Chasing a Dream: Funeral director reaches lifelong career goal

  • Published
  • By Christin Michaud
  • Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Dolls, ponies and dress up are not for all little girls.

As a young girl, Danielle Van Orden decided to forgo traditional toys to experiment with hermit crabs and begin her path to what would be her dream job.

"My mom always tells the story about how I embalmed a hermit crab," said Danielle. "She said she knew at that point I was going to do something in the medical community."

That something was pursuing a career as a funeral director.

"She ended up saving the hermit crab in a jar and gave it back to me 12 years later when I graduated from Funeral School," said Danielle.

After graduating from GAR Memorial High School and Luzerne County Community College, Nanticoke, Pa, the Wilkes-Barre native attended the Simmons Institute of Funeral Service in Syracuse, N.Y.

Danielle began her mortuary career as in intern in a local funeral home in Wilkes-Barre. It was there she began learning more about who takes care of war fallen servicemembers.

Her goal was to work at the Port Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base, Del. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but that didn't deter her.

"As a funeral director the three best jobs are owning your own funeral home, embalming movie stars and working at the largest mortuary in the world," she explained.

Danielle knew that to get to the Port Mortuary at Dover AFB, the largest of its kind, she had to work hard like her father always did, she explained.

"He instilled in me at a young age that I was never going to be handed anything, especially as a woman," she said.

In hopes of pursuing her goal, Danielle enlisted in the Navy in 2004 as a Naval Mortician/Corpsman. The Navy is the only branch of service that enlists licensed funeral directors in a mortuary specialty. Her assignments included a position at the Military Medical Support Office in Illinois, the U.S. Naval Hospital in Guam and finally a position as the Navy Liaison at the Dover Port Mortuary.

At the end of her enlistment, then Petty Officer 2nd Class Van Orden requested a meeting with the commander of Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations to explain why she felt she would be the best fit for the new organization.

"It was my life-long dream to be here," she told him.

She explained how her naval career taught her about the active-duty entitlements, dignified transfers and work for the fallen.

She was hired for the position and worked in the Entitlements Branch of the Entitlements Branch within the Mortuary Affairs Division of AFMAO.

"She demonstrated her capabilities almost immediately after taking the position in support provided as a Mortuary Officer to families of CIA personnel killed in Afghanistan and American citizens who died in the earthquake in Haiti," said Todd Rose, Mortuary Affairs Division Chief.

"Danielle has worked tirelessly to ensure dignity, honor and respect for our fallen and provide care, service and support to their families, he said.

Helping families is something she has a passion for. She often heard stories from her father, a Marine who served in Vietnam, about how families were treated back then.

"I feel like I have a small opportunity to help make things right, not only for today's grieving families, but to help heal the wounds of those families who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the past," said Danielle.

In light of her work effort and attention to detail, her supervisor, Mr. Rose requested she transfer to the Past Conflicts Branch to support families of fallen Airmen who died during the Korean War, Cold War era and the Vietnam War and whose remains have yet to be recovered, identified and return to their families.

"Many of the families we work with have never had an opportunity to have full closure over the loss of their loved one," explained Danielle. "Many times there were no remains to bring back to them."

The Past Conflicts mission allows staff to reach out and help families reconnect with their loved ones and give them the proper funeral they deserve.

"I have received notes of gratitude from several families detailing the care and compassion (Danielle) has provided in bringing closure after so many years of unanswered questions," said Mr. Rose.

The impact the families have had on her she has been comparable.

"There are some families that become part of your life forever," said Danielle. "It's those moments when I reflect back when the day is over that I feel blessed."

The young girl with the hermit crab achieved her goal and life-long dream of working at the largest mortuary in the world honoring the fallen, past and present.

"It is an honor to be part of this amazingly rewarding but sacred mission," she said.