Explore every episode of the podcast As The Hearse Turns

What really happens behind the scenes in funeral service—and what does the next generation of professionals want you to understand?

In this powerful episode of As The Hearse Turns, hosts Chris Boggs and Katharine Wagner-Elfner sit down with Brelan Holston, a rising voice in the funeral profession, for an honest, unfiltered conversation about what it means to serve families today.

From navigating the realities of grief to breaking down misconceptions about the funeral industry, Brelean brings a fresh perspective that challenges outdated narratives while reinforcing the core values that define this profession—compassion, integrity, and purpose.

Together, we dive into:

• What led Brelean into funeral service and the passion behind the calling
• The emotional and mental realities of caring for families at their most vulnerable
• Misconceptions about funeral directors—and the truth the public deserves to hear
• How the next generation is shaping the future of death care
• Why transparency matters now more than ever

This episode is raw, real, and exactly the kind of conversation the public needs—not just the version they’re used to hearing.

🎧 Whether you're in the profession, have experienced loss, or simply want to better understand what happens behind closed doors… this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Just a Friday night conversation with Katharine and Chris your friendly neighborhood funeral directors!

🎙️ As The Hearse Turns – March 12 Episode

What really happens inside the funeral profession?

In this episode of As The Hearse Turns, Chris Boggs and Katharine Wagner-Elfner sit down with three funeral directors from across Pennsylvania for a raw, honest conversation about death care.

From behind-the-scenes realities of funeral service to the myths and misconceptions people have about the profession, nothing is off limits.

No scripts. No filters. Just real talk from the people who serve families every single day.

If you've ever wondered what funeral directors actually experience, this episode pulls back the curtain.

February 19, 2026 Our First Video, From this video is where Katharine Wagner-Elfner ⁠‪⁠and Chris Boggs ⁠‪⁠decided and started As The Hearse Turns! Katharine and Chris both answer great viewer provided questions and take you into their personal lives and how funeral service choose them. ⁠#funeral⁠ ⁠#funeraldirectors⁠ ⁠#mortician⁠ ⁠#behindthescencesfuneralhome⁠ ⁠#realtalk⁠ ⁠#mortuaryscience⁠ ⁠#mortuaryschool⁠ ⁠#AsTheHeaseTurns⁠ ⁠#funeraldirector⁠Submit your Questions to Us via Facebook!Like all of our pages and join us in this Journey! Follow As The HearseTurns on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61...Follow Chris on Facebook: www.facebook.com/christopher.boggs.7 Follow Katharine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/katharine.k.wagner.elfnerFollow the funeral homes at:https://www.facebook.com/WagnerElfnerBurgFHhttps://www.facebook.com/HarkinsFuneralHom...

What do families experience during funeral arrangements that we, as funeral professionals, may not even realize they are experiencing?
Tonight, we are joined LIVE by retail and customer experience expert Georganne Bender for a conversation about the things families see, feel, and remember—and the details funeral homes sometimes miss.
We spend so much time looking at funeral service from behind the arrangement desk. Tonight, we are turning that around and looking at the entire experience through the eyes of the family walking through our doors.
What are we doing well? Where could we improve? And what can funeral service learn from the world’s best customer experiences?

 Well… this one might ruffle a few feathers.
Every profession has the conversations that happen after the meeting is over.
The ones nobody wants to have publicly.
The ones everyone whispers about.
This Tuesday on As The Hearse Turns, Katharine Wagner-Elfner and Chris Boggs are sitting down with Nathan Morris for what could be one of our most candid conversations yet.
No topics are off the table.
The future of funeral service.
The challenges nobody wants to admit.
The things people are saying behind closed doors.
And maybe a few opinions that won’t make everyone happy.
Agree with us.
Disagree with us.
Challenge us.
Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Grab your coffee… or your popcorn. 
Tuesday • 7:00 PM Eastern
Who’s watching? 
#AsTheHearseTurns #FuneralService #Deathcare #FuneralDirector #Mortician #IndustryTalk #LivePodcast #ConversationsWorthHaving

