Our People. Our Purpose.
Ask any owner to list their most valuable business assets and you'll find "our staff" or "our team" or "our people" on that list nearly every time. And with good reason: funeral service is a people business.
SCI is proud to say the same. Our people are the heart - and the heartbeat - of who we are. All 24,000 of them.
Beyond the requisite professional skills and knowledge our work demands, funeral and cemetery professionals must also demonstrate the sensitivity, compassion and empathy that honors lives, memories, and relationships. At heart of all we do, you'll find our People delivering on our Purpose Statement:
SCI is proud to say the same. Our people are the heart - and the heartbeat - of who we are. All 24,000 of them.
Beyond the requisite professional skills and knowledge our work demands, funeral and cemetery professionals must also demonstrate the sensitivity, compassion and empathy that honors lives, memories, and relationships. At heart of all we do, you'll find our People delivering on our Purpose Statement:
A company that is dedicated to compassionately supporting families at difficult times, celebrating the significance of lives that have been lived and preserving memories that transcend generations, with dignity and honor
With solid training, competitive wages, a robust benefits package and ample opportunity for advancement, SCI associates - our People - have voted SCI as a Great Place To Work every year since 2017.
Discover more about our people, our purpose, our culture and our commitment to the Core Values of Respect, Integrity, Service Excellence and Enduring Relationships.
The SCI Foundation: Supporting All Walks of Life
Everything we do is in support of people – our teams, the families we serve, and the people who live in our communities. We are committed to supporting causes that enhance and promote the well-being of individuals from all walks of life. One way we are uniquely positioned to fulfill that commitment is through the SCI Foundation, our Company's non-profit charitable giving arm. Recently, the Foundation established partnerships with three organizations whose missions align with SCI's goals of supporting and honoring U.S. veterans, ensuring no one grieves alone and raising awareness of the life-saving gifts of organ and tissue donation.
We are pleased to announce that each of the following organizations will receive grants of $250,000 from the SCI Foundation in 2021:
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
TAPS' mission is to provide comfort, care and resources to all those grieving a military loss. As part of our partnership, the SCI Foundation will support the publication and distribution of grief materials from TAPS to SCI locations.
Discover more about TAPS here.
National Alliance for Grieving Children (NAGC)
NAGC raises awareness about the needs of children and teens grieving a death and provides education and resources, such as the children's activity book, “When Someone Dies," that is published by the organization and offered at many of our locations.
Through our partnership, NAGC will create a second activity book for families this fall as well as an online family portal with free grief support resources. NAGC will also connect Dignity Memorial locations to local grief support centers such as Bo's Place in Houston and Sandcastles in Detroit. Learn more about NAGC on their website.
Donate Life America
SCI has long been a supporter of Donate Life and its mission to increase the number of donated organs, eyes and tissues to save and heal lives.
Through this partnership, all SCI locations can become Donor Champion Funeral Homes to indicate they have the knowledge to serve donor families and best honor their loved one's life and selfless gift of organ, eye or tissue donation. Donate Life will also connect Dignity Memorial locations to local Donate Life affiliates, while SCI Markets and locations can also continue to honor families through the Donate Life Rose Parade Float.
Visit DonateLife.net for more information about their mission.
Through the SCI Foundation, SCI is very proud to support these organizations that honor fallen veterans and their families, provide meaningful resources to help grieving children, and raise awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donation.
We are pleased to announce that each of the following organizations will receive grants of $250,000 from the SCI Foundation in 2021:
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
TAPS' mission is to provide comfort, care and resources to all those grieving a military loss. As part of our partnership, the SCI Foundation will support the publication and distribution of grief materials from TAPS to SCI locations.
Discover more about TAPS here.
National Alliance for Grieving Children (NAGC)
NAGC raises awareness about the needs of children and teens grieving a death and provides education and resources, such as the children's activity book, “When Someone Dies," that is published by the organization and offered at many of our locations.
Through our partnership, NAGC will create a second activity book for families this fall as well as an online family portal with free grief support resources. NAGC will also connect Dignity Memorial locations to local grief support centers such as Bo's Place in Houston and Sandcastles in Detroit. Learn more about NAGC on their website.
