Page 12 - Cindy Salas Murphy San Diego Woman Magazine

Women of Distinction

so families who couldn’t attend families from start to finish. all the time. “It requires a lot anymore. She turned her life
could be part of the service He didn't want us handing of kindness, compassion and around and became a nurse.
honoring their loved ones. My a family’s loved one off to understanding. One thing that She is a wonderful lady. Our
dad always served the commu- anybody, but at the time San I think helps me is that I did parents were always very honest
nity very well and with com- Diego County notoriously did two years of biblical counsel- with us about our adoption. We
passion, but I think we kind not want crematories in the ing training. Then I went and were eight and ten by the time
of lacked in technology. The county. The fire destroyed one got my business degree and we were adopted. So, we under-
of the two units and part of the then was starting my master's stood, that these were not our
building. So again, a horrible in counseling. I also worked biological parents. I don't think
situation, but luckily nobody as a youth director, and I feel we ever had a need to research
was hurt.” like all of these experiences our biological family because
So, yet more adversity kind of melded together for our adoptive parents gave us
for this young woman who this business and have led me so much love. My mom has a
managed to come through it to the place where I am now. huge extended family since she
all and stepped up to keep her You must have compassion for was one of seven kids so there
family's business going strong. people, but you also have to were always tons of cousins and
“I feel like we've come through be a source of guidance. One family around us and we never
a lot of adversity which has thing I always tell the staff is, felt like we needed anything
pretty much been my life consider this, if you went to more. We knew our birth mom
motto - In the Disney movie the doctor because you broke and my parents were great
Mulan, when Mulan's dad your arm, and the doctor was about always including her in
said, ‘A flower that blooms in hysterical and shaken by your our lives. “
adversity is the rarest of them injury you would undoubtedly Megan is a single mom
all.” Well, I have definitely seen be looking for another doctor. with a sassy six-year-old son,
adversity in the past years, This is how it is here. Families named Joseph, but everyone
and am still standing.” Me- come to us at one of, if not the, calls him Joe Joe. Between
gan admits that she feels as if toughest time in their lives and running Alhiser-Comer Mor-
she has lived a lifetime in the we need to be strong, com- tuary and caring for her little
time since she took over her passionate, and empathetic. guy, Megan is a very busy lady,
funeral industry is notoriously dad’s business. “We just had This allows us to guide them but she still finds time to be
behind in the area of technolo- so many things happen, but through what they're doing active in the community. “I'm
gy, so we thought we should fix again, it has always turned out and help them move along on the Board of Directors for
that while doing the rebuild.” very positive in the end. And through the process. Without the Boys and Girls Club and
Megan always upbeat and I know my dad's got his hand this in mind, we would be cry- also involved in the School Site
positive, felt that the accident on me. In the end, it's worked ing along with them. My father Council for my son’s school
may have been a blessing in out for us, and it's worked out was so good with people and and a member of the Escondi-
disguise as they were able to for our clients as our facilities he was so kind, generous, and do Chamber of Commerce. As
update the facilities, which are more up to date, and as a compassionate. My sister and I the oldest continually operat-
they would not have had the result, we’ve been able to serve both learned that from him.” ing business in Escondido, I
finances to do had the accident the community better.” Megan’s sister handles feel like I owe it to the commu-
not occurred. Megan has been smart death certificates and she is nity to be present to help when
Megan sadly lost her enough to realize what her also a licensed funeral director. needed.”
father who passed in July of strengths are when it comes “She is so good with families, Megan’s hard work and
2018, “I had seven great years to her business. Her dad did and she's got a brain on her. dedication was recognized
with him since I returned to just about everything in the She can remember anything, when she was selected as
Escondido, but I miss him entire process and was also a so it’s great to work side by side a finalist in the San Diego
every day and when anything licensed embalmer. Megan with her. She keeps me mov- Business Journals 40 Under
goes wrong I feel he is still concentrates on what she does ing in the right direction.” 40 for 2021 and she was also
watching over me and helping best, and delegates the rest to Although Megan and chosen for the 2021 class of 40
me get through tough times.” her extremely competent staff. her sister were given up for Under 40 in San Diego Metro
The tough times were not over Megan’s sister Nicole, a mom adoption, they have always had Magazine.
for Megan. Three months after of four, works hand in hand contact with their birth mom. Since taking over the
her dad passed, their crema- with her. “She is a superwoman “We are so blessed to have her helm, Megan has doubled their
tory in Lake Elsinore caught and I don’t know what I would in our lives. The minute we business and she has a goal to
on fire. “My dad opened it in do without her.” were adopted, our birth mom continue doing so and to grow
the nineties because he really I asked Megan if it was decided that she didn’t want and gain more trust from the
wanted us to be able to serve difficult working around death the lifestyle she had been living community. “We want to be a

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