Consumer Glossary for Funeral Service

Question 1

A person publicly unassailable outside the private office of the boss, this person is frequently nepotic

Answer 1

Assistant to (Executive Secretary)

Question 2

This term is used when there has been a death, and property or other merchandise is needed now

Answer 2

At-Need

Question 3

A term for the person in the firm who eats people and ideas that threatens or come from the wrong person, even when the idea is superior

Answer 3

Barracuda (Insatiable Appetite)

Question 4

An arrangement of flowers either in metal, plastic or wicker basket

Answer 4

Basket

Question 5

A platform that the casket is placed on for display during visitation and funeral services

Answer 5

Bier

Question 6

When they appear, they are treated as exalted except when the employee is a member of the board

Answer 6

Board of Directors aka Trustees

Question 7

The function is to try, with a pile of papers issued at the time of the meeting, to act as though they know what is going on and how to vote in any way not indicated by the presenter, usually the general manager, who has done his homework

Answer 7

Board of Directors aka Trustees

Question 8

Financial planning vehicles
What will happen based on what has happened
Adjusted by changes in the firms accent and direction

Answer 8

Budgets

Question 9

A concrete, metal or fiber glass container into which a casket is placed for burial
Purpose is to protect the casket from the weight of the earth

Answer 9

Burial Vault

Question 10

A cloth that drapes the casket during visitation or the funeral

Answer 10

Casket Pall

Question 11

The person who oversees all divisions except one, the one running itself

Answer 11

CEO

Question 12

A copy of a death certificate that is certified to be a true copy of the original
Is identified by the seal of the Health Department and signature of an employee of the Health Department

Answer 12

Certified Copy of Death Certificate

Question 13

An area in a mausoleum or other structure containing recesses used to contain and sometimes display urns of cremated remains

Answer 13

Columbarium

Question 14

Crypts side by side for companion burial

Caskets will be placed lengthwise (feet first) in a companion and sideways for companion couch

Answer 14

Companion/Companion Couch

Question 15

A concrete container for the casket that is designed to protect the casket from the weight of the earth, but offers no protection against the entrance of moisture

Answer 15

Concrete Box

Question 16

In charge of day to day operations; Cannot afford to ignore any division
Generally is the organizations glue

Answer 16

COO

Question 17

The reduction of human remains to bone fragments by intense heat

Answer 17

Cremation

Question 18

A soft wood or corrugated receptacle used in lieu of a casket to cover and contain the remains until the time of cremation

Answer 18

Cremation Tray

Question 19

Chamber in which human remains are cremated

Answer 19

Crematory aka Retort

Question 20

This is the concrete space for casket placement

Answer 20

Crypt

Question 21

A legal document listing statistical information about a deceased person and stipulating the cause of death as certified by a physician
It is the funeral home’s responsibility to file this document with the local Health Department

Answer 21

Death Certificate

Question 22

This is a certificate issued to all new property owners after the contract has been paid in full
Gives the owner right of interment only
Property is not owned outright
Is issued on lots and mausoleum showing the exact location of the property
Does not include the purchase of merchandise or services

Answer 22

Deed/Certificate of Ownership

Question 23

One who does this has confidence; one who does not has much to do
This is the breeding ground for procrastinators

Answer 23

Delegate

Question 24

Letting others perform tasks that should not occupy the top manager
In small firms, this is entirely academic
In large firms, this is usually under done, if not over done
This is very hard to do correctly

Answer 24

Delegation of authority

Question 25

Non-existent in smaller firms. Otherwise, these are the operating bosses of the separate divisions

Answer 25

Department Heads

Question 26

For salespeople, a place to look busy, and hone the art of prospect card solitaire For the secretary, a place to leave for a break For the boss, a barrier that protects and, when large enough, intimidates For the groups superintendent, a surface to not clean or have seen

Answer 26

Desks

Question 27

Cremation without viewing the remains or having any memorial service

Answer 27

Direct Cremation

Question 28

This term refers to two persons interred in one space

Answer 28

Double Depth Burial

Question 29

These are small bronze plaques placed on markers, monuments, or crypt fronts

Answer 29

Emblems

Question 30

This is the act of burying the deceased in a crypt

Answer 30

Entombment

Question 31

Incorrect moves performed by subordinates Attention is called to these All shall know

Answer 31

Errors

Question 32

The dumping ground for any issue that needs attention but is perplexing managements

