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Couple dedicated to Community, Families in grief Mary Paramore
“A lot of what we do is a mystery. This event gives children a chance to see that we’re approachable, that we’re not scary people like Hollywood portrays us,” Fred Zellman said. “Even adults have questions about what we do.” Both Zellmans got their start in the business as teenagers in small town funeral homes. Fred did his apprenticeship at the funeral home the couple eventually purchased. As a high school student, Tara worked at Newnam Funeral Home in Easton. They each hold degrees in mortuary science from Catonsville Community College. “We try to bring a more relaxed attitude and to make things easier on families,” he said. Part of that is building relationships in the community they serve, as through memberships in civic associations, volunteer work and through Kids Fishing Day, at which each child receives a fishing rod and reel to keep, bait, a place to fish, lunch and fun activities, all free of charge for themselves and family members who accompany them. The Zellmans have changed a few long-standing procedures at the business they bought, procedures that were once the standard for funeral homes. First, they transformed a room previously used for arrangements into a kids room, where children who accompany families for funeral planning or who attend visitations and funeral services can play. With couches, play tables, toys, crayons and a television set, the room feels like home. “This gives them the opportunity to come and go and be a part of the service as they wish and feel comfortable with,” he said. They also switched from having a showroom with actual caskets, which can be intimidating to grieving families and scary to others, to having a show room with samples showing casket and cremation urn options. He said caskets and urns are then ordered with a one-day turn-around. “A 9-year-old girl came in with her mother and asked to see the caskets. I told her we didn’t have any. She said, ‘That doesn’t make any sense, a funeral home without caskets.’ I showed her a sample corner piece of a casket and she said, ‘That’s a good idea. That doesn’t scare me anymore.’ I told her she had just spoken for 9-year-olds and for 90-year-olds,” he said. The Zellmans also offer grief counseling, in cooperation with Anna Agnew, LCSW-C, LCADC, CEAP, SAP, on a quarterly basis. He said the program has been a resounding success. “We don’t like the fact that once the bill is paid and the funeral is over, you’re done. We try to provide care after the funeral, as well,” he said. Zellman again pointed to the couple’s community involvement as a means to get to know people before they need mortuary services and to develop relationships with families. Through the Kids Fishing Day, the couple has met and worked with many community members and businesses. “At first, we felt bad about asking friends and family to help. Now, people get excited about the event and ask to volunteer again,” he said. “It gives some families the only outing they get all year.” Zellman thanked Elks Lodge #1564 for allowing use of their lodge on Rt. 40 in Havre de Grace for the event, and for all the work its members put into helping make it a success.
He added, “The hardest part now is having to turn kids and families away. We had 275 kids this year and the slots were full 10-14 days after we opened registration. We’ve had more than 750 kids and we’ve registered 130 kids with the Department of Natural Resources for having caught their first fish.”
Photo caption: Tara and Fred Zellman bought this Havre de Grace Funeral Home in 2007. |
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Tara and Fred Zellman purchased the former Mitchell-Smith Funeral Home in Havre de Grace in January of 2007 and renamed it 