report from the executive officer of the Department of Labor and Industry. The Executive Officer provided an overview of the number of active licenses in Montana and their respective types. Additionally, the report included the number of inspections conducted on funeral homes and crematories by the Department, along with a broad overview of the results. One notable point of concern was the discovery of several inspections that resulted in “findings of non-compliance.” Board members expressed a strong interest in learning more about these non-compliances and the necessary next steps to address them. Unfortunately, the executive officer was unable to provide further details at the time. The Board of Funeral Service has scheduled a screening panel meeting to take place in March 2025. It is anticipated that this meeting will provide further information and clarity, particularly regarding the non-compliance issues identified during inspections. The Montana Board of Funeral Service has discussed over the past meetings the need to address licensing fees in the state. A significant result that was confirmed after the meeting is that the Board has successfully accomplished the massive goal of abating license fees for the year 2025. The Board has worked diligently toward this goal and received information from the Department of Labor and Industry that license fees will be abated in 2025 in time for license renewals on July 1, 2025. Please stand by for further information as this is a developing situation. 12 | Directors Digest
Office of Victim Services Crime Victim Compensation (CVC) MFDA’s Dennis Schoepp Memorial Scholarship Recipient Parker Parker Sappington, born and raised in Billings, Montana, joined Dahl Funeral Chapel in March 2023 with a deep commitment to offering compassionate support to families during their most challenging moments. Currently serving as a licensed funeral directing intern, Parker is pursuing her Mortuary Science degree through Arapahoe Community College. Parker eagerly anticipates her graduation and the start of her lifelong journey as a dedicated funeral director. She is passionate about upholding the values of professionalism, empathy and respect, believing that every life should be honored with dignity. Sappington Funeral Costs Survivors of homicide victims may be eligible for coverage of out-of-pocket expenses relating to the crime. Funeral and burial expenses are allowed up to a maximum of $10,000. Reasonable funeral expenses include: • Funeral service and staff services. • All expenses related to the preparation of the body. • Transportation of remains. • Casket or urn. • Memorial or marker. • Floral arrangements. • Reception. CVC recognizes cultures, and people may celebrate life and memorials differently for loved ones. CVC will continue to work with families and survivors to provide options for funeral costs. For more information, scan the QR code. https://www.dojmt.gov/victim-services/ crime-victim-compensation/ Directors Digest | 13
The MFDA held the 2025 Mid-Winter Conference in Helena on Feb. 5-6 at the Great Northern Hotel. Attending funeral directors earned six CE credits. The MFDA has once again enlisted Brad Longcake to serve as the MFDA lobbyist. Brad, together with MFDA President Steve Kirkegard, board members and representatives from 21 MFDA firms, took part in a reception with Montana legislators. This reception was sponsored by US Alliance. Memorial Monuments sponsored a Mexican lunch buffet for our members and Garfield Refining hosted beverages and snacks. Medallion Vaults and Casket sponsored an impressive array of speakers, featuring Attorney Rose James, Dennis Beverlin from Precoa, Mike Meyers, and Lisa Sokoloski of Lions World Vision Institute. The educational sessions also offered a course on Electronic Death Registration Training. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who faced the freezing temperatures and a snowstorm to participate in this event. Dennis Beverlin teaching an excellent class titled “Healing with a purpose, and how do we assist families as they heal.” Annie Kurtz, the state registrar and section supervisor, teaching a class on the new system the state is implementing. Attorney Rose James of Morrison Law Firm in Helena giving a CE class on estate planning. Education classes were well attended and attendees earned six CE credits. Sadie Dallaserra, from the Montana Secretary of State Office, giving an update on the “Death of a Loved One Initiative” to provide consumers a guide to remove their family member from the voter registration. 2025 Mid-Winter Conference 14 | Directors Digest
Christopher Towers, CPO USN, Funeral Honors coordinator at the Navy Reserve Center, speaking to a class. Lobbyist Brad Longcake giving an update on 2025 legislation in regards to funeral service. US Alliance, one of the Mid‑Winter Conference sponsors. Thank You, Sponsors Directors Digest | 15
