Embalmer

As an Embalmer, you hold the most important job in the funeral process. Though the death of a loved one is a sad time, a proper funeral plays a key role in helping the family come to terms with the death and to begin the healing process. Your job as an Embalmer is to prepare the body for the funeral service by applying makeup, dressing it, and laying it out properly in the casket.

When you start your work for the day, you practically take on the role of a Doctor. That’s because minor surgery is required to preserve the body. For a person who was in an accident, an Embalmer will repair the body and hide cuts or bruises.

Once the body is preserved, you dress it in a respectable outfit—usually picked out by the family—to give it an honorable and peaceful appearance. Often, this is a suit or a dress, or an outfit that used to be a favorite of the deceased person. Makeup is the finishing touch. It’s crucial to apply makeup to hide the paleness of the face, and to put a little color back in the cheeks and lips. It gives the family a soothing final memory of their loved ones to hold on to.

Death itself is never a fun subject. But the job of an Embalmer is a line of work that gives you a sense of accomplishment out of helping others in their greatest time of need.