| The Texas Funeral Directors
Association (TFDA) was originally founded in Fort Worth in 1886 under the name
“Undertaker’s Association of Texas”. As one of the largest funeral service
organizations in the United States, it is now located in Austin, Texas and has
868 members. Three quarters of the members are family-owned funeral establishments
serving families in communities with a population of less than 50,000 residents
while the remaining members are owned by large corporations.
TFDA is active in legislative issues
involving the funeral service industry and maintains a liaison with various Governmental
agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Banking, the
Social Security Administration, the Texas Funeral Service Commission and many
others. The
organization issues a monthly newsletter informing members of latest funeral service
issues, holds a yearly convention and provides training to help licensees meet
mandatory state requirements. TFDA
obtained a permit in 1998 to initiate it’s own master trust program to assist
individuals who wish to become members of the Texas Prepaid Funeral Fund.
This program has now grown to a size of approximately $17 million and is regularly
audited by the Texas Department of Banking. Their
mission statement is “to provide advocacy, education, information, products, programs
and services to help members enhance the quality of services to families”.
The Funeral Museum is located in
South Texas in a neighborhood of townhomes. It’s stated purpose is “to honor one
of our most important cultural rituals”. This museum contains a number of
fascinating and unusual funeral exhibits in addition to meeting rooms and classrooms
for a funeral school. Hearses
and coffins make up most of the displays; the hearses are all still in working
order. The Museum refers to them as “funeral service vehicles”.
Some of the novel displays include: - The
1973 Mercedes used to transport Princess Grace of Monaco to her funeral in 1982.
-
A heavy solid glass casket built to
hold three bodies which was made in the 1930’s for a couple in Colorado who had
planned to commit suicide after the death of their baby. However, they did
not follow thru on their plan and the casket wound up in the Museum.
-
A replica of Abraham Lincoln’s coffin.
-
A black funeral sleigh.
-
A 1916 Packard funeral bus which was
originally built to eliminate funeral processions. This vehicle has the
capacity to carry the coffin, six pallbearers and twenty mourners.
The
Museum sells novel gift items at the cash register which include a solid chocolate
candy bar in the shape of a casket and a coffin golf putter, among many others.
They also sell balloons and coffee mugs bearing the museum motto, “Any day above
ground is a good one.” Funeral
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