IN LOVING MEMORY Margaret “Peg” Kathryn Whitesitt June 28, 1941-Jan. 29, 2025 Margaret “Peg” Kathryn Whitesitt, 83, of Stevensville, passed away peacefully on Jan. 29, 2025, in Stevensville, Montana, with her family by her side. She was born, along with her twin brother James “Jim,” on June 28, 1941, in Great Falls, Montana, to Stewart “Bud” and Margaret Moore. She spent her childhood in Whitehall, making many trips back and forth to her grandparents’ homestead. Peg attended school in Whitehall, where she was active in the band as a cornet player. She graduated in 1959 and then attended Western Montana College of Education in Dillon for one year. During that time, she met the love of her life, H. Dean Whitesitt of Stevensville. Dean and Peg were married on Sept. 17, 1960, and spent the next 65 years by each other’s side. Dean was frequently heard saying, “We are the perfect team.” After their wedding, they left Montana so Dean could finish mortuary school in Los Angeles, California. Upon his graduation, Dean accepted a job in Livingston, Montana, and they returned to Montana. While in Livingston, they welcomed their daughter, Vicki, into the family. A few years later, a move to Kalispell brought them their son, Dan. In 1972, Dean and Peg were called back to the Bitterroot Valley to take over the family business, Whitesitt Funeral Home, which had been in Dean’s family since 1902. They owned and operated Whitesitt Funeral Home together for 39 years until retiring in 2011. Peg was a very special woman in many respects, and she was quite the cook. Some of her best-known recipes included her apple pie, chocolate chip cookies and homemade applesauce. Additionally, she was known by the families she and Dean served at the funeral home for “her” lasagna. After funeral services, many families would ask her for the recipe, to which she would quickly reply with the family recipe — simply purchase a full-sized Kirkland Signature lasagna from Costco and bake it. Peg’s other hobbies included sewing, quilting and, when time permitted, oil painting. Throughout her life, Peg was active in many organizations. She firmly believed the motto, “When you start a project, don’t be a quitter — see it through.” While in Kalispell, she served as president of the Jaycees. She was a 4-H leader for the Bitterroot Belles & Beaus and was in charge of the sewing program for many years. Around 1975, recognizing the need for organized summer sports, she partnered with John Munk to start the Stevensville Baseball Association. Peg also served as secretary for the First Baptist Church of Stevensville. Her community service extended further — she was a longtime volunteer with the Stevensville Civic Club, serving as an officer for many years. She was instrumental in establishing two beloved Stevensville traditions: the annual 4th of July “Pig-nic” and the December Christmas Stroll, which featured the lighting of Main Street. Peg also chaired the local American Heart Association and was an area leader for fundraising drives for the American Cancer Society and the March of Dimes. Peg and the trusty 1968 half-cab Bronco played a significant role in helping develop a river park at the Bitterroot River in Stevensville. Peg and her good friend Billie Schwartz worked diligently to ensure a walking path was built to the river so people could enjoy the park and river. Peg also helped found Loving/Helping Hands (now Pantry Partners) in 1976, initially operating out of a small room at the back of Lloyd Eickert’s Realty. She and Dean dedicated countless hours to organizing and running the Creamery Picnic, handling everything from managing Queen candidates and selling booth spaces to organizing the Kiddie and Grand parades. Peg also gave back to Stevensville by supporting the Fire Department in any way they needed during Dean’s 37 years of service as a firefighter. Additionally, she and many others helped establish the Booster Club Christmas Bazaar, which was critical in securing funding to sustain Stevensville High School’s athletic programs. Peg also served on the board of directors for the Community Medical Center in Missoula. In retirement, Peg remained active until her health forced her to slow down. Her mornings in retirement followed a familiar routine: At 10:00 a.m. each day for over 30 years, she and Dean gathered with friends for coffee. This tradition started at Mary’s Place, then moved to Stevi Cafe, and continues today at CJ’s. Peg spent much 16 | Directors Digest
