Congratulations, JAMES AXELSON James Axelson has dedicated over 50 years to the funeral service industry, and MFDA is proud to recognize such professional excellence. We had the chance to sit down with James to learn more about his career and his experience in the industry. The following are excerpts from our conversation. Tell us about yourself. I was born and raised in Butte, Montana. I’ve never been outside of Butte except for mortuary college, and that was back in the time of the dinosaurs. I’m happily married to my wife of 46 years. I have two incredible sons, their incredible wives and four grandchildren, who are the light of my life. I am a third-generation funeral director, which is not uncommon in my industry. Both of my grandparents and parents were funeral directors, as was my brother Steve Axelson, who passed away in 2023. Of note, my mom was the first woman on the MFDA board back in 1972. Montana used to be a dual licensing state, and her license, when she passed away in 2012, was the last remaining funeral director’s license. I have been incredibly honored to have been appointed by two different governors in the state of Montana to three different terms on the Board of Funeral Service. I currently serve as the chair, and I will complete my third term on the board in 2027. What do you consider to be the most significant change you’ve witnessed in the profession over the past 50 years? Probably the largest change is the wider acceptance of cremation, which has existed for a long time, but more recently, has become more common in our society. In my grandparents’ and parents’ generations, cremation was something that rarely occurred. As I came into the profession, that was starting to evolve. Looking at 50-Year Award Recipients! James Axelson (left) and Fred Nelson (right) with their 50-year award plaques 8 | Directors Digest
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