Farmingdale Mayor Joseph M. Trudden was recently appointed the Long Island area spokesperson for the New York State funeral industry. Trudden was selected by the New York State Funeral Directors Association (NYSFDA) earlier this month.

A funeral director since 1971, Trudden is president of the McCourt and Trudden Funeral Home on Main Street in Farmingdale. In addition, he has been mayor of the village of Farmingdale for two terms, and is a volunteer with the Farmingdale Fire Department.

In his newly appointed position, Trudden would manage funerial procedures during any large scale tragedy such as a plane crash on Long Island. It would also be his responsibility to present the public with any appropriate information.

Trudden volunteered for the spokesman position and attended a two-day seminar which explained his responsibilities. According to Trudden, he was asked to represent Long Island because of his large community involvement as mayor. He said that since his duties as mayor requires much public speaking, he was the best candidate for the position.

Trudden is the third generation of funeral directors in his family. His grandfather started the McCourt and Trudden Funeral Home, and Trudden joined the business after he retired from a career as a Suffolk County detective and a member of the county's hostage negotiation team.

Trudden explained that there are some difficulties in being a funeral director. "It's a matter of putting your feelings aside and moving on," he explained. "When such a catastrophe happens in our own lives, we look to other funeral homes for help and support. That support is what I try to provide."

As funeral director, Trudden makes sure to concern himself with helping families as much as possible during the stresses of funeral planning. "I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping families at a difficult time. I help guide them to make decisions that they wouldn't have to make under normal conditions but we help them since they are under such distress."

Trudden studied to become a licensed funeral director at American Academy in Manhattan.

About Trudden being named spokesperson, Bonnie Tippy, executive director NYSFDA said "we believe that it is important to have community-based funeral service professionals available to respond to local issues, disseminate consumer information and to act as a resource for local media reporters when they are developing a story about the funeral industry."