Iowa Funeral Directors Association

11/26/2025

Happy Thanksgiving!

In a world that often shies away from conversations about death, there exists a group of professionals who walk directly toward it not out of obligation, but out of compassion. Funeral directors are among the quiet heroes of our communities, offering guidance, dignity, and care during life’s hardest moments. This Thanksgiving season and every season we have so much to be thankful for in them.

When families are facing loss, funeral directors step in to carry burdens that few could bear. They manage the countless unseen details: coordinating services, preparing loved ones for viewing, handling legal paperwork, and ensuring every ceremony feels personal and meaningful. Behind every calm, organized service lies hours of emotional labor work that helps families begin healing.

Funeral directors often meet people at their most vulnerable. They don’t just plan funerals; they create space for love, grief, and remembrance. That requires an extraordinary blend of professionalism and empathy.

It’s not just about logistics it’s about presence. Funeral directors are the steady hands when some stumbles, the calm voices when emotions run high, the ones who gently say, “I’ll take care of that for you.”

For many, this calling is more than a job. It’s a ministry. It demands emotional strength, compassion, and the ability to balance sensitivity with structure. Each day, funeral directors walk alongside pain while quietly ensuring every goodbye is handled with grace.

The world rarely sees the midnight calls, the emotional exhaustion, or the way funeral directors quietly absorb others’ pain while managing their own. Yet, they continue to show up for every family, every story, every farewell. Their work isn’t celebrated enough, but its impact is profound.

When we pause to give thanks, we should remember those who make it possible for others to say goodbye with peace. Funeral directors embody service, compassion, and resilience qualities that deserve recognition and deep gratitude.

To every funeral professional who shows up day after day for families in their darkest hours: thank you. Thank you for your calm presence, your steady heart, and your unwavering dedication to helping others find comfort in loss. Your kindness leaves an indelible mark on every life you touch. We are grateful to work with you!

In observance of the holiday the IFDA office will be Closed November 27th.

The IFDA Staff

11/13/2025

OSHA compliance is critical for funeral homes, but finding the time for required training can be difficult. Our new online OSHA training program provides high-quality, funeral home specific courses with the flexibility for staff to learn on their own schedule. Enrollment will be for the full package of five classes, ensuring both value and simplicity for participants.

INITIAL COURSE OFFERINGS
- Bloodborne Pathogens
- Formaldehyde
- Hazard Communication
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Respiratory Protection

PROGRAM DETAILS
- Registration Window: November 13 - December 31 (next year the registration will open earlier)
- Access Period: December 1, 2025 - December 1, 2026
- Renewal: Annual renewal options available for continuing compliance
- Format: 100% online, self-paced, accessible anytime
- Designed For: Funeral home staff, managers, and owners

Association Cost for 5 classes
400+ enrollers $35/person members and $60/person non-members

The classes will be offered as packages, allowing for streamlined enrollment and easy access.

To register for the OSHA class please use the link below.

OPEN REGISTRATION - November 13, 2025- December 13, 2025 Bloodborne Pathogens, Formaldehyde, PPE, Respiratory Protection, Hazard Communication. All classes are recorded with a quiz provided. Course availability will begin December 1 and will be available until November 30, 2026

11/11/2025

On this Veterans Day, we pause to honor and thank our courageous veterans—for their service, their sacrifice, and their unwavering commitment to our country. Their dedication has helped preserve the freedoms we all cherish, and we are deeply grateful.

Whether you served at home or abroad, in times of peace or conflict, your contributions have made a lasting impact. Today and every day, we salute you.

To our valued IFDA members and all who have served—Thank You.

10/09/2025

“The Funeral Directors of Flight 232” Short Documentary Wins Dual Honors

ABILENE, TEXAS — October 2025 — The short documentary The Funeral Directors of Flight 232 earned two of the top honors at the 2025 Abilene Frontier Film Festival, taking home Best Documentary Short and Best Editing. The moving film, which recounts the remarkable story of United Airlines Flight 232 and the extraordinary acts of Iowa Funeral Directors and heroism that emerged from tragedy, was one of only three films at this year’s festival to receive multiple awards.

This documentary shared the events surrounding the 1989 plane crash in Sioux City, Iowa — a disaster that became a powerful testament to courage, teamwork, and human resilience. Through compelling interviews, archival footage, and sensitive storytelling, the documentary captures both the chaos and compassion of that day, focusing on how a state, a community and Iowa funeral directors came together and cared for the dead in what was at that time one of largest fatal events in aircraft history.

The filmmaking team Rob Davidson, Noah Williams and David Welch from Funeral Directors Life and Danielle Knapp, CEO of the Iowa Funeral Directors Association worked together to create a documentary that would show the other side of this tragic event and the humanity of our funeral directors. The emotional clarity and careful craftsmanship were the key factors in winning the award for Best Documentary Short, recognizing the deep respect for the people behind the headlines. The Best Editing award recognized the seamless rhythm and pacing that allowed such a complex event to unfold with both intensity and grace. This was a collaborative effort driven by a desire to honor the last responders.

“While this film recognizes and honors the last responders we continue to remember and honor those that died, the families left behind, the first responders in Sioux City, and the funeral directors that cared for the families as their loved ones arrived home in various parts of the United States. This tragedy spanned the entire country,” said Danielle. “To see it recognized in this way means a lot not just to us that collaborated to tell the story, but to everyone who was part of Flight 232’s legacy. We wanted to tell their story with honesty, dignity, and respect for funeral directors everywhere. What began as a simple idea to recognize those directors grew into an incredible documentary brought to life by Rob Davidson, Noah Williams, and David Welch from Funeral Directors Life. I shared my vision with Rob, gathered the funeral directors, and from there, he and his team made it happen. What you see on screen is entirely their creativity and artistry.”

