ABOUT US

Welcome to the website of the Funeral Directors Services Association of Greater Chicago (FDSA) .  The following information is offered for your convenience. For further information, please contact the association.  

The FDSA was founded in 1880.  In 1962 it merged with an association of auto livery chauffeurs and took on its present name.

The six categories of membership are:

• Regular Membership - includes entities which are funeral homes or those providing funeral service and are represented under a collective bargaining Agreement with Local 727;
• Affiliate Members - entities which are funeral homes or those providing funeral service and are NOT represented under a collective bargaining agreement representation;
• Corporate Members - corporations which own or operate entities which are funeral homes or those providing funeral service having at least ten (10) branch locations - corporate members must affirmatively indicate at the time of joining their interest in being represented by the Association under a collective bargaining agreement with Local 727;
• Associate Membership - includes entities providing merchandise and/or services to Regular Members;
• Past Membership - persons who have retired from funeral service - please contact the association for further information.
• Honorary Membership - persons who have been honored for their outstanding past service to the association - please contact the association for further information.

FDSA is governed by a nine member Board of Directors consisting of an Executive Committee (President, Executive Vice-President, 2 Vice-Presidents, and Secretary-Treasurer) and 4 Directors. The chief administrative officer of the association is the Executive Director, who is directly responsible to the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors meets in January, March, April, June, July, September, October and December. The Executive Committee meets in February, May, September and November. 

FDSA's mission is to provide services to its membership and to the public at large, to enhance the professionalism of funeral service and to maintain high ideals.

The FDSA provides a number of services for its membership. 

The FDSA Newsletter is published monthly and the FDSA Reference Guide and Diary, a compilation of membership, cemeteries, hospitals, churches, registrars, laws and rules is published every year.  A Subscription Service to the Newsletter is available to non-members and the Reference Guide and Diary can be purchased by anyone.  

All FDSA members receive a copy of the Reference Guide as a benefit of membership.