WCCFA Extends Heartfelt Condolences to the Family & Friends of Mary Carlson

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Mary Maudine Johnson Carlson, a devoted wife, loving mother and adoring grandmother. After a courageous battle with brain cancer, she went home to the Lord on November 28, 2023, surrounded by her family and the love that they shared.

Mary was born on March 3, 1953, to A. Elliott and Eileen Johnson in Mount Vernon, WA. She had a wonderful childhood growing up in the beautiful Skagit Valley spending summers at Samish Island, driving a pea truck, and working in the tulip fields and in the fish cannery. She attended Mount Vernon High School, cultivating lifelong friendships and memories. The natural wonders of her hometown nurtured in her a passion for birds and flowers that would stay with her throughout her life. This was evident in the vibrant gardens she cultivated and in the bird feeders that adorned her yard. Mary’s love for God's creation was a testament to her appreciation of the simple joys of life.

Following high school graduation, Mary attended Skagit Valley Community College for a year before transferring to Washington State University in Pullman where she was a proud member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. Some of Mary’s favorite memories and most treasured friendships came from her years at WSU.

Mary's journey took an even more beautiful turn when she met the love of her life, Brad Carlson. Mary and Brad loved to share the story about how they met at a discotheque in Portland called Earthquake Ethel’s. They were engaged within four months and then married two months later. Their response to everyone’s surprise about the short courtship was always, “When you know, you know.” They shared a 45-year marriage that was not only enduring but also a source of inspiration for those fortunate enough to witness their bond. Together, they navigated the joys and challenges of life hand in hand, creating a home filled with love, laughter, and the warmth of shared experiences.

As a mother, Mary was a shining example of selflessness and unwavering support. She and Brad were blessed with two wonderful daughters, Lindsay and Megan. Mary poured her heart into nurturing and guiding her children, instilling in them the values of kindness and compassion as well as a deep faith in the Lord. Her legacy lives on through the love and strength she passed on to her family. Her greatest joy in life was getting to be Mormor to her four grandchildren.

In addition to her love for family and faith, Mary had an infectious joy that touched everyone she encountered. Following college, she had a rewarding career as a buyer with Nordstrom. The position took her to new and exciting places and helped develop her unparalleled customer service and innate ability to care for others. She later transitioned to a fulfilling 36-year-long career working alongside her husband and in-laws at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Cemetery Funeral Chapel and Crematory. She took great pride in working in the family business, especially when both of their daughters joined the profession. Her warm smile, kind words, and genuine concern for others endeared her to many.

Mary is survived by her loving husband, Brad Carlson, their cherished daughters, Lindsay (PJ) Fisher and their two sons Jack and Will of Vancouver, WA; Megan (Doug) Field and their two children Ella and Oliver of Washougal, WA; Siblings Nancy (Roger) Sayer, Vicki Johnson and Rose Simonseth all of Mount Vernon, WA, Margaret (Bill) Neudorfer of Seattle, WA, a host of beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, family and friends who will forever carry her memory in their hearts. She is preceded in death by her parents, A. Elliott and Eileen Johnson, as well as her brother, Elliott Johnson.

A memorial service to celebrate Mary's life will be held on Saturday, January 6th at 2:00pm at Columbia Presbyterian Church in Vancouver, WA with a reception to follow at Royal Oaks Country Club. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to King’s Way Christian School Scholarship Fund or the Child Abuse Assessment Team at Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital, both organizations near and dear to Mary's heart.

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WCCFA Extends Heartfelt Condolences to the Quiring Family

The Quiring family is saddened by the sudden passing of David H. Quiring Jr. and Linda J. Quiring on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

David H. Quiring Jr. was born in Seattle, Washington on October 2nd, 1942. He married the love of his life Linda Quiring on September 3rd, 1975. Together they had four children, three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. David is survived by his Sister Carolyn Sturdevant, Daughter Kathy Reece (Jon), Son John Quiring, Granddaughters Kelsea Haab, Terrah Wilmovsky (Connor) and Heidi Russell (Matt).

