The Adventures of an American Mortician at a British Funeral 

THANK YOU Kari for showing us how it's done in the U.K. It's wonderful to see a Funeral home show such deep respect for the deceased and their Family. This is how it should be, and shows even more what we are lacking here in the U.S. (specificly in my area). It's obvious the horror that occurred during my Dads funeral in Denton Texas would have never happened there. It looks like they wouldn't have ever risked the life of a Family member and the safety of the deceased in the hearse as the funeral home did with us. Laying a loved one to rest is hard, but should not be made harder with actions from the very people we pay to help us in those hard times! God bless those Men and Women who show true respect in their work. Stay safe everyone.

This makes me proud to be british ❤️ Kari, thanks so much for sharing xx

Been waiting for this video for a while. I left England when I was 21, and have been stateside ever since. What these guys do is more or less standard practice in the U.K. funeral industry. The walk with the cane and top hat is normally just from the house where the deceased lived. And the director will walk to the main road then get in the car. When my mum passed in 2018 the walk was supposed to have been from the pub car park to the main road, but a beer truck blocked that so the walk never happened. I think it is good to point out that 85% of people in the U.K. are cremated. Mums service was entirely at the crematorium. When the service was over we laid a rose on the coffin and were led out through a side door to look at the flowers. While we did this another service is ushered in to the cremation chapel. The flowers were left on stands at the crematorium. Often the ashes are not ready for a day or so as the crematorium gets so busy. I prefer the U.K. funeral service to here. I think here it all seems a bit casual, and often you have to pallbear which is just another stress to deal with. That funeral home is very wealthy. Most of the funeral homes I encountered back home were a simple shop front with maybe a tiny room out back for viewing.

I’m British (happen to work at a crematorium too) this video is a really good reflection on how we run funerals across the UK.

I'm from the UK. My mum had a lady with top hat. We lived on main road & the lady stood Infront of the hearse & walked to the next junction. They have little viewing rooms the size of a bathroom, called the chapel of rest. It was nice to see the staff bow to my mum's coffin with respect. It's nice to have old English traditions❤️

I'm a funeral director from England, I am working for my family business which is 103 years old! Me and my younger sister are the fifth generation and we are so proud that our family has been able to help other families within our community through which could have been the worst time of their lives throughout the last century! My Auntie (now 'the boss') and my dear grandad (now retired) both passed their embalming diplomas as well as their diplomas in funeral directing (I've got a Dip.FAA and Dip.FD). I love your videos, especially your comparison video of how things are so different from how we work to how you work in the USA. It's crazy how different our funerals/paperwork/coffins/viewings/time until the funerals are in comparison to yours! Just to update you regarding prices and regulations, funeral homes that are registered with the National Association of Funeral Directors are now legally required to put their prices online and also make sure they're visible within the funeral home. Thank you for providing such interesting videos about the differences between British and American funerals! Thoroughly enjoyed them! Thanks again and take care! You're Awesome 🙂 💕 xoxo

Excellent video! Well worth the wait! I like the tradition of bringing the deceased to the home to pick up the family and I like the traditions with the flowers. It is clear that Uden and Sons treats every deceased and family member with the utmost care, honor and reverence. A class act all the way around. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Thank you to Kari, Uden and Sons, and the family of the deceased who were kind enough to share their sacred moments with us. 🙏❤️🇬🇧

Kari, when I die, which may be sooner than I think, I desperately want to have a true Victorian funeral. The Horse-Drawn Hearse is VERY important to me. It is proving to be a VERY difficult process. I have always wanted this, and my mother raised me in the old world style and I learned funeral etiquette. No one here in the USA (especially WA where I live) seems to know or care about. I can only hope my sons and husband will find me a way to have my final ride by horse and a real, Victorian funeral. Thank you for posting this! You are a blessing and God will reward all of you, both US & UK

We are very traditional here in Britain! So glad you had a great experience 🇬🇧❤️ xxx

It’s quite a British tradition (in the Midlands at least) to also have family carry the coffin on their shoulders into & out of church. They also allow family to do the hand lowering at burial. My husband is 39 and has already done this 3 times for close family members.

They're so meticulous! Its beautiful!

I like the funerals here in the UK they are done with such class and dignity xoxoxo

Very much enjoyed the seeing the traditions .

