Hennessey Funeral Home & Crematory, of Spokane, has added industry veteran Dennis Murphy to its staff. 

Murphy, who has been involved in funerary services here for more than 20 years, retired recently as president of Heritage Funeral Home, and says, “I decided to keep one oar in the water and continue my calling in funeral services.” 

He says he called Scott Dahl, managing partner at Hennessey, and discussed joining Hennessey as an ambassador.  “Scott agreed, and I’m so happy that he did. I am looking forward to bringing my passion and calling to Hennessey’s,” Murphy says.

Hennessey Funeral Home, which operates two facilities here, now is owned by Carriage Services Inc., of Houston, Texas.

Dahl says, “The funerary services industry is a small community, and we all know each other. I knew Dennis because he worked for the competition, through my association with Rotary, and his presidency with the Inland Empire Funeral Directors Association. So, anytime you have the opportunity to hire someone with Dennis Murphy’s experience, you take it.”

Dennis was born and raised in Spokane. He graduated from Shadle Park High School and attended Eastern Washington University. His ancestors have been in the Spokane area since 1883. He is a current board member and past president of the Washington State Funeral Directors Association. Also, he is on the National Funeral Directors Association policy board for Washington state. 

“I didn’t start my career in funeral services right after high school, although I wanted to,” Murphy says. “I originally planned to attend school with the idea of being a funeral director. I worked in a local hardware store and a few other jobs. I went back to school and finally entered my chosen profession.”

Dahl says 17 funeral homes operate in the Spokane area, and they average between five and 12 full-time employees each.  

According to Murphy, funeral directors are a disappearing breed, in particular people with experience laying out a body. It’s important to present someone’s loved one in a way that is familiar to the family, he says. How they dressed, the jewelry they wore, the way they did their hair and make-up are all important factors, helping to make the person who has died look like they did in life, he says. This helps family and friends process grief and say goodbye in a concrete way and begin the healing process, he adds.

Cremation has become an increasing popular alternative to burial, due partly to cost savings and to fewer people having religious convictions regarding the ritual of burial.

There has been a change in funerals and memorials over the last few decades, moving away from traditional religious rituals to services that focus more on celebrating the life of the person who has died, Murphy says.  

“While cremation is a perfectly good option, I think having a place for people to visit and commune with their loved ones is important. Even if it is just a plaque in a scattering garden, I think it helps keep memories alive,” he says. 

Murphy says one of the things his career has taught him is the importance of pre-planning, and it’s always best when someone has a hand in planning their own memorial, when that’s possible.

Having such a conversation with family members when everyone is healthy can seem depressing, but it’s much easier on loved ones who are left behind when they have fewer decisions to make and can focus just on memories and getting through their grief, Murphy says.

He says, “A big part of my job is supporting people during one of the most difficult times of their lives, and I cherish doing it. This job truly is a calling.”  

Because the job is fraught with deep emotions, it can be difficult to separate oneself from that, and a lot of funeral directors can fall prey to depression, Murphy says.  It also can be a round-the-clock calling, as people pass away at all hours of the day, he says.

Image is important in the job as well, since funeral home representatives don’t want their attire or appearance to distract family members or others attending memorial services from focusing on the person who has died, Murphy says.

“It’s important to be professionally dressed and nondescript. You should blend in when you need to,” he says.

“Being a funeral director is often associated with a sort of mystique,” Murphy adds. “Death is the big question and working around it offers more insight into the importance of living, and certainly takes some of the mystery away from death but not all of it. However, my focus is always on the living and supporting the family, and making the process of saying goodbye to their loved one as simple as possible.”

He says, “I think my mission aligns perfectly with Hennessey’s and I’m looking forward to continue the job that I am so honored to have with such a reputable establishment, that has a long history of tradition in Spokane.”

Hennessey’s dates back to 1920, when Emmett Hennessey and Charles Calloway bought the Buchanan Funeral Home on west Third Avenue in Spokane.

In 1934, the family purchased the building on Division where the funeral home now is located. Upon Charles Calloway’s death in 1935, the company name was changed to Hennessey Funeral Home.