Defying convention, Hamilton’s Funeral Home in Des Moines, Iowa, is changing the way we perceive and conduct memorial services amid increasing costs and evolving consumer preferences. In a remarkable turn of events, when a young hunter passed away, director Lanae Strovers did not plan a traditional service. Instead, she collaborated with a gunsmith to incorporate the man’s cremated remains into shotgun shells, allowing for a last hunt in his honor.
This funeral home’s services have expanded beyond the usual somber environment. For a cherished Little League coach, they transformed the facility into a baseball field complete with winding bases, a popcorn machine, and classic ballpark hot dogs. A young child's memorial featured a carnival theme with bouncy houses and snow cones to honor a life taken too soon. In another unique tribute, they organized a cocktail hour gala for a deceased model, erecting a runway adorned with clothing created by the fashion designer.
The funeral industry nationally has witnessed a significant rise in cremation rates in recent decades, leading to decreased profits alongside soaring costs for gasoline, embalming chemicals, and staffing. As a result, funeral directors are finding themselves at a pivotal juncture, where innovation is crucial for survival.
Lanae Strovers, who also serves as a spokesperson for the National Funeral Directors Association, acknowledges the necessity of adapting. “I don’t want to say that we’re going to become party planners,” she remarked, “but I think that those two lines are crossing over, and we just need to open our thought process to be there to help families.”
As the landscape of mourning practices continues to evolve, Hamilton's Funeral Home exemplifies how the industry can flourish by embracing creativity and honoring individual legacies in memorable ways.