David was predeceased by his Father David Sr., Mother Marcelline, Daughter Lori Johnson and Son Jeffrey Russell.

He enjoyed his family, boating, fishing, travelling the world and riding his Harley Davidson. He loved animals, teaching, telling a good story or playing a joke and was a great friend and mentor to many with friends located across North America and abroad.

He began full time with Quiring Monuments, Inc. in 1964 and assumed the role of President after the passing of his father, David H. Quiring, Sr. in 1969. David remained President of Quiring Monuments until 2016 when he retired and sold the company to his daughter and son-in-law. David was an icon in the monument industry, known for being giving with his time and knowledge.

David served as President of the Pacific Northwest Monument Builders Association from 1969 to I973, President of the Allied Memorial Council of Washington from 1972 to 1973, Vice President of the Monument Builders of North America from 1982 to 1986 and President of the American Institute of Commemorative Art from 1987 through 1988.

David was presented with the Meritorious Service Award by the Pacific Northwest Monument Builders Association in 1986 and was honored by the Washington Cemetery and Funeral Association as Person of the Year in 1991. He also received the AlCA Medallion and the Outstanding Merit Award from the American Institute of Commemorative Art.

He was part of the first group to earn the designation of Certified Memorialist from the Monument Builders of North America in 1985 and was honored as a Fellow of the American Institute of Commemorative Art in 1992. He is one of only a handful of memorialists to hold both degrees.

David is a past board member of the International Cemetery and Funeral Association, past President of the Aurora Avenue Merchants Association, past President of the North Seattle Police Precinct Advisory Council and was a board member of the Association of Washington Business. He was also on the board of the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation.

David lived a full, rewarding, and joyous life and we will cherish his memories and the wisdom and energy that he has provided for us all.

A Celebration of David’s Life will occur on Wednesday August 9th at Evergreen-Washelli Funeral Home in Seattle. There will be a reception from 12:30-1:30 pm, following a Celebration of Life for Linda at 11:00am. The public Memorial Service for David Quiring will be at 1:30pm.

While flowers are beautiful and much appreciated, the Quiring family will also suggest that donations be made to the Dementia Society of America in honor of David Quirin.

With heavy hearts and sadness, the family of Linda J. Quiring shares the news of her sudden passing on Thursday, July 13, 2023, along with the passing of her loving husband, David H. Quiring.

Linda J. Quiring was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 20th, 1944. Linda was a long-time resident of the Northwest, settling in Snohomish and making it her home. She married David H. Quiring on September 3rd, 1975, and together they had four children, three grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Linda is survived by her daughter Kathy Reece (Jon), son John Quiring, daughter-in-law Cory Russell, granddaughters Kelsea Haab, Terrah Wilmovsky (Connor), and Heidi Russell (Matt), sister Patti Wilkinson (Lee), and brother Jay Kibby (Robin). They were the objects of her generosity and affection. Linda was one to whom family was important and meant love and caring. She gloried in the warmth of her grandchildren and great grandchildren and made herself available to them whenever they needed help or friendship.

Linda J. Quiring will be leaving a life of love, joy, and generosity. She loved being with her family and gave happiness to those around her and to the world of nature. She had a deep care for horses, dogs, birds, and whatever other critter showed up at her door. She was always out searching for the next best recipe and eager to have loved ones try out her fantastic creations. Along with her love of cooking, Linda also had an eye for design and home decor and could easily be compared to Martha Stewart, giving her a run for her money. Her love for gardening and pets, for cooking and decorating, made her home a place of welcome and beauty. She was a homemaker in the most complete and delightful way. Linda’s family will find a large piece missing in their lives with her passing.

Preceding Linda in death were her parents Paul and Joan Kibby, daughter Lori, and son Jeff.

Linda’s celebration of life will be at Evergreen-Washelli Funeral Home in Seattle on August 9th, at 11:00 am with a reception from 12:30-1:30 and David’s celebration of life will follow at 1:30 pm.

