A graduate from the Northeast Texas Community College Funeral Services program was once again featured in January 2023 edition of Texas Director, the Official Publication of the Texas Funeral Directors Association. Blake Penrod is a December 2022 graduate of NTCC who is now working in the field in his home state of Utah. Below is the text from the article, which was originally published in print format.
To learn more about NTCC's Funeral Services program, visit www.ntcc.edu/funeralservice or contact Olga Retana at oretana@ntcc.edu or 903-434-8313.
The article below was published in the January 2023 edition (Volume 72, Issue 1) of Texas Director, The Official Publication of the Texas Funeral Directors Association.
Blake Penrod, Northeast Texas Community College
Blake Penrod grew up in Nephi, Utah, and graduated from Juab High School. He and his siblings - a twin brother, a younger brother, and younger twin sisters - enjoyed growing up in a rural community.
After high school, Blake served a two-year volunteer mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaching others about Jesus Christ. When he returned home, he attended Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah. While searching for a part-time job, he stumbled upon Southern Urah Mortuary and was hired to transport deceased persons from their home to the mortuary at night. This chance experience led Blake to later accept an apprenticeship at Southern Utah Mortuary while finishing an associate degree from Dixie State University.
Blake has been working full-time with Southern Utah Mortuary since 2019 and graduated from the online Funeral Service Education program at Northeast Texas Community College in December 2022. He has a little over three years of experience as a licensed apprentice funeral director/embalmer at the funeral home's Beaver and Cedar City locations.
He said he has found profound meaning in his work and feels blessed to serve families during a trying time. He plans to serve, support, uplift, and care for the families of Southern Utah for many years to come. He currently volunteers for the Beaver County Substance Abuse Coalition and as a Sunday school teacher with his wife Megan.
Q: What was the first funeral service you attended? The first funeral I can remember attending was for my great-grandpa, Lloyd Penrod. I remember it was a sunny day and my cousins and I ran around the cemetery, picking up all the fluffy, white dandelions.
Q: What was the first funeral service you attended where you were aware of the situation? When I was around 10 years old, I remember attending the funeral of my Aunt Pam Penrod, who passed suddenly, leaving behind my uncle and their two young boys. I remember seeing Pam in her casket and crying upon hugging my younger cousin who had lost his mom. My heart ached for him and his brother. That was my first real experience with loss, and I remember feeling several emotions, which I now know as grief.
Q: When did you first know you wanted to be a funeral director and embalmer? My decision to be a funeral director/embalmer was made through my experiences working at the funeral home. This induded working alongside great funeral directors and following their exam-ples. It also included helping particular families with their funeral services and seeing how I could help make their loss easier to bear through funeral ceremony. When a person calls the mortuary, they are looking for support and need immedi ate help. I have enjoyed answering that call...and finally. I found that funeral service combines my love for science and community service.
Q: How did your family react to your decision to be a funeral director? My immediate family has been supportive. Some extended family members continue to make jokes abour it and others feel it is a little strange. I cell them that taking care of the dead is a reverent experience.
Q: What do you bring to the table as a funeral service professional? I know my prior experience at Southern Utah Mortuary and my new degree from a great school, Northeast Texas Community College, have prepared me with the skills necessary to be a successful funeral director. I have developed self-confidence, a positive mindset, a produc tive work ethic, a deeper compassion for those who are grieving and a desire to support the well-being of others. I am someone the funeral home and families can depend on.
Q: Tell us about your hobbies and interests. I enjoy spending time outdoors; travel ing to national parks; studying microbiology, human anatomy, and entomology; gardening; eating Mexican food; visiting family; canoe ing; hiking; keeping tarantulas; learning about family history; and watching murder mysteries like Columbo and Monk.
Q: What is the best advice you've ever received? This advice comes from the Bible's New Testament. These words have led me to seek guidance from the Lord when I don't know where to turn. The scripture teaches, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, chat giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing waver-ing." (James 1:5-6)
I would like to thank Jim Graff, Todd Boyer, Bodie Topham, Morgan Sulz, Matthew Park, and Bryce Paul (deceased) for teaching me what they know and encouraging me through my apprenticeship and schooling. They're like my uncles now.
A thank you to Pam Murdock, Hillary Hollingshead, and Sheena Hurt for their guidance and love. Another thank you to my teachers at NTCC, especially Rebecca Gardner and Abby Shurtz, for pushing me to grow and learn more than I thought possible.
And finally, a big thank you to my wife, Megan, who has supported me through every night call, school assignment and hour of overtime.
