The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard from a local funeral director at the club’s weekly meeting on Tuesday at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.

Mike Assalley is owner of funeral homes in Taylorville and 4 other communities in south central Illinois.  He shared his story of how he went from being an accounting major to funeral home director.   Assalley and his wife moved to Taylorville 12 years ago, and are both Effingham natives.   

Assalley’s decision to get into the funeral business was based on his desire to serve others.   

He told Kiwanis members that his decision to change careers from accounting to the funeral home business, occurred later in his life.

He added that people discussing their funeral arrangements isn’t as taboo as it used to be, and he encouraged everyone to have a conversation about those arrangements with their family.  He also strongly urged people to have a will to relieve the stress families go thru when a family member passes.

Assalley told the Kiwanis Club more and more people are meeting with him for pre-planning their funerals, but also was concerned that many children of those who pass have no idea if that departed family member has life insurance or other assets at the time of their death.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.