of her retirement tending to her landscaping and garden, traveling the country with Dean, and supporting her children and grandchildren in everything they did. In March 1980, Ravalli Republic Reporter Martha Burke featured Peg in a spotlight article titled “Peggy Whitesitt Lights Many Candles.” The piece highlighted her philanthropic and volunteer work, her life in the Bitterroot, and her role as a civic leader. Near the end of the article, Peg was quoted as saying, “My one ambition is that my husband and I may successfully raise our two children to be happy, useful members of society.” Without a doubt, she and Dean succeeded in this endeavor. The article began with the words, “This woman has made her corner of the world brighter by lighting not one, but many ‘little candles.’” Over the years, Peg brightened the lives of all she touched and will be deeply missed — not only by her family but by the entire community. Peg is survived by her loving husband of 65 years, Dean; her daughter, Vicki (Jeff) Motley; her son, Dan; her grandson, Trevor (Heidi) Motley; and her granddaughter, Abbie Motley. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Peggy (Bill) Haley, all of Stevensville; and her nephews, Jeff (Mary) Moore of El Cajon, California, and Ryan Roycroft. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bud and Margaret Moore; her brother, Jim Moore; and sister-in-law, June Moore. Visitation was held at Whitesitt Funeral Home on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. A Celebration of Life was held Friday, Feb. 7, at 2:00 p.m. at Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville, with Pastor John Capen officiating. Interment followed at Riverside Cemetery, with a reception afterward at St. Mary’s Family Center. In lieu of flowers, Peg’s family requests that donations be made to Pantry Partners (PO Box 806, Stevensville, Montana, 59870) or the Stevensville FFA Alumni and Supporters (375 Spooner Creek Ln., Stevensville, Montana, 59870). Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com. Burt Douthit Jr. July 5, 1951-Dec. 31, 2024 Burt Douthit Jr. died of a heart attack on Dec. 31 at Billings Clinic Hospital. Burt was born on July 5, 1951, in Miles City, the son of Burt and Bertie Douthit. He was raised and educated in Miles City, graduating from Custer County High School in 1969. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1970 and was honorably discharged in 1974. Burt worked as a weather observer and forecaster while in the Marines and was stationed primarily at Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona. He was one of the few Marines at that time to attain the rank of Staff Sergeant, E-6, in under four years. After military service, Burt returned to Miles City, where he graduated from Miles Community College in 1975 and then from San Francisco College of Mortuary Science in 1976. He moved to Red Lodge in 1976 to manage the Olcott Funeral Chapel for Smith Funeral Chapels Inc. After 38 years as a licensed funeral director, Burt retired in 2014. During retirement, he volunteered at the BareTooth Cupboards Food Bank and was a member of the Red Lodge Lions Club since 1985, as well as the American Legion. He enjoyed riding his Harley Sportster and driving and working on his ‘71 Dodge pickup. Burt married Donna Lange on May 10, 1978, in her hometown of Forsyth. He was preceded in death by two sons, Jesse and Devon, and a sister, Velma Douthit. Burt is survived by his wife, Donna; son, Dan (Renee) of Bozeman; grandchildren Jozef, Emelia and Crosby; and sister, LaVonne Douthit of Reno, Nevada. Interment with military honors was in the Black Hills National Cemetery at Sturgis, South Dakota. Memorial services were held later. Burt was loved by his family and friends and will be missed greatly by all. Directors Digest | 17
I love what I do for a living. I have been active in funeral service since I was 19 years old and in college, studying something not even related to the death care industry. We all have our reasons for choosing this profession, and even though there has historically been a high dropout rate within the first five years, many of us who have stayed found that the rewards come in many ways. Sure, we have all had those days when we feel we have reached our breaking point and just wish the phone would stop ringing for a minute, or that “Why does this family need to be so difficult?” feeling would go away, but we push through and survive the day because of our passion for what we do. The difference it makes to the families we serve is our ultimate reward. I have seen quite a few excellent and capable funeral directors walk away from our profession. I often think, “What was the breaking point that made them leave the profession?” We can all think of a laundry list of reasons why one would hang it up and walk away, ranging from being on-call, working holidays, nights and weekends, or the sheer mental stress that we undergo with some of the circumstances that we are called to deal with. I have been there as well, and I remember many of those cases in vivid detail, as if they happened yesterday. It makes you aware that you are mentally stronger than you thought you were. One of the hardest cases, most funeral directors would agree, is an infant death. Amplify that 10 times when the mother dies at the same time. Whether it be during childbirth or in a car accident, your heart breaks because you think about the families affected and all the future dreams that have now been shattered as a result of this tragedy. Over the decades of my career, I have been called on to perform several mother and child