At 21 years of age, McKenzie Widen is the youngest female funeral director in the state of Kansas.
By early April, she will also be licensed in Nebraska, which will almost certainly make her the youngest female funeral director in that state, as well.
"We feel McKenzie is a great addition to our staff and brings a wonderful set of skills that invigorate, excite and promote our business moving forward," said Joshua Meyer, the President of Tibbetts Brothers, Inc., which owns the Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home in Concordia. "Her passion and eagerness to learn and do a good job to make sure that our families are given the utmost cares is one of her greatest qualities."
An intelligent and engaging young lady with a quick smile, McKenzie has been employed by Chaput-Buoy since August 2023. She graduated from Concordia Junior/Senior High School in 2022, and then graduated in just one year from Cloud County Community College (CCCC).
Being a funeral director is not a common job choice, especially for someone so young. "I really had no idea what I was going to do," McKenzie said. "I was working at a bank, but I need variety. I need to be on the go. I took a job placement test at Cloud, and the only thing that came back for me - I kid you not - was 'funeral director'! So I job shadowed at Chaput-Buoy, and I really liked it. The people here are really nice to work with, and we're always doing something different; we're always on the go. I feel like I kind of stumbled on this, but now I love it."
To be licensed as a funeral director and embalmer, a person must graduate from mortuary school, pass the National Board examination and then serve a year long apprenticeship. "I went through an accelerated mortuary course and finished it all in a year," McKenzie said. "Then I sat for the Kansas Board of Mortuary Arts. They interviewed me and then I took a written test, and I was granted a license to be a funeral director and embalmer in Kansas in January of 2026. In April of this year I'll complete my requirements for the Nebraska board and receive my license in that state."
Is McKenzie impressed with what she's accomplished at such a young age? "Not really," she replied, then thought about it for a moment, and her face lit up with a smile, "Well, it is kind of cool, actually."
Many young people can't resist the urge to spread their wings once they finish high school or college. They leave Concordia to experience life elsewhere. That thought never entered McKenzie's mind. "I like it here," she said. "I never thought of leaving. This is where I want to be. This job checks a lot of boxes for me. I really like helping people. With Chaput-Buoy, I help families through what is probably one of the most difficult times of their life. I have a way of staying calm during emotional times, so if I can use that to help people through difficult times it really makes me feel good. I feel that I'm doing something good and helpful with my life."
McKenzie believes that one of her strongest abilities as a funeral director is in restorative arts. "That means so much to me," she said. "I want to leave families with a lasting memory of their loves ones."
When McKenzie looks to the future, she doesn't see any real big change in her life. "I'll still be here. I love it here. I plan the big things, like, I bought a house. So the big things I spend a lot of time thinking about and planning. But everything else, the small things that fill the spaces in between, I just let them play out."
Travel, however, is always on McKenzie's mind. "Oh, definitely - I'll go anywhere! I'm going to Massachusetts with my mom soon. I'd love to go to Italy. That's my dream trip right now. Lots of planning to do for that."
McKenzie understands that being recognized at such a young age for her talent and hard work counts for something. But what means the most to her is that a family feels that they've been taken care of in their time of need. "If I've been able to help people through a difficult time, then I've done what I'm supposed to be doing with my life. And that's what means the most to me."
