Mobile funeral services? See what a Kings Mountain Army vet proposes

As a mortuary affairs specialist in the Army, Clay Bruggeman was responsible for ensuring fallen soldiers returned home, a job that made him realize he wanted to pursue a career in death care.

But his business, Into Our Kare Innovative Services, isn't a brick and mortar funeral home, but rather a traveling service.

He opened Into Our Kare on Sept. 11, 2021, and describes his brand as a "one-of-a-kind luxury funeral service motor coach."

The idea of a mobile funeral may not sound appealing to some, but Bruggeman said there are quite a few benefits. The military vet said the pandemic shaped the model for his business, realizing he would be able to service the loved ones of clients who were immobile or did not want to put themselves at risk to catch the coronavirus.

“With COVID-19 it really gave me opportunity to present something to the public that was outside the norm of a traditional funeral home,” said Bruggeman.

“For example, if you are in a wheelchair, the lift in the back is adjustable,” said Bruggeman. “We want everyone to have a chance to see their loved one before they say goodbye. I can bring the person to them with their loved one in the vehicle. It’s a classy way of allowing them to see their loved one, one last time.”

The Cherryville High School graduate has 15 years working in the funeral service industry. He took note of the cost and what it would take to maintain a facility, saying he wanted to create something that would be cost-effective for both parties.

“When I was looking to make a change and get into ownership, it’s a minimum of $250,000-$300,000 to get a building in place and put all the things you need in it,” said Bruggeman. “With COVID-19, it changed my thinking on some of those things. I took every aspect of the funeral service except for the embalming and cremation and put them all in one vehicle.”

The Kings Mountain resident said traditional funerals costs thousands of dollars.

“It’s not going to be sustainable for most people,” said Bruggeman. “People already don’t like going to a funeral home. This is another way of doing it. It’s not for everyone, but for the right person, I am going to be the only one they can get.”

Bruggeman remodeled a Mercedes Sprinter which now features a meeting room and viewing parlor. The mobility aspect is significant in that it allows families to select the location of the ceremony, whether it be at home, grandma’s favorite garden or taking your dad down his favorite stretch of highway.

Once inside, guests will see curtains that provide separation between their family and their deceased loved one. Bruggeman said the unconventional setup has unique options.

“People said they enjoy it because when they are in a church, they feel like they have to behave a certain way," he said. "We don’t want you to just cry over the person. We want it to feel like a celebration. If that means going to the beach, we will go to the beach. We can go to the mountains if we have to. We can go in your backyard and have a barbecue. We can meet you wherever you need us. We want to embrace the life they lived.”

Bruggeman, who spent four years in military and four years in the reserves, said his prices are more feasible than a traditional funeral service because patrons are not paying for the use of a brick and mortar or fancy limousines.

“Some people want those high-end amenities and that is fine if that is what they want to do,” said Bruggeman. “But I offer another way of doing it and it is still a quality service.”

Some packages start as low as $2,000. Bruggeman said it is important for him to offer reasonable pricing because he wants families to have the chance to say a proper goodbye.

“Just because someone doesn’t have money, that shouldn’t negate them from celebrating that person’s life,” said Bruggeman. “Everyone’s life should be celebrated.”

Want to know more?

Check out Bruggeman’s website at n2rkare.com/.

Latrice Williams can be reached at 704-669-3339 and lwilliams6@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Kings Mountain Military veteran offers unique approach to funerals