funerals, and I want to share with you one of my experiences and the process I went through in hopes that it will help you when and if you have to deal with a similar situation. I remember the day that our funeral home got the call. The first call got transferred to me and I found myself on the phone with a distraught father-in-law who was barely able to talk. As I started to piece the minimal information together, I realized that his daughter-in-law and grandson had been killed in a car accident the night before. I also found out that his son, the husband to the mother and father to the child, was also in the accident and was at the hospital recovering from minor injuries and was expected to be released in a few days. After asking several questions, I was able to determine that they were members of a local church where services would take place, they would be buried at a local cemetery where there was a family plot, and that it was going to be a The Hardest Funeral You Will Ever Do By Lincoln Plain, Licensed Funeral Director, Sales Representative, The Dodge Company 18 | Directors Digest
traditional funeral. Other than getting permission to do the removal and embalming, the rest was unknown. I immediately started making calls. In talking to the church, I was told they were already aware of the tragedy and the ball was rolling on their end. I called the medical examiner to find out about the release time frame and conditions of the bodies, and of course, I called the cemetery. Our funeral home worked closely with the medical examiner’s office, so I requested to go there and take a firsthand look at the condition of the bodies so I could see what I was up against and would be able to relay any concerns to the family if necessary. To my surprise, besides a couple of minor facial lacerations and a compound fracture of her leg, the mother was in decent shape. However, I learned that the child was actually a newborn infant that was taken from the mother the night before at the hospital via emergency C-section and, unfortunately, was stillborn. While all of this was incredibly sad, it gave me more information to work with going forward. I was able to start a plan to help direct the family with options. Both bodies were released later that day. We had not heard much from the family at that point. However, the church was calling non-stop. The mother had a full post, but the infant was not posted and was basically full-term in size (about 36 weeks gestation). When we got both bodies back to the funeral home, we immediately started our work. My partner started by getting the mother on the table, opening sutures, and working on setting features while I took care of the little one. Since the infant was large enough, our intent was arterial injection. I started by bathing the infant and disinfecting the mouth, nose, eyes and body with Dis-Spray. For my arterial solution, I used a bottle of Plasdopake (18 index), 8 oz of Chromatech Pink (21.5 index), and a bottle each of Metaflow and Rectifiant to make 1 gallon of total solution. The right iliac artery was my injection point because the incision would be a bit easier to disguise with a diaper. The embalming went perfectly, and I received good distribution and firming, not too firm, which is what I was after. After aspirating, I treated the viscera with a bottle of Spectrum so I could avoid having a strong chemical smell emitting from the body. As a sales representative, I often get asked about “dipping” for an infant. So, for the purposes of this article, I will take a few minutes to cover that process as well. Dipping, or submersion embalming, is a good way to preserve a fetus if arterial embalming is not an option. I would start by using a clear plastic tub with a snap top lid to monitor the progress of the fetus better and keep any chemical smell to a minimum. Based on the condition of the case, I would start with two to three bottles of Dri Cav or Halt Cavity, two bottles of Proflow and two bottles of Rectifiant and then use water to make enough solution to fully submerge the fetus. If you are dealing with dark tissue or skin slip, adding a couple of bottles of Dryene Basic will help bleach out and cauterize the skin, thus making it more stable going forward. Check the progress of the fetus after four to six hours to see how things are advancing. Typically, you do not need to exceed 12 hours for this process. If the infant is larger and more fully formed, once the submersion process is complete, I would suggest aspirating the cavity and then injecting it with some cavity chemicals. It is also a good idea to inject up to 60cc’s of Dryene Basic into the cranial vault using a 6-inch needle and syringe entering through the cribriform plate. This will ensure that everything not preserved by the submersion is treated properly. If you can determine the family’s preference for whether the infant and mother will be in the same casket or separate ones, this will help you with positioning, primarily for the mother. Unfortunately, I