Donate Life America
SCI has long been a supporter of Donate Life and its mission to increase the number of donated organs, eyes and tissues to save and heal lives.
Through this partnership, all SCI locations can become Donor Champion Funeral Homes to indicate they have the knowledge to serve donor families and best honor their loved one's life and selfless gift of organ, eye or tissue donation. Donate Life will also connect Dignity Memorial locations to local Donate Life affiliates, while SCI Markets and locations can also continue to honor families through the Donate Life Rose Parade Float.
Visit DonateLife.net for more information about their mission.
Through the SCI Foundation, SCI is very proud to support these organizations that honor fallen veterans and their families, provide meaningful resources to help grieving children, and raise awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donation.
A Funeral Procession Becomes A Farewell Parade
"Something remarkable happened during the procession from Wulff Woodbury Funeral Home to the cemetery," recalls Funeral Director Gordon Swanson. He had arranged to make a special detour by the home of a 94-year-old World War II veteran in St. Paul, Minnesota.
When the coach entered his neighborhood, several neighbors had lined the streets. "They were holding flags, signs, cameras, children and pets. It was very touching ─ I've never seen anything like it," adds Gordon.
When the coach entered his neighborhood, several neighbors had lined the streets. "They were holding flags, signs, cameras, children and pets. It was very touching ─ I've never seen anything like it," adds Gordon.
When a Funeral Home become an Art Gallery
While attending a Chamber of Commerce event at an art gallery in Tamarac, Florida, with Bailey Memorial Location Manager Luc Chery, General Manager Steven Parker had an idea: exhibiting the work of local artists at the funeral home.
The two thought that client families would enjoy seeing original art in the funeral home and that hosting an art opening would be a new way to connect with people in the community and bring them in to see the funeral home's modern facilities. So Luc reached out to fellow chamber member Heritage Art Galleries to explore the idea.
The gallery owners were hesitant at first. An art show at a funeral home? It took them a bit to come around to the idea, but after they visited the location and consulted with friends, they were on board. The gallery recruited three South Florida artists to participate, and Bailey Memorial worked with the gallery and chamber to promote the opening with flyers and social media.
Florencia Clement De Grandprey, Lois Perdue and Leonardo Montoya Perez collectively showed 30 of their mixed-media works and attended the exhibit on opening night. They were among 200-plus attendees (a great surprise to the gallery!), who were treated to light bites and the music of a live saxophone player.
The art was displayed until mid-December, and anyone could drop in to look or buy. During the exhibit, the featured artists brought in small tours to show off their work—which in turn showcased the chapel, Steven says.
It was the team's first time organizing an outreach event of this kind. "Since the event, families who have come into the funeral home have selected the location for services based on the striking artwork hanging throughout the space," says Luc. He hopes to host a second art show next year.
The two thought that client families would enjoy seeing original art in the funeral home and that hosting an art opening would be a new way to connect with people in the community and bring them in to see the funeral home's modern facilities. So Luc reached out to fellow chamber member Heritage Art Galleries to explore the idea.
The gallery owners were hesitant at first. An art show at a funeral home? It took them a bit to come around to the idea, but after they visited the location and consulted with friends, they were on board. The gallery recruited three South Florida artists to participate, and Bailey Memorial worked with the gallery and chamber to promote the opening with flyers and social media.
Florencia Clement De Grandprey, Lois Perdue and Leonardo Montoya Perez collectively showed 30 of their mixed-media works and attended the exhibit on opening night. They were among 200-plus attendees (a great surprise to the gallery!), who were treated to light bites and the music of a live saxophone player.
The art was displayed until mid-December, and anyone could drop in to look or buy. During the exhibit, the featured artists brought in small tours to show off their work—which in turn showcased the chapel, Steven says.
It was the team's first time organizing an outreach event of this kind. "Since the event, families who have come into the funeral home have selected the location for services based on the striking artwork hanging throughout the space," says Luc. He hopes to host a second art show next year.