While friends are welcome to bring flowers, Linda’s family would suggest supporting a local animal shelter in honor of her love for animals of all kinds.

SAVE THE DATE - 2024 Washington State Deathcare Professionals Convention & Expo

Ryan Walker Weeks ~ December 30, 2000 - May 13, 2023 (age 22)

Ryan Walker Weeks was born just five days after Christmas on December 30, 2000. He was born in Enumclaw, WA to Russ and Kelley Weeks and was the youngest of three children. He died on May 13, 2023, when he took his own life at the age of 22.

Ryan graduated from Enumclaw High School in 2019. He ran Cross Country and sang in Coro d'Uomo (Men's Choir) all four years. During his final 3 years at Enumclaw High School, he also sang in the Concert Choir and the Chamber Choir. He went to the State Competition twice with Cor d'Uomo and once with Chamber Choir. He did a year of College at the University of Idaho and then returned home to Enumclaw during the Pandemic. While at U of I, he was an active member of The Young Republicans and Chi Alpha Christian Organization. He went on to work at Evergreen Memorial Park, where he became the Head Groundskeeper. He was a lifelong member of Wabash Presbyterian Church and he loved singing in the Men's Choir. His dedication to work, to right and wrong, and to his Christian faith made his family very proud.

Ryan was firm in his convictions, which often led him to be stubborn to a fault. But he was also one of the most caring young men around. He was always very aware of how others were feeling. He loved fishing, hiking, and Dr Pepper. He loved his dog, Jazzy, who he got when he was five years old. He loved his family, and his family will always love him.

He leaves behind so many who miss him, including his loving parents, Russ and Kelley; his sister, Corissa (Gavin) Mc Guire; his brother, Trevor (Kia) Weeks; his grandparents, Duane and Fay Weeks, and Bruce and Jane Richards, his aunts and uncles, Karla and Peter McCowin, Doug and Rhonda Weeks, Kerry Richards, Dan and Danielle Weeks, and Karen Richards; his cousins, Thomas (Kim) Richards, Zach McCowin, Gavin Hardersen, Kaitlin McCowin, Ilah Hardersen, Makenna Weeks, and Owen Weeks. He leaves behind many extended family members and friends.

Ryan's family wants you to know that if you are feeling overwhelmed with life, stuck in a loop, depressed, or trapped, please reach out to someone. They would be honored to be the person you reach out to. They will always be available to sit with you, listen, and help in any way.

No words can express how deeply Ryan will be missed and how lost we feel without him, but we know that we will see him again.

There will be a Visitation on Sunday, May 21, 2023, from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at Weeks' Funeral Home, 451 Cemetery Rd., Buckley, WA 98321. The Funeral Service will be on Monday, May 22, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. at Wabash Presbyterian Church 18325 SE 384th Street, Auburn, WA 98092, with a Graveside at Evergreen Memorial Park following the Funeral Service. There will be cookies and refreshments available after the Graveside.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ryan Walker Weeks, please visit the floral store.

View Obituary

CALL TO ACTION - Nominate Our Leaders!

Interested in participating in our decision-making? Volunteer to join our Board of Directors! It's a great way to get involved with a minimal time commitment.

Nominate yourself or a colleague by Thursday, June 30th.

Board Positions Available:

President
Vice-President
Secretary/Treasurer
3 Director Positions

All paid 2022 members are eligible to vote. Election announcements at our member meeting on Thursday, August 11th at 10:30 AM at Washington State Death Care Professionals Convention. If you have not registered to attend, click here! Please email your nominations to: WCCFA@AMInc.org.

During the week of Jan. 24, 2022, the Department of Licensing became aware of suspicious activity involving professional and occupational license information contained within the Professional and Business Licensing System. DOL immediately shut the system down and began its investigation with the assistance of the Washington Office of the Chief Information Officer and nationally renowned experts in the field of cyber security.

Although our investigation is continuing, we have additional information to share. DOL has determined that the suspicious activity was a breach of the Professional and Business Licensing System. Our investigation to this point has revealed that around 650,000 individuals may have been affected. These individuals include active licensees and people with, for example, expired, revoked, or suspended licenses.

