2025 Pub. 4 Issue 4

Thank you to our 2025 MFDA members, including member firms, individual members and lifetime members! Don’t forget to renew your membership for 2026 if you haven’t already done so. Please scan the QR code to access our membership application forms.

2025 MFDA Associate Members

The State Board of Funeral Service held its last quarterly meeting of the year in Helena on Nov. 5, 2025. All board members were present, except for the public member whose appointment is still pending. I have contacted the governor’s office to inquire as to when the appointment might happen, but as of yet we have received no response.

Scams are on the rise nationwide, but what is Montana doing to prevent them? The Office of the Montana State Auditor, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI), is leading statewide efforts to protect consumers from financial fraud, scams and deceptive investment practices. Under the leadership of Commissioner James Brown, CSI has strengthened its public awareness campaigns, coordinated with local organizations and developed targeted outreach to safeguard Montanans, particularly the state’s senior population, who are most at risk of exploitation.

For more than 100 years, Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service has been serving the Gallatin Valley. And if walls could talk, the history would come pouring out. There are death records dating back to the late 1800s, and records of families who lost multiple loved ones to the Spanish Flu in the early 1900s.

Above: Tyson and Kim Moore, Rick Evans and Vanessa Shook enjoy the Sky Deck at the Willis Tower during the Chicago tour. Representatives from Garden City Funeral Home enjoy the NFDA Chicago tour. MFDA members enjoyed a family-style dinner together at the Coach House. MFDA Dinner at Mia Francesca in Chicago Dinner attendees included MFDA

Mary “M’Lis” Eaton Dahl came into this world singing on June 12, 1928, in Buffalo, New York. Her parents were Margaret “Orien” and Frank Eaton.

The position of the mouth is arguably the single greatest source of complaints regarding the appearance of the deceased. “The lips don’t look right.” “The mouth is too wide.” “He looks angry.” “My dad never wore lipstick.” All of these comments are familiar to us. Let’s break down the causes of some of these problems.

As more employees use social media as major communication tools, employers must know what they can and can’t do when it comes to disciplining or even terminating employees for their social media use. Employees going to social media to share their personal opinions on topics such as the assassination of Charlie Kirk has some employers wondering where the “line” is and how they can respond to protect the good name and reputation of their company.

As we wrap up another year, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to serve alongside you at the Montana Funeral Directors Association (MFDA). It has been an honor to work with MFDA for over eight years, and I am proud to hold the position of executive director. On behalf of the families you support throughout Montana, please accept our heartfelt appreciation for your unwavering dedication and service to the communities you serve.