Fine Mortuary College Holds Its 17th Commencement

FINE Mortuary College, LLC: a private two-year college located in Norwood, granted the Associate in Applied Science in Funeral Service to its graduates on Aug. 2, at the United Church in Norwood. 

Following the invocation by the Reverend Kevin Smith, President Louis Misantone, Ph.D., LFD, gave some short welcoming remarks. Misantone then introduced the speaker for the graduating class, Eric Arthur Fay, who is associated with the Duckett Funeral Home of J.S. Waterman in Sudbury. Fay had long wanted to become a part of the funeral profession and, even after he was married and had a family, he decided to pursue his career.

The featured speaker was William L. Werner, MBA, LFD, a member of the FINE business faculty for 16 years, a representative and consultant of the Dodge Company and a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. Werner spoke about the top 10 things he has learned in his 15-plus years in the profession. Among these included advising the graduates to pursue higher education.

Using one of his favorite sayings, “Luck is when opportunity meets preparedness” he illustrated how the more prepared a person is the more likely he/she is to be ready when some good opportunity arises. He challenged the graduates to embrace the busy times, not be afraid of challenging themselves but to be sure to take a break from the profession every once in a while. Last he quoted Robert F.Kennedy when he said, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."

Werner urged all the graduates, therefore, not to be shy about trying new challenges in their efforts to better themselves and the profession.

Both speakers were presented with a framed certificate and funeral related pins in appreciation for participating in the ceremony. Additionally, several students, faculty and staff earned the following honors and awards.

• Heather Carr-Reiter and Eric Arthur Fay were inducted into Mu Sigma Alpha, and presented with a pin and a framed certificate of membership. This Funeral Service Honor Society is supported by the National Association of Colleges of Mortuary Science.

• The Administrative Award was given to Marsha Wise, M.A. and Susan Burke, MBA, MST, LFD as a result of their unfailing service to FINE and the FINE students..

• Kerry Greene was honored with a Certificate of Appreciation for her extraordinary contributions to FINE, the students and the faculty.

  Following the ceremony the graduates formed a receiving line and were congratulated for their successes. Friends and family then joined the FINE graduates, faculty, administration and staff at a reception in the church fellowship hall in honor of the graduates.