Halloween can be a time for me to have some fun with some of the skills I have acquired over the years working as a funeral director. One of the many hats worn by funeral directors and embalmers is what is called restorative art and cosmetics. We use these skills all the time to make the deceased look peaceful and natural. Death has a negative effect on skin tone as well as blemishes, and dis-figuration from disease or accidents. Learning these skills is part of our education in a college curriculum called mortuary science. The real learning goes on over the course of our careers and if you’re lucky you get to work alongside of a funeral director experienced in such an art. It can be very rewarding to be able to give survivors a chance to view and say goodbye when without your skills it would not be pleasant or possible at all.
So back to Halloween and a time to bring my skills to the dark side. No! I don’t dig up bodies to practice my craft. I don’t embalm road kill for lawn decorations either! But when the kids need face painting it’s time for me to shine. Peaceful , huh! Ten years younger, noooo. That’s not what they want is it. I always joke with them that I need them to lay on their backs and stay very still. This Halloween I began to wonder about how many other funeral directors have been called upon when it come to fun cosmetics. I’m sure I’m not unique . My two girls are getting older now 11 &13. My oldest, Jena told me she would do her own face this year, she did a great job! for the school dance last week. But today she asked me, when she saw a really creepy mouth on the internet. We got up early so she could be painted for school. It’s the first picture below.
Here are some of the faces we have done
