More than fifty community members attended the inaugural “Dying to Know” open house hosted by Davis Becker Funeral Home on September 30, an event designed to give families a safe, supportive place to ask practical questions about aging, caregiving, and end‑of‑life decisions.
The program brought together 30 professionals representing 20 partner organizations, each staffing tables throughout the funeral home to answer questions on probate, estate planning, hospice, senior care, grief support, veterans’ honors, cemetery and monument planning, funeral options, and more. The evening concluded with a panel discussion and audience Q&A.
A Model of Community Engagement
Heritage Family, parent company of Davis Becker Funeral Home, praised the event as an example of how funeral homes can meaningfully serve their communities outside of traditional service arrangements.
“Heritage Family encourages every one of our locations to be deeply involved in their communities, and ‘Dying to Know’ is exactly the kind of outreach we hope to see,” said Lindsay Granson, COO of Heritage Family. “Families are looking for clarity, connection, and trustworthy guidance long before a death occurs. This event delivered that in a way that was welcoming, accessible, and genuinely helpful.”
Attendees Respond With Enthusiasm
Throughout the evening, attendees shared overwhelmingly positive feedback with staff and Heritage representatives.
“I spoke with multiple attendees who told me they had never seen anything like this before,” said Erin Salie, Director of Marketing at Heritage Family, who attended the event. “They said it was well organized, they were grateful we offered it, and several insisted, ‘You have to do this again.’ That kind of response tells us we met a real need.”
An Event Inspired by Real Family Experiences
The concept for “Dying to Know” grew out of personal experiences shared by Funeral Directors Susan Pruden and Dawn Heldreth, who each navigated complex end‑of‑life decisions within their own families. Their conversations revealed how common and how overwhelming these situations can be for families without clear guidance.
A No‑Pressure, No‑Sales Environment
The event was intentionally structured as an educational open house. Attendees could visit any table at their own pace, stay for the full program, or drop in for a single conversation. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments were provided, and staff from all four Davis Becker locations welcomed guests and guided discussions.
