It’s hard to think of something Leili McMurrough hasn’t done. She’s a licensed funeral director, embalmer, attorney, Worsham College of Mortuary Science president and program director and co-owner of McMurrough Funeral Chapel in Libertyville, Illinois, with her husband, Brian. She also serves as chair of the Committee on Accreditation for the American Board of Funeral Service Education and as a Funeral Service Foundation trustee and assisted with the item writing for the National Board Exam. She actively engages in training and continuing education presentations for national, regional and state funeral service associations. Leili is the mother of two daughters, and in her spare time, is pursuing her Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins.

Could there be any question why Leili was selected as the National Funeral Directors Association’s 2024 Inspiration Award winner?

When McMurrough enrolled in Lehigh University, she was bent on a law career, double majoring in political science and philosophy. She was laser-focused on school, the first step in becoming an attorney. It was during her time at Lehigh that she met the man who, eight years later, would become her husband. Brian was a mechanical engineering major and equally focused on his chosen career. 

When the two began dating, she didn’t know that his father was a funeral director or that his parents owned a funeral home in Illinois. When Brian’s parents reached out to let him know that they were thinking about retiring and selling the family-owned funeral home, Brian had not considered becoming a third-generation funeral director, but wanted to explore his options, and Leili wasn’t far behind. Their path to funeral service, while unexpected, has been life-changing.

In moving to Libertyville, the plan was for the couple to work full time at the funeral home, learn the ropes and later take over ownership of the firm. And that did happen … with another twist. Leili loved teaching and reached out to the Worsham College of Mortuary Science, located about 15 minutes from McMurrough Funeral Chapel. “There weren’t any adjunct positions available, but they hired me anyway  — without a job title or description!” McMurrough recalled. “That might sound daunting, but in reality, it was an incredible opportunity. With no set role, I had the freedom to observe, learn and identify areas for improvement.”

As McMurrough began to take on more administrative tasks, she was presented with an intriguing offer: The school’s owners were looking to retire … Would McMurrough be interested in buying Worsham? “To me, buying a college was like buying a zoo … I didn’t know you could do that,” Leili laughed. “Owning a school was just like when I first started in funeral service; I didn’t know what I was getting into.” The unknown, though, didn’t deter her. In June 2016, she officially became program director, president (and owner) of Worsham College of Mortuary Science.

Leili’s path to leadership has been a process, one that’s grown alongside her understanding of what leadership really means. “With leadership comes responsibility — not just to myself, but to the institution, our students and the profession as a whole,” she said. “That’s a responsibility I’ve always taken seriously, and it’s shaped how I approach my role every day.” She describes herself as a practical leader, equal parts strategist and problem-solver, with a good dose of humor.

Pursuing a Ph.D. came two years ago for a simple reason: Leili wanted new ideas.

“I felt funeral service, in particular, we weren’t necessarily getting new ideas and new people,” she explained. “I am that type of person who just can’t wait for something to happen; I’m going to do it myself. So, I looked at entrepreneurial education as a way to reimagine curriculum and reimagine the pathways to licensure. The pendulum on education is changing, and you want to be in front of it rather than sitting there waiting.”