Makes me proud to be British, how smart are they

By far, the hardest funeral I have ever attended, was my 63 year old father’s funeral, in March this year. My dad passed of Covid, in February. I was extremely disappointed with the funeral directors who handled my dad’s funeral. They lacked the ability to handle a blended family correctly. I could not view my dad, as he passed of Covid, but I did attend the funeral directors the day before his funeral. Firstly to ask to have 2 letters placed in his coffin (before they sealed his coffin). I presume they did that. I explained my situation with the director surrounding my stepmother, I explained I am the eldest child, and my daughter was his eldest grandchild and I asked them to treat us as such, and that we were to be treated in the same way as my stepmother. I also informed them that they were going to receive a spray of roses which we wanted to make sure were placed on his coffin. The day of the funeral, we were stopped from going in as ‘family’. When they brought my father in, the funeral directors left the flowers that my brother and I had purchased, in the hearse (everyone else’s flowers were on his coffin). It was horrendous and heartbreaking for both myself and my daughter. The funeral director did absolutely nothing I had asked him to do.

Congrats!!! Luv the UK as I have family over there. Their customs are a bit different.....but I was always impressed with the amount of detail..time......respect and love that went into their services. So happy you got such an incredible opportunity to visit and provide us with this amazing experience with us. Thank you for your dedication and energy you put into your channel. Have a blessed Thanksgiving in this uncertain time. Blessings n Peace Robb in ST LOU!!! LOL

This is a great video. The funerals are done in a nice way from what I saw in England. I like the open glass hearses and horse and buggies. The funeral home staff dressed in morning coats and top hats is a nice touch. The only time I have seen caskets placed directly on the shoulders of pallbearers without touching the handles was in Montreal. It was a military honor guard that were pallbearers.

How absolutely classy and so respectful. So respectful. The deceased was treated with the utmost dignity and care. Thank you Uden and Sons and thank you Kari for a glimpse into the traditional English funeral.

Such a show of respect

I’ve always been so interested in the way the U.S do funerals and everything that goes with it e.g, embalming, viewing etc. it was nice to see you come to England! 🇬🇧

This was so GOOD! I got chills watching their craftsmanship. Stunning. Thank you for sharing.

Great to hear your views on the funeral industry here in England. It would be interesting to hear the views of an English funeral director on how things compare in the USA. Looked like Kari enjoyed the beer here too!

Thank you for sharing this Kari! The gravesites are beautiful! And the level of reverence they display toward the deceased and the family is so impressive! Is it true that the British are appalled by our traditions of wakes and open caskets?

Amazing video!!! Very interesting that there is no vault and for the most part no embalming. It’s more about giving their lives one a beautiful send off, not about “eternal preservation” like what is popular here, which I understand wanting your loved one to remain as they were, but I like the idea of returning to the earth and allowing nature to take its course. I love your videos and the care and respect you give your families! -Jill

I don't think I have ever seen a single funeral home with so many cars for one facility. WOW!

Yes kari👌 I have waited for this. I'm so glad u love our beloved England xx

Watching the gentlemen now to the decedent pops one word into my brain: Class. How wonderfully respectful, for the person and their loved ones. Thank you to everyone on both sides of the pond involved with the experience in this video.

I'm a Brit living in the US (Salt Lake City, UT) so I found this video particularly interesting. Glad you and your family enjoyed the UK 🇬🇧 ❤ 🇺🇸

Kari, this was amazing. Thank you for sharing this. I loved visiting England. The respect they show is wonderful. You looked so cute in the hat. ❤🌹

Glad you had fun, cute picture of the girls

Thank you for sharing your experience learning about and working with a funeral director in England. I love the British and it was so interesting to learn about their customs in the funeral industry.

Love the way you say America sounds like americar. Adorable

Here in the small town where I live the flowers are left mounded on the grave. We have 2 IOOF cemeteries and several church cemeteries throughout the countryside. Of course the live plants and gifts go home with the family.

Wow. Just amazing to see all of this! With the exception of my personal preference of viewings we have here, I think it's a beautiful operation they have in place. Thank you for sharing this with us!

I would love to own a British Style funeral home. Own, not run.... I think people would love the service. I think it would be a fun startup!

Thank you for sharing this experience with all of us.

Thank you Kari. We've been waiting for this one. 👍 Very well presented. We would hope that our funeral directors, while maybe not being as formal, would still be as caring and attentive to details.

This standard of undertaking has been normal for our family in East London.

SO Beautiful.. such a gorgeous display of headstones a d flat art ones❤

A lot of love goes into their preparations!❤❤❤

I really enjoy your videos, they've got a lot of info. I'm also in Michigan.

Kari, great insight to British funerals. W Uden and sons you are very professional. I am from Australia, I think we have both some British traditional and American ideas in Australia. W Uden and sons thank you for allowing an Australian to view your very good work.

Kari, thank you so much for showing and talking to us about your trip and experience, it was so wonderful to see. I'm so happy that they reached back out, to you to talk.

Thanks Kari! Very interesting and nice finally seeing Mr. Kari. :)

When I was in high school I had thoughts of becoming a funeral director or mortician. Write a school paper on it too. Don't know how I got turned around, didn't ever pursue it. I wonder what differences it could or would have made in my life. Still fascinated by it.