Bob Boetticher: A President's Funeral Director
This article was originally published on ConnectingDirectors.com.
The Honor of a Lifetime
When Bob Boetticher got on a plane from Houston to Los Angeles on June 5, 2004, he knew it would be the most important service call of his illustrious career. A lifelong admirer of Ronald Reagan, Boetticher would now serve as the President's funeral director, aiding in the complex and sensitive preparations of the first state funeral since Lyndon Baines Johnson's death in 1973. Boetticher had prepared for this moment for over a year, but in a sense he'd been preparing his entire life.
A True Calling
Growing up in Southern California, Bob Boetticher once dreamed of following in the footsteps of his uncle and becoming a film director. To his surprise, a high school aptitude test predicted a different kind of directing in his future: funeral directing. After graduation, Boetticher took a job with an ambulance and mortuary transport company, where he had his first experiences coming face to face with the dead. Though it took some getting used to, the work felt rewarding and Boetticher decided to pursue a career in funeral service, enrolling in the California College of Mortuary Science.
Drafted midway through his mortuary school education, Boetticher served in Germany during the Vietnam War, embalming American personnel who died overseas. It was there that he met his wife, Jarka, with whom he returned to the U.S. and purchased his first funeral home in Teton County, Wyoming. There, he served as both funeral director and coroner investigating Yellowstone deaths. He was then hired by Service Corporation International and moved to Houston to work at their headquarters. His achievements include serving as president of SCI's Museum of Funeral History and spearheading the development of a new embalming fluid.
In 2002, Boetticher received a call from the Reagan family's staff, setting in motion his role as presidential funeral director. When President Reagan died two years later, Boetticher and his team of assistants immediately began executing the detailed funeral plan, often developed almost as soon as presidents take office. He personally oversaw each aspect of the burial, from embalming the body to pressing the American flag that draped the mahogany casket. In the days leading up to the funeral, he barely slept as he constantly answered phone calls and dealt with a variety of government officials, dignitaries, and family members. The formalities lasted for over a week. The President's body was flown to Washington, D.C., where close to 90,000 people paid their respects as he laid in state at the Capitol. After the state funeral in D.C., Reagan's body was flown back to California for burial at the presidential library in Simi Valley. At the head of the motorcade, Bob Boetticher drove the limousine that carried the President.
The American State Funeral
A fixture in American life, the state funeral is a highly scripted and public affair. Although the first state funeral dates back to William Henry Harrison's death in 1841, it was only with the advent of improved communication technologies like the telegraph, radio, and television that the nation truly began to mourn its leaders collectively. State funerals have become more and more elaborate affairs, involving thousands of military service members and rigorously choreographed rituals and processions over multiple days. President Reagan's funeral, the first to take place after the attacks of September 11, was also deemed a National Special Security Event and staffed by the Secret Service for added security.
Burying a President
To help orchestrate the many moving pieces that a state funeral entails, the federal government contracts LHT Consulting Group, a high-end funeral services company run by Boetticher and owned by SCI. The Department of Defense contracts LHT to provide specialized equipment, vehicles, and services for state funerals. With its nationwide resources and a network of funeral directors ready to serve as an on-call "Ceremonial Funeral Team," the firm offers "unique capabilities" when it comes to ensuring the momentous event goes smoothly. "The world is watching," Boetticher commented in an AP interview, adding, "I have to do everything right." An unflappable professional, Boetticher has handled funerals for other important political figures including former presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush and first ladies Betty Ford and Nancy Reagan.
While such high-profile ceremonies are by nature uniquely challenging and expensive, some consumer advocates like the Funeral Consumers Alliance criticize SCI for alleged unethical practices and inflated pricing. The firm and Department of Defense both declined to comment on the fees paid for funeral services, with a DOD spokeswoman saying only that services are provided at "market rates."
Ultimately, Boetticher says, his job isn't too different from one funeral to another. Grieving families "all react the same" to the death of a loved one. We hold funerals, first and foremost, for the family. In the case of a state funeral, their private grief gets put on public display among the pomp and circumstance. As the liaison between family, the public, and a variety of government officials, Boetticher is determined to "suffuse death with dignity," holding himself and his firm to a high standard of service in these very public, nationally significant moments of mourning.
