Funeral director’s license to be suspended for 2 years

By D.A. WILKINSON

wilkinson@vindy.com

COLUMBIANA

The funeral-director license held by Mark W. Beck will be suspended for two years starting next Thursday.

Beck asked for a $20,000 loan from a woman with terminal cancer who wanted to prepare her funeral in advance.

The unidentified woman did not think the loan request was proper and contacted the Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, according to Ann Cunningham, its executive director.

Earlier this month, the state agency charged Beck and the Seederly-Mong & Beck Funeral Home of Columbiana with a violation for unprofessional conduct.

After considering the allegations, the board met in Columbus and accepted a settlement agreement. Under the terms of the suspension, Beck agreed he will not engage in funeral directing or hold himself out as a funeral director.

As part of the settlement, the board agreed to withdraw charges against Beck’s embalmer license and the funeral-home license.

Ohio Law requires a licensed funeral director to serve as manager and as the funeral director in charge of and ultimately responsible for a funeral home.

Beck will remove himself as manager and agent in charge for the funeral homes in Columbiana and North Lima. Another licensed funeral director will fill these required positions at both funeral homes.