Page 13 - Cindy Salas Murphy San Diego Woman Magazine

Women of Distinction

resource for our community, a day off. My mom came and DocuSign. These changes feel like I'm missing out a little
on all things related to funeral down during that time to help helped everyone to get through bit with my son. I know my
services. We also would like with our kids and we just did the worst of it.” dad felt that way when we were
to expand eventually, so we whatever we could to serve Megan handled the pan- kids. I can remember being in
can serve the community even families. Many funeral homes demic so well that she was one the middle of Christmas dinner
better.” were telling families, that due of 4 funeral directors featured and he would have to go off on
There are times when this to COVID they could not view in American Funeral Director a call. To combat this, I have
business can overwhelm the their loved ones. We just said Magazine (April 2021 edition) put into place some third-party
staff especially when it is a No, if we can embalm and highlighting her response to help. We have a calling service
young person who has passed disinfect, then you can see COVID. that answers our phones in the
or the sheer volume that they evening, and a removal service
must handle is more than they that helps us with bringing
are accustomed to. Megan is loved ones into our care so we
always keeping an eye on her are not doing it at all hours of
staff to make sure they get the the night, weekends, and hol-
self-care they need during idays. It gives us a little break
these times. and helps with our work-life
I asked Megan how they balance. Which is especially
survived the past two years important with young children.
with COVID related deaths, I must say that my father was so
which at times tripled their good at being such a present fa-
normal amount of business. ther. Any of my siblings would
“It was very stressful; we've tell you that dad was so inter-
never seen anything like that. ested in anything that interested
Initially panic set in. I am his children. I loved singing
part of an organization called, growing up, and he would buy
‘Selected Independent Funeral me karaoke machines or get
Homes,’ which is an invitation me singing lessons. He would
only organization that requires be at every single performance,
a certain level of integrity and and I don't know how he did it,
business ethics to belong. You but each of my siblings feel the
also have to be a family-owned same. Even with the demanding
funeral home. My dad was job he had he was still always
on their board years ago, and there for us.
we've been a part of this orga- Megan and her siblings had
nization for a long time. They a wonderfully close relationship
were a wonderful resource with their parents. “I have my
when COVID first hit, because your loved one all you want. I I asked Megan what she dad’s photo in my office, a big
not only is there a forum think in the beginning when liked most about her job and poster of it. There have been
where everybody can talk to we didn't understand what what she disliked. “What I like times when I look up at it and
each other, share resources and COVID was, or what was most is helping people in their just miss him so much, and
together we helped each other happening, it was understand- hardest time. I think being able there are other times when I’m
to navigate through this whole able because there was fear of to be that resource for families, overwhelmed, and I just look
situation. transferring COVID from the walking them through this up at him and ask him why he
We served close to 120 decedent to their family. As the journey. This is going to be the got me into this.
families a month, where our months went on, we realized, hardest journey in their life. Thankfully for the people
normal average was 30-40. At there's no known transfer from It's the only time they are go- of San Diego Megan came back
the height of the pandemic, one individual to another once ing to lose this family member to run the family business. “I
our mortuary was always full they had passed.” or friend. Being able to be that love what I do and will always
as was our crematory. I am so When the county limits resource for them is, really a do what I can to help families
thankful that we didn’t have restricted the size of gatherings special thing. And I don't take get through an extremely diffi-
to turn any families away, in to under 10 persons, we had it for granted. They're trusting cult time.”
such a terrible time of need. to get creative. I purchased us to walk them through it.”
Many funeral homes were a tent to put in our parking One of the hardest parts of Alheiser-Comer Mortuary
having to do that. During this lot so services could be held being a funeral director is that 225 S Broadway, Escondido,
time my sister and I worked outside. We had to get used the job is 24/7. “ So, I would CA 92025
four months straight without to using zoom, live streaming, have to say that sometimes I do (760) 745-2162

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