The Funeralcast

What does accessibility look like in funeral service, especially in the prep room? In this episode of The Funeralcast, I sit down with Grace Lopez, a mortuary science student who uses a wheelchair and is working toward completing her education and entering the funeral service profession. We discuss Grace's journey through mortuary school, the challenges and opportunities that come with navigat...

Some of Ben's favorite episodes didn't make it to the top ten, but that's okay! Relive some of his most meaningful, educational, and embarrassing moments. Free NFDA Expo Passes Booth 1313! Rate and review the show! Email Ben at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow @thefuneralcast

Coming to NFDA? Get your free expo pass here! Booth 1313! Be on The Funeralcast! At NFDA- What were you terrible at when you first started in funeral service? Write me a listener question on any topic and I will answer you! baschmidt@frigidfluid.com Check out the new Funeralcast YouTube page!

These are the top ten Funeralcat episodes by Spotify rankings and they are awesome! F ree NFDA Expo Passes Booth 1313! Email Ben at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow @thefuneralcast

The Funeralcast has hit a milestone, and joing Ben is National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Andre Dawson, who has owned a funeral home for the last 18 years. His insights on life and fineral service are something you won't want to miss. Rate and review the show! Free NFDA Expo Passes, booth 1313! Email me bschmidt@frigidfuid.com Follow @thefuneralcast

Ever wonder what Ben's wife is like? Ever wonder if she actually exists? She does and she is here to share her experiences about life with a funeral director and specifically life with your beloved host. Rate and review the show, even if you don't like it! Free NFDA Expo Passes! Booth 1313! Email Ben bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow @thefuneralcast

In this Fastcast we have a preview of Funeralcast episode 98. Green Thumb Thanatology with Cole Imperi, episode 99. The Beauty and the Brains with Jaclyn Kleinaitis, and episode 100 Hall of Fame Funeral Directing with Andre Dawson. Free NFDA Expo Passes Booth 1313 Email me at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow @thefuneralcast

Cole Imperi has had a big influence on Thanatology by founding the School of American Thanatology, identifying non-clincal terms like "shadow loss", and creating the sub-discipline of Thanabotany. Sounds like someone super serious, right? Wrong! She's a lot of fun and find out why on this episode of The Funeralcast. Be sure to rate and review the show, even if you don't like it!...

Kimberly Garrett is the founder of Anytime Mobile DNA in Los Angeles, a business that usually serves the living until she started to get calls to recover DNA from people who have died. Hear her journey into funeral service. Rate and review the show! Email Ben bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow @thefuneralcast Visit Kimberly's website

Christa Ovenell left a high-profile position as the Principal at Canada’s largest international college to become a funeral director at the age of 50. She is now a funeral director/embalmer, end of life doula, and a deathcare educator. Learn what inspired her life change and how she has combined her love of education and her deathcare calling to help meet the needs of her community.  Be sure to ra...

On this episode: Ethical AI Memorialization with Liminal Touch Death's Apprentice "What's your bold predicition for funeral service?" Fluid Forum on August 18th Embalming Chemicals in the Wild on YouTube Live

More people are blistering at the idea of AI usage, especially when it comes to memorializing someone they lost. The co-founders of Liminal Touch, offer what they believe is an ethical usage of AI for digital memorialization.   Rate and review the podcast, even if you don't like it! Email Ben bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Check out Liminal Touch here. Follow Ben @thefuneralcast Follow Frigid Fluid...

Promession is a little known method of disposition developed in Sweden. Ben is joined by Peter Masak, husband of the founder of Promessa to explain the method. Be sure to rate and review the show! Email Ben at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow @thefuneralcast Promessa video links mentioned in the show Promessa- How it works https://www.facebook.com/teletrece/videos/1050440205037543/ https://www.face...

On this episode, I am joined by Frigid President and CEO to discuss current and upcoming episodes, say goodbye to two funeral service giants, and ask Brian an "Is it Real?" question.

Scattering cremated remains from an airplane is not new, but Patrick Kane and Andrew Czachor have created a new level of diginity and accountability for the process backed by the tech team at Answering Service for Directors, Be sure to rate and review the show! Email Ben at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow Ben @thefuneralcast Follow @cremationairofficial Learn more about the process of how Crematio...

This year marks 150 years since Dr. Francis Julius LeMoyne cremated Baron De Palm in Washington, PA. It has come a long way since then to become the number one form of disposition. Barbara Kemmis, the executive director of The Cremation Association of North America joins Ben to talk about the four eras of cremation history and where it may be going. Be sure to rate and review the show. Watch for n...

Think I missed something? Email me at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com.

When Effie's dad died in 2018, she had no idea what to do other than Google "how to plan a funeral." Her journey led her to start Afterword a company that has now expanded into AI assisted funeral arrangements that earned them the 2025 National Funeral Directors Association Innovation Award. Schedule a demo of Grace AI Email me bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow @thefuneralcast Follow @...

Did you know there is an Uber-style app for headstone restornation and repair? Us either! Ben interviews Artem Manilov founder of the the Tending app that families can use to fix up their distant headstones, and others can pick up some gig work! Be sure to rate and review the show! Email me with your comments!  Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com   Register for The Fluid Forum Find the Tending app

On this episode; a preview of current and upcoming Funeralcast interviews, hot takes on celebrity death doulas and the future of mortuary schools plus find out where the Frigid Fleet will be in May. Email me your thoughts bschmidt@frigidfluid.com

Hearses are a signature symbol of funeral service. Ben is joined by the Mazzarella Family to discuss the birth and evolution of the hearse in Ohio, also known as "The Cradle of Coaches." Please rate and review the show! Email me with your comments!  Bschmidt@frigidfluid.com    Visit American Coach Sales Website Watch American Coach Sales on YouTube Shop our selection of embalming fluids...

In this first epidsode of The Funeralcast Fastcast, we spotlight a powerful conversation on the history of Black funeral directing with Professor Edwin Jackson, explore what Ohio’s “Cradle of Coaches” means with the Mazzarella family, and break down one of the biggest conversations in mortuary education right now — the transition of Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science into Xavier University. Pl...

Edwin Jackson is a licensed funeral director and professor who has been working to better all of our understanding of the contribution that African American funeral directors have made to funeral service history. Listen to Edwin share their incredible stories. Email Ben bschmidt@frigidfluid.com Follow @thefuneralcast Visit the Multicultural Death and Grief Care Academy Edwin's reccomended read...

Ever wonder how someone becomes Funeral Director of the Year? Us too! Ben sits down with Sam James, owner of James Funeral Home in Huntersville, NC who also happens to be American Funeral Director’s Funeral Director of the Year 2025.  Please rate and review the show! Email me with your questions bschmidt@frigidfluid.comFollow Ben @thefuneralcast   Visit James Funeral Home’s Website    Follow James...

Modern mummification is very rare but very possible. The members of the Summum religious philosophy have a plan and procedure in place for members of their group who have already signed up for it. Ben talks with two licensed funeral directors, Bernie Aua and Ron Temu who have been members of of Summum since its beginnings.  Please remember to rate and review the show! Email me with your questions...