The Honor of a Lifetime
When Bob Boetticher got on a plane from Houston to Los Angeles on June 5, 2004, he knew it would be the most important service call of his illustrious career. A lifelong admirer of Ronald Reagan, Boetticher would now serve as the President's funeral director, aiding in the complex and sensitive preparations of the first state funeral since Lyndon Baines Johnson's death in 1973. Boetticher had prepared for this moment for over a year, but in a sense he'd been preparing his entire life.
A True Calling
Growing up in Southern California, Bob Boetticher once dreamed of following in the footsteps of his uncle and becoming a film director. To his surprise, a high school aptitude test predicted a different kind of directing in his future: funeral directing. After graduation, Boetticher took a job with an ambulance and mortuary transport company, where he had his first experiences coming face to face with the dead. Though it took some getting used to, the work felt rewarding and Boetticher decided to pursue a career in funeral service, enrolling in the California College of Mortuary Science.
Drafted midway through his mortuary school education, Boetticher served in Germany during the Vietnam War, embalming American personnel who died overseas. It was there that he met his wife, Jarka, with whom he returned to the U.S. and purchased his first funeral home in Teton County, Wyoming. There, he served as both funeral director and coroner investigating Yellowstone deaths. He was then hired by Service Corporation International and moved to Houston to work at their headquarters. His achievements include serving as president of SCI's Museum of Funeral History and spearheading the development of a new embalming fluid.
In 2002, Boetticher received a call from the Reagan family's staff, setting in motion his role as presidential funeral director. When President Reagan died two years later, Boetticher and his team of assistants immediately began executing the detailed funeral plan, often developed almost as soon as presidents take office. He personally oversaw each aspect of the burial, from embalming the body to pressing the American flag that draped the mahogany casket. In the days leading up to the funeral, he barely slept as he constantly answered phone calls and dealt with a variety of government officials, dignitaries, and family members. The formalities lasted for over a week. The President's body was flown to Washington, D.C., where close to 90,000 people paid their respects as he laid in state at the Capitol. After the state funeral in D.C., Reagan's body was flown back to California for burial at the presidential library in Simi Valley. At the head of the motorcade, Bob Boetticher drove the limousine that carried the President.
The American State Funeral
A fixture in American life, the state funeral is a highly scripted and public affair. Although the first state funeral dates back to William Henry Harrison's death in 1841, it was only with the advent of improved communication technologies like the telegraph, radio, and television that the nation truly began to mourn its leaders collectively. State funerals have become more and more elaborate affairs, involving thousands of military service members and rigorously choreographed rituals and processions over multiple days. President Reagan's funeral, the first to take place after the attacks of September 11, was also deemed a National Special Security Event and staffed by the Secret Service for added security.
Burying a President
To help orchestrate the many moving pieces that a state funeral entails, the federal government contracts LHT Consulting Group, a high-end funeral services company run by Boetticher and owned by SCI. The Department of Defense contracts LHT to provide specialized equipment, vehicles, and services for state funerals. With its nationwide resources and a network of funeral directors ready to serve as an on-call "Ceremonial Funeral Team," the firm offers "unique capabilities" when it comes to ensuring the momentous event goes smoothly. "The world is watching," Boetticher commented in an AP interview, adding, "I have to do everything right." An unflappable professional, Boetticher has handled funerals for other important political figures including former presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush and first ladies Betty Ford and Nancy Reagan.
While such high-profile ceremonies are by nature uniquely challenging and expensive, some consumer advocates like the Funeral Consumers Alliance criticize SCI for alleged unethical practices and inflated pricing. The firm and Department of Defense both declined to comment on the fees paid for funeral services, with a DOD spokeswoman saying only that services are provided at "market rates."