In response, DOL will begin notifying all affected individuals in a variety of ways, including direct notice, notice to the Washington Attorney General and others as required by law, and notice through updated information on our website. Notification to individuals will include an offer of free credit monitoring.

Second, while the professional licensing system remains offline, we have begun processing license renewals. You can visit https://www.dol.wa.gov/intent for more information.

We will provide further updates as soon as possible. For further information about this incident, please contact (855) 568-2052. Their hours of operation are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., seven days a week. Click here to learn more.

Remembering Ronald F. Messenger

Ronald F. Messenger passed away October 31, 2021, peacefully at home in the Spokane Valley. Ron was born and grew up in Pomeroy WA where he married Gretchen Frick in 1955.

Ron graduated from San Francisco College of Mortuary Science in 1959, he worked for Thornhill Valley Funeral Home in the Spokane Valley prior to partnering with Mel Zyph in purchasing Smith Funeral Home in downtown Spokane, which they owned and operated from 1970 until 1979.

Ron is survived by his wife Gretchen, son Ron (Christine), daughter Heidi, and son Don, all of the Valley. He was proceeded in death by his daughter Robin.

A private family gathering will take place and Ron will be buried in Pines Cemetery, Spokane Valley.

Remember Paul M. Elving

Mr. Paul M. Elvig passed away early Friday morning, April 2, 2021. As many of you already know, Paul was a somewhat larger-than-life character, personality, and positive influence in the Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral world. Paul and his family have faced a long journey over the past couple of years as Paul’s health declined. We anticipate having a full obituary in the days ahead along with information about services for Paul. We will share this information with everyone as soon as possible.

To read Mr. Elvig's obituary and for memorial service details scheduled for
April 16, 2021 at 3:00pm, please click here.

A Memorial Service will he held on April 16, 2021 at 3PM in the Tribute Center at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery and Funeral Home in Seattle, WA, as well as streamed online.

Please feel free to leave a condolence on his Dignity Obituary. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Evergreen-Washelli.com for the Elvig family

Dear Members,

While the State is still unclear on whether we fall under the 1A category of First Responders to qualify to receive a vaccine, some of our members have shared some best practices that have been effective in qualifying for vaccines in their county.

What has been most effective is to start making phone calls or emails to your local health department. Ask when funeral professionals will be eligible for the vaccine and let them know that other counties have since recognized funeral professionals as Group 1A.

The key is to be proactive. While it will be nice to get recognized at a State level which I am sure will happen soon as both Associations have been independently communicating with the State, it does not hurt to be proactive locally. This seems to be the most effective approach.

If you would like to know how to do that or what to say, reach out to us and we will help you. If you provide contacts for your local Health Departments we can advocate for you as well.

It is exciting to see the power of membership and the value of working together to help each other. Special thanks to Steve Webster and Katie Houston for sharing their success stories. Steve Webster at First Call Plus has offered to speak to anyone who might want his help.

Vaccination is such a personal choice and a particularly scary one when deciding on this one. As always seek medical advice from your physicians and stay connected to the Washington State Health Department as well as the Center for Disease Control for updated information.

Thank you for all you do and stay well.

Board of Directors, WCCFA

Dear Members,

Happy New Year!

We are working behind the scenes to get our profession recognized to receive the COVID 19 Vaccines sooner than later. If you have any immediate questions regarding our efforts please reach out to us. Hopefully, we can get you an update this week or next week.

Stay Safe

Board of Directors WCCFA

Dear WCCFA Members,

The WCCFA is working with the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association "ICCFA" and our Lobbyist on the behalf of all members to help ensure that all deathcare workers are recognized in the top tier of professionals as it relates to individual state vaccine distribution plans.

Click here or read below for the December 1st COVID-19 vaccination distribution letter sent out by the ICCFA to State and Local Health Departments.

Do you know a Funeral Home, a Cemetery, or a Funeral Professional that has made an impact on their community, or the industry in the last year?