was not able to establish this beforehand, so my co-worker and I made the decision to embalm with regular positioning and pivot later if we needed to. The embalming for the mother was straightforward, with the exception of treating the lacerations and leg fracture. The lacerations were minor, and I treated them with some Dryene Basic to cauterize them so I could glue and wax later if needed. The compound fracture did limit chemical distribution to the lower part of the leg, so I thoroughly hypo’d the area with Introfiant OTC to ensure proper preservation and then in my post-embalming process, I treated the open skin and tissue with a surface pack using Webril and Dryene Basic. During the embalming, there was some minor swelling in one of the eyes, so I used a small gauge hypo needle with some Dryene Basic and injected it into both eyelids followed by Webril soaked in water to help reduce the swelling. If you have extreme swelling in an area like an eye or temple, use a hypo needle (without the syringe) to channel the area and then manually push out the fluid with your hand or palm. It is a quick and effective way to remove swelling. It is important to do this immediately after the embalming and before the tissue has a chance to fixate. If you wait until later, it is not nearly as effective. After meeting with the family and exploring the options that they had, it was determined that the mother would be holding the infant in her arm in the casket. I needed to adjust the mother’s arm positioning to allow her to hold the infant naturally in the casket. Our preparation room had sandbag weights that we would use to help position Directors Digest | 19
the deceased. So, I recreated the approximate size of the infant using a couple of knotted-up hospital sheets and then positioned the sheets where the infant would be placed. This new position elevated the mother’s arm a bit, so I used a couple of weights to help the arm stay down and appear more natural for the new position I needed to create. By the next morning, the arm stayed in the position I needed without any further issues or treatment. Over the years, I have had families request a variety of ways to hold a visitation and funeral. In the example I am sharing with you, the family requested that the mother and infant be buried together in the same casket. However, I have had requests ranging from the infant being in an infant casket next to the parent, the infant casket being in a separate visitation room, holding an entirely separate visitation and funeral, and even one time where the florist incorporated a spot for the casket to sit and be incorporated into the casket spray of the parent. The families that we serve will have a wide range of ideas; some make sense, and others might be a little bizarre to us, but the key is to remain flexible and try to accommodate their wishes the best we can. Preparing the infant for viewing was straightforward. The family brought in an outfit along with a diaper and blanket. I used some Softouch Light Flesh for the base and Kalon Pigment Lip Color for the lips when applying cosmetics to the face. The mother, however, had a few issues to contend with. I wrapped the leg with an Ace Bandage and Webril to help keep the shape and plastic wrap to prevent any possible leakage. The eye had come down quite a bit and had bleached nicely. I had to build up the other eye a little to achieve some symmetry, but that was easy enough. The lacerations were dry, so I used Aron Alpha glue to close them the best I could, and with a small amount of wax, I could hide them well. My cosmetic application was mostly routine, and once we got her positioned in the casket, she looked peaceful. Our funeral home had a policy that whenever we were handling a case where the deceased was under the age of 55 years old, we would offer an opportunity for the family to come in the day before and view the body privately. The reasoning for this is really two-fold. First, a young person, no matter if it is the “case of the month” and they look exactly like their photo, will never look right in a casket. Our brain can’t compute or accept it very well. Young people aren’t supposed to be in caskets. So, by allowing the family to spend some time beforehand with the body, it gives them time to adjust. Secondly, it gives the family an opportunity to give feedback. If the coloring is a bit off or the mouth is not right, we have time to do something about it before the public visitation. Also, when dealing with infants, the family often wants to hold the child, and this private time allows for that to happen. The visitation and funeral went off without any hiccups, but there are a few things that I want to mention that you should be aware of when making arrangements based on your specific state and cemetery regulations. In Minnesota, a Fetal Death Report is used when an infant is not born alive (stillborn). If the infant was born alive, even if only for a moment or two, then a Birth and Death