Featured Saratoga Living Insider: Brittany DeMarco Furman
The funeral director—yes, the woman in the pink wig is a funeral director—shares her philosophies on life, death and motherhood.
For those who haven’t heard about it yet, the Saratoga Living Insiders Club is a group we launched back in April that gives members exclusive perks, unique experiences and insider access. Essentially, it’s a collective of Saratogians who want to be the first to know about the city’s hottest happenings. Click the Instagram link below to find out what the Insiders have been up to thus far:
Beginning, well, right now, we’re going to feature one Insider per month who’s doing big things personally or professionally on Saratoga Living After Hours. (Did you know that Insiders get a full subscription to SLAH as part of their membership?) First up is Brittany DeMarco Furman: fashion icon, Saratoga super fan, mother of one, life of the party, podcaster, author and—yes—funeral director. Read on to get to know Brittany, and click here to join the growing contingent of Saratoga Living Insiders.
What do people typically say when they find out you're a funeral director?
They're dumbfounded. I recently played the "Lady Gaga" role for team Saratoga Living at UPH's Shaken & Stirred fundraiser; everyone’s mouth dropped when they found out the woman wearing a pink wig, sheer sparkly leotard and metallic pumps was a local funeral director. I practice what I preach: Live for today. Some people may think I’m unconventional, but once they get to know me personally or experience me professionally, there is a high respect for who I am and what I do.
How did you find your way into the profession?
I attended Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School, and definitely was never dubbed the goth girl who you’d think would be interested in the death industry. The truth is, I was born and bred into the business. As a fourth generation funeral director, my life has been surrounded by the uncertainty of death and with that the lifestyle of a last responder. Even though I saw the importance of the job from afar in looking up to my dad, it wasn’t until I experienced the personal highs and lows of my own adult life that I realized my calling was the family business. One day when I was between jobs, I helped my dad with a grieving widow and experienced the power and purpose of what it means to be a funeral director.
But you're not *just* a funeral director, right?
I’ve grown up tremendously over the last five years, but am still finding my footing in this crazy thing we call life as I combat the front lines of death daily. The foundation of my community involvement began during the pandemic within Glenville Rotary, where my annual magical princess fundraising event called “Bring Back Magic” snowballed into a slew of philanthropic efforts, including co-founding the Capital Region Nurse Honor Guard. I always look forward to my next goal or where I can leave a positive mark on the world, so when I was asked to join a collaborative book on grief in 2022, I didn’t hesitate and said yes!
Tell us about the book.
As of February 2024, I am a proud author of the international best seller The Grief Experience: Tools for Acceptance, Resilience and Connection. My chapter speaks of my unique grief and the mental tools I utilize as a funeral director to heal and continue for the dead. You can find our impactful book on Amazon or at Northshire Bookstore. The dearly departed have a lot to teach us, and I have a front-row seat to all the master classes.
What came out of that writing experience?
It was really hard to put everything I wanted to say into one chapter, so the podcast Buried In Conversation was born. I’ve had my eye on podcasting for a while, so when I saw there was a competition to take over the Seriously Catherine podcast for a month, I thought it would be a good way to test the waters. To say I am obsessed with podcasting would be an understatement. Everyone has a story to tell and I want to be the platform to make sure ordinary people know how extraordinary they are before they die!
What do you hope to achieve before you die?
If there’s one thing I want to be remembered for, it’s funeral education—with a side of sparkle! I want to make the difficult conversations easier through preplanning. Another huge part of why I’m advocating for the funeral industry is to inspire the next generation of licensed funeral directors. No pun intended, but it’s a dying trade. We need compassionate souls who are seeking purpose and fulfillment in service to others during their darkest times. We really should be called light seekers.
How has becoming a mother changed your outlook on life—and death?
I never truly understood love until I became a mother. Since becoming a mother, I’ve felt stronger as a funeral director, taking on the role of caretaker after someone dies, for the living and dead. I will quite literally check on widows to make sure they are eating! I have a deeper sense of purpose and know I want to leave this world a better place than I found it. A scary thing about becoming a parent, however, is that you begin chasing time; your life starts moving at warp speed, and there is no pause button to “do it all.” So with a daily reality check that tomorrow is never promised, I have an unconventional way of parenting to make sure I don’t miss a beat with my girl (I should have named her Vada). If my 3-year-old wants to have a Disney sing a long at 10pm, we are doing it!
What's next for your brand?
Sponsors! Death Wish Coffee—if you want to go six feet down in conversation over a cup of your deadly coffee, please bury yourself in my DMs. In all seriousness, for me to balance work, motherhood and life, my passion project needs funding to take it to the next level. In the meantime, you can follow me on Instagram at @buriedinconversation (professional journey), @glenvillefuneralhome (my family business) or @brittanythegreat (my chaotic personal life).
—Natalie
SLAH is on vacation! 😎We’ll get back to including the news of the week beneath next Saturday’s post.