Terence B. Desmond, CFSP, a Licensed Funeral Director and President of AJ Desmond & Sons Funeral Home is passionate about life.  Now in his seventies, he is the first to admit he is uneasy about death. "I feel people think that working around the deceased all the time makes us callous of our own mortality," says Desmond.  "Actually it is just the opposite. Saying goodbye to my loved ones deeply bothers me. This is exactly why I do what I do. I love life. I understand the pain someone goes through when they lose someone they are close to. I, as well as my entire team, take a great deal of pride in being there for the families and the community that we serve during this difficult time."

This was just part of our hour-long conversation that we had with one of S. Eastern Michigan’s most respected funeral directors.

Terry opened up on so many facets of his world. He explained why we grieve and how a funeral can bring families who had stopped talking to each other over a trivial argument back together. Terry went on to teach us about the history of eulogies, as well as, obituaries.

In addition, he explained why so many of his leading funeral director colleagues in our area, came together to bury the 170 abandoned bodies at the Wayne County Morgue, 13 of which were military veterans. They did this to ensure that these forgotten souls all had a proper burial service with dignity.

"What we do is not for the dead, it's for the living. I have been deeply honored to have served so many families as a funeral director here in Michigan," said Desmond.