Bob Burkhardt
1952-09-19 2011-01-19
Robert Brian Burkhardt, the funeral director who wrote the Your Funeral Guy blog, died after a heart attack on January 19, 2011. He was 58 years old.
Burkhardt was born September 19, 1952 in Berwyn, Illinois and grew up in Elmhurst, IL. He held a degree in political science from Illinois State University. He worked for nine years as a newspaper distribution manager for the Naperville Sun.
After being laid off when the company was sold in 2000, he decided to become a funeral director and minister to families in their time of need. He obtained his mortuary associates degree from Worsham College of Mortuary Science.
His Your Funeral Guy blog challenged the practices of the funeral industry, from suppliers to funeral homes to cemeteries. He started the blog in November 2007 and his last posting was January 17, 2011.
Burkhardt also wrote Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral. The book, released in 2008, reveals hidden tricks and costs charged by funeral directors and guarantees to lower the cost and stress of any funeral.
He was quoted in stories by The New York Times, Newsweek, Dow Jones Newswires, Fox News, MSN.com Money Central, and other news outlets.
In a sad irony, while he was a crusader for funeral consumers, he left his family totally unprepared – no life insurance, no wishes to follow, no computer passwords on file.
“I can’t believe Bob didn’t tell me a thing,” observed Mary Burkhardt. “It would have helped me to have information. I had no wishes to follow.” The family was left financially destitute, with no money for funeral services or an obituary in the newspaper.
He and his wife Mary have two daughters, Alexandra and Sarah.
https://agoodgoodbye.com/notable-obituaries/remembering-robert-burkhardt
Burkhardt was born September 19, 1952 in Berwyn, Illinois and grew up in Elmhurst, IL. He held a degree in political science from Illinois State University. He worked for nine years as a newspaper distribution manager for the Naperville Sun.
After being laid off when the company was sold in 2000, he decided to become a funeral director and minister to families in their time of need. He obtained his mortuary associates degree from Worsham College of Mortuary Science.
His Your Funeral Guy blog challenged the practices of the funeral industry, from suppliers to funeral homes to cemeteries. He started the blog in November 2007 and his last posting was January 17, 2011.
Burkhardt also wrote Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral. The book, released in 2008, reveals hidden tricks and costs charged by funeral directors and guarantees to lower the cost and stress of any funeral.
He was quoted in stories by The New York Times, Newsweek, Dow Jones Newswires, Fox News, MSN.com Money Central, and other news outlets.
In a sad irony, while he was a crusader for funeral consumers, he left his family totally unprepared – no life insurance, no wishes to follow, no computer passwords on file.
“I can’t believe Bob didn’t tell me a thing,” observed Mary Burkhardt. “It would have helped me to have information. I had no wishes to follow.” The family was left financially destitute, with no money for funeral services or an obituary in the newspaper.
He and his wife Mary have two daughters, Alexandra and Sarah.
https://agoodgoodbye.com/notable-obituaries/remembering-robert-burkhardt