Funerals are frequently called a celebration of the dearly departed’s life, but they don’t feel like much of a celebration to the bereaved guests. It’s always difficult to lose a loved one, and even more difficult when they leave this world much sooner than expected. But tomorrow is promised to no one, and we owe it to ourselves to have a plan for the day we all know is coming. Planning your own funeral now ensures that you’ll get the type of service you want and spares your grieving family from having to make burial arrangements at a difficult time.

Many business ideas come at completely unexpected times, and the inspiration for Glory Boats occurred when our company founder Joel Schmidt was visiting his father in the emergency room. At the age of 74, John Schmidt was still working as a self-employed electrician and took a nasty fall from a ladder while working on a construction site. His injuries were severe, and he broke multiple ribs in the accident. It was one of the first times that Joel and his father ever had a serious man-to-man discussion about end-of-life planning, but they knew how important it was to ensure he settled all of his affairs. Once they had a plan in writing, Joel teasingly said, “If you hadn’t told me what you wanted, I might have just buried you in your fishing boat.” The idea took root, and the rest is history!

Far too many people of all ages die unexpectedly without making their wishes known, and our mission is to encourage our clients to plan their departure from this life and help their families remember them how they want to be remembered. It only takes a few minutes to put your wishes in writing, and you can use our convenient “My Map to That Far Shore” document when you’re ready to get started.

Our boat-shaped caskets are designed and built to fit into standard-size vaults and grave liners, and they can be used exactly like traditional caskets. Glory Boats are large enough to accommodate most individuals, and we can ship caskets to any funeral home in North America. Contact us online or at 501-216-2628 when you’re ready to learn more about our products or to place an order for your Glory Boat casket!