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Carissa Upton
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Carissa Upton decided she needed to make a career change. “I graduated from UMass Boston in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, but there was something about it that didn’t click,” she said. “I did my clinicals, but never worked in a hospital. I worked at a café for five years. “Funeral service was something that I thought could be a reality. It was always something I might do maybe when I retired; I would pursue later in life,” Upton added. “Then I thought, why not now? I did some research on schools in the area, and Fine Mortuary College popped up.” She enrolled at Fine in Norwood, Massachusetts, in the beginning of 2021 and graduated in July with an associate degree in applied science in funeral directing. “Right when I started at Fine, I felt very confident,” the 30-year-old Upton said. “It was all online; we still had pandemic protocols firmly in place. I wound up with a 4.0 GPA my first semester, so it wasn’t a bad start. “Nursing wasn’t quite what I expected, and my family saw that,” she added. “They were supportive of my decision to go into funeral service and felt it made a lot of sense for who I am. I have such an interest in science and anatomy. I have a strong personality, and I have been the support structure for my family through grief. I am a comforting person.” In February 2022, Upton started as an apprentice at the Gillooly Funeral Home in Norwood. “I saw a job listing for an apprentice position, and it was a little far away, about an hour from where I live in Malden, but I was willing to travel,” she said. “I had an interview, and expressed I hadn’t worked in a funeral home, but I was very willing and happy to jump right in. It was my first interview with a funeral home, and it seemed like a good fit. When they made an offer, I accepted it.” A year-and-a-half later, Upton continues to enjoy her work at Gillooly. “I meet with families and embalm under supervision,” she said. “I work with funeral directors Desireé Graca and Eric Fay, and they have been wonderful mentors and leaders. They have allowed a great foundation for me to come into my own, and they give wonderful advice. They are a great wealth of information.” Upton took her Massachusetts state boards last month and will take her national boards after her two-year apprenticeship concludes in February 2024. “After I pass the national boards, that will allow me to travel more freely,” Upton said. “But I would like to say with Gillooly; I would love to live in the area.” Upton particularly enjoys the restorative art aspect of funeral service. “The most satisfying part for me is seeing a family’s satisfaction and relief when they see their loved one and it gives them closure,” she said. “I love being in the prep room and being able to make a loved one look like what they did in their lifetime. There is something very satisfying about the before and after. “My favorite part so far is restoration and embalming. I always knew I was someone who would focus on that. In the future, I would like to go to one of the Dodge Institute Technical seminars that focuses on restorative art and embalming,” Upton added. “I have taken art classes in the past, I love art. I also like meeting with families and going on service calls.” In her nomination letter for Upton, Melissa A. Cyfers, program director at Fine Mortuary College wrote, “Funeral directing and embalming are Carissa’s passions. She has often cited the importance of her work, learning to embalm, and relayed to me that there is nothing more rewarding than someone complimenting the appearance of a deceased loved one. She’s recognized at her funeral home for going above and beyond to help families. “Carissa is one of those students who just immediately stands out,” Cyfers continued. “Her attitude, positive vibes and willingness to take on challenges and improve funeral service definitely make her a notable character to watch in the upcoming years of funeral service.” In her free time, Upton likes spending time with her “fur babies.” “I have a dog named Baby Face and the cat is Pistachio. They are very sweet, and my little babies,” she said. “I also like collecting old photographs. There’s something magical about peering into people’s past. I like finding photos with writing on the back so I can find out the person’s name. It’s a little project and passion of mine. “I find photos in vintage stores in the area,” Upton added. “There’s one on Cape Cod that I try to visit every summer.” As Upton continues her successful path in funeral service, she’s grateful to all those who have supported her. “Peter Masuzzo was my embalming and restoration teacher and he’s wonderful. At Fine I loved all my professors. Everyone was so helpful and such a great resource. I can still reach out and ask any questions I have if I need to,” she said. “My partner, Marc Anderson, has been supportive and my mother, Carol Upton, has been a tremendous support my entire life with everything I have ever wanted to pursue. Going into funeral service is kind of a left turn.”
This article originally appeared in the September 2023 issue of American Funeral Director, published by Kates-Boylston Publications, and is being shared with permission. Visit www.americanfuneraldirector.com to subscribe.
