Funeral Director/Embalmer

Funeral Director/Embalmer Opportunity at Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home

For more than a century, Graceland/Fairlawn has been honored to serve the Decatur community with dignity, compassion, and unwavering commitment. Since 1919, families have trusted our expertise, our care, and our promise to guide them through one of life's most meaningful moments.

NorthStar Memorial Group is seeking a dedicated Funeral Director/Embalmer to join our team at Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home in Decatur, IL. This is an established, high-impact role ideal for a professional who values both technical mastery and meaningful, family-facing service. Your skill, compassion, and leadership will make a difference every day.

What You'll Do

• Serve families with professionalism and empathy, guiding them through arrangements, services, and memorial experiences with clarity and respect.
• Collaborate with a care-center team committed to excellence in preparation and family support.
• Perform embalming and preparation using industry-leading techniques and OSHA-compliant standards.
• Direct and coordinate services to ensure seamless, meaningful experiences that honor each family's wishes.
• Maintain regulatory compliance across all funeral service and care-center operations.

Why Funeral Directors Choose Decatur

Decatur offers an exceptional quality of life for funeral professionals looking to build a rewarding career without sacrificing personal time. With a cost of living significantly below many major metros, your income goes further here. Affordable housing, lower everyday expenses, and a welcoming Midwestern community make Decatur an attractive place to live, work, and raise a family. External cost-of-living sources consistently report housing and living expenses well below national averages.

At Graceland/Fairlawn, you'll also enjoy a work environment designed to help you focus on what you were trained to do: caring for families and serving your community. Our team structure allows Funeral Directors to concentrate on funeral service, embalming, arrangements, and memorial experiences rather than many of the non-licensed duties often expected elsewhere.

What sets this opportunity apart:

• Only a few on-call nights per month, supporting a healthy work-life balance.
• The ability to focus on funeral directing, embalming, and family service rather than routine facility maintenance and miscellaneous operational tasks.
• Dedicated team support that helps minimize distractions and allows you to practice your profession at a high level.
• An established and respected funeral home with deep community roots and a strong reputation built over more than 100 years.

If you're looking for a place where you can grow professionally, serve families meaningfully, and enjoy more balance in your personal life, Graceland/Fairlawn offers the best of both worlds.

Considering Relocation?

Illinois makes it straightforward for licensed Funeral Directors/Embalmers from other states to transfer credentials. Most professionals already meet the requirements. You'll simply submit:

• Education records from your mortuary science program
• National Board Exam verification (sent directly to IDFPR)
• Proof of one year of recent funeral service experience
• License certification from your current state

Qualifications

• Current Illinois Funeral Director/Embalmer License or ability to reciprocate
• 1+ years of funeral industry experience demonstrating professionalism, compassion, and technical skill

Compensation

This role offers a competitive base salary of $65,000, with additional earning potential through removal dollars and performance-based package bonuses. Funeral Directors who meet operational and service benchmarks typically achieve a total compensation opportunity of up to $75,000 annually.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.