Ultimately, Boetticher says, his job isn't too different from one funeral to another. Grieving families "all react the same" to the death of a loved one. We hold funerals, first and foremost, for the family. In the case of a state funeral, their private grief gets put on public display among the pomp and circumstance. As the liaison between family, the public, and a variety of government officials, Boetticher is determined to "suffuse death with dignity," holding himself and his firm to a high standard of service in these very public, nationally significant moments of mourning.
Keeping Hopes Alive - A Community Awareness Project
Distracted driving is more prevalent than ever. And the results can be deadly.
Frank Ordaz, field operations support assistant at Evergreen Cemetery East in El Paso, Texas, is working with local high schools and colleges to ensure every student stays alive to fulfill their dreams.
For the past few years, Frank and Rebecca Salgado, location manager at Funeraria del Angel Central, have teamed up to participate in Shattered Dreams, an initiative that offers high school and college students the chance to witness first-hand the hazards of distracted driving due to texting and substance use.
The program involves student volunteers who act out a simulated accident on camera, are rushed to the emergency room with life-threatening injuries and participate in mock memorial services. As a final step, student volunteers write obituaries about themselves or their friends.
"Many young adults feel invincible," says Rebecca. "Our mission is to empower them to make the right choices because sometimes, there's no coming back from the wrong ones."
Frank and Rebecca work alongside public servants, hospitals and non-profit organizations in their community to make the program educational and engaging for students. The event has allowed them to build enduring relationships with key groups in their community and encourage students to consider others before they get behind the wheel.
"Both Rebecca and I have witnessed the consequences of driving under the influence within our own families and with the families we serve," says Frank. "We make it a point to tell students that we love our profession, but hope that we never have to care for them anytime soon."
Frank Ordaz, field operations support assistant at Evergreen Cemetery East in El Paso, Texas, is working with local high schools and colleges to ensure every student stays alive to fulfill their dreams.
For the past few years, Frank and Rebecca Salgado, location manager at Funeraria del Angel Central, have teamed up to participate in Shattered Dreams, an initiative that offers high school and college students the chance to witness first-hand the hazards of distracted driving due to texting and substance use.
The program involves student volunteers who act out a simulated accident on camera, are rushed to the emergency room with life-threatening injuries and participate in mock memorial services. As a final step, student volunteers write obituaries about themselves or their friends.
"Many young adults feel invincible," says Rebecca. "Our mission is to empower them to make the right choices because sometimes, there's no coming back from the wrong ones."
Frank and Rebecca work alongside public servants, hospitals and non-profit organizations in their community to make the program educational and engaging for students. The event has allowed them to build enduring relationships with key groups in their community and encourage students to consider others before they get behind the wheel.
"Both Rebecca and I have witnessed the consequences of driving under the influence within our own families and with the families we serve," says Frank. "We make it a point to tell students that we love our profession, but hope that we never have to care for them anytime soon."
Reflections on the Funeral of a President
The death of President George H.W. Bush and the recent events which commemorated his life reminded the nation - indeed, the entire world - of the importance of the funeral.
Once again, the world was reminded of our need to mourn when someone dies. Citizens from every walk of life and every corner of the country paid their respects. Members of the military, active duty and veteran alike, paused in honor and respect to salute a Commander in Chief.
Once again, the world was reminded of the powerful meaning of ceremony. Television networks pre-empted other programming of every sort to broadcast live the funeral service events which took place in Washington, DC and here in Houston. Many networks also carried live coverage of the funeral train which carried the President's casket - and his family - from Houston to his final resting place on the grounds of his Presidential Library in College Station, Texas.
Once again, the world was reminded that there is a duty incumbent upon a society to honor their dead.
And once again, the world was reminded of the solemn importance - and value - of the funeral.
It was Gladstone who said, "Show me the manner in which a nation or community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender sympathies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land and their loyalty to high ideals."
With the entire world as our witness to the ceremonies and events surrounding the death, funeral and burial of President George H.W. Bush, let it be said of Americans that our tender sympathies, our respect for the laws of the land and our loyalty to high ideals can still be found in the honorable profession of funeral service.
Once again, the world was reminded of our need to mourn when someone dies. Citizens from every walk of life and every corner of the country paid their respects. Members of the military, active duty and veteran alike, paused in honor and respect to salute a Commander in Chief.