The editing team, whose work earned one of the evening’s most competitive awards, was commended for blending historical accuracy with emotional storytelling — a balance that kept audiences deeply engaged throughout the film’s concise runtime.

Rob Davidson shared “The film’s recognition reinforces the lasting power of its message: that even amid disaster, compassion and courage can unite people in extraordinary ways. Stories like this remind us of what we’re capable of amongst tragedy and the 125+ funeral directors that gave their time and resources to care for the dead did so without need of accolades. This film was a way to say thank you and share their stories that have been untold for over 35 years.”

The Funeral Directors of Flight 232 embodies what documentary storytelling does best, it preserves our collective humanity and a part of history that should never be forgotten.

09/22/2025

We are doing it again! This Wednesday in Iowa City we will be hosting a 6 hour continuing education event at Lensing Funeral Home. 4 of the hours will be also qualify for Insurance CEU's. This is the registration link https://iafda.org/regional-meeting-registration/ and is open until 9/23/2025. Following the classes we will be hosting a reception from 4pm - 6pm. Iowa Legislators that have RSVP'd are Daniel Gosa, Adam Zabner, Izaah Knox, Elinor Levin, Cindy Golding, Art Staed, Cindy Winckler, Janice Weiner, Debbie Kattenhorn, and Steven Bradley. Additionally, Gubernatorial Candidate Adam Steen has confirmed his attendance. We look forward to meaningful conversations with these dignitaries and learning from each other. Your attendance is vital. By being present, you help amplify our association’s voice and move our legislative and educational initiatives forward through meaningful dialogue. These events also serve as a key opportunity for us to model leadership and uphold accountability to the communities we serve.

09/16/2025

We are excited to share that tomorrow afternoon IFDA will be hosting several of our State Legislators at a reception following our very first regional meeting. We appreciate those that have responded and will be attendance. We look forward to recognizing your service, leadership, and ongoing commitment to the people of Iowa.

Classes begin at 9am and end at 4:00pm for a total of 6 funeral director hours and 4 insurance hours with the cocktail and hors d' oeuvres reception with our state dignitaries to follow from 4pm-6pm.

We are also excited to announce that Adam Steen GOP Candidate for Governor, will be with us as well. With campaigns and elections next year we are eager to have meaningful conversations with the 2026 gubernatorial candidates.

This informal but important gathering is an opportunity to connect with fellow State of Iowa leaders, the IFDA Board of Governors, and Members from across the state, to share ideas, and engage in meaningful, respectful dialogue regarding issues that affect all Iowans.

If you are a funeral director in Iowa or a Legislator and would like to attend, please contact the IFDA office at 515.270.0130 or admin@iafda.org.

09/09/2025

📣 Funeral Directors of Iowa — You're Invited!
🗓 REGISTER NOW for the 2025 IFDA Regional Meetings!

This is your chance to earn CE credits, connect with your legislators, and shape the future of funeral service in Iowa — all in one day!

Whether you attend one or all three, these full-day events are packed with value.

🎓 Why Attend?
✅ Earn Funeral Director & Insurance CE Credits
✅ Hear from industry leaders like Homesteaders, Group Benefits Ltd., and Finway Group
✅ Network with peers across Iowa
✅ Meet face-to-face with State Legislators & Governor Candidates
✅ Advocate for real, meaningful legislative change

📍 Choose Your Location:
🔹 Sept 17 – West Des Moines | Westfield Multipurpose Room + Reception at Embassy Club West
🔹 Sept 24 – Iowa City | Kirkwood Room at Lensing Funeral Home
🔹 Oct 1 – Storm Lake | King’s Pointe

🕘 Class: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
🍸 Reception: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
(Attend full or partial day — your choice on the registration form!)

💻 REGISTER TODAY and be part of this essential gathering to learn, connect, and make your voice heard.

Let’s move funeral service forward — together. 🙌

We’re excited to announce our 2025 Regional Meetings, designed to offer valuable continuing education opportunities for licensed funeral directors (including insurance credit hours!) while creating space for meaningful dialogue about the future of our profession in Iowa. Each full-day session will...

09/08/2025

Update!! FTC NONCOMPETE RULE ABANDONED - The Trump Administration has now formally abandoned its defense of the FTC rule that had sought to ban noncompete agreements. In abandoning the proposed rule, the issue of the legality non-competes rests solely in the hands of the states.

08/29/2025

Labor Day marks the unofficial close of summer, but more importantly, it’s a day to celebrate the efforts of people whose hard work keeps our communities strong. From the early days of the holiday to today, it has been about honoring the dedication of everyday workers, our neighbors, friends, and family who give their time and energy to make life better for those around them and for our country. Some of the most dedicated are funeral directors and we appreciate each and every one of you for the work you do and the care that you give those you serve.

It’s also a gentle reminder that while work is important, so is rest. Labor Day gives us the chance to slow down, gather with loved ones, and enjoy the simple pleasures of a long weekend whether that’s grilling in the backyard, spending time on the water, or just soaking up the last warm days of summer. However you spend it, may this Labor Day bring you moments of rest, joy, and appreciation for the work we all do and the people we share it with.

08/14/2025

Celebrate the life of James Russell, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of McLaren's Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary & Resthaven Cemetery.

08/12/2025

Visitation and Service Information for Jimmy Russell.