Marion guy travels to California to assist overwhelmed funeral dwelling with cremations

Marcus McClellan has been surrounded by death all his everyday living. 

© Marcus McClellan
Marcus McClellan, 27, of Marion, worked as a crematory operator at a funeral residence in Sunshine Town, California for two weeks to enable with the home’s high volume of clients.

His mother, Vickie McClellan, is the vice president of Boyd-Born Funeral Home in Marion and is a certified funeral director and embalmer. Just before that, his late grandparents, Phillip and Carole Boyd ended up proprietors of the loved ones business enterprise. 

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So, when the 27-calendar year-aged funeral director apprentice was asked to assistance as a crematory operator in California very last thirty day period, he did not wait to get on the occupation. 

McClellan explained he desired to do his aspect through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“I have a talent, which is becoming capable to have the potential to choose care of people’s liked kinds, so I must likely do what I can with that in a time where there is a good deal of death heading all around,” he stated. “That’s why I believed it was a excellent prospect, for the reason that a person day, this will be in the history books and individuals are likely to talk to, ‘What did you do in the course of COVID?'” 

McClellan stated he was proposed for the California career by his former supervisor at the Dwayne R. Spence Funeral Household in Pickerington. Staff at the Evans-Brown Mortuary were wanting for non permanent exterior support, as California turned one particular of the hotspots in the country for COVID-19. 

McClellan arrived in Sunshine Metropolis Jan. 18, which is a city south of Los Angeles. Through his two-7 days operate at the funeral residence, McClellan was a portion of the COVID relief crew, running the crematory for the duration of the right away hours. 

“It involved bringing people today into the crematories, labeling them, filling out the paperwork and then carrying out the genuine cremation method so that way, we can get the cherished ones back again to the spouse and children associates as quickly as doable,” he said. 

McClellan stated he did among 40 and 50 cremations in the course of the two weeks, with the vast majority of deaths COVID-connected. 

“Funeral residences were being having so slammed that they (families) were being likely 30, 40 miles out of the way to try out to uncover a funeral home to get their cherished one cremated,” he mentioned. “Everywhere you go was slammed basically in California.” 

Far more: Downtown Marion organization proprietors converse challenges, achievements in the course of COVID-19 pandemic

Far more: Marion local community leader loses grandfather, good-aunt to COVID-19

A COVID-19 hotspot 

Hit challenging for the duration of the spring and summer months, the West Coast state expert one more surge in COVID instances in November and December. As of Wednesday, a whole of 3.2 million people had tested positive for the virus, with 41,811 deaths – the maximum quantity of situations of any condition. 

The toughest hit area is Los Angeles County, where 10 persons on common take a look at favourable for the coronavirus every minute and someone dies from the virus each and every 6 minutes. Thanks to the superior volume in scenarios, hospitals in southern California turned confused, exactly where ICU beds dropped to a % potential past month. 

In close by Riverside County, in which Sunshine Town is situated, the area has the next-highest variety of COVID-19 cases in the state, at 277,724. The county also has the 2nd-maximum quantity of fatalities in the state, with Wednesday’s quantities at 3,278. 

McClellan said Evans-Brown was so driving that occasionally a relatives would have to hold out a 7 days right up until the funeral residence could serve them. He said the COVID relief staff made the process of having a beloved just one back to their family members quicker. 

“That felt great to be ready to support out,” McClellan explained. 

Providing families closure   

© Sarah Volpenhein/Marion Star
Vickie McClellan is the vice president and funeral director at Boyd-Born Funeral Household.

McClellan bought his start in cremation expert services a couple many years ago when he worked at Dwayne Spence and Buckeye Cremation Expert services.

In addition, he has been doing the job at Boyd-Born for six years. Along with his mother, McClellan’s brother, Michael McClellan, also functions there. 

“When I was 21 years previous, they (the funeral household) termed me and said, ‘Hey do you want to occur assist us out because one of our staff members is just not undertaking far too sizzling,'” he stated. “And so, I came down to aid out and just under no circumstances still left.” 

As a funeral director apprentice, McClellan satisfies with households to make arrangements for providers. He also does advertising for Boyd-Born. 

McClellan explained his time in California was an “honor.” 

“It’s a unusual way to glance at it, but that is the way I would explain it,” he said. “It’s a humbling prospect to be ready to go out there and use my competencies in a unique area.”

This write-up initially appeared on Marion Star: Marion man travels to California to help overcome funeral house with cremations