When people ask what you do for a living, most of the time the response is straightforward. For Funeral Directors, sometimes it's difficult to know what to say. It may invoke a period of silence followed by, “It takes a special kind of person to do that.” Or, like for my colleague Halle Ball, it may invoke a series of rapid-fire questions.

Funeral Service is not a common career path, and it is certainly not something most people consider. For Halle, it ended up being a deeply meaningful calling.

Grief and Compassion

We sat down recently over some soda from the SodaMill to talk about our individual journeys. How she went from being a little indecisive about her career path to fully dedicating herself to a profession of compassion and support. Sharing that her path was carved through the experience of something universal: grief.

"One of the biggest reasons is, you know, when you've experienced grief yourself, you kind of know how people feel. You know what it does to a person. I wanted to be a person who could help people out the same way that me and my family were helped out in those hard times. I think that’s super important”

One question I hear a lot is, “When does grief end?” Personally, I don't believe it does. We learn to walk beside it, to let it help us define who we are without letting it control us. For Halle, walking that path is personal and it has paved the trail she now walks. Emphasizing that her own experience has allowed her to step into a role of being a vital resource for grieving families.

“I feel like the funeral profession in general is always a really good resource for people. Mentally when you’re grieving, you’re not fully present. When you have that resource, it’s really, really good. I wanted to be a person who could help people out… I think that’s super important and not talked about enough.”

 Why Funeral Service? 

Halle notes this career wasn’t a childhood dream for her, but more of a decision that came into focus only after considering other options. We all hit a point in our life where we have to decide on a career we commit ourselves to–and for Halle some of the alternatives seemed daunting. 

“I started thinking about it because for the longest time I wasn’t really looking for a career. There were a few other careers that I kind of wanted to do, but it was a lot of school, more than I probably could have managed. When my mom actually mentioned funeral work, it wasn’t something that I thought about and was like ‘No, I can’t do that.’ With this I actually thought I could. The schooling isn’t too bad either. I’m actually really enjoying the school and I find the more I work, the more I enjoy the school.” 

Much like many of us, all Halle really needed was a little encouragement to truly commit herself to the profession. 

“I can be quite indecisive sometimes, and so my family actually pushed me towards it. I’m really glad they did, it was a good push, because now I’m very, very glad I did. I keep thinking why I didn’t start doing this earlier.” 

Christensen Salmon Generations Funeral Home: A Place of Comfort 

After deciding to begin her career in funeral service, Halle chose a great place to begin. Commenting on how working in a family-run funeral home environment, where staff are well-treated, makes all the difference. 

“It’s awesome. I really like Generations. The people are great, I’m treated great.” 

Halle mentions how working in the smaller, more intimate setting of a family-run funeral home is important to her. However there’s another layer of comfort she has that’s tied to her faith. 

“I’m LDS, and Generations is an LDS funeral home, and I like that aspect of it, too. It’s the familiarity.” 

Spirituality as an Anchor 

For Halle, connection to her faith isn’t just about the environment she works in. But more of an anchor to her perspective on death. For many, spirituality may be a source of motivation, but it can also help serve as an anchor for the families Halle serves. 

“My spirituality means a lot. I think without it, I don’t know what I’d be doing right now. It’s brought a lot of comfort in my life, especially with the losses I’ve had. When you have the belief that somebody’s not fully gone, it brings you a little bit of sanity and comfort.” 

Belief can make all the difference in people’s lives. For those that believe in ‘complete nothingness’ after death, the experience of a loss can be terrifying. 

“It’s hard for me to fathom there being nothingness afterwards. That actually scares me even more. I believe that because I do fully believe in an afterlife it makes me not scared. I’m completely at peace with death.” 

That peace is something Halle feels she can pass on to the families she serves, especially those within her spiritual community, helping to create a sense of shared understanding and reduced stress during what can be such a devastating time for many. 

The Hardest Challenges and the Greatest Rewards 

Every job comes with its fair share of challenges, and the funeral service profession is no exception to that rule. Halle notes her biggest challenge has been juggling the demands of school, work, and her personal life alongside learning the skill of handling arrangements. 

“I will admit, with talking to families and making arrangements, I feel like I am struggling with that. I just feel I’m not really catching on in the way that I’d want. I think it’s just nervousness because it’s like, I get nervous and all of a sudden, everything I know just leaves my brain.” 

The challenges of the profession, however, always seemed to be outweighed by the profound rewards it comes with. There are moments of gratification, moments of triumph, and moments of relief. Halle says these moments often come when she receives acknowledgement for hard work. 

“It’s the most gratifying thing when you work hard on something and then someone says something about it. Like, ‘Hey, I see what you did there, good job.’ That makes you feel good.” 

It’s a deep honour to be able to care for the passing of loved members of our community, and that honour is even more profound when all the work you’ve put into it gets recognized. 

Looking Ahead to the Future 

Halle’s vision for the future is clear and grounded. She wants to complete her education, become fully licensed, and continue to find happiness in her work. 

“I’d like to graduate and pass school, first of all. I would like to stay at Generations as well. In an ideal world I just want to be licensed, have a place to work, and to just be 

happy. Being happy where you’re at is important. I’m happy to go to work everyday and I would like that to continue.” 

Where some may see the profession as a ‘two-year stepping stone’. Halle sees it more as a foundation for a purpose she has found within herself. I like to see it as a reminder that the most rewarding careers are not the ones we choose for praise or status–but the ones that align with our deepest values. It’s at that point they stop being “just a job.” Funeral service isn’t just about death, but about providing comfort, finding peace, and serving the living.