JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY
For Jamey Avrett, a career in funeral service was never part of the plan until it was the only plan that made sense.
The son of a late U.S. Army veteran, he was born in Oklahoma and lived in Germany and Texas, but grew up in Georgia. It was there, almost by accident, that his life's work began to find him.
In high school, Jamey needed a job to satisfy a class requirement. His Sunday school teacher, who happened to own the local funeral home, offered him work washing cars and mowing the grass. It was menial labor, but it put him in touch with a world he knew almost nothing about.
"I did get exposed to some elements of what I currently do, but never thought about going into funeral service," Jamey says. After graduating from college, and without a clear direction, he decided to attend mortuary school. He enrolled at Ogeechee Technical School in Statesboro, Georgia, and after graduating, took a position as a funeral director at a family-owned firm in Valdosta.
It was in Valdosta that Jamey met his wife, Kristie Wise-Avrett, a Columbia native attending Valdosta State University. The two married, and after nearly five years together, learned they were expecting their first child. Kristie wanted to be closer to her family, so the couple relocated to Columbia in 2016. The move set the stage for the next chapter of Jamey's career when Jamey joined the staff of Clyde W. Kraft Funeral Home in Columbia. On May 16, 2026, he marked his 10-year anniversary there.
Jamey explains that in Pennsylvania, mortuary school is required: "It’s a two year associates degree and there are three schools in PA that offer mortuary science degrees." In addition to mortuary school, PA requires two additional years of education like another associates degree, Jamey says. Also required is a licensed apprenticeship, passing the national board, and passing the PA State Law and Rules Exam.
Funeral directors are often called upon to be pillars of strength for families in the midst of loss, and Jamey takes that responsibility seriously.
"As a funeral professional, I realize that the families I serve are going through possibly the worst of times for their loved ones," he said. "I strive to be the strongest person that they can lean on to guide them through that difficult time."
Jamey says his mornings typically begin with coffee, followed by outreach, including meeting new families and following up with others who've come through before. From there, the work varies: embalming when requested, arranging services, writing obituaries, coordinating with clergy and cemeteries, filing insurance paperwork, and organizing military honors for veterans. "We wear many hats," Jamey explains.
Looking forward, Jamey says, "While I cannot predict the future, I am happy to continue helping the families in Columbia and surrounding communities."
