Death care is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. The various parts of the industry have undergone dramatic changes in the past several years, particularly in the development of cemetery and mortuary combinations that provide complete death care to consumers at a single location and in the franchising of large, investor-owned funeral homes and cemeteries.This work analyzes the recent changes in death care and provides in-depth coverage of the several death care industries. Subjects covered include goods and services, the market and economic factors of the industry, religious elements involved and alternative death care. Case studies of several leading companies are presented, as are future developments in the death care industry.