Karin Schuett’s life and death decision
As a child, Karin Schuett never dreamed of becoming a funeral director. Let’s face it, few kids or teens would consider such a career choice. However, at the age of 42, she felt it was time for a big change in her life. With her children 16 and 18 years old, her self-described role as a pampered homemaker just wasn’t cutting it anymore. As is the case with many women hitting middle age, the question loomed large: what now?
“I asked what do I do with my life now?” explains Schuett. “And it came to me clear as a bell. Become a funeral director.” She knew immediately that this was her calling and registered at Humber College to obtain her Class 1 (embalming) Funeral Director diploma. While family and friends questioned her choice (and Schuett admits, her sanity), she harboured no doubts. Today, more than ten years later, the owner and president of Circle of Life Cremation and Burial Centre in Dundas, has never secondguessed her career choice.
After graduating, Schuett spent seven years learning the ropes of the business at a large funeral company in Toronto, followed by three years working at a funeral home in Burlington. When asked how she handles a work environment that many consider morbid, she responds with calm resolve.
“I love what I do. It’s not work to me. But not everyone can handle looking at a dead body,” she says, admitting with a laugh that people have literally backed away from her once they’ve learned she’s a funeral director. “My philosophy around death helps me because I believe the soul goes to a better place.’”
When a body arrives at Circle of Life, Schuett addresses the body. “I say, ‘I hope you had a good life, and if you haven’t, I hope you’ve moved to a better place.” She emphasizes the importance of always being respectful of the deceased.
The more challenging aspect of her job usually derives from the tragic circumstances surrounding deaths. In fact, Schuett compares her role to that of first responders. As a result, she believes in the importance of self-care for her own emotional relief and to recharge. She accomplishes this by enjoying dinners out, facials, regular Reiki sessions, and acupuncture two times per week.
The most rewarding aspect of her role is helping bring peace of mind to families devastated by the loss of a loved one. Often, a family member will come to Circle of Life without any clue on what to do next. Struggling with the death of a loved one while trying to organize a funeral is immensely stressful. There is a tremendous amount of information that families need to learn, from death certificates to applying for benefits, as well as a wide range of options regarding cemeteries and celebration of life services.
“There’s a lot of misinformation out there,” says Schuett. “Families are sometimes given information that incur unnecessary costs and stresses. At Circle of Life, we want every person who walks through our door to feel welcome, respected and that their needs and preferences are heard.”
In fact, Schuett was inspired to open Circle of Life because she saw a gap in the way funeral services were offered. There were essentially two options: a no-frills approach providing basic services for those who want to spend minimally; and the traditional funeral model providing more costly services in large formal facilities.
“Circle of Life is in between the two,” says Schuett. “We offer all the services that every funeral home does, but at a more affordable cost than the traditional model and in a more contemporary-style environment.” The building houses one large reception area that boasts transom windows to invite plenty of natural light. Large white shaded lamps hang from the high ceiling to create a contemporary feel to the white room. Throughout the building, vivid paintings are hung to evoke a sense of brightness. Unlike traditional funeral homes, Circle of Life has only one reception room. This was a strategic decision.
“We will only ever have one service per day,” she says firmly. “We don’t ever want to rush a family out or have two or more going at once. This is their time, their day. We respect that.”
Schuett’s formula appears to be working. Circle of Life, which opened in the fall of 2015, has been extremely busy since its inception. She hopes that the steadfast commitment to treating each family with honesty, respect and compassion ensures many years of success will follow.