I'm a former triple threat licensed funeral director and (non practicing) embalmer in Texas, Washington, and Oregon; Kermit is a Certified Therapy Dog that has served over 500 families in our career together.

I have worked in death care since 1996, and darkened the halls of a Mortuary School first in 2002.

I began to question the status quo vocally in 2015 online and crafted the online identity known as The Modern Mortician. My starting mission was to lift the veiled hood on the cloak of death, and my current mission is not far from that. Be transparent, honest, open minded- and be a guide to those seeking a meaningful end of life exit.

Over the last decade I have been privileged to work closely beside the founders of multiple green burial spaces. I was the first funeral director in Texas to facilitate Alkaline Hydrolysis for a client in a state where that selected form of disposition still isn't a legal option. I've also had the honor of participating in a laying in ceremony for Composting-Natural Organic Reduction. Over the years I have tested and worked with many funerary products, and have revealed predatory products like the Mushroom Burial Shroud. Through my years of curiosity and persistence, through heartache and resistance, I  have an intimate knowledge of all eco friendly forms of disposition, overall.

I am a professional and public resource, an educator, an advocate, an industry disruptor.

I am empathetic, broken, compassionate, and thoughtful.

I am here to help.

The Modern Mortician: Educating, Advocating, and Revolutionizing Deathcare

Bringing Deathcare into the Light

Melissa Meadow, known online as The Modern Mortician, is a formerly dual-licensed funeral professional who has spent over two decades witnessing, participating in, and ultimately challenging the traditional funeral industry. Now, she dedicates her time to public deathcare education, end-of-life doula services, and behind-the-scenes support for progressive funeral providers.

Through her social media presence, podcast, and consulting work, Melissa is transforming how people approach death, ensuring that everyone has access to accurate, unbiased information about their end-of-life options.

A Career Rooted in Transparency & Change

Melissa began working in funeral service at just 17 years old and went on to attend Dallas Institute of Funeral Service (DIFS) in 2001 before graduating at the top of her class from Amarillo College in 2012 with an Associate of Applied Science in Mortuary Science.

Throughout her career, she has worked for every type of funeral provider imaginable—from corporate giants like SCI and North Star Memorial to small family-owned firms and start-ups. This broad exposure gave her a unique understanding of the inner workings of the industry, including its ethical failures, exploitative business models, and lack of transparency.

Because of her commitment to honesty and ethical practices, Melissa was often seen as a liability by many funeral businesses. This led her to experience work environments that most funeral professionals hope to avoid—positions that exposed her to atrocities within the funeral industry that many want to keep hidden at any cost.

Rather than staying silent, Melissa uses her firsthand experiences to advocate for change, coaching other funeral professionals who face poor working conditions and lobbying for increased national oversight in the industry.

Educating the Public on All End-of-Life Options

Since 2014, Melissa has been a pioneering voice in online funeral education, emerging alongside other early industry influencers like Little Miss Funeral, The Grave Woman, and Confessions of a Funeral Director. Her work as The Modern Mortician has demystified funeral service and provided millions of people with accessible, accurate information on a range of end-of-life options, including:

Water Cremation (Alkaline Hydrolysis)

Natural Burial & Shades of Green Disposition

Indoor vs. Outdoor Natural Organic Reduction (Human Composting)

Home Vigils & Family-Directed Funerals

Traditional Funeral Services & Cremation Guidance

Body Donation & Alternative Disposition Methods

Melissa’s approach blends education with advocacy, ensuring that families and individuals have the tools they need to make informed decisions about their own deathcare.

Exposing the Dark Side of the Funeral Industry

Through her podcast, Exposing Deathcare, Melissa provides a platform for funeral directors, embalmers, and grieving families to share their experiences—often revealing corporate greed, price-gouging, and unethical practices within the industry.

Her commitment to truth has made her a trusted source for both consumers and professionals, empowering people to demand transparency, ethical treatment, and better regulation in the funeral space.

Melissa has also been outspoken about deceptive marketing tactics used by some green burial products and companies, such as the Mushroom Burial Suit, which falsely claimed to be an eco-friendly solution. By calling out misinformation and corporate exploitation, she continues to hold the industry accountable and advocate for ethical alternatives.

A Nationally Recognized Funeral Consultant & End-of-Life Doula

Expanding her work beyond education and advocacy, Melissa now offers funeral consulting and end-of-life doula services under The Modern Mortician brand.

She provides consulting services to:

Individuals planning their own funeral arrangements

Families navigating loss and seeking guidance

Funeral homes looking to modernize their practices

Professionals & investors entering the funeral industry

Her doula services focus on:

Legacy planning

Vigil and farewell planning

Swedish death cleaning & estate reduction guidance

With her extensive industry knowledge and dedication to empowering families, Melissa ensures that people have options beyond the high-pressure sales tactics of corporate funeral homes.

Kermit: The First Therapy Dog in Texas Funeral Service

Melissa is never alone in her mission—she is always accompanied by her beloved sidekick, Kermit, the first certified therapy dog in funeral service in Texas.

For over eight years, Melissa and Kermit have served communities across the country, providing comfort and support to grieving families. They have presented both in person and virtually at major industry events, including:

Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA)

Green Burial Council (GBC)

Local and national deathcare conferences

Kermit has become an icon of compassionate funeral service, proving that grief support extends beyond humans.

A Mission for the Future

Despite numerous personal and professional challenges, including a legal battle with a small-town funeral home, Melissa has remained committed to her work.

She continues to fight for justice, demand industry transparency, and offer compassionate funeral services to those who need them.

With her consulting business, doula services, and public education initiatives expanding, The Modern Mortician is reshaping the future of funeral service—one that prioritizes honesty, dignity, and sustainability over corporate profits.

For those looking to understand, navigate, or challenge the traditional funeral industry, Melissa Meadow isn’t just a resource—she’s a revolution.

Connect with The Modern Mortician

Email: themodernmortician@gmail.com

Website: www.themodernmortician.com

Podcast: Exposing Deathcare

Social Media: @the_modern_mortician (Instagram, TikTok, youtube)

Consulting Services: Available for individuals, families, and funeral professionals