Once again, the world was reminded of the powerful meaning of ceremony. Television networks pre-empted other programming of every sort to broadcast live the funeral service events which took place in Washington, DC and here in Houston. Many networks also carried live coverage of the funeral train which carried the President's casket - and his family - from Houston to his final resting place on the grounds of his Presidential Library in College Station, Texas.
Once again, the world was reminded that there is a duty incumbent upon a society to honor their dead.
And once again, the world was reminded of the solemn importance - and value - of the funeral.
It was Gladstone who said, "Show me the manner in which a nation or community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender sympathies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land and their loyalty to high ideals."
With the entire world as our witness to the ceremonies and events surrounding the death, funeral and burial of President George H.W. Bush, let it be said of Americans that our tender sympathies, our respect for the laws of the land and our loyalty to high ideals can still be found in the honorable profession of funeral service.
Associates Making A Difference
"A gesture that you consider small can mean the world to someone else." Heather Eracleous, Event Planner 
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Our Associates are the heart and soul of service in their communities. And not just for funeral and memorial services.
Heather Eracleous, event planner at the recently-acquired D.O. McComb & Sons Funeral Home Lakeside Park in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is using compassion and creativity to help underprivileged and elderly members of her community. For August, she used National Back-to-School as an opportunity to partner with the Fort Wayne Indiana Police Department on their Backpacks for Kids program. The program provides basic school supplies for children whose parents cannot afford the items necessary for their children to succeed in school. "Many of these kids are living in poverty or in the foster care system without much support," says Heather. "The only thing these children should have to worry about is doing well in school and we want to give them the tools to help." Heather also uses her relationship with schools to help with other outreach efforts. After she noticed that many residents in her late-father's nursing home received few to no visitors, Heather teamed up with a local elementary school to help the seniors feel less lonely. She provided three classrooms with art supplies to create cards for the residents in honor of Grandparent's Day. "The simple act of reaching out and requesting cards went a long way toward making the seniors feel appreciated," says Heather. "A gesture that you consider small can mean the world to someone else." We're proud to be a Great Place To Work. And we're proud of our Associates for demonstrating that daily to benefit the communities they serve. 
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SCI Locations Earn Prestigious NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Honors
For 35 years, the NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award has been a hallmark for funeral homes that are committed to providing exceptional service to grieving families and the community, while adhering to the highest ethical and professional standards.
Seven firms in our SCI Family have achieved this prestigious honor for 2018:
We congratulate all of our associates in each of these firms for pursuing and attaining this high honor in our profession. Your determination, hard work and loyalty to the highest ideals in funeral service demonstrates and underscores what we all stand for: Respect, Integrity, Service Excellence and Enduring Relationships.
A complete listing of all 2018 Pursuit of Excellence Honorees can be found here.
Seven firms in our SCI Family have achieved this prestigious honor for 2018:
- D'Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel - East Hartford, CT
- D'Esopo Funeral Chapel - Wethersfield, CT
- Gorsline-Runciman Funeral Homes - East Lansing, MI
- Lakeshore Memorial Services - Holland, MI
- Leo P. Gallagher & Son - Stamford, CT
- Pixley Funeral Home - Rochester, MI
- Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary - Salt Lake City, UT
We congratulate all of our associates in each of these firms for pursuing and attaining this high honor in our profession. Your determination, hard work and loyalty to the highest ideals in funeral service demonstrates and underscores what we all stand for: Respect, Integrity, Service Excellence and Enduring Relationships.
A complete listing of all 2018 Pursuit of Excellence Honorees can be found here.
SCI Earns Great Place To Work® Certification for 2018
This certification is no small thing. Great Place To Work® is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Eligibility is based upon employee surveys and input, and the bar is high for any business to qualify. Click here for details.
A few results worth noting from the employee surveys:
- 90% said: "My job is not just a job."
- 86% said: "I am proud to work for SCI."
- 85% said: "I feel they make a difference."
