McKenzie Mortuary Services

08/25/2022

Most of you know that I started in this field when I was 18. I never wanted to do anything else and I know this career found me in many ways.

When you start out in this field you must serve an apprenticeship. During these two years, you work under a licensed embalmer, then attend an embalming school, and then pass the embalmers exams. When I was in school, there were no classes or schooling to be a funeral director; only to become an embalmer.

The word funeral director is a very old term for a person in the mortuary business and it’s still used today. However, a true funeral director must have background schooling and then take and pass the state board exam to be a funeral director. No matter what area you are in the field, you are usually referred to as a funeral director; confusing I know.

The first family I met with was by accident, everyone had left, and I was alone in a mortuary I once worked years ago. A woman came to the door, flung It open, and said “my mother just died!” I was so scared, but I quickly realized so was she, so something just took over in me and I navigated her through things. Before you knew it, we had every detail completed from the casket to the colors of flowers, the date and times of the viewing, mass, and burial. When my boss finally returned, I had gone to St Mary’s to pick up the deceased and was embalming her. When he returned and asked, “Where did the case come from?” “When will the family be in?” “What’s the name?”, I told him I had met with the family, picked up the deceased myself, and the family was pleased that all services are planned, and all details are completed. He went and checked, and to his surprise, there was nothing left undone. On the day of the deceased woman’s burial, the daughter asked me if I would please come to her house for the reception. I agreed and while sitting on the front porch swing with her talking, she asked “How long have you been doing this? You look rather young.” I decided to tell her the truth and shared “You are the first family I ever met with and arranged it all.” She laughed and said, “I had no idea.” Now to this day, nearing forty years later, you will find me on Christmas Day, sitting on the front porch on her swing talking and laughing.

05/17/2022

The LA Times article was picked up by Spectrum News 1. Check out the video about how Full Body Burials in the Ocean are Gaining Popularity.

More people are getting buried at sea, rather than cremation

04/19/2022

We feel very honored to have been featured on the front page of yesterday's LA Times newspaper. Here is the digital article if you missed it!

Southern California boat captains say they have never been busier burying people at sea.

04/01/2022

As many as you know, I recently bought Armstrong Mortuary in Los Angeles, remodeled, and looks great. While we were painting, I noticed a small hole. I investigated the hole and saw about a 3-foot area and a door. I pulled off the drywall and walked into the small space and there behind the door was a very old black safe, much that looked like the one on the Titanic. I slowly opened the door wondering what discoveries I would find. The door creaked open and even though I have cared for over 27,000 souls, I was a bit spooked. Nothing was in the safe but WHY would they wall off a closet with a safe in it? Any ideas?

03/11/2022

I purchased the old Armstrong Mortuary at 931 Venice Blvd that cared for Robert Kennedy. I have spent the last 100 days up here in Los Angeles, we refurbished and updated the old red carpet and green walls to tile and waterfalls and granite features. We will have an open house at the end of May thank you for all your support.

02/11/2022

Last year, from January 2021 to March 2021, I should have cared for about 200 deaths. We cared for over 700. I was featured on CBS World News sharing the words the news was not sharing. The media shared that the bed count was way down last year during these months. Well, the count was going down because people were leaving the hospitals in body bags, and even then, 1/2 of those deaths couldn’t even leave the hospital deceased as 99% of funeral homes across Southern California were overcapacity. We had trailer refrigerators in our parking lots. It truly looked like a war zone.

Once again, we are exactly where we were last year, same numbers and having to turn families away Funeral Homes are so backed up; when I get a call, the words I hear, “are you able to take someone?”

11/05/2021

I have been asked one particular question over and over. I’m asked when I have death within my own circle or dear friend or family, is it easier to deal with it since I’m around death every day?

I find it harder to deal with losing personal deaths. I seem to break down heavier than I would be anticipating. Perhaps because I must keep the emotions of each day’s work at bay. I have a release when I lose someone personally.

I can tell you it makes a funeral director a better funeral director when we have a loss, it reminds us how raw people are that come to us needing help.

10/15/2021

Today I signed the final documents to purchase a Mortuary in Los Angeles. When I started McKenzie Mortuary, I was 24 and started it from nothing. It has grown to employ 14 people and continues to grow with the support of Long Beach and the surrounding areas. I am very excited and yet a bit scared of taking on another funeral home. My true love is meeting with grieving families, more of my calling. Please look for further communication on our new location: Armstrong Garcia & McKenzie.

09/24/2021

“64 years and I still think he is cute!”

This week I met a fun, energetic woman that lost her husband. She gave off such positive energy, even with a mask on I could still feel her smile.

I love asking people, “where did you meet?”

Seems she spotted this “cute guy” and she just decided to follow him into any classroom he was going to and plotted herself down in the desk next to him. I asked, “what class was it?”. She shrugged her shoulders and said, “IDK, he was too cute to worry about such details, and he is still the cutest boy I ever saw.”

08/27/2021

People often ask me my opinion of what songs would be appropriate to play at a funeral. It really has so much to do with the uniqueness of a person. What they believed in, how they shared their life, and what they left behind. For me, the song “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash sums up what I feel happens after death. “You can see clearly“, “the pain is gone”, “no obstacles in your way”. Listen to that song and picture your life and the end of your life, it always makes me smile.

08/20/2021

This week we arranged a casketed burial at sea for a family I have cared for many times over the years.

Most people think a person is cremated when buried at sea. A person can be buried in a casket and placed into the ocean if you are within federal waters, about 15 miles out at sea. The metal casket has 22 2” holes drilled in it, concrete weights are placed strategically in areas of the casket, the deceased is placed within the casket, and then metal banding is required around the entire casket. I also take an additional step and have the casket lids welded shut. The proper placement of the concrete weights is very important. When the casket slides off the custom deck of the boat the casket will hover on top of the water for a few seconds as water enters the casket from the bottom. Once the casket brings on enough water it slips into the sea, and the flowers on top of the casket will float directly where the casket was laid to rest. This type of burial at sea creates life. The casket will become a coral reef and start new life. It’s much like sinking an old, retired ship. The ship goes back to nature and doing so creates a new ecosystem.

The family of the deceased can be with is us during the casket placement. The casket is on a smaller vessel, and the family hovers next to the casket on a larger yacht having the service and celebration.

In loving memory of
Lois Irene Woodburn

This is the type of disposition I have chosen for myself and placed those wishes in writing to ensure it will happen.

08/13/2021

This past week my first book was re-released with a new cover and a completely new look.

What an amazing feeling to have an idea in your head about a book and to walk into a Barnes and Nobel and see your idea sitting on a table front and center.

This book, “Over Our Dead Bodies”, is a collection of the sweet, quirky, and downright odd stories behind the scenes at a funeral.

The book was written by Todd Harra and myself, Kenneth McKenzie.

I met Todd when I introduced him as one of the cover models on our fundraiser, a calendar called “The Men of Mortuaries” released in 2008.