Did they host a great event that you would have never thought of? Have they made major changes, or created some amazing best practices? Is there a Funeral Professional at a location that has made an impact on you?

If you know of a Funeral Home, a Cemetery, or a Funeral Professional that meets any of these descriptions, please nominate them for the Annual DeathCon Funeral Home, Cemetery, or Funeral Professional of the Year award.

Please submit the name of the Funeral Home, Cemetery, or Funeral Professional and short statement as to why you believe they should receive this years award by email.

All Entries must be submitted by July 29, 2020.

Disclaimer: You cannot nominate yourself or your own business/location. Recipients of the award must be current members of the WCCFA and/or WSFDA.

CANA CE for WFCCA Members

Dear WFCCA Members,

I was in Spokane as the lock down began and was only able to conduct one of three scheduled continuing education programs. It was a pleasure to meet you, but I recall and undercurrent of anxiety as to what this virus meant and the uncertainty. Three months later, we know a lot more and have adjusted professionally and personally. One lesson we learned is that professional development is going to be delivered in new and different ways for a while.

I had created a custom program for WFCCA members based on cremation consumer research debuted at the CANA Convention and lessons learned during our recent Green Funeral Conference. To make good on my commitment to your association, I am making sessions available from both events available to you:

You may use code WFCCA to register, at no additional cost to you, for one of two events:

Green Funeral Conference

CANA 101st Annual Conference

Follow the instructions to order the event recordings and use code WFCCA at checkout.

Take good care of yourselves and your communities.
Until we meet again,

Barbara Kemmis
Executive Director
Cremation Association of North America
Barbara@CremationAssociation.org
312-245-1077

CANA’s 102nd Annual Convention and Tradeshow Goes Virtual

The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is responding to social distancing restrictions by reimagining the Annual Cremation Innovation Convention and Tradeshow for an online platform. With this virtual event, CANA is meeting cremation, cemetery, and funeral professionals where they are – serving their communities safely through online platforms. Exhibits, networking, education, and fun packed into two days.

CANA isn’t sacrificing any of the experience you love about an in-person event. Connection is one of the most essential tools for people who work in death care. Through this platform, created by Pheedloop, you have the keys to CANA’s Virtual Convention on your desktop or laptop.

Early Bird pricing ends on July 5, so register now to get the most affordable convention pricing this year! $50 for CANA members and $75 for nonmember, $25 for additional employees. After July 5 that price doubles to $100 for CANA members and $150 for nonmembers. Learn more and register here: https://pheedloop.com/cana20/site/home/

Bass-Mollett - N95 Masks in Stock!

Bass-Mollett now has N95 MASKS in stock! Please follow the link to take you directly to our website for photos and pricing!

KIT-N95 - KIT OF N95 NIOSH MASK, HIGH FILTRATION EFFICIENCY AND LOW RESISTANCE, CUP SHAPED WITH LARGE INTERNAL SPACE, FOUR LAYER FILTER SYSTEM WITH LOW NOSE CLIP (20 PER KIT)

An Important Message from the WCCFA Board

Dear WCCFA Members,

As an industry, we are mostly silent on issues that are outside of our profession. However, as an industry we are changing and given our business of helping people and caring for our dead we felt compelled to speak out publicly about the killing of George Floyd.

We deal with death so much sometimes some are unaffected by death. As a board, we want to publicly denounce the killing of Mr. Floyd. We do not condone violence and believe in diversity, inclusiveness and the celebration of each life.

As an industry, we talk about celebrating lives and honoring each life as unique as they are. What does that really mean? We believe it starts with our interaction with every person in our place of business. Meeting families where they are and helping them regardless of their socio-economic status, as well as celebrating all the ways people want to honor their loved one. Even if it is different from how we would do it.

This industry is changing. We are seeing more diversity in our profession and we celebrate all the professionals in our industry regardless of race, gender, religion, cultural or political beliefs. We must really look at ourselves and ask the tough questions. Do we really believe in diversity? Do we hold those accountable on our team who do not support diversity? Do we believe that inequalities exist, especially in the workplace? And more importantly what are willing to do about it?

