Brookfield, WI — The Funeral Service Foundation is proud to announce Bob Arrington as the 2025 recipient of its prestigious Distinguished Service Award, honoring his decades of exemplary leadership, service, and dedication to advancing the Foundation’s mission and strengthening the funeral service profession.
A visionary leader and compassionate professional, Arrington has left an indelible mark on funeral service. His remarkable career began at seven years old in Milan, Tennessee, and has spanned more than five decades of service, entrepreneurship and leadership. In 1995, he founded Arrington Funeral Directors in Jackson, Tennessee, and went on to innovate within the profession through ventures like Corporate Funeral Providers and ObituaryShare.com.
A tireless advocate for the profession, Arrington played important roles at the Tennessee Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association, serving as its 2015-16 President, holding multiple officer roles, and contributing to numerous committees and task forces for more than two decades.
Bob’s contributions to the Funeral Service Foundation have been equally profound. From 2013 to 2023, he served as a Foundation Trustee, including as Chair of the Board from 2017 to 2019. During his tenure, the Foundation’s endowment more than doubled – from $5 million to more than $11 million – while nearly $5 million in grants were awarded to programs and initiatives that support grieving communities.
His leadership was instrumental in the development and rollout of several key Foundation initiatives, including:
● Youth & Funerals, a vital resource encouraging youth preparedness and involvement in memorialization.
● When a Child Dies and Grieving Alone & Together, both of which remain widely used by funeral homes and healthcare organizations.
● Public education efforts such as FAMIC’s Have the Talk of a Lifetime consumer outreach campaign and the ZMET research study, Breaking the Consumer Code.
● Journey to Serve, veteran’s recruitment initiative in partnership with the ICCFA Educational Foundation
Beyond his service, Arrington and his wife Judy Arrington are charter members of the Guardian’s Fund, the Foundation’s planned giving society, demonstrating a deep personal commitment to the future of funeral service.
“Bob Arrington exemplifies what it means to serve with heart, purpose and vision,” said John Heald, Foundation Chair. “His leadership has not only shaped our Foundation but also uplifted countless professionals and families across the country. It is our honor to recognize his enduring legacy with the Distinguished Service Award.”
The Distinguished Service Award is presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the success and growth of the Funeral Service Foundation through acts of service or volunteer leadership.
The award will be presented on October 27 during the Funeral Service Foundation Donor Reception at the NFDA International Convention & Expo (October 26 through 29 in Chicago, Illinois).
In recognition of his lifelong contributions, the Foundation is raising funds to establish an academic scholarship in Bob Arrington’s name. Known for his dedication to helping others, from championing fundraising initiatives to serving as the longtime auctioneer for academic scholarships at Foundation events, this special occasion marks a heartfelt moment where the profession can express its gratitude to a remarkable leader.
Gifts and pledges to support the scholarship may be made at FuneralServiceFoundation.org/Donate-Now-Bob-Arrington.
ABOUT THE FUNERAL SERVICE FOUNDATION – FuneralServiceFoundation.org Since 1945, the Funeral Service Foundation has served as the philanthropic voice of the funeral profession and has identified as the charitable arm of the National Funeral Directors Association since 1997. Donors and volunteer leaders profession-wide support the Foundation in its mission of lifting up grieving communities by investing in people and programs that strengthen funeral service.
(PHOTO: Bob Arrington)
