My name is Cori Lou. I have been in the funeral industry for ten years now as a licensed director and embalmer, have recently opened my own small funeral business, and I specialize in cosmetic restoration of trauma cases. In other words, I restore a natural appearance to people who have died in disfiguring ways. I attended Mt. Hood Community College’s Funeral Service Education program while concurrently earning my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Oregon State University. Prior to working in funeral service I was a mental health counselor and social worker, and you can occasionally find me volunteering for organizations such as hospice centers and the Special Olympics.

This blog and site exist as a way for me to write and organize that which is meaningful to me. I love what I do and I love sharing it with others. I have no unique perspectives and no shattering revelations. This is not a daring expose. I do not promise entertainment. It’s just a place for me to say what I need to say. I firmly believe any funeral service professional needs an outlet for what we deal with on a daily basis. This is mine. I choose to make it public so I can do my part in demystifying death and my profession.

I have a gift in that I can comfortably sit with strangers and discuss horribly uncomfortable things. My greatest hope is that one day, you can too; that someday it will be normal for your funeral plans to be dinnertime conversation. Funeral rituals are ancient and have existed since early man, and I would like to see institutions move further away from what should remain a sacred family rite. Much of what I discuss here will be of my journey helping the recently bereaved take the initiative and celebrate their loved ones’ lives in more personalized, meaningful ways.

I have provided contact information and I welcome all questions and comments, and will do my best to personally respond. If you have a funeral or grief story you feel needs to be heard, I welcome your contributions and suggestions as well.

If you have experienced a recent loss or you need assistance planning a funeral for yourself or a family member, I encourage you to contact your state’s funeral and cemetery board or funeral professional association. I can assist you with locating this information; however, I cannot advise you on funeral, cemetery and life insurance laws for every state.

Thank you for reading. I can be contacted at cori@corilou.com