Maddie Sydlowski is now in her second year as funeral director at Life Celebration by Freed-Givnish.
Sydlowski, 24, grew up in Glenside Gardens attending St Luke’s School two doors up the road. After graduating from Archbishop Wood High School, she went on to mortuary school at Northampton Community College and finished up her degree in 2021.
From there, she took an internship with Life Celebration by Givnish and was hired shortly thereafter. She says her interest in the industry started when she was a teenager.
“I work at all the funeral homes but I’m really excited to be here in Glenside. It intertwines with why I started being a funeral director. When I was 15 years old, my 17-year-old brother passed away in an accident,” Sydlowski said. “It was so hard for my family, but we also experienced so much love, support and compassion from friends and members of the community. I want to do the same for other families experiencing loss. That experience drew me to this profession.”
Her day-to-day responsibilities include working with families to help them arrange services and taking care of the deceased.
“My day usually begins with meeting to coordinate funeral arrangements and working with the grieving families to ensure we are honoring their loved ones. Throughout the day, I work with my team to prepare for future funerals and make sure each family’s loved ones is taken care of with dignity and respect,” she said.
Her message to families in greater Glenside: The intricacies of planning a service are far from common knowledge, so open communication and plenty of questions are encouraged.
“This is something no one outside of the profession should know how to do,” she said. “Life Celebration’s philosophy differs from other homes. No funeral is the same just as no person is the same. We personalize the cards, the slide shows, everything. We try to make it cheerful. Families are able to cater food to the funeral home which gives time for family and friends to gather over a meal to share memories. We believe this fosters connections and comfort for the families.”
The renovated Freed-Givnish building at 124 N Easton Road, painted in a delicate “Givnish blue,” lends itself well to comfort, Sydlowski said.
“We’re taking care of your loved one, and we think people want to be in a place that’s well maintained,” she said.
For more on the Freed-Givnish Life Celebration Home, you can visit their website. You can also read our previous stories about Bob Wustner, Funeral Director in Residence, and Christina Manero, funeral director.
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