Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association

05/29/2026

The Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association has announced that a 2026 Presidents’ Award has been awarded to Francis J. Murphy Jr. of the Murphy Funeral Home of Salem. Francis, at right, pictured with MFDA President Stephen Gemelli, is a resident of Salem and a graduate of the NSCC Funeral Service Program who “exemplifies the kindness and service-minded spirit that the Past Presidents envisioned when they created this award. Dedicated and respected among his peers, he consistently demonstrates leadership and a willingness to help others, even amid a demanding schedule. The future of the profession is bright with funeral directors like F.J.”

05/27/2026

Congratulations to the eight Cape Cod Community College program members who were recently inducted into Pi Sigma Eta, the National Morticians Honor Society: Jennifer Bardier, Roy Chapman, Joseph Emanuello, John Luevano, Kelli Purchase, Amanda Rosado, Annie Scanlan, and Alyssa Thibault.

05/26/2026

North Shore Community College held its pinning ceremony recently for its Funeral Service Program at the college's Danvers campus. Class of 2026 graduates are Olivia Alex, Phillip Nicholas Bellini, Courtney Bliss-Souda, Caroline Lee Burlamachi, Samantha Caswell, Adley E. Faulkner, Christine M. Jesoraldo, Jessica N. Matthes, Matt McCarthy, Francis J. Murphy Jr., Mackenzie Shephard, and Hanna Hazel Talmo. We're excited to welcome this great group of new colleagues to our Massachusetts funeral service community.

05/21/2026

The Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association has announced that a 2026 Presidents’ Award has been awarded to Maggie Esposito Russell of the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home in Walpole. Melissa, pictured with MFDA President Stephen Gemelli, is a May 2026 graduate of the Funeral Service Program at Cape Cod Community College who “embodies the essence of quiet dignity, humility, and dedication … (and) is an excellent student who dedicates herself to not only her studies, but to aiding those in need of academic support as a department tutor.”

05/18/2026

Congratulations to the 13 NSCC Funeral Service Program members who were recently inducted into Pi Sigma Eta, the National Morticians Honor Society: Ian Thoms, Sam Caswell, Hanna Hazel Talmo, Phillip Nicholas Bellini, Daniel Bergendahl, Courtney Bliss-Souda, Francis Murphy, Olivia Alex, Marialy Elsa Alvarado, Caroline Lee Burlamachi, Caroline Foley, Jeffrey Newell, and MacKenzie Jesse Shepard.

05/18/2026

MFDA First Vice President Gary Toye of Stanetsky Memorial Chapel recently facilitated a Resume Writing and Interview Preparation Workshop at Cape Cod Community College, alongside his colleague Michael McCormack of Richardson-Gaffey Funeral Home. They covered essential topics such as how to prepare for an interview, how to present yourself professionally, and the types of questions candidates can expect from prospective funeral home employers.

05/18/2026

The Funeral Service Program at Cape Cod Community College held its pinning ceremony for its graduates last week on the Bridgewater State University campus. Class of 2026 graduates are Patricia Alzaibak, Jovan Benjamin, Kira Blacquiere, Caprice Boyd, Michael Bradley, Roy Chapman, Ayiana Colin, Stephanie Dobrev, Caitlyn Dubay-Martin, Joe Emanuello, Luke English, Maggie Esposito Russell, Felicia Ferreira, Simone Fournier, Lena Marie Gangemi, Lee Gendron, Kelsey Gordon, Quentin Harris, Alex Kaeser, Gina Lopes, Molly McGuigan, Sara Meadows, McKenzie Monroe, Austin Morreale, Sophia-Millicent Peirce-Cabral, Isabel Perry, Ethan Quinn, Annie Scanlan, Meghan Smith, Jennifer Sonnabend, Alyssa Thibault, and Chasina Towne. We're excited to welcome this great group of new colleagues to our Massachusetts funeral service community.

05/05/2026

May is Military Appreciation Month — a time to honor the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of the men and women who have served and continue to serve in our Armed Forces. We are grateful to those in uniform, and to the families who stand beside them. Your bravery and selflessness help protect the freedoms we all enjoy.

This month, we proudly honor the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our nation. From the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, and United States Space Force—your dedication, sacrifice, and commitment to protecting our freedoms do not go unnoticed.

We also recognize the families who stand beside them, sharing in the sacrifices and supporting our service members every step of the way.

Today and every day, we thank you for your service, your courage, and your unwavering commitment to our country.

❤️🤍💙 Thank you. We appreciate you. 💙🤍❤️

04/28/2026

Cape Cod Community College seeks a full-time Funeral Service Instructor to teach in-person from the Bridgewater Campus through hyflex technology (students in-person and via Zoom simultaneously). Classes will be offered during the spring semester on weekdays at various times, including day and evening options. Learn more about the position, its duties and qualifications, and CCCC, visit https://capecod.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=194632

04/27/2026

The Children's Room is offering Parenting While Grieving, a free, five-week group series for adults parenting children or teens (ages 3½-18) after the death of a sibling or parent. The series is offered Tuesdays 6 to 8 p.m. (sibling loss) and Wednesdays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (parent loss) beginning the first week of May. Both groups are on Zoom. Led by The Children's Room clinical staff, the group offers space to learn practical parenting strategies while navigating grief and to connect with other caregivers who understand this experience.
Click below or scan the QR code in the first comment to complete an interest form
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSp9sjxq1Ov15JkN3y3SxyQNxYRRO0JDpsGDwqKJTPbte5vg/viewform

Parenting While Grieving is a free five-week group series for adults who are parenting a child or teen (ages 3 ½ - 18) after the death of a sibling. To help ensure this program is a good fit and to best support your family, we start with an intake before registration. After completing this interest...