From Classrooms to Coffins: Working in Funeral Care as a Teen
For teens leaving school, next steps typically include selecting a college or jumping straight into work. For 19-year-old Alfie Wilkinson it was no different, except his chosen path involved working with the deceased.
Alfie became, and continues to be, the youngest member of the team at Jennifer Ashe & Son funeral directors in 2022 at 17 years of age following his studies at at Intec Business College in Rugby. In his role as a mortuary technician at the Willenhall and Brownhills branches, Alfie plays a key part in caring for and preparing the deceased for their funeral, and while it’s not the obvious choice for everyone his age, Alfie finds his work rewarding.
He comments: “Some people might think it’s a strange career choice especially for someone my age, and it does surprise people when I tell them where I work, but I’ve found it incredibly interesting and fulfilling. There is a lot more to my role than simply working with the deceased, it’s all about helping families at a difficult time and ensuring that their loved ones are well looked after and treated with respect.
“The chapel of rest, where I work within the mortuary team, is a significant part of the funeral home. It’s where families come to see their loved one for the last time before the ceremony, so I take special care to carry out the final wishes of the family flawlessly, such as taking fingerprints, painting their nails and styling their hair.”
Alfie enjoyed a significant advantage in the funeral care profession, largely due to the efforts of his grandmother, Jennifer, and his uncle John. They founded Jennifer Ashe & Son after Jennifer’s mother died in 2016. The business is run by Jennifer’s son, John Ashe, who played an instrumental part in guiding Alfie into the funeral care profession.
John Ashe, Managing Director of Jennifer Ashe & Son, comments: “It has made me proud to see Alfie excel, especially in the same field as me. Funeral care continues to be a taboo topic for many but it’s encouraging to see a steadily increasing number of younger people, like Alfie, entering the profession. I’m eager to see him make a notable difference and help shift the conversation about working in funeral care.”
Looking ahead, Alfie is enthusiastic about furthering his career in the funeral care profession, deepening his expertise and continuing to support families at a time of need.
Alfie comments: “I am excited to see where I can take myself working in funeral care and I would like to continue to develop my role at Jennifer Ashe and eventually become an embalmer. This for me is the next step in providing all levels of help for loved ones in their time of need and working at our family-run business provides me with the perfect opportunity to do this.”
Jennifer Ashe & Son Funeral Directors is an award-winning, family-run funeral director, established in 2016. The team specialises in providing a supportive and caring service for families across the West Midlands and Staffordshire during the difficult times of bereavement.
For more information about Jennifer Ashe & Son’s bereavement groups in the West Midlands, visit: www.jafunerals.co.uk.
By Emma Lloyed -contributor
