Mike Nicodemus devoted more than 50 years to funeral service and became one of the profession’s most respected cremation experts, educators and mentors. During his 13 years as NFDA’s vice president of cremation services, Mike built and continually strengthened the NFDA Cremation Certification Program, sharing his knowledge with thousands of funeral professionals across the United States and around the world. Tall and unmistakable, with a booming voice and an even bigger heart, Mike had a presence that filled a room – especially when he was teaching, one of his greatest passions. He believed deeply in doing things the right way, generously sharing what he knew and helping funeral professionals provide the very best care to families.

Mike often said funeral service was “a calling, not a job,” and his life reflected that belief. The Michael Nicodemus Memorial Scholarship has been established in his memory is a fitting extension of that legacy, helping future generations of funeral service professionals learn, grow and carry forward the commitment to excellence that Mike championed throughout his remarkable career.

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“It is difficult to put into words what Mike meant to all of us at NFDA. For 13 years, he gave so much of himself to this organization, our members and a profession he truly loved. Mike had an incredible depth of knowledge, but he never kept it to himself. He was always willing to take the call, answer the question, tell the story or spend a little more time helping someone understand. That generosity was simply who Mike was. We will miss his expertise, certainly, but even more, we will miss Mike – our colleague, our friend and a very special part of the NFDA family.” – Christine Pepper, CAE, NFDA CEO

“Mike was one of those people you were always glad to see. He had a presence about him – you knew when Mike was in the room – but behind that booming voice was an incredibly warm and generous person. Nowhere was that more evident than when he was teaching. Mike loved sharing what he knew, and he wanted every funeral director in that room to leave better prepared to care for families. He taught so many of us, challenged us and made our profession better. That is a legacy that will live on for a very long time.” – Dan Ford, 2025-26 NFDA President