Certificate will need to be generated and filed. Your specific state might have a different process, so you should be familiar with what steps must be taken. Also, the cemetery may have rules pertaining to the situation of two bodies being in the same casket. Some cemeteries will require an additional interment fee or second rite of burial fee to allow the burial to take place as intended. Have clear communication with the cemetery of your intentions; they will price it out accordingly and ensure the final bill to the family is accurate. Another thing to consider is the marker or monument. Confirm with the cemetery that you won’t have any issues putting the infant’s name on the stone in the future. Asking these questions now can save a lot of headaches or costly changes in the future and possibly change a positive experience the family had with your firm into a negative one. Dealing with tragic situations like the death of a parent and child can be extremely difficult and mentally taxing for everyone involved, including you and your staff. Fortunately, these types of funerals are not common, so there are details and circumstances surrounding these cases that don’t happen regularly. Take some time and think through the process, and don’t leave anything to chance or guess. This will help you move forward. Ask questions, lots of questions and obtain the information you need to take the appropriate steps. We all have our reasons for why we chose this profession, but helping a family in the midst of a tragedy is one of the most compassionate things we can do as professionals and as humans. Lincoln is the Dodge representative for Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota. He is a licensed funeral director in Minnesota and regularly helps clients in the preparation room. Copyright: The Dodge Company This article has been reprinted with permission from the Dodge Magazine. 20 | Directors Digest
We are thrilled to announce our exciting new partnership with the Montana Funeral Directors Association (MFDA) and the launch of the new Montana Funeral Trust! This collaboration marks a new chapter, and we need your support to make it a success. We’ll be rolling out this partnership at upcoming district meetings, and we encourage you to attend and learn more about how this opportunity can benefit your customers, your association, and your funeral home. Join us in Butte/Anaconda, Missoula, Great Falls, Miles City, and Billings for the district meetings. We also look forward to seeing you at the State Convention in Billings this June! We’re excited about this new opportunity and look forward to working together for the benefit of Montana’s funeral service community. PARTNERSHIP ANNOUCEMENT
Scammers Impersonate FTC Officials, Including Chairman Andrew Ferguson By BCP Staff What To Know Someone who really works at the FTC won’t tell you to move your money to protect it. They won’t tell you to deposit your money into a cryptocurrency ATM. And they won’t tell you to give cash or gold to someone they’ll send to pick it up. What To Do If you get an unexpected call or message about a problem with one of your accounts and you think it could be real, verify the story. Contact your bank, broker, investment advisor or credit card company by using the number you find on your account statement or logging into your account. Don’t use the contact information you got in the unexpected message or call. Report imposter scams and other attempts to steal your money or personal information to the FTC by scanning the QR code. https://reportfraud.ftc.gov Scammers lie and pretend to be someone they’re not to trick you into giving them money, access to your accounts or your personal information. They pretend to be from a business you know or from a government agency — or both. In the latest twist on these constantly evolving schemes, scammers are claiming to be FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson. The scam often starts with an unexpected call or message about a routine problem — like a suspicious purchase on your Amazon account, a virus on your computer, or an account breach. Then the scammer transfers you to someone they claim is with the government and can help with the problem. The fraudsters go to great lengths to gain your trust. Some make up government agency names that sound real but aren’t. Others impersonate real government agencies, including the FTC. Some scammers use made-up employee names and fake employee ID badges. Others have the nerve to use the names of real FTC officials, including Chairman Andrew Ferguson. No matter who they say they are, the helper does not work for the government, and they’re not there to help you. They’re in on the scam. Typically, the scammer will lie and say you need to move your money to protect it, or deposit it at a cryptocurrency ATM. This opens the door for the scammer to quickly steal your money. 22 | Directors Digest
www.thenewslinkgroup.orgRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTg3NDExNQ==