Our country began hurting with COVID 19, and now compounded by the injustice killing of George Floyd, followed by outrage and peaceful protests that turned into riots and looting. As a profession, we do a lot of work in the community. We perhaps need to evaluate whether all the work we are doing in our communities are impacting the changes that our country so needs.

We should not feel un-empowered as a profession to create change for the betterment of our country. We need to do more, especially on issues of social injustice and racial inequalities. When we do that, we truly are honoring and celebrating the lives of our associates and the families we serve.

Be safe and continue to do the work that matters to our families and our associates.

The WCCFA Board of Directors

funeralOne Offering Free, Reusable Face Shields

April 13, 2020

From the Thursday, April 9 issue of the Memorial Business Journal

Trying to alleviate the shortage of personal protective equipment, funeralOne has developed and created reusable acrylic face shields, which it is making available to funeral directors free of charge.

“Once we heard funeral directors were last in line to get personal protective equipment, we retooled our new, as of yet not open, design center,” said Joe Joachim, CEO and founder of funeralOne. “We have millions of dollars worth of equipment there, so we realigned our priorities the second I heard people were going without stuff. “This is crazy,” said Joachim, “so let’s care about the people who are caring for others.”

funeralOne sourced materials to make thousands of shields. The company designed and improved prototypes – 19 different versions in two days – and is essentially producing them in-house. “We’re covering all of the costs, donating everything, and we’re looking for other people to be part of it,” said Joachim. “We like being team players. We’d like to rally more people together to get behind this. We are creating, sourcing, purchasing, packaging, shipping and even delivering [locally in Michigan] to funeral homes.”

The design center has 15 people working, social-distancing from each other, to create a factory line. “We went from nothing to thousands very quickly.”

When it comes to the mass quantity, Joachim said, the shipping logistics are a lot easier with standard sizes. Currently, funeralOne is offering a standard kit (two reusable shields) and a large kit (six reusable shields) to funeral homes.

“If a firm needs more masks, they can leave a comment and we’ll make sure they are taken care of,” he said. “What we are trying to do is make sure that everyone gets one first. If someone is in a situation where they need more, we have no issue making sure they get more.”

To order, visit http://www.funeralone.com/covid/

This is just one of the ways FuneralOne has been supporting funeral service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company is also making webcasting completely free of charge. “Anyone who needs to webcast, we are dropping that to zero dollars during this crisis. Whatever we can do to support funeral directors,” said Joachim.

Situation Update: Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Important Advisories

Your local and/or state public health officials may be making recommendations for the care of decedents and/or public gatherings that are more stringent than what the CDC and federal government have recommended. In these cases, you should defer to your state and/or local public health officials.
The CDC has advised if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and/or develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. If you are concerned about a potential exposure, this risk assessment for healthcare personnel (HCP) from the CDC may be useful.

Essential Guidance

The CDC Coronavirus Guidance for Funeral Directors has been broken out into different sections for easier navigation. Please use the links below or the side menu on the left to navigate to the section you need to access. Information will be updated on these pages as soon as it is available.

Must-Have Documents

CDC Guidance Summary

As you are aware, the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic is fluid and official CDC guidance is continually evolving based on new information from scientists and public health officials.

NFDA continues to lead the conversation with federal officials about the role of funeral service during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are dedicated to sharing accurate, reliable information from trustworthy sources and are doing so as quickly as we can.

While we know you may have questions that are not covered by the information contained in these pages, we are committed to getting answers to you from experts and we ask your patience as we go to bat for you.

On March 11, At the request of NFDA and as a follow up to the postmortem guidance released by the CDC in late-February, the agency released specific information about funeral and visitation services to help funeral directors safely care for people who have died of confirmed or suspected COVID-19.

In summary:

While it is possible to have a funeral, they must, in the interim, be limited. Updated guidance released by the White House on March 16 suggests no public gatherings larger than 10 people for the next 15 days. Updated guidance from the CDC released on March 16 suggests no gatherings of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks. Information below offers suggestions for how you may handle services in the interim.
Bodies can be transferred and embalmed using proper PPE.
Decedents can be buried or cremated but state and local requirements may vary.

