Dirty Jobs: You Won't Believe What I Do for a Living!

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She Sees Dead People

Elizabeth Fournier, 41, mortician, Boring, Oregon

Whether she's picking up a body, dressing a corpse for a funeral, applying makeup, scattering remains, writing an obituary, or attending a burial, no two days are the same for this small-town funeral director.

A Dream Job? My mother died when I was 8 years old; not long after that, my father's parents died, too. I spent time in funeral homes, and death became a natural part of my life as a kid. I know it sounds odd, but even when I was in grade school I knew I wanted to do this as a career.

Scary Surprise One time, at a funeral home where I used to work, I was vacuuming and I bumped into a decomposing body and part of her arm fell off! Now I lock the door because on occasion I'll think I'm alone, vacuuming, and someone will come in and tap me on the shoulder. You can imagine how scary that can be!

Strange Requests I've decorated a body's fingernails a certain way, made sure a casket was painted fire-engine red for a former fire chief, and organized a circus performance for a funeral.

Finding Meaning My days are filled with purpose. I'm reminded daily that life is a gift and I'm fortunate to have another day with the precious people in my life.

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