We believe the following comments from this survey illustrate the tremendous importance we place on creating a great place to work for our employees:
- "Our facilities contribute to a good working environment."
- "Management keeps me informed about important issues and changes."
- "Everyone has the opportunity for special recognition."
- "Management involves people in decisions that affect their job or work environment."
This designation means a great deal to everyone who is part of the SCI Family. It reinforces the things we all - whatever our role - stand for: Respect, Integrity, Service Excellence and Enduring Relationships.
For the families we're honored to serve, this translates into "Life Well Celebrated" - delivered daily by more than 24,000 amazing people who work for us.
SCI Assists the family of Barbara Bush
She was called the enforcer, the nation's matriarch and the first lady of the Greatest Generation. And in the days following the passing of former first lady Barbara Bush, many communities – mostly clad in pearls – paid tribute to her life and legacy.
The LHT Ceremonial Funeral Team, an affiliate of SCI, was honored to provide funeral services for Mrs. Bush. The team collaborated with the Office of George H. W. Bush to orchestrate and execute the four-day event. George H. Lewis and Sons Funeral Directors in Houston, Texas along with market associates provided additional assistance.
Nearly 7,000 visitors paid their respects during a public visitation on Friday, April 20 at St. Martin's Episcopal Church. The funeral service on Saturday, April 21 was attended by more than 1,500 invited guests. Among those present were family members including former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush.
Also in attendance were former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton; first lady Melania Trump; former first ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton; journalists; VIPs; close relatives and friends of the Bush family. Following the service, a motorcade escorted Mrs. Bush and family members 90 miles northwest to the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library Center on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station for a private committal ceremony.
Associates far from Houston shared in honoring her life as well. Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary illuminated its neon sign in royal blue – a nod to Barbara Bush's favorite color. Numerous other locations provided their communities the opportunity to sign memorial books and share stories of how Barbara Bush impacted their lives.
The LHT Ceremonial Funeral Team, an affiliate of SCI, was honored to provide funeral services for Mrs. Bush. The team collaborated with the Office of George H. W. Bush to orchestrate and execute the four-day event. George H. Lewis and Sons Funeral Directors in Houston, Texas along with market associates provided additional assistance.
Nearly 7,000 visitors paid their respects during a public visitation on Friday, April 20 at St. Martin's Episcopal Church. The funeral service on Saturday, April 21 was attended by more than 1,500 invited guests. Among those present were family members including former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush.
Also in attendance were former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton; first lady Melania Trump; former first ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton; journalists; VIPs; close relatives and friends of the Bush family. Following the service, a motorcade escorted Mrs. Bush and family members 90 miles northwest to the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library Center on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station for a private committal ceremony.
Associates far from Houston shared in honoring her life as well. Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary illuminated its neon sign in royal blue – a nod to Barbara Bush's favorite color. Numerous other locations provided their communities the opportunity to sign memorial books and share stories of how Barbara Bush impacted their lives.
SCI Firms & Associates Assist Families of Parkland, Florida Victims
Dignity Memorial Associates handled services for 13 of the 17 victims
On Wednesday, February 14, 2018, tragedy struck at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. And immediately afterward, SCI associates mobilized to action and provided care, comfort and compassion to their community.
In the days that followed, Dignity Memorial associates handled services for 13 of the 17 victims and worked around the clock to assist in the following ways:
Most notably, Melissa says, they consoled grieving families and instilled confidence in our abilities to provide each family with a dignified and honorable service for their loved one.
"We never know how strong we are until something like this happens, and I'm thankful for the support we received from SCI," says Melissa. "I'm proud to have been able to help these families."
In the days that followed, Dignity Memorial associates handled services for 13 of the 17 victims and worked around the clock to assist in the following ways:
- Human Resource teams arranged therapy dogs and grief specialists from the Company's EAP program to assist the victims' families and friends during visitations.
- Locations donated candles and refreshments to churches for those attending memorials.
- Care Center associates performed removals following the tragic events and assisted with the transportation of victims.
- Funeral home staff created Life Well Celebrated® services complete with seed packets and custom pins with the high school's eagle mascot for the victims' families.
