It was an overwhelming feeling Monday night, according to Richard Tetrick.
The owner and president of Tetrick Funeral Homes was joined by family and staff in Philadelphia during the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) international convention, where the Elizabethton facility received the “Best of the Best” award. The facility was one of three firms to win an award out of a pool of nine applicants. The other two facilities to win a “Best of the Best” award included Reynolds – Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation (Michigan) and Seaver – Brown Funeral Service (Virginia).
There were 161 Pursuit of Excellence award winners overall this year. According to the NFDA, all Pursuit of Excellence applicants provided an essay that describes the development and execution of an innovative program or service that had a positive impact on the families they serve or the community, which whittled the pool down to nine.
Each of the nine candidates for the Best of the Best were selected by a strict level of work by a “commitment to providing exceptional service to grieving families and the community, while adhering to the highest ethical and professional standards …” … according to information from the NFDA website.
NFDA is recognized as the world’s leading funeral service association, serving 19,700 individual members who represent more than 10,000 funeral homes in the United States and across the globe.
The Tetrick staff returned to Elizabethton yesterday and the feeling has been one to remember, according to the owner.
“It was an incredible feeling. I just wish my father (Don) was around to see this,” Richard told the Elizabethton Star Wednesday. “We never dreamed of this. This year was different with our peers selecting the nominees and it’s a great feeling to see this. It’s a testament to our staff for the work they provide to the community.”
Tyler Tetrick, vice president of Tetrick Funeral Homes, joined in his father’s sentiments.
“We have dedicated professionals and it’s great to have them recognized,” Tyler said. “We’re excited to have the chance to bring the award back to Elizabethton where my dad and mom (Norma) and I grew up and have the city recognized on a worldwide scale.”
Tetrick Funeral Home received their accolade Monday in regards to their Hospice Caregiver Award program — created in January of this year.
The award is provided by the facility and is based on nominees from families of hospice workers and nurses within nursing centers that provide care for families in their time of need. Awards are provided after families nominate an individual for the accolade.
According to the NFDA, the program is vital and “shines a spotlight on the men and women who provide outstanding care to dying patients and their families.”
“They are the true servants,” Richard said. “The program has been very well-received in the Tri-Cities and we’ve been able to get a lot of people to submit nominations. It’s really been able to gain a lot of traction. We’ve heard from hospice workers and they don’t receive the recognition. The same goes with nurses that work at nursing homes. We appreciate all the service and this is our way we wanted to give back to the community.”