So many similarities yet so many differences

visited London in Dec.2018 and was hanging out at a pub by my hotel and I saw people needing a table to eat. I was finishing so I signaled to them and offered up my table of 4 for them to sit and eat as I was alone. The people sat down with me and wouldn't have me leave on their account .I stayed there for hours talking to them and laughing so much with them and the people next to me. The guy who sat with me with his girlfriend worked for a funeral home there, i learned a lot about how they do things there and we stay in touch now via FB, i look forward to a return to London, COVID screwed up my plans for this year. On a side note Kari if i may innocently....innocently say in the most complementary way possible....you are absolutely beautiful.

The Jaguar hearse looks very similar to the custom one designed by the Queen for her funeral. I love how they lift the coffin high and bow.

Great video, seen a funeral like that when i was in England, very traditional, that picture off you with a top hat was nice :-)

Hey that was great my husband is from England and we live in North Georgia

@Kari the mortician, the last picture of you and your husband and little girls is beautiful! What a sweet little family you have 🙂

What an awesome trip.

Hi Kari it’s midnight here in Sydney but no way was I missing this

That was interesting kari, thanks!

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing this with us! 💜

Thank you soooooo much for sharing this video. It was a wonderful insight as to how other countries conduct their business. I hope you have the opportunity to travel to other countries and bring other traditions to your audience.

Great video! So informative. Your dedication to your industry shows!

That is so interesting. My son's girlfriend os from England and she loved this video. She knows of this funeral home and said it is as great as you say in the video

Thank you Kari for sharing with us. Love your videos!! You have a beautiful family.

WOW! I would absolutely love to have been there. They are awesome in the way they do everything. Personal opinion, the photo of you in the top hat leading the procession is living room portrait worthy! Great video, as always.

Your content just gets BETTER AND BETTER! CONGRADULATIONS on a great channel Ma'am!

Love this video...Udins are my local funeral directors from my home town. Loved recognising Bromley and Blackheath. You need to connect with Albins funeral directors too...they are traditional East End directors and have buried many famous and imfamous London people

This was absolutely fascinating! Thanks for sharing.

So interesting! Yes! It would be great to have some of them visit the funeral industry in America 🇺🇸. I’m sure they would enjoy the experience, as well. Thanks for sharing this!

Sorry I’m a year late to the party but I hadn’t found you yet. Glad your girls got to go. This is fascinating. Not that you don’t do this but the attention to detail is meticulous. Doubt you’ll see this old video but it’s here but it’s here for posterity l. :)

What A beautiful experience. I’m so glad you shared it, gives me a lot to think about.

This is fabulous Kari. Much the same as Ireland, especially rural Ireland. Before Covid-19 an Irish funeral and the wake was comparable to a wedding. A respectful celebration of the person’s life. Would love you to hook up with my tutor in Navan. He is extremely well known in the US, Europe and Australia and of course Ireland. He’s renowned in the embalming and reconstruction ( among other disciplines) in the deathcare industry. He’s the most down to earth man I’ve ever met. He is fascinating. Would love you to come to Ireland. You rock Kari xxx

I love the idea of a chapel at the cemetary for a final good bye. Love it.

Loved the honor love and respect shown to o the family and their loved one.

Outside of the family, others do not go and view the body at the funeral home in the UK. Some families choose to have the body at their own home the day before the funeral and people view the body then and on the day of the funeral itself. After the funeral there is generally food laid on, as often people have travelled to be there and need sustenance for the journey home. Typically this is sandwiches with the crusts cut off and loaf cakes, drinks are usually sherry, port and tea. Outside of a eulogy at the funeral which is often given by a close friend or the minister, we don't all make speeches in the style of American funerals, but we all chat at the 'wake'. If you are thinking of adopting hats as part of your funeral wear. I suggest that you try equestrian dressage suppliers for black hats with veils and top hats.

That was awesome and very interesting!

Wow. Very cool. I guess you know what you need to do now. Can't forget the cane either, that swagger was on point.

If you ever have a chance, look at some of the services from O’Dwer and Sons in Dublin , Ireland. They are absolutely incredible.

Non religious services are becoming more common over here too. My wifes younger sister and my sons best friend both had celebrants conduct their services. No doom and gloom of a church service. The celebrant spent time with family and friends learning about the deceased and literally creates a celebration of life which actually had the whole crematorium howling with laughter both times. I know I want a celebrant conducting mine when the time comes and everybody is to have a huge party instead of a doom and gloom wake.

That is so awesome the way they honor the deceased

Good Morning Kari!

This was absolutely fantastic...thank you so much for doing this!