FUNERAL HOME OWNERS & FUNERAL DIRECTORS... THIS ONE IS FOR YOU.
If you've ever wondered...
• How do I stand out in my community?
• How do I build trust before a family ever needs me?
• Should I be the face of my funeral home?
• Why are some funeral homes growing while others continue to struggle?
• What does branding actually mean in funeral service?
We're going to talk about it.
This Thursday on As The Hearse Turns Live, we're joined by Ryan Thogmartin, CEO of Disrupt Media.
For years, Ryan has worked alongside funeral homes across North America, helping them rethink how they connect with families, build trust, strengthen their reputation, and grow in an ever-changing profession.
This won't be a sales pitch.
It will be a candid conversation about what works, what doesn't, and where funeral service is heading.
Joining Ryan will be Katharine Wagner-Elfner and Christopher M. Boggs as we discuss branding, leadership, community engagement, digital marketing, and why authenticity matters more today than ever before.
Whether you're a funeral home owner, manager, licensed funeral director, apprentice, or mortuary student looking toward the future, you'll leave this conversation with ideas you can put into practice.
 Thursday Night
 As The Hearse Turns Live
Bring your questions.
Bring your perspective.
Because the future of funeral service belongs to those willing to have the conversations that move our profession forward.
#AsTheHearseTurns #FuneralService #FuneralDirector #FuneralHomeOwner #DeathCare #DisruptMedia #RyanThogmartin #Branding #Marketing #Leadership #Community #ConversationsWorthHaving 

Join us and we have a pop up live and chat about our passion. Funeral Service!

What happens when someone never planned on entering funeral service... and ends up dedicating their life to it?

This week on As The Hearse Turns, Chris Boggs and Katharine Wagner-Elfner sit down with Ruthann Disotell for an honest conversation about an unexpected journey through funeral service, entrepreneurship, innovation, and finding purpose in one of the most misunderstood professions in the world.

Ruthann shares how a career she never intended to pursue became a lifelong passion, the lessons she's learned along the way, and the inspiration behind her ventures, including Memorial Leaf. From serving families during difficult moments to creating new ways for people to honor and remember their loved ones, her story is one of resilience, creativity, and dedication.

Join us as we discuss:

• Finding purpose in unexpected places
• The realities of working in funeral service
• Innovation and entrepreneurship in a traditional profession
• The importance of remembrance and legacy
• Stories, lessons, and laughs from a lifetime of service

Whether you're a funeral professional, a student considering the profession, or simply someone fascinated by the people who serve families during life's most difficult moments, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

As The Hearse Turns is dedicated to educating the public, supporting funeral service professionals, and creating meaningful conversations about life, death, grief, and everything in between.

#AsTheHearseTurns #FuneralService #Podcast #Legacy #MemorialLeaf #FuneralDirector #DeathCare #EndOfLife #FuneralProfessionals #EducationThroughConversation

Hosted by Chris Boggs & Katharine Wagner-Elfner
Because the conversations about life are often found in the stories surrounding death.

Join us as we just chat on a Thursday night to catch up and talk about funeral stories on social media and some funeral nightmares.

As The Hearse Turns, hosts Chris Boggs and Katharine Wagner-Elfner sat down with funeral service leader, educator, and NFDA Secretary candidate Carlton Maye Jr. for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had yet.

From the realities of mortuary school and apprenticeship burnout to leadership in funeral service, mentorship, pricing transparency, and the future of the profession, nothing was off limits. Carlton brought the perspective of an educator, funeral director, embalmer, business leader, and mentor — while Chris brought the unfiltered real-world side that funeral professionals across the country have been talking about behind closed doors for years.

This episode dives into:
• Why new licensees are leaving the profession
• Where funeral service education succeeds — and where the profession fails apprentices
• The pressure funeral home owners face behind the scenes
• Transparency, burnout, and the “sink or swim” culture in funeral service
• Why leadership and mentorship matter now more than ever
• The future of NFDA and the next generation of funeral professionals

Whether you’re a funeral director, embalmer, mortuary student, apprentice, or simply curious about what really happens inside this profession, this conversation pulls the curtain back in a way few are willing to do publicly.

🎙️ As The Hearse Turns — Two Funeral Directors. One Honest Conversation.

This conversation is one you won’t forget.

We sat down with Shaun Raviv, the creator of the critically acclaimed podcast NOBLE, to take a hard look at one of the most disturbing chapters in modern funeral service history—the Tri-State Crematory scandal.

This isn’t just a retelling of headlines.

We go deeper—into the failures, the systems that broke down, the families who were impacted, and the lasting ripple effect this case had on regulation, trust, and accountability in death care. Shaun shares the behind-the-scenes reality of building NOBLE, the research that went into uncovering the truth, and why this story still matters today.

We also tackle the uncomfortable questions:
What went wrong?
How did it go unnoticed for so long?
And most importantly—what has changed since?

This episode isn’t about sensationalism—it’s about transparency, education, and making sure history doesn’t repeat itself.

If you think you know this story… you don’t know it like this.

Grab a drink and lets chat about the funeral profession with your two honest and open funeral directors. We are answering your questions and bringing you into our home. Listen and enjoy!

Join us as we take a Sunday afternoon and chat and answer some of your questions. Two funeral directors! One Conversation! Answering questions that others will not!