Professional Highlights · Ongoing
Five decades of service at Bushelon Funeral Home
A family institution in Birmingham and the leadership that has carried it forward.
Arlillian “Kate” Bushelon
Serving Families.
Inspiring Professionals.
Strengthening Communities.
Funeral service professional, educator, speaker and community servant — a lifetime spent caring for families and raising the standard of the profession.
MBA · CFSP · CFSGM
Licensed Funeral Director & Embalmer
Welcome
I have spent my life at the side of families on their hardest day.
For more than two decades in funeral service — and a family legacy that reaches far beyond that — my work has been simple to describe and difficult to do well: care for families with dignity, teach the profession to be better, and give back to the community that raised me.
This is where I answer the questions families are afraid to ask, share what I have learned with the professionals coming behind me, and stay connected to the community work that keeps all of it meaningful.
Funeral Fact of the Week
Is pre-planning a funeral really worth it?
Pre-planning does two things at once: it locks in your wishes and it removes decision-making from a grieving family. Write down the essentials — burial or cremation, place of service, clergy, music, who speaks — and tell the person who will carry it out. Pre-funding is separate from pre-planning; you can do one without the other.
Speaking
Invite Kate to speak
Conferences, associations, church and civic audiences, and professional training rooms.
01
Funeral Education for Families
Plain-language guidance on planning, costs, and rights — delivered without fear or sales pressure.
02
Leadership in Funeral Service
Building teams and standards that hold up under pressure, grief, and public scrutiny.
03
The Family Business
Succession, stewardship, and keeping a legacy institution relevant across generations.
04
Women in Funeral Service
Navigating a demanding profession with authority, grace, and unapologetic competence.
05
Community Engagement
Why a funeral home is a civic institution, and how to serve beyond the service.
06
Serving Grief with Compassion
Practical, humane care for families in their most difficult hours.
As Seen In
Press, media & professional highlights
Association Leadership · Selected
National leadership in funeral service
Board service, committee leadership, and advocacy at the national level.
Community Recognition · Selected
Honors for community service and philanthropy
Recognition for sustained investment in families, youth, and civic life.
Leadership & Community
Service that continues after the service ends.
Selected highlights of the work that happens beyond the funeral home doors.
Family Care & Bereavement Support
Ongoing grief resources and follow-up care for families served through Bushelon Funeral Home.
Youth Mentorship
Guiding young people toward professional careers in funeral service and small-business ownership.
Faith & Civic Partnerships
Decades of partnership with churches, associations, and civic organizations across Birmingham and beyond.
Professional Education
Workshops and mentorship for licensed directors, embalmers, and funeral-home owners nationwide.
Serving Families. Inspiring Professionals. Strengthening Communities.
Have a funeral question? Ask Kate.
Ask a question, request Kate for your next event, or reach out for media and professional inquiries.