Review the CDC guidance for funerals.

We encourage you to read all of this information and share it immediately with your staff.

Where to Reorder Your PPE Supplies

In conjunction with the WSFDA , we want to share with you that we have been working diligently with DOL and the Governor's office to come up with a plan for reordering PPE Supplies. Today we received the following message form the Dept. of Licensing;.

"Unified Command indicated that personnel performing mortuary services are classified as emergency responders. Therefore, those personnel may make PPE requests from the SEOC." (State Emergency Operations Center)

This is the news we have been waiting for and wanting to hear. The caveat however is; This is the first time in recent history that mortuary workers have received "Tier 1 First Responders" status by the SEOC. Because of this, Emergency Managers may not have or know of this new information and therefore could potentially deny your requests. The DOL is recommending that if you are seeking to reorder PPE's, you first contact your city emergency manager. If they deny your request, you should apply to your counties emergency manager. If they still deny the request you should reach out to the DOL and they can step in to resolve the issue. We realize this is can be difficult process but keep in mind adding mortuary workers to a "Tier 1 First Responders" list is unprecedented.

Click here or above for the City, County and State emergency managers list.

Thank you all for everything you do . On behalf of the Board of Directors of both the Washington State Funeral Directors Association and the Washington Cemetery Cremation and Funeral Association I want to thank each of you for continuing to serve your families and your communities in this difficult ever changing time.

Caring for our community.

Dear Members,

We are in unprecedented times. Our roles as funeral providers, and our natural tendencies as caregivers, make it very challenging to adhere to the Social Distancing directives. Our whole belief system that families should have some way to express grief by way of celebrations and/or memorials is being challenged right now. The added stress of asking families to set this part of the grief process on hold, or limit who can physically attend, is indeed challenging. As business owners, there is the stress of income, paying associates, ensuring there’s adequate PPE, and much more.

I challenge all providers in our association to set aside your personal beliefs, drives and motives, to think of the greater good of your community. How we respond during this time of crisis will define who we are and will permanently impact our communities.

Putting the health and safety of your community at risk is a dangerous and irresponsible thing to do. There are strict orders from the Governor that I ask all members to comply with, at a minimum. This includes graveside services. The belief that open space allows more than 50 attendees is a fallacy. Please stop! I applaud the members who have gone further to comply with the CDC of 10 people or less.

We must practice social distancing. We owe it to our employees to provide them a safe working environment. We need to think long term, not short- term. Any provider who is pushing the envelope is giving our profession a bad reputation and putting others at risk. Again, please stop. Your employees, guests and communities are counting on everyone to do the right thing.

Work with your funeral directors and collectively exercise strong communication skills. Coach them to communicate in a gentle and effective manner. We owe it to our communities.

Please give us a call if you need further help with compliance.
Take of yourselves and take care of each other. Our community deserves it.
Sincerely,

Sandra Walker
WCCFA President

Special Edition - COVID-19

Dear Members,

It is our hope to keep you informed as we continue to work through the challenges COVID 19 presents our profession. We will provide communication through email blasts and through social media. We want the members with limited resources to reach out to us for help. As a result we have identified talents on our team who you can reach out to for help and support.

For Western WA Funeral Homes – Hank Kerns at (206) 390-9930 or email.
For Central WA Funeral Homes – Holley Sowards at (509) 943-1114 or email.
For Eastern WA Funeral Homes – Sandra Walker at (206) 852-4752 or email.
For Western and Central WA Sales – Jorge Vara II at (425) 746-1400 or email.
For Eastern WA Sales - Billie Hoerner at (509) 926-2753 or email.
For Human Resources and Public Relations – Candace Aramburu at (509) 326-6813 x. 220 or email.
For Grounds – Troy Hoerner at (509) 838-7712 or email.
For Cemetery Operations – Scott Sheehan at (206) 834-1923 or email.
For Vendors – Kimberly at (206) 522-8400 or email.

