December 2014 - West Virginia Funeral Directors Association

December 2014
From Your President, Tom Nichols, Jr.
I would like to start off by saying; I hope everyone had a great
Thanksgiving spending time with family, friends and just
being together.
In new business, I would like to remind everyone that is able
to come out and support the Wreaths Across America service
being held at the West Virginia State Capital, War Monument
on December 8, 2014 at 12:00 pm. The WVFDA sponsors this
event every year and I would like to thank John Reed for
starting and setting up this program every year. It’s a way to
say thanks and show our appreciation to all our veteran from
the past, present and future. We salute you.
Freedom is not free. Also the 2015 WVFDA State Convention
will be held at the Mardi Gras Casino & Resort, 1 Greyhound
Drive, Cross Lanes, WV on June 7-10.
Other news to remind everyone, as you may know that Ira Handley will be helping Mike
Howard do state inspections in the Northern area of the state. Mike is having some health
issues and Ira is just helping him out until Mike gets back on his feet.
In my last newsletter I mentioned about a couple of issues coming up on my agenda for
discussion, the first being about trying to look into the problems on why death certificates
takes so long to be processed, getting a correction done and an update on electronic filing of
death certificates. The second thing for discussion is working with the state medical
examiner’s office on cremation permits and pending death certificates, etc. Why it takes so
long to get a cremation permit going through the Office of the Medical Examiner and to get a
pending death certificate completed. In addition, Jeff Fraley is still working hard to finalize
the updates of West Virginia Funeral Trust contracts. It’s in the Attorney General office to
look over the final draft. I will keep you posted on this matter as the information becomes
available.
After our WVFDA meeting on September 4, I appointed a committee to look into the
problems with the Office of the Medical Examiner. The committee I selected was Mark
Tomblyn, (to chair the committee) Jerry Giffin and Mark Maltempie to assist.
Gary Thompson, the state registrar attended our meeting on September 4, 2014 and gave the
WVFDA and update on the problems that we all are having including him. First, Mr.
Thompson explained that he was short on help and that the Governor had a hiring freeze.
The second thing was the delay on corrections, the registrar that signs the death certificate when
it comes into the office for filing the first time; it has to be that registrar to do the corrections on
that death certificate. The third thing was that the birth certificates have to be taken care of also.
They are just as important as death certificates because his office has a time frame to get birth
certificates back out to insurance companies so that the insurance company will pay for the
delivery, etc. If they don’t make the time frame he explained, then the insurance company doesn’t
have to pay for the delivery of that birth and it is the parent’s responsibility to pay. And last Mr.
Thompson explained about the electronic filing of the death certificate. We now have the money
for the electronic filing and his office is looking for bids coming in and installing the program. He
is hoping that we will be up and running by the middle of 2016. Getting the doctors on board will
be his biggest task. I would like to thank Mr. Thompson for taking the time out of his busy
schedule to meet with the WVFDA for an update.
The committee has contacted the Office of the Medical Examiner several times to set up an
appointment to speak with the medical examiner and finally he responded and informed the
committee to call back after the first of the year that they were too busy to meet with us right now.
So, that’s where we are right now with the medical examiners office.
In September, I attended the Tygart District meeting in Kingwood and what a great turnout of
funeral colleagues. The program was How You Want to Be Remembered After You’re Gone. The
speakers for the program were Dave Roush and Keith Garren with Aurora Casket Company. That
was a great program. If you would like to have this program for your district, just get in touch Dave
or Keith at Aurora Casket Company to schedule a date and time. I also attended the Greenbrier
District meeting at Princeton and there was another great turnout. The speaker was David Martin
with Piedmont Technical College. The program was Complying with the Funeral Rule, FTC. What a
great program he had for the Greenbrier District. I want to thank the district governors, Paul
Brock and Nick Rine, and the other district officers for allowing me to attend your meeting
because the hospitality shown to me was outstanding. Keep up the excellent work in your district.
One thing I would like to work on this year—strengthening the districts and working to gain more
participation from our members. I have been to a couple of district meeting across the state. We
have a few active districts and a few districts not so active. District governors please let me know
how I can help you get more active. Whether it is making some phone calls to members or
arranging for someone to speak at your district. Anything I can do just let me know.
Rob Kimes, Stephen Leavitt and I attended the 2014 NFDA Convention in Nashville. This was a
great learning experience, and it was well attended by colleagues from across the country. The
NFDA does a great job in keeping us informed on what is new in our industry, and we enjoyed the
opportunity to represent the WVFDA in Nashville.
In closing, I would like to thank all of the Trust Board and Board of Directors for your attendance
at meeting on September 4. Best turnout that we have had in several years. Thank You. In addition,
I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Please be safe if you are
traveling over the holidays.
Thank you again for your support.
Tom Nichols, Jr.
2014-2015 Officers
Thomas Nichols, Jr. – President
Bartlett-Chapman Funeral Home, LLC
P. O. Box 1112
St. Albans, WV 25177
Telephone: 304-727-4325
Fax: 304- 727-6003
Stephen Leavitt – President Elect
Leavitt Funeral Home
403 7th Street
Parkersburg, WV 26101
Telephone: 304-422-6459
Fax: 304- 422-4313
Fax: 304-296-0226
Anthony M. Paletti – Vice President
Hardman-Paletti Funeral Home
730 N. Main Avenue
Weston, WV 26452
Phone: 304-269-5005
Fax: 304-517-1096
Fred Kitchen – Secretary/Treasurer
Henson Mortuary
6357 East Pea Ridge Road
Huntington, WV 25705
Telephone: 304-736-8986
Jared S. Jenkins – Immediate Past
President
Fred L. Jenkins Funeral Home, Inc.