Allison MacKenzie
To say Allison MacKenzie stays busy is an understatement. The 25-year-old from Sutton, Massachusetts, works three jobs – apprentice funeral director, EMT and tissue coordinator with the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center. “I like occupations where you can help people. It’s important to help others,” MacKenzie said. That attitude started when she was 17 and had five people close to her die – three family members and two friends. “I had to go to a lot of funerals. It opened my eyes to how important the concept of a funeral director is,” MacKenzie said. “They are there providing support for families at their hardest time. “For me, the big thing was how much support they showed to my family and my friends’ families,” she added. “You were able to tell that this person truly cares. For some it’s just a job, but it showed that you could make a difference and help people.” She also credits her parents, Andrea and Charles MacKenzie Jr., for inspiring her to find occupations that help people. “My parents were a big part of how I ended up on this path. They both chose occupations where they dedicated their lives to helping others,” MacKenzie said. “My mother is an oncology nurse, my father a retired state trooper. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to help people like they did, I just didn’t know how yet. “When I became an EMT, it was the first time I got to experience that feeling, and I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to helping others as well,” she added. “Growing up with them, hearing their stories, it really helped shape who I am today.” After finishing high school, MacKenzie wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. When she turned 20, she started as an EMT for MedStar Ambulance in Massachusetts. “I enjoyed it then and I still enjoy doing it,” she said. “At such a young age it was obviously very intense. But it was so fulfilling, and it still is. You are constantly dealing with life and death situations and you are the person people turn to in an emergency at the hardest times.” MacKenzie decided her next step was to go to school to become a funeral director. “I looked at the mortuary science program at Fine Mortuary College in Norwood, Massachusetts, and it checked off all the boxes I wanted,” she said. “I was 22, and it made a lot of sense to me. “When I had too many people close to me pass when I was 17, I first thought this might be good for me to look at funeral service,” MacKenzie added. “This might be something I would be good at. Being an EMT pushed that path further. It made me realize how important funeral directors really are.” She began her studies at Fine in February of 2021 and will be graduating in October with an associate degree in applied science in funeral service. In November 2021, MacKenzie started as an apprentice funeral director at Jackman Funeral Home, with locations in Whitinsville, Uxbridge and Douglas, Massachusetts. “I was reaching out to every funeral home in the area to be an apprentice,” she said. “Gerald Jackman, the owner, got back to me and I went in for an interview. I was so excited to go to work for him. All three of the funeral homes are five minutes from my house. Plus, he brings his dog to all the services, which makes it 10 times better.” In her nomination letter, Melissa Cyfers, program director at Fine Mortuary College explained how MacKenzie is already an industry standout. “Her current GPA is 3.94 and on top of that she is serving her apprenticeship at a local funeral home. She works in all aspects of the funeral home serving the families of her small community.” Cyfers wrote. “She recently told us that she feels working in the funeral home in her small town was an amazing experience that allowed her to connect with her community and support them in their time of need. Allison’s background in the emergency medical service field shows her drive and commitment.” Cyphers set MacKenzie up with a position at the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, in January 2022. She is involved in brain dissections and storage for research needs, communicating with the National Institutes of Health professionals. The studies specialize in neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. “I had an interview with them and was blown away by everything they did. We work with researchers around the world,” MacKenzie said. “I will be starting there full time when I graduate. I will still work in the funeral home and when I can as an EMT.” “Allison’s ability to serve families in many different facets and her beginning a strong base of understanding, places her in the right spot to be a true leader in the industry,” Cyfer’s nomination letter continued. “She is personable, smart and has a drive to succeed.” Down the line, MacKenzie may want to own a funeral home. “Part of me would love to do that,” she said. “I want it to be unconventional. You see some things changing now, but we still have a long way to go. There’s still a specific look and feel associated with a funeral home. You want to have a place for people to go who may look for a different approach to funerals than most of what you see today.” When she becomes a funeral director, she will be open to whatever a family wants. “You want to make sure a service is special for each family,” MacKenzie said. “You don’t want a cookie-cutter funeral. You need to make each one important and have an open communication with families.” And MacKenzie will keep busy working her three jobs. “I love everything that I am doing at all three jobs, I can’t sacrifice any of them,” she said.
