BOUNTIFUL—One of the many difficult things to do following the loss of a loved one is dealing with the funeral. In the process of grieving, loved ones and friends must also sort through a person’s entire life, and organize a celebration thereof in a matter of days. It’s not something that can be put off, or wait until the grieving process is over either. That’s where people like the Russon family come in.

“There’s a lot that goes into a funeral,” said Todd Russon, explaining all the phone calls, meetings, and paperwork that occur. His cousin, Tyler, likened it to the same amount of things that go into planning a wedding, but all over the course of three days. 

From the very beginning, representatives from Russon meet with the families and loved ones of the deceased. They’re able to get the necessary details in a meeting room that looks much more like a living room than an office, allowing for a more comfortable setting. “Everybody grieves differently,” said Tyler. “(you need to) read, the best you can, a family,” said Todd, in order to help them process the grief in the best way possible.

While on the outside it seems like there would be little upside to working in a mortuary, Tyler says that being able to be there for a family in their time of loss, hearing them, listening to them, and offering them some small consolation is one of the things he enjoys the most. “You’re trying to feel what the family is going through,” he said, “There is emotion to it,” added Todd, explaining that there is more to each interaction than just the business side of things. 

It can be difficult. The Russons explained that much of the work they do is for friends, and family around the area, which can take an emotional toll, “Sometimes deaths affect you more,” they said. Which begs the question, how do they do it? How are they able to go day after day with that emotional burden? The best way they’ve found has been to compartmentalize – otherwise, they couldn’t manage it. 

The Russon Mortuary is first and foremost all about service. This was evident not only through their many services, like being on call 24/7 but in the care and tact with which they addressed those they serve: never calling them “remains” or a “body,” but rather a person, or simply “someone.” It’s those little things, along with the many big things that they do that can ease one of the more difficult parts of life. 

Despite the difficulties associated with working at a mortuary and crematorium, serving the community, and helping others have been rewarding for the Russon family for four generations now. “We feel blessed,” said Todd, “to be able to serve Davis County.”