10 South High Street
Morgantown, WV 26501
Telephone: 304-296-6446
2015 WVFDA Member
Dues are out and should be
returned by January 2015!
Thanks for making 2014
a great year!
From the Desk of Rob Kimes…
The Holiday Season is upon us and it’s a busy time closing out 2014 and planning
forward to 2015. The 2015 Annual Dues have been mailed out …when renewing
your dues please make any changes for the upcoming year to the form such as new
email addresses, new employees, and any pertinent contact information.
The Mid –Winter Advocacy Summit will be in Charleston at the Embassy Suites
(please note location change from previous years at the Marriott) February 10-12
and our annual WVFDA convention will be at the Mardi Gras Casino and Resort in
Cross Lanes, WV June 7-10.
With the New Year quickly approaching and the start of a new legislative session I
am reminded that donations to the WVFDA Political Action Committee can be sent to
the office. These donations allow us to support those legislators that support the
WVFDA. With the last elections we will have a lot of new faces at the Capitol. If you
have a good relationship with a House member or Senator please forward me that
connection should we need to call upon on them for a particular issue. During the
Mid- Winter Advocacy Summit we will have our annual visit to see our
representatives.
We still have several firms that are looking for licensed funeral directors-embalmers.
If you’re interested please contact me and I will forward your resume to the funeral
homes searching for help. If you’re a funeral home that is looking for help contact
me and I will keep your firm in mind when I receive resumes and I will keep your
firms search confidential.
We have several members with family and friends that are struggling with illness.
Please keep these members in your thoughts.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
Respectfully,
Rob Kimes
WVFDA Executive Director
Upcoming Events
Kanawha District Christmas Party
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Edgewood Country Club, Charleston, WV
Hors D' Oeuvres from 5-7pm and Dinner at 7pm
$65.00 per person
RSVP to Mark Maltempie at 304-342-4118 or
Tom Nichols at 304-415-3365
Wreaths Across America
Monday, December 8, 2014
12:00 noon, WV State Capitol
Tygart District Christmas Party
Monday, December 8, 2014
Fairmont Field Club, Fairmont WV
Social Hour 6pm-7pm and Dinner Buffett at 7pm
Entertainment provided by Greg Boggs
Greenbrier District Christmas Dinner
Friday, December 19, 2014
Pasquale's -- 224 Harper Park Drive, Beckley WV
Social Hour and Cash Bar 5pm -6pm
Dinner at 6pm
$55.00 per person
RSVP by December 1st, 2014 to Nick Rine
Office 304-469-3283 Cell 304-687-6851
WVFDA Mid Winter Advocacy Summit Meeting
February 10-12, 2015
Embassy Suites
Charleston, WV
**Note New Location**
WVFDA - PAC
Please contribute to the PAC now,
so we can continue the successes
we have had in the past.
Your contribution should be sent
to:
WVFDA—PAC
400 Allen Drive
Suite 20
Charleston, WV 25302
All contributions should be in the
form of a personal check as
corporate checks are not allowed.
(This information is intended for
Association members only, and all
contributions are voluntary. Nonmembers, please disregard.)
Death Notice Policy
It is the policy of the Association to send
a notice of death of a member or their
immediate family (spouse, child, parent)
by email immediately after we are
contacted and the necessary information
is provided to us.
All death notices received by the
Association are placed in the next
newsletter and each person is
remembered at our annual “Service of
Remembrance.” Notices received after
our Annual Convention Program goes to
print will be remembered the next year.
We need your help since we are not
always contacted regarding the death of a
member or their immediate family. There
have been instances where we were told
three to six months later in some cases
and it has created hard feelings . It is
much better for us to receive several calls
as opposed to none.
Please help us by calling the Association
office as soon as the information is
available for us to send out.
WVFDA Mission Statement
WVFDA’s mission is to serve its members and the public by
furthering the profession of funeral service through enhanced
educational opportunity, involvement in the public and private areas,
and development of communications with its membership and all
involved with the profession.
Mid Winter Advocacy Summit Meeting
February 10-12, 2015
Embassy Suites
Charleston, WV
**Note New Location**
Information regarding registration will be mailed out to funeral
homes in January!
121st Annual WVFDA Convention
June 7-10, 2015
Mardi Gras Casino
Cross Lanes, WV
Athletic Outfitters
Cole and Lindsay Waybright, Owners
332 S. Church Street – Ripley, WV 25271
304-372-9385
info@athleticoutfittersstore.com
Charleston Mortuary Service
1101 Bigley Avenue
Charleston, WV 25302
1-304-344-8792
Lamcraft, Inc.
4131 N. E. Port Drive
Lee's Summit, MO 64064
Phone: 816.795.5505
1.800.821.1333
FAX: 816.795.8310
E-Mail: customer-service@lamcraft.com
We still have several firms that are looking for licensed funeral directors-embalmers. If you’re
interested please contact Rob and he will forward your resume to the funeral homes searching
for help.