This article originally appeared in the September 2023 issue of American Funeral Director, published by Kates-Boylston Publications, and is being shared with permission. Visit www.americanfuneraldirector.com to subscribe.
Ryan Ricci
As an artist, Ryan Ricci has always been interested in exploring themes such as existentialism, life and death. While attending the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston, he began student teaching in high schools and elementary schools. After graduating in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in art education he continued on the road to being a teacher. “As part of a program the school has you go to different public schools in Boston and teach different age groups at different settings. I taught high schoolers and first graders,” Ricci said. “I also was doing full-time teaching at the Institution of Contemporary Art in Boston. “My time in Boston was a lot of figuring out real life and how I would fit in and support myself,” he added. “The school was pushing me to be an educator. They told me I did well, and I enjoyed teaching, but it gave me less time in my interest as an artist.” Ricci, 28, spent close to six years at the museum doing various jobs in addition to teaching. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the museum had a huge decrease in visitors. He started thinking about a career change. “One day after work, I went on my computer and looked up community college websites to see what different programs they offered. I knew there would be a breadth of different things,” Ricci said. “I stumbled upon a mortuary science program that eventually would lead to Fine Mortuary College.” Reading more about funeral service piqued his interest. “I sat on the idea and thought about it more; how everything I was reading about it sounded like the perfect storm of my interest in art, and how life, death and mortality are at play in the field,” Ricci said. “If I didn’t pursue teaching or art, what else am I interested in? Science and the body are interesting to me. They tie to life and death; we are born, and we die. “I saw there was science in that and working with people,” he added. “I just thought it was the perfect fit.” Ricci started classes at Fine in Norwood, Massachusetts, in spring 2021 and graduated in July. “I knew from my research that I would need a two-year apprenticeship before I could take my funeral director exams,” he said. “As soon as I started Fine, I got a job at Kenneth H. Pollard Funeral Home, in Methuen, Mass. I saw an ad for the job. It wasn’t for an apprentice; it was for a dress person. You’re working the funeral services, opening doors for people, greeting them, helping people park their cars, handing out flowers. “At the time they couldn’t offer an apprenticeship, but they wanted to get to know me a bit,” Ricci continued. “I did start as dress help, and then I became an apprentice in about three months. They taught me so much, I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now if it wasn’t for them, especially my mentor, Yesenia Torres, the operations manager and a funeral director.” In August, Ricci started at the Varnum Funeral Home in West Brookfield, Massachusetts. “I will be finishing my apprenticeship with them. I have a few months to go. Once that is done, they’ll be taking me on as a full-time director,” he said. “I will then take the Massachusetts state board exam and will also take the national exams in case I decide to work in another state.” In her nominating letter for Ricci, Melissa A. Cyfers, the program director at Fine Mortuary College wrote, “Ryan is the type of person who always seeks to improve himself and his practice. He believes that the work he does in funeral service is of the utmost importance. This is one small reason I am nominating Ryan. His passion to serve others and his desire to understand tradition and modern families makes him a standout in the industry.” Ricci likes many areas of funeral service. “I do a lot of makeup, and I enjoy that. I also enjoy embalming. That relates back to my interest in the body,” he said. “I think it’s so cool that we are able to prevent nature from taking its course while at the same time allowing the family to view their loved one a last time. I like meeting with the families and learning about their loved ones and their relationships.” Down the line, Ricci would like to be a part of the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team. When natural or man-made disaster strikes, sometimes there are more fatalities than local resources can manage. DMORTs support local mortuary services on location. “What they do is so admirable, and it would be such a great experience, to be able to help and do something for the people directly affected and the families involved,” he said. In his free time, Ricci enjoys tae kwon do. “I have been doing it for 18 years and I’m a third-degree black belt,” he said. “It has played a part in teaching me perseverance, dedication, facing my obstacles head on, treating people with respect and being true and honest with myself and others.” Now that the road has led Ricci to funeral service, he’s excited about the future. “It feels great, I know I am on the right path,” he said. “Up to this point, there was hesitation or uncertainty and now I know what I want to explore. I know that I can be of help and support for people in a way that not many can say that’s what they do.”
This article originally appeared in the September 2023 issue of American Funeral Director, published by Kates-Boylston Publications, and is being shared with permission. Visit www.americanfuneraldirector.com to subscribe.
