02/02/2026
"What has changed the most?"
**Must Read, But Lengthy**
The other day I had a good friend of mine ask me a question....a question that I just rattled off a short quick answer to, but a question I couldn't quite shake from my brain for some reason. I've been thinking on this question for quite a while now.
The question was "Hey TJ, what has changed the most in the funeral profession in all the years you've been doing it??"
After thinking on this question for awhile, I'd officially like to change my rattled off quick answer. And officially state that this very question is why I made the investment to open my own funeral home.
The thing that has changed the most is something that is usually kept behind the scenes and "hush hush" from most of the public and the families that have invested their money in what they think is a locally owned business, but little do they know, their investment has been bought out in secret without their knowledge.
The answer to the question, what has changed most???? Well, its that small local funeral homes are being bought out secretly by big corporate style conglomerate companies. These "big group" companies go from towns to connecting town and buy out funeral homes until they control the market, in turn, giving them the monopoly. Once this happens prices go up....and sadly, service goes down. If there is competition, in a town or area, they will use the place they do own there and bottom out prices with "gimmick ads" to drive the "mom and pop" local funeral home into shutting the doors or into selling out to them, all the while using their other multiple locations to fund the one with the rock bottom prices to run the competition out.
Other tactics you will see are terms like "sister location", out of state mailers, and 800 numbers. These are all things to look for. One of the most popular routes a corporate style conglomerate will go, is to use a local person or local persons and set up "managing partner" scenarios in order to deceive people into thinking its locally owned, when all the while, all monies are leaving the county to fund the corporate style conglomerate operated somewhere else and not staying local to our community.
Over the years of watching this become a bigger and bigger issue, it is so concerning to me because I have watched hurting families become a # on a spreadsheet and their loss of loved one become a bottom line dollar amount.
I truly believe in what I do and the ministry that is needed during a loss. I truly believe God calls the ones that need to truly be serving families. Its a true calling and not just a job. But yes, its a business too. And to stay open and serve families takes money to operate. BUT, I also truly believe and was taught, there is a difference in making an honest hard working living and a difference in deceiving and taking advantage of grieving families during a very vulnerable time. I honestly believe that God guided me into the hands of honest hard working people to train me, and ultimately God put me in this what some call a profession...I say, its a calling.....because the hours that have to be put in to serve families day and night, will NEVER EVER add up to the hours we get paid.
So, back to the question and answer, all that to inform those that have not been informed. I truly believe this is why God made it possible for us to be able to open, once again, Poteau's Only Locally Owned and Local Family Operated Funeral Home. We are Proud to be 1 of only 2 local family owned funeral homes in LeFlore County, with Mr and Mrs McCarn in Talihina being the other, I do believe. We are super proud of them for being local family committed to their families, as well as, us being local and committed to our families. Of course we're all human and do make mistakes, but I do believe when its you and your name on the line, you will always work harder than anyone else for a family. Atleast I, myself, will always give that guarantee. You can ask my wife, I cant sleep most nights from always trying to go above and beyond for our families and others❤️
In closing, hopefully this will inform and bring to light a very concerning realization of what is going on behind the scenes in this new age funeral home profession. Hopefully this question and answer will give insight to those who didnt know. And hopefully for myself Ill think a little deeper before I just rattle off a short answer, to a question that is so important to me in this calling. I never want to downplay or lose sight of the very reason I opened Holt Funeral and Cremation- Poteau's Only Locally Owned Funeral Home. With that said, I strongly urge families to do research and make sure who is actually serving your family and where your hard earned money is going and not fall into the corporate style conglomerate monopoly that is sweeping our region. Stay informed and PLEASE support All local businesses. We have all worked very hard to make the investments into our community and into our local people, so PLEASE do the same for us. I love you all❤️ Love Tj
