“I wanted to be a teacher really badly,” said 2019 graduate Rebekah Boucher, “but then I started to work at Ryan Funeral Homes.” 

After starting to work at Ryan’s, she had a change of passions, a switch in career paths. She left UW-GB and enrolled in mortician school. 

“I took special classes which taught about the dying process, specifically psychology, sociology, science and biology,” Boucher said. 

At Ryan Funeral Homes, Boucher started out as an apprentice. She said, “I had to clean, and I was on call a lot during the week.”

Boucher now participates in embalming, cremation, putting together funeral plans and helping the families. 

She said, “The demand is very stressful, and sometimes multiple families need you at once for everything.”

Boucher is usually working with two or three families at once. And so far this year the funeral home has had 300 bodies brought in. 

 Embalming is one of the many things you learn in mortician school. And Boucher has had five years worth of embalming knowledge ever since working at Ryan’s.

“It’s a really interesting process. Part of it is a scientific factor, and the other part is a beautification process,” she said. 

“It’s not particularly a pretty experience. I have to make them look like they are sleeping. I do makeup, dress them, and anything else to make them look presentable,” Boucher said. 

While dealing with death in her everyday job, Boucher has to figure out a healthy balance in her life so it doesn’t become overwhelming. 

She said, “Sometimes if I think about work enough it tends to get in my head. Work and life need to be balanced. I can not stress that enough.” 

“I truly love my job. Somedays are harder than others, but there is a sense of gratification and satisfaction from helping families during their hard times. I couldn’t imagine my life not doing what I do now. It was a calling,” said Boucher.