Brilliant, Kari; thank you!

This is awesome and thank You. I’m so glad you had the opportunity, and took it, to visit. The Uden family was very gracious and I thank them too.

I find it very interesting. Although I still very much prefer our American type funerals. I'm very respectful to other traditions in other parts of the world. They seem like very lovely people.

Have you thought about showing an even more traditional funeral in England with the carriage hearse and black horses with the plumes?

They are very organized and I love this! Thanks for sharing this video very informative!🤗

I saw a video on this funeral home on RU-vid. It just popped up in my feed it was fascinating.

This was a very in formidable vlog! Nice job Kari! The actual burial of that person was interesting, and they bury deep! Noticed the Dr Who Tardis coffin towards the video end! Wish we could see you conduct "swinging the stick" for lack of better term.

Hi Kari, I lived for around 20 years in the area of London covered by Uden's - they are probably one of the top Funeral Directors in the area, traditional yet modern, and locally held in very high regard. The extent of the floral tributes are very much dependent on the wishes and traditions of the bereaved family, some prefer many elaborate tributes as you witnessed, other families tend to go for simpler arrangements. The bereaved may also suggest "family flowers only", and ask other mourners to make donations to either a cause close to the deceased, or to a hospice or other charitable facility that supported their end of life care, instead of paying for floral tributes, which can be quite expensive. It was interesting to hear your take on the differences between US and British funeral arrangements and traditions.

What a beautiful experience for you

Hello Kari hope you and your family are safe bring back alot memories for the wrong reasons but a great video how and what goes on behind the scenes proud to be British (Traditions)you cant beat it. Thanks Kari stay safe Russ 🇬🇧🇬🇧⚡⚡

Love your channel, I think it would be interesting and cool if you contacted the funeral director where I live. He is now the only funeral director on the remote northern scottish island where I live, the only other director retired recently. He and his family built a purpose built funeral home about 5 or so yrs ago. Previously used a room in his family home as office space and had a storage facility for coffins. The nearest crematorium is a 90min ferry and 3hr drive away where they travel to with the deceased if a cremation was requested.

I enjoyed seeing the different traditions

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing this !

Hi Kari lovely watching this video. Bromley is 20 mins from me. I agree this Particular undertakers are one of the largest in the UK and a very meticulous. I have attended several funerals they have taken and the care they show to the family right at the end of the Burial is really commendable. All funeral Services are different and you are lucky you did not attend one of the African funerals that the Service last for over 2 hours. We do have private visitations for close families and friends the day before at the funeral home. Also there can be a wake / vigil in the church where the person can be viewed though not very common due to cost involved. In 2018 I attended 1 where the gentleman was laid at home for the wake/ vigil ( they had a very big house) On the day of the funeral depending on the request of the person the casket/ coffin is opened towards the end of the service ( this can be during the Holy Communion time) so as you walk up you view or just view if you do not want to partake. Saying this the video was very enlightening from a different perspective. Hope you and your family enjoyed your time in the UK💕

I would love to see how other countries proform there funerals

I would love for you to visit one of our rural communites. Where I live, funerals are not quite so hi-tech. The service is generally in a church. Male relatives and friends are the pall- bearers. We do have visitations in the 'chapel of rest' - usually an allotted room at the funeral directors. We don't have anyone leading the car on foot - but that's probably because the drivers round here are so reckless they might run over them... After the service in the cemetery, people have the wake at the family home, or pub, for sandwiches and booze. Someone always gets drunk, but it's allowed :). I hope you visit some of our older churchyards too: they have the most amazing old graves. You can see the 'fashions' change over the years and so many different styles. Sometimes I feel our funerals are just a little *too* regimented. They haven't changed much since Victorian times and to me feel more ritualistic than a celebration of a life. That said I do appreciate our local undertakers and the care they take.

Looking at the manner in how the staff work together, with precision, formality and dignity, I can see that it is the kind of role that ex servicemen would really be good at, as well as the life long attention to personal presentation. I wonder how many that work in the field, in UK or the USA are ex servicemen/veterans?

You are an inspiration’. Attended UK, Kenya, Kathmandu and India. Learned so much. Really interesting and cool.

I have just watched your video Kari,i found it fascinating viewing,i am so glad you enjoyed your experience with Uden +sons,i think we just take it for granted that these things happen for the famiies,the attention to detail was superb,i hope Matthew visits you to experience a funeral home in America,i will look forward to seeing that video.Once again thanks for your visit.

When I move to London. I want to wear the Top Hat... i wished here in The US we keep some of the British Traditions.😊😊😊😊

You look good in a derby Kari!

That was amazing! Thank you!

Thank you. Informative . My mother’s father was from Essex and it’s good to know these traditions.