Like a few of the local funeral directors, My father earned his associate of arts degree from the Southern Illinios College of Mortuary Science. It was the only school in that part of the state to offer a degree in mortuary science, the college churns out roughly 30 graduates each year. There are 3 Dallas Funeral Home Directors who graduated from there, too. I was 4 years old when he received his degree. The average annual salary for an experienced funeral director/embalmer is not spectacular according to the Texas Funeral Directors Association, but it was something he was passionate about and it paid the bills and helped me pay for school.