Local business part of “Best Funeral Ever” trend

By Anna Ellingburg

Ole Miss Senior, Broadcast Journalism, Meek School of Journalism and New Media

aeellingburg@gmail.com

You don’t necessarily think of humor a playing as large part in the funeral home business, but Glenn Coleman, President of Coleman Funeral Home in Oxford, knows that not everyone wants a somber affair.

“We’d rather not take Dad to the cemetery in a hearse,” Coleman said was one of the more unusual requests he’s heard lately.  But according to him, funeral directors are seeing increasing demand for personalized funeral services.

That might be thanks to what could be TLC’s new reality series, “Best Funeral Ever.” The pilot aired back in January, but Coleman says the network has captured a growing trend.

He says financial concerns or personal preferences often motivate mourners to ask for special touches, such as the playing of a college fight song while pallbearers remove the casket from the funeral site.

Coleman says unusual requests don’t bother him at all, “As long as it’s not illegal.”

He thinks that adding personal touches to a family’s funeral arrangements can help families find closure.  So, what did he do about the family that didn’t want a hearse?  Check out the video below.