Funeral Director Inez Capps Utilizes TikTok to Demystify Death

“Well you do look smart,” Inez Capps remarked while adjusting the tie of an elderly man whose body had been prepared for his upcoming funeral. The departed gentleman’s family members were expected to arrive shortly and had requested trance music be played, stating “that was his favourite.” Such individualized details are among the elements of Inez’s profession that she highlights on her TikTok account, where she aims to challenge societal taboos surrounding death. Over the past three years, the 32-year-old has accumulated over 100,000 followers by sharing content ranging from tours of the hearse and the embalming suite to explanations of the care provided to a deceased individual. Inez was 19 when she resolved to become a funeral director. Her father, Nigel Kinton, who was then assisting other funeral businesses, received a request to retrieve a body from a care home and invited Inez to accompany him. “Obviously I was petrified, nervous, I was unsure what was going to happen,” she stated. “My dad was just incredible and seeing him with the family, I came out of the care home and I looked at him and I just said, ‘I need to do this’.” She established Kinton & Daughter Funeral Directors in 2013. The inspiration for Inez to begin creating TikTok videos about her work arose after observing another woman producing similar content about her role as a cruise ship captain. “I