Most notably, Melissa says, they consoled grieving families and instilled confidence in our abilities to provide each family with a dignified and honorable service for their loved one.
"We never know how strong we are until something like this happens, and I'm thankful for the support we received from SCI," says Melissa. "I'm proud to have been able to help these families."
SCI is Family
Vietnam Wall Finds its Permanent Home
For more than twenty years, millions have gathered to see it. In more than 200 cities across the country, communities have come together to experience its healing power. But after traveling from city to city, and serving as a temporary exhibit at the National Infantry Museum in Ft. Benning, Georgia, the Dignity Memorial® Vietnam Wall now has a permanent home.
On Veteran's Day, associates joined U.S. military leaders, elected officials and members of the Columbus and Ft. Benning communities to formally donate and dedicate the Wall to the museum. During the moving ceremony, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President Phil Jacobs announced the gift on behalf of the Company, and museum officials expressed their utmost gratitude. Additionally, Patriot Guard Riders stood in formation in honor of the occasion and upheld their motto of "standing for those who stood for us."
"We are immensely grateful for this unique and significant gift," said Col. (Ret) Greg Camp, President and Chief Operating Officer of the National Infantry Museum Foundation. "In the three years the Wall has been on display here, we have watched thousands of Vietnam veterans and their family members spend long moments of reflection there, sharing tears and stories. This Wall is every bit as meaningful to them as the one in Washington. We commend SCI and Dignity Memorial for their contribution to healing, and we're proud to continue their tradition of honoring veterans by making the Wall a permanent installation at the National Infantry Museum."
As part of its commitment to honor those who serve, the Company commissioned the creation of a three-fourths scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. Like the original, it is etched with more than 58,000 names of patriots who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The Wall began to travel throughout the United States in 1990 and had been on temporary display at The National Infantry Museum since March 2014. Now at its permanent home, the Wall can continue to provide peace and healing to museum visitors.
On Veteran's Day, associates joined U.S. military leaders, elected officials and members of the Columbus and Ft. Benning communities to formally donate and dedicate the Wall to the museum. During the moving ceremony, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President Phil Jacobs announced the gift on behalf of the Company, and museum officials expressed their utmost gratitude. Additionally, Patriot Guard Riders stood in formation in honor of the occasion and upheld their motto of "standing for those who stood for us."
"We are immensely grateful for this unique and significant gift," said Col. (Ret) Greg Camp, President and Chief Operating Officer of the National Infantry Museum Foundation. "In the three years the Wall has been on display here, we have watched thousands of Vietnam veterans and their family members spend long moments of reflection there, sharing tears and stories. This Wall is every bit as meaningful to them as the one in Washington. We commend SCI and Dignity Memorial for their contribution to healing, and we're proud to continue their tradition of honoring veterans by making the Wall a permanent installation at the National Infantry Museum."
As part of its commitment to honor those who serve, the Company commissioned the creation of a three-fourths scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. Like the original, it is etched with more than 58,000 names of patriots who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The Wall began to travel throughout the United States in 1990 and had been on temporary display at The National Infantry Museum since March 2014. Now at its permanent home, the Wall can continue to provide peace and healing to museum visitors.
"We are immensely grateful for this unique and significant gift," said Col. (Ret) Greg Camp, President and Chief Operating Officer of the National Infantry Museum Foundation. "In the three years the Wall has been on display here, we have watched thousands of Vietnam veterans and their family members spend long moments of reflection there, sharing tears and stories. This Wall is every bit as meaningful to them as the one in Washington. We commend SCI and Dignity Memorial for their contribution to healing, and we're proud to continue their tradition of honoring veterans by making the Wall a permanent installation at the National Infantry Museum."
As part of its commitment to honor those who serve, the Company commissioned the creation of a three-fourths scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. Like the original, it is etched with more than 58,000 names of patriots who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The Wall began to travel throughout the United States in 1990 and had been on temporary display at The National Infantry Museum since March 2014. Now at its permanent home, the Wall can continue to provide peace and healing to museum visitors.
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