12 months of wild stories, big laughs, and the kind of real talk you only get when funeral pros go off the rails. Yep, you guessed it: we’re talking about one whole year of The Graveyard Shift.
To celebrate, we dug through the archives and pulled 10 of the biggest moments that will have you laughing out loud, wiping away tears, and saying, “Wait…did that really happen?”
Here are the moments you’ll want to relive!
The Graveyard Shift is a podcast for funeral professionals who are constantly searching for two things – new ideas to better serve families and a good laugh. The podcast covers a wide range of topics from succession planning to marketing strategies, and even offers different perspectives on trends in the profession.
At the center of it all is a regular crew of 4 accomplished funeral professionals who engage in genuine, off-the-cuff conversations.
Meet the crew:
To appreciate this moment in all its glory, you need the backstory…
From the jump, the crew couldn’t resist poking fun at Gary’s Harvard education. Some stand-out one-liners?
“Leave it to the guy from Harvard to steal other people’s stuff and take it as his own.” – Jimmy Lucas
“You’re not a licensed funeral director, but you did go to Harvard.” – Todd Carlson
Then, they took it up a notch when everyone showed up in Harvard gear just to get a reaction from Gary.
All of this leads us to our biggest surprise. The joke flipped on Jimmy when the crew decided to put on their Ranger Community College hats. His reaction says it all. 😂
Find the moment here: Shift #8: Roofing, roundabouts, and Ron Clyde at 2:55
How long before Jimmy buys one of these hats?
Jayme Toeppich, CEO at Broussard’s, dropped by to talk about the impact of adding an events center to their funeral home. Families love the added convenience almost as much as they love the Broussard’s Texas BBQ joint, 1701 Barbecue.
So, we have event centers and BBQ, how could this episode possibly get any better?
Jayme pulled out a Texas A&M helmet to join the college gear theme from earlier episodes. Needless to say, her commitment stole the show.
Find the moment here: Shift #13: BBQ, event centers, and Jayme Toeppich at 37:35
Major props to Jayme for pulling this off!
We knew Nadira Baddeliyanage, Executive Director at ICCFA, would bring serious knowledge and insight about the incredible work ICCFA does.
What we didn’t see coming? A story so personal and powerful it stopped us in our tracks. Nadira’s journey of personal loss, grief, and purpose left a lasting impact on viewers everywhere.
Fair warning: Nadira’s story will likely have you reaching for the tissues.
Find the moment here: Shift #17: Mentors, ICCFA, and Nadira Baddeliyanage at 7:20
Still not able to listen to her story without getting misty-eyed.
#4: Best tech hack
It wouldn’t be a podcast sponsored by a funeral home case management software company without a little tech talk, right?
With Tom Antram, President and CEO of French Funerals & Cremations, as our first guest, it was only natural that the conversation focused on time-saving, innovative technology.
What started as smart tips and tricks for using barcode tracking quickly turned into one of the most legendary tech hacks in podcast history. Here’s the gem:
“Jimmy’s wife can log in to Passare and know where he is at any moment because the staff scanned his ankle bracelet.” – Matt Bailey
Find the moment here: Shift #4: Technology, holograms, and Tom Antram at 19:14
Leave it to the guys to reimagine how to use funeral tech.
Rounding up just one myth proved impossible. There are too many wild misconceptions about funeral directors and the profession to count.
In fact, it is such a wildly popular topic that the crew dedicated a whole episode to busting stereotypes.
From the bizarre to the oddly believable, here are a few favorites:
“You must be really sad all the time.” – Matt Bailey
“Funeral directors are always so serious and dour.” – Gary Freytag
“Golly, you must be really rich.” – Jimmy Lucas
Find the moments here: Shift #19: Glass eyes, magic wands, and misconceptions
"There is no way people think that's true?!"
When you combine decades of experience from these 4 guys, you get a trove of unforgettable stories. They’ve seen and helped create some truly remarkable services for families.
In this episode, each member shares their most unique and memorable service moments. These ideas? Worth jotting down. You might just find inspiration for your own funeral home.
Find the moments here: Shift #2: Ketchup packets and dove releases
Jimmy is always ready to steal Todd's ideas and take them as his own.
#7. Most eye-opening moment
Kris Seale, President & CEO of Directors Investment Group, dropped in on a special episode recorded in Key West. We had a front-row seat to this honest conversation about leadership and workplace culture.
Kris shared a moment that completely shifted his approach to leading. He started leading with trust, care, and heart. The result? A cultural transformation across his entire company.
Find the moment here: Shift #10: Bad apples, leadership, and Kris Seale at 3:15
Leadership tips from a legend.
#8. Most outlandish service scenario
If you are taking risks, there is a good chance that you will have some hiccups along the way. Some challenging services have more obstacles to overcome than normal.
The guys get vulnerable and share some of their most memorable moments from services that didn’t exactly go as planned. Learn from their advice from these unforgettable stories with girlfriends, gangs, and ghastly mistakes.
Find the moments here: Shift #3: Girlfriends, gangs, and ghastly mistakes
The look of someone reluctant to share their flop.
Episodes are packed with guests who are doing incredible things for the profession. Lisa Baue, Founder & CEO of Funeral Women Lead, was no exception.
She is a true trailblazer for the next wave of women in funeral service and leadership. Her passion for empowering and supporting women is unmatched. Matt says it best:
“Lisa is fostering a generation of leaders who will take the helm and do great work.”
Find the moment here: Shift #21: Breadcrumbs, women in leadership, and Lisa Baue
We're all in awe of Lisa's wisdom and passion.
There is just no way we could narrow this down…
Every episode is full of inside jokes, one-liners, and playful jabs. It would be impossible to pick just one funny moment.
Instead, here is just a glimpse at the kind of humor you can expect in each and every episode. 👇
Year one of The Graveyard Shift is officially in the books, and we couldn’t have done it without you, our listeners. Every laugh, every story, every jaw-dropping moment? All thanks to you for tuning in and making this podcast what it is.
If you missed any of these highlights, now’s your chance to catch up before another year of surprises rolls in.
👉Start binge-watching here: Passare Podcasts