Answer 32

Executive Committee

Question 33

An agreement with the purchaser to supply a complete funeral service, including casket, for a price set by current day standards Money collected from this agreement is held in a trust until the death of the individual and at the time is withdrawn from the trust to pay for the funeral service Any interest which has been added to the account helps to offset the additional cost to the funeral home at the time of the service

Answer 33

Funeral Trust

Question 34

This is the same as a mausoleum with the only difference being that the crypts are outside

Answer 34

Garden Mausoleum

Question 35

Funeral service that is held at the grave site rather than in the funeral home or church

Answer 35

Gravesite Service

Question 36

This is the name and date of birth and death of the deceased, placed on the front of the crypt, marker or monument

Answer 36

Inscription

Question 37

This is the act of burying a person in the ground

Answer 37

Interment or Opening and Closing

Question 38

This term is applied to spaces designed in which the casket is placed at the time of interment Usually double depth These are below ground, pre-installed concrete containers for the interment of human remains

Answer 38

Lawn Crypts

Question 39

This is an above ground structure and the burial is made inside the building

Answer 39

Mausoleum

Question 40

A service conducted in memory of the deceased, most often following cremation, with or without the remains being present

Answer 40

Memorial Service

Question 41

A coined expression, meaning "family member"

Answer 41

Nepotic

Question 42

The act of being nepotic To employ the kin in the business Non-relatives tend to not rise above the family members Another form is to employ a married couple, not in the family of owners Where the total number of employees equals the total number of family members, we have no problem, only a concept to discuss

Answer 42

Nepotism

Question 43

The space which holds cremated remains This can be glass front niches or wood front niches, marble or granite Glass front niches contain urns which are engraved Wood front niches will have inscriptions on the front, similar to the crypt fronts

Answer 43

Niche

Question 44

This is a charge to all new property owners for the recording, processing, and deeding of property Also charged funeral families for administrative functions

Answer 44

Origination Fee

Question 45

Fear Prince changers, direction changer May well be pure in operations and wonder what he did or said that has been misinterpreted

Answer 45

Paranoia

Question 46

The time set as the starting point of a funeral home visitation

Answer 46

Placement Time

Question 47

This term is used when property and other cemetery or funeral home merchandise has been purchased before a death

Answer 47

Pre-Need

Question 48

The rooms in the funeral home used for embalming and preparing the remains for visitation and funeral

Answer 48

Preparation Room

Question 49

The term used by the sales department to provide the family with facts about the advantages of purchasing

Answer 49

Presentation

Question 50

Frequently thought of as a dart board In actual fact, they are easy to do One of the major reasons consultants lose their clients

Answer 50

Pro-forma

Question 51

Call your office and see how yours is handled | Ask a fairly off the wall question, such as "How much does the funeral cost

Answer 51

Public Relations

Question 52

Identification for groups of employees helping to identify and solve problems

Answer 52

Quality Circles

Question 53

Any of the casket containers

Answer 53

Receptacle

Question 54

Incorrect moves performed by the boss Between him and his maker The exception is at the boss's home There he makes erroes

Answer 54

Secrets

Question 55

These are terms used to identify the grave locations of burials and property owned

Answer 55

Sections/Blocks/Lots/Spaces

Question 56

Rooms in the funeral home used specifically for visitation | Reposing Room

Answer 56

Stateroom

Question 57

Work at the direction of the department heads | Line people, get the job done

Answer 57

Supervisors

Question 58

Crypts placed end to end | The first burial is placed in the back and the second entombment directly in front

Answer 58

Tandem

Question 59

This is where our families purchase everything necessary for complete cemetery arrangements in advance of death Usually includes the lot, marker, interment charges, and vault This would include a mausoleum package with crypts, entombment, and inscription

Answer 59

TPA | Total Pre-Arrangement

Question 60

A form which must be completed and notarized to transfer property from one person to another These forms are needed even to transfer from husband to wife or mother or daughter Affidavit is required

Answer 60

Transfer

Question 61

A receptacle for holding remains which can be made of various materials Bronze, copper, wood, marble, or cardboard

Answer 61

Urn

Question 62

This refers to the outer receptacle in which the casket is placed at the time of interment

Answer 62

Vault

Question 63

The time before a funeral service set aside for relatives and friends of the deceased to visit and usually view the remains This is usually held the evening prior to the day of the funeral AKA wake, viewing, and lying in state

Answer 63

Visitation