Edwards Funeral Home to introduce new Funeral Director at May's Business After Hours
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Steve Edwards
Daniel Dahl began his duties, in late March, as funeral director for the Edwards Funeral Home in Chinook. Dahl, his wife and three children recently moved to Chinook from Wasilla, Alaska, where Daniel managed several funeral homes. Cherie Edwards, who owns the facility, said she would still be involved in the business and is counting on Daniel to "continue the 44-year legacy started by Marvin (Edwards)." Edwards Funeral Home is hosting May's Business After Hours on Thursday, May 4.
Edwards Funeral Home will be hosting the next Business After Hours set for Thursday, May 6. Business After Hours provides an opportunity for a business to showcase its services and products in a more relaxed atmosphere, after hours. Daniel Dahl, the new funeral director at the local mortuary, will be on hand to greet guests, provide tours of the funeral home and share information about funeral planning and the services offered by Edwards Funeral Home. The event will run from 6-8 pm and is open to the public. There will be refreshments.
Cherie Edwards, owner of the funeral home, said, "I'm thrilled to have Daniel as our new director. I believe he will help continue the nearly 44-year legacy that Marvin (Edwards) began and maintained. Daniel seems very committed to continuing our tradition of local ownership and involvement in the community." As a local business the funeral home dates back well into the 1920's. Herman Kuper built the present facility in 1937, moving the business from a storefront facility downtown.
Daniel Dahl joins Edwards Funeral Home
Daniel Dahl, and his family, moved to the Chinook area at the end of March from Wasilla, Alaska. (alert readers may recognize Wasilla as the hometown of Sarah Palin. Dahl said he didn't really know her as Wasilla is about the same size as Great Falls). He explained why he came to Edwards Funeral Home, "For some time I've wanted to have my own funeral home. We began looking for opportunities and learned about the facility in Chinook." Dahl added, "I am employed as the funeral director with an eye toward purchasing the funeral home at some point in time."
One of the things that attracted Dahl to Montana was "Cherie Edwards' desire to eventually sell to an individual rather than a large corporate conglomerate." He explained there is a lot of consolidation among funeral homes as individual owners sell to large companies. Dahl's experience, in Alaska, was managing several former individually-owned funeral homes that were then purchased by one company.
Asked about how he got started in the funeral business, Dahl smiled and said, "I had been on a mission for my church and was back home in Wasilla. I was helping a couple of new missionaries in our area and we met a lady who owned a nursing home. She realized I was looking for work and offered me a job of 'picking up dead bodies.'" He said he was taken aback because he'd never thought about working in a funeral home. Long story short, he took the job found his niche.
In 2012, after several years working at a funeral home, he became a licensed funeral director. He explained, "Each state has a different set of requirements to be licensed. Alaska requires 30 hours of college work and a passing score on the National Board Exam-an exam produced by a non-profit industry group used by most states. During this period Dahl was enrolled in a mortuary science program through a college in Denver.
He said, "Arapahoe Community College, in Denver, offers a two-year degree in mortuary science. The program had a rigorous admission requirement and about half the students were like me, already working in the industry. I would study the academics online from home, then travel from Wasilla to Denver, twice each semester, to do the lab and skills requirements." He completed the program in 2014 , earning an Associates of Applied Science in Mortuary Science. Because Alaska and Montana have reciprocity regarding licensed funeral directors, Dahl's license was recognized by Montana. He said, "I had to successfully complete a test on Montana's laws regarding funeral homes and received my Montana license.
A new future in north central Montana
Dahl said he is looking forward to learning about and getting involved in his new community. He noted, "With eight years of successful practice I'm confident in this new role in a new place. I've always wanted to be the best funeral director I could be." He added that he feels one of the big challenges to a funeral director is to balance the business needs of a facility with the emotional needs of the families being served. He said, "I feel like my experience has brought me to a place where I can achieve the necessary balance."
As to his goals for his position with Edwards Funeral Home, Dahl said, "I want to provide a locally-based service to the community and create an income to support my family. I believe we can make an impact wherever we are, but a small community provides an opportunity to more easily measure the impact we make. My family and I are looking forward to being a part of this community." He and his wife, Kadie, have three children: Boone, Rutlege and Alice. Boone, the oldest, will start kindergarten this fall. The Dahl family is residing in the house, just south of the mortuary, that is a part of the funeral home's property.
The "Journal" welcomes the Dahls to the community and wishes them the best in their new endeavors in a new place. Be sure to come by the Business After Hours to meet the Dahls.
