Representin’ vs Deceivin’
by Mortuary Transport Expert ~ June 14th, 2008. Filed under: Business Development, Business Ideas, Funeral Homes In The News, Gettin' Legal.Here’s a story of someone representing himself as a funeral director, but he was the owner, and not a licensed funeral director. He admitted that it was a mistake, as the letter was printed by a pre-planning insurance company, and they apparently took it for granted that he was also a licensed funeral director as the story explains. They even mention his age, as if that should explain it, but unfortunately, things pass hands several times and he didn’t see the final version of the letter that was sent out.
This goes into the topic I brought up before about selling insurance. You want to be sure you’re not representing yourself as something that you’re not. If you happen to be a licensed funeral director, or an embalmer or licensed to sell insurance, be sure you word it so you don’t get raked over the coals like this guy did.
Who knows, maybe I’ll find someone that lets me offer pre-planning policies through my website!
SAND SPRINGS — A mass mailing advertising campaign by one Sand Springs funeral home has drawn criticism from another, and a written complaint to the Oklahoma Funeral Board, the state board that oversees funeral homes.
Dillon Funeral Home at Woodland Memorial Park recently sent letters to several hundred Sandites advertising for funeral pre-planning services and a pay plan. The letter was signed Jerry Dillon, Funeral Director.
But Dillon is not a licensed funeral director. He owns the home.Under Oklahoma law, funeral directors must be licensed, and have completed several years’ worth of education and training.
That prompted Al Dodson Jr., of Mobley-Dodson Funeral Service, to write a letter of complaint to the Funeral Board. In it, Dodson writes that to his knowledge “Dillon has not graduated from an accredited school of mortuary science, served an appropriate apprenticeship, and passed the required board examinations for licensing.”
Dillon confirmed that to the Leader, and said that at 68, he has no intention to become one.
Dodson said he sent the complaint because the Dillon mailing was “not legal, number one. He’s not a funeral director.”
Dillon said the entire affair is a big, but honest and unintentional, mistake.
Dillon said he was working with the Directors Life Assurance Agency in Oklahoma City to start the pre-planning program. He was working with another man, Paul Underwood, to create the letter. Dillon said he worked with several drafts of the letter in question, and faxed his signature to Underwood, who then sent everything to the agency’s office.
Dillon said in all the drafts he saw, his signature was above the title “Owner.”
“They always send out letters like this with the funeral director’s signature,” Dillon said. “So it was totally normal for them to send out a letter with the name of a funeral director signed.”
Most funeral homes are owned by a licensed funeral director.
“The letter went out without me seeing it or Paul Underwood, and it was an honest mistake.”
Dillon said there was no intent to deceive, and said he has nothing to gain by calling himself a funeral director. A licensed director is already employed at the funeral home, he said.
“Whether intentional or not, he should have read the thing,” Dodson said. “He has a funeral director out there, and he could have signed it.”
Dodson said whether intentional or not is not the issue. He said the letter was “misleading.”
A spokesman at the Oklahoma Funeral Board said they could not comment on pending complaints, nor even confirm if a complaint has been filed.
“All complaints are sealed” until there is finding of probable cause at a hearing, he said.
The board meets once a month on the second Thursday, and the next meeting is in July, he said.
Dillon said he is not upset with Mobley-Dodson for filing the complaint.
“I’m upset with myself and I wish it hadn’t happened,” he said.