We guide our members to resources provided by the NFDA, ICCFA, CANA and the CDC.
Our goal is to provide you support and practical help during this time. Stay safe and thank you for your commitment to your communities.

Washington State Department of Health has Updates on COVID-19 in Your County: Click on Your County for Local Health Departments and Districts Updates:

Does COVID-19 Have Your Teams Working Remotely? Click here for a Guide for Leaders

Click here for additional information on COVID-19 including: Symptoms and Testing, Resources and Recommendations and Positive/Confirmed Cases and Deaths by County.

Want to know more about social distancing? See what is allowed and not allowed below:

Infection Prevention for Funeral Homes Handling Deceased Cases of COVID-19 (3/2/2020)

SARS-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus that causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 is in the family of 7 human coronaviruses. This family includes 4 common coronaviruses that mainly cause mild respiratory illness, along with 3 rare coronaviruses that cause severe respiratory illness. SARS-CoV-2, first identified in 2019, is the third known severe coronavirus that infects humans, the others being Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) identified in 2003 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) viruses identified in 2012.

Mortuary and Funeral Home workers should always follow good biosafety practices. When handling human remains with known or suspected COVID-19 infection, workers must be protected from exposure to infected blood and body fluids or to contaminated objects and surfaces. Employers are responsible for following applicable OSHA requirements (see Resources).

Workers should use Standard Precautions to ensure protection from body fluids splashing or contaminating eyes, mouth, nose, hands or clothing. At a minimum, mortuary workers should

Wear latex or nitrile, nonsterile gloves when handling potentially infectious materials.
Wear heavy-duty gloves over the latex/nitrile gloves if there is a risk of cuts, puncture wounds or other injuries that break the skin.
Wear a clean, long-sleeved fluid-resistant or impermeable gown to protect the clothing.
Use a plastic face shield or a surgical mask and goggles to protect the face, eyes, nose and mouth from potentially infectious body fluids if there is a risk of splashing. If there is a risk of aerosol generation while handling human remains, use respiratory protection as specified in the OSHA general guidance.

Prompt cremation of remains from 2019-nCoV cases can avoid worker exposure. Embalming is allowed but an open casket is discouraged to prevent mourners from touching the body.

Resources
See the OSHA Fact Sheet, Health and Safety Recommendations for Workers Who Handle Human Remains, for more guidelines to ensure worker safety when handling human remains.

CDC guidance for postmortem specimens from deceased persons under investigation for COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-postmortem-specimens.html

OSHA guidance for mortuary workers: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/mers/control_prevention.html#MortuaryWorkers

OSHA guidance for personal protective equipment: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/mers/control_prevention.html#PersonalProtectiveEquipment

Applicable OSHA standards for employers include:

Bloodborne Pathogens (29 CFR 1910.1030)
Personal Protective Equipment (29 CFR 1910.132)
Respiratory Protection (29 CFR 1910.134) standards

WCCFA Member,

We look forward to seeing you at the WCCFA Spring Mini-Conferences located in Seattle, The Tri-Cities, and Spokane. We are preparing for a successful event filled with lots of fun, fellowship, and collaboration among peers. We are sending this communication to inform you of the preparations and precautions we are taking to help best prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your health, and the health of the families you serve, is of paramount importance to us. We believe that a few simple protocols, as recommended by the Center for Disease Control, will help us mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

If you are experiencing flu or cold like symptoms, PLEASE stay at home. Symptoms may include coughing, fever, and shortness of breath.
We recommend avoiding handshakes, fist bumps, and hugs. Waves and smiles are recommended and encouraged!
We recommend hand washing when arriving and exiting the conferences. Please remember to wash your hands OFTEN with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds.
Please refer the link for other prevention technique: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus

Thank you for taking the time to review this important message. We are excited to see you at our Spring Conferences.

Best,
WCCFA Board

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Infection Prevention for Funeral Homes Handling Deceased Cases of COVID-19 (3/2/2020)

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