What Do Funeral Attendants Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Funeral Attendants perform variety of tasks during funeral, such as placing casket in parlor or chapel prior to service; arranging floral offerings or lights around casket; directing or escorting mourners; closing casket; and issuing and storing funeral equipment. They also embalm, dress, cosmeticize, and casket the deceased.

Other tasks include:

• Greet people at the funeral home.
• Perform a variety of tasks during funerals to assist funeral directors and to ensure that services run smoothly and as planned.
• Transport the deceased to the funeral home.
• Manage funeral home finances, including receiving payments, making bank deposits, or performing general bookkeeping duties.
• Direct or escort mourners to parlors or chapels in which wakes or funerals are being held.
• Close caskets at appropriate point in services.

We asked Funeral Attendants how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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69% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 60% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Funeral Attendants issue and store funeral equipment. They place caskets in parlors or chapels prior to wakes or funerals.

• Close caskets at appropriate point in services.
• Clean and drive funeral vehicles, such as cars or hearses, in funeral processions.
• Carry flowers to hearses or limousines for transportation to places of interment.
• Clean funeral parlors or chapels.
• Offer assistance to mourners as they enter or exit limousines.

We asked some Funeral Attendants a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	73% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	76% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	38% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	62% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	7% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	70% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Funeral Attendants also deliver floral arrangements or other items to family members of the deceased. They may also obtain doctors’ signatures on death certificate and complete other paperwork, such as insurance claims forms.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Funeral Attendants Supervise funeral processions and assist with cemetery parking. They might also Perform general maintenance tasks for funeral homes, such as maintaining equipment or caring for funeral grounds.

In addition, they Obtain burial permits and register deaths.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Embalm, dress, cosmeticize, and casket the deceased.

To some Funeral Attendants, it is also their responsibility to Close caskets at appropriate point in services.

Working life

Less than 40 hours per week

Irregular work schedule that changes depending on weather conditions, customer demand or contract duration.

In a typical work week as a Funeral Attendant, you can expect to work less than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

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