In 2008 the Funeral Service Foundation awarded tuition fees and a travel stipend of $400 to selected individuals who attended the National Funeral Directors Association Professional Women's Conference.

The conference was held April 10 - 13 in
St. Petersburg, Florida.

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must be verifiably employed in funeral service or a related occupation; or a mortuary science school student enrolled in school accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. Scholarship recipients are chosen based on answers to essays.

Applications for scholarships to the 2009 NFDA Professional Women's Conference will be available in January 2009.

2008 Scholarship Winners

Terrie Lynn Lockwood

Terrie Lynn Lockwood is the owner/manager of Sorenson-Lockwood Funeral Home in Grayling, Michigan. She meets each family during preneed, at need and the aftercare phases of funerary care. Although they are the only funeral home in the county, Terrie Lynn believes that the trust of their families is based on their reputation in the community.

Terrie Lynn came to the funeral industry with more than 20 years of experience in the field of nursing. She believes that her experiences in nursing and the events in her life have prepared her for ministering to the funeral needs of the people in her community.

Terrie Lynn works with the Rotary International and Grayling Area Chamber of Commerce to benefit her community. In addition, she is a member of NFDA, the Michigan Funeral Directors Association, Michigan Embalmers Society, and American Society of Embalmers.

Cindy Phillips

Cindy Phillips is an advanced planning consultant and funeral director-intern at Brooks Funeral Care in Clive, Iowa. She is responsible for funeral service preplanning and prefunding at three different locations, cemetery marker and monument design and sales, and at-need funeral arrangements.

Cindy entered the funeral service profession after working for a Des Moines insurance company. Through friendships with Homesteader's Life Insurance Company, she learned about funeral pre-arranging and acquired an insurance license. After working with many funeral professionals and the support of her husband and friends, she decided to become a funeral director. She believes she made the right decision to change careers because the funeral service industry provides her with a vocation that she embraces with dedication and genuine passion.

Cindy is a member of NFDA and the Iowa Funeral Directors Association. She is also active in her church.

Said Cindy:

 “The Professional Women's Conference involves women in the process of making decisions that impact the future of funerals. Together we shared concerns and opinions on issues that impact our service and profession.

Participating in this conference reinforced my decision to enter funeral service, and that this is a profession that is personally satisfying and success-filled.”

Patricia Moody

Patricia Moody, a licensed funeral director/embalmer, is currently building a Funeral Celebrant business called TLC & Memories in Stonington, Connecticut. As a funeral celebrant, she offers a compassionate and highly personal response to the loss of a loved one. She believes her ten year experience in the funeral industry has given her sensitivity to the families' wishes.

Patricia volunteers as a certified EMT-D and is current treasurer of the Connecticut CISM Team, where she serves as a counselor for Police, Fire, and Ambulance Corps to help ease and prevent Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and burn-out in these highly stressful occupations. In addition, she served on the Board of the Cove Center for Grieving Children in Connecticut and presents seminars on its behalf.

Said Pat:

"The incredible amount of information offered combined with the sense of belonging, even though this was my first year in attendance, was wonderful.  I feel privileged to have attended and look forward to not only attending in the future but contributing to make it possible for others to participate...it is that important to me now."

Anne Haas

Anne Haas is a funeral director and embalmer at Robert L. Crooks Funeral Center in West Alexandria, Ohio.

Anne made the career change to funeral service after working as a legal secretary for an attorney specializing in estates. She returned to college and graduated in 2001 from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. She has been actively involved counseling adult adoptees, birth, and adoptive parents for over 20 years. She feels this experience has given her special insight in dealing with the funeral needs of the families in her community.

Anne is active in the Business and Professional Women's Group in Preble County, Ohio, is on the committee for the Pandemic Flu exercise, and works closely with the county Honor Guard. She takes part in continuing education provided by the Ohio Funeral Directors Association and the Ohio Embalmers Association.

Said Anne:

"I met so many nice people and I was surprised at the amount of women who have come into the funeral industry as a second career, like I did.  I enjoyed all of the conference and brought some of the ideas back home to the funeral home to share.  We, as women, have many ideas and different perspectives, and although we work in a historically male-dominated industry, we are making a positive impact and will continue to do so."

Andrea Wasley

Andrea Wasley is currently working as a managing partner for Carriage Services at Bailey Funeral Home in Plainville, Connecticut. As a licensed funeral director and embalmer, she helps care for approximately 140 families per year.

Andrea first entered funeral service during her senior year of high school while doing computer work at a local funeral home. After receiving her license and working with families, she learned how essential and meaningful her chosen profession was.

Andrea is active in her local Rotary Club as Vice President of the Board of Directors. She is also a member of NFDA and the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association, and the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice.

Said Andrea:

"With the help of the Funeral Service Foundation, I was awarded the opportunity to attend my first Professional Women's Conference, share my experiences with my fellow women employees upon my return, as well as encourage them to apply for the scholarship to attend this wonderful conference.  Without the foundation's financial assistance, I would not have attended this year's conference."