Burns-Kish Funeral Homes

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Munster, IN
Burns-Kish Funeral Homes

Burns-Kish Funeral Home has been family owned for four generations, and is the premier funeral home
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12/27/2025

Ok Facebook, Burns-Kish Funeral Homes wants to know what’s the funniest gift you received this holiday season?

12/23/2025

From our Burns-Kish Funeral Homes Family to yours, we wish you the merriest of holidays and a season filled with peace, joy, and togetherness...

12/22/2025

12/20/2025

What is your favorite family holiday cookie recipe?

12/18/2025

It’s just a small token of appreciation for a heroic group that so graciously serve our wonderful community. Thanks for all you do Munster Police Department!

Thank you to Burns-Kish Funeral Homes for dropping off a tray of cookies for our officers and staff yesterday!

12/18/2025

Burns-Kish Funeral Homes, we know funerals are more than a tradition. They are a vital part of healing.

In moments of loss, families need space to gather, to remember, to grieve, and to begin finding closure. A funeral allows loved ones to honor a life, share stories, and feel the strength that comes from community and connection.

In a time when hearts are heavy, these moments remind families that they are not alone. Our team knows and understands that every life deserves to be remembered with dignity, love, and respect.

We would be honored to serve your family. Call us today at 219.836.5000 to speak with one of our compassionate team members...

12/16/2025

Happy 92nd Birthday, Tom! ❤️❤️
Ninety-two years of stories, wisdom, resilience, and love. Your life is a beautiful reminder that every year lived fully becomes a gift to those around you. You’ve seen the world change, shaped it in your own way, and left footprints of kindness and strength wherever you’ve gone.
May today celebrate not just the years behind you, but the legacy you continue to inspire, proof that a life well lived only grows richer with time. Cheers to 92 remarkable years and the many hearts you’ve touched along the way. 🤍💚❤️

12/16/2025

Benita Renee Collins
November 27, 1956 - December 8, 2025

"She was carefree, funny, and loving, with a spirit that brought warmth and laughter to everyone around her. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered by her family and friends."

View Benita Renee Collins's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

12/15/2025

Burns-Kish Funeral Homes encourages everyone to be extra compassionate this holiday season because you never know what someone is going through.

The holidays can feel especially heavy when someone you love is missing. It’s okay to grieve, to feel joy and sadness at the same time, and to move at your own pace. You are not alone, and your loved one’s light still shines in every memory you hold. 🤍

In a season that's bittersweet for many, let's give ourselves permission to show up as we are.

12/13/2025

Losing someone you love changes everything. The world keeps moving, but your heart takes time to catch up. Be gentle with yourself, hold onto the memories, and know you’re not alone in your grief…

12/12/2025

🎄🫶🏻💚

Address

8415 Calumet Avenue
Munster, IN
46321

Telephone

+12198365000

Website

http://www.burnskish.com/

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Munster’s Most Established Family-Owned Funeral Home

An Interview with Owner/Manager Brian Burns

Brian Burns, Owner and Manager of Burns-Kish Funeral Homes in Munster and Hammond, Indiana, has been in the family business for over 30 years. He started working for his Dad, Tom Burns, at age 13, washing cars and cleaning. Brian took over Burns-Kish at the beginning of January, 2017. He’s a fourth generation Funeral Director. Here he sits down with Emily Halgrimson for a chat.

EH: Did you enjoy working for your Dad, Tom Burns? What was he like as a boss?

BB: Sure, he was easy going and generous, yet firm. He taught me how to do things the right way, no shortcuts. He’s always been a real people-oriented and friendly guy. He’s been active with churches and community groups for decades, everyone in town knows Tom Burns.

What kind of training did you have to become a Funeral Director? I went to Worsham College of Mortuary Science north of Chicago when I was 20, it was the top-rated school in the Midwest at the time. They have a two-year program that gives you a Bachelor’s Degree in Mortuary Science. You take classes on embalming, restorative art, legal issues related the funeral industry, business classes and more. To become a licensed Funeral Director, you have to pass national and state exams and complete a one-year internship. Even now I have to take continuing education classes each year to keep my license in good standing.

What is a typical day for you as a full-time Director? We wear many hats. My staff and I take turns being on call all night, we can get death calls at any time. During the day there are funerals to prepare for, and we have to make sure everything’s in place. Every service is different and details are important. If there’s no service we are often meeting with families who had a death to arrange their services. There’s always paperwork – insurance claims, bills, death certificates, and lots of scheduling with churches, cremations, florists, cemeteries etc. There are a lot of moving parts behind the scenes for each service.

How you do handle the grief of people day in and day out? I have to detach myself to some extent. When it’s someone older it’s not that hard, it’s just the natural cycle of life. When it’s a younger person it’s much more difficult, but you need to maintain composure so you can be a point of strength for the families who are in distress. It’s important for us to step up as leaders when people are making arrangements, so the families can grieve. We take care of them in that way.

What’s the most unique funeral you’ve ever held? We had service for an American Indian a long time ago. Their ritual was really different, everyone gathered in a large circle and they had a talking stick that they passed around. The person who had the stick would share stories about the individual’s life. The ashes were in the middle of the circle along with objects important to the person, like a shrine to their memory. It was beautiful.

You’ve observed hundreds of religious services over the decades. What have you learned from that? All the religions seem to have a common theme when it comes to death, that there is an afterlife and the deceased person is there and at peace. That gives the family and friends hope that they will meet again, and gives them comfort.

Do you hope you son takes over the business? Yes, it’d be nice to continue the Burns Family legacy into the fifth generation. There’s a sense of pride there, and family history.

When you die, will you be buried or cremated? Why? I’ll be buried. It’s a personal choice, most of my family members have been buried. The Burns family is all buried together, I want to be a part of that.

What do you want your funeral service to include? Lots of beer (laughter). I want it to be a celebration of my life. A memorial DVD of family photos and some nice jazz, reggae or blues would be nice. Just a simple celebration of life with the people I love.

What do you wish people knew about Burns-Kish when they come to you to plan a service? That we’re a family business, and that we take great pride and care in planning their service and caring for their loved one. Funerals can be whatever they want them to be, we can really can make whatever they want happen. All in all, we are here to help them find closure and peace as they say goodbye. It’s a privilege to help people in that way, and we take it very seriously.

Burns-Kish Funeral Homes

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Munster’s Most Established Family-Owned Funeral Home