Mobility Resource Associates News

Thought-Provoking Exhibit Reflects on American Funeral Customs

ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich., June 19 PRNewswire — The Museum of Funeral Customs in Springfield, IL, takes to the road this month with its educational mobile exhibit: Reflections: The American Funeral. In collaboration with Mobility Resource Associates, the museum will showcase some of its unique collection of funeral objects in a state-of-the-art double-expandable exhibit trailer.

From the cross-country funeral procession for Abraham Lincoln to the national outpouring of grief for Elvis Presley, America has a rich history of mourning the dead. Reflections: The American Funeral explores these traditions, beginning with Native American burial mounds and ending with the diverse rituals practiced across the country today. A special international section showcases the spectrum of practices from the ancient Egyptians to modern burials for kings, popes and princesses. An extraordinary replica of King Tutankhamen's sarcophagus is of special interest.

"We created this mobile experience to communicate the valuable role of funeral professionals and their commitment to provide for the needs of the families during times of sorrow," says Harry Kurtz, President of MRA. "There are intriguing stories of funeral practices throughout the centuries and this exhibit will educate people on those stories and enable them to connect to the universal human experience of death."

Despite changes in funeral customs over the years, the intrinsic value of a funeral for the living remains. Reflections seeks to reinforce this truth, serving as a reminder that the purpose of funerals extends far beyond caring for remains. The typical American funeral today differs from a few years prior, giving rise to more cremations and even on-line obituaries. But one thing remains unchanged, says funeral director and acclaimed author Thomas Lynch: "A good funeral gets the dead where they need to go and the living where they need to be."

"Death touches all living beings, and grieving humans throughout time have ritualized death as a natural response during the mourning process," says Jon Austin, Executive Director of the Museum of Funeral Customs. "This exhibit showcases and interprets funeral objects, rituals, and customs and their effect on global society."

The tour is dedicated to thousands of individuals, from funeral directors and EMS workers to florists and gravediggers, the countless quiet heroes who go to work every day and help carry the burden of other people's grief.

Exhibit sponsors include Legacy.com - the leader in the online memorial and obituary market in partnership with over 650 U.S., UK and Canadian newspapers - and Kates-Boylston Publications, the parent company of American Funeral Director magazine, a leading independent trade magazine for funeral directors and other funeral service professionals. Kates-Boylston Publications has been helping funeral professionals succeed and serve for over 130 years.

Reflections: The American Funeral will debut at the Illinois Funeral Directors Association annual meeting in Chicago on June 24th. Additional sponsorship and appearance inquires are welcome and can be submitted to Frank Lorbach at FrankL@goMRA.com.

ABOUT MUSEUM OF FUNERAL CUSTOMS

The Museum of Funeral Customs provides the public with a deeper understanding of the history of American funeral and mourning customs, funerary art, and practice; fosters an appreciation of history within the funeral profession; and encourages further study of the subject. Visit www.FuneralMuseum.org .

ABOUT LEGACY.COM

Founded in 1998, Legacy.com ( www.legacy.com ) is an innovative online media company that collaborates with more than 650 newspapers in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to provide ways for readers to express condolences and share remembrances of loved ones. As the leader in the online memorial and obituary market, Legacy.com is visited by more than 12 million users each month. A privately held company whose investors include the Tribune Company, Legacy.com is headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Evanston. Learn more about Legacy.com by visiting http://www.AboutLegacy.com . Legacy.com: where life stories live on.

ABOUT AMERICAN FUNERAL DIRECTOR MAGAZINE

In its 130th year of publication, American Funeral Director magazine features content pertaining to cremation, preneed, funeral business topics, professional vehicles, computers/software, insurance, funeral service history, business tips/tools and other content of specific interest to those working inside and allied to the profession. It is published by Kates-Boylston Publications, publisher of Funerals of the Famous.

ABOUT MRA

Mobility Resource Associates, headquartered in St. Clair Shores, MI, is a marketing resource organization specializing in custom mobile tour vehicle sales and leasing, tour equipment and logistics management. For over 15 years, MRA has provided planning, implementation, logistics and tour management for the mobile marketing and exhibiting objectives of museums and many Fortune 1000 firms in association with leading agencies and exhibit builders worldwide. Contact MRA at 1 (800) 676-3520 or visit www.goMRA.com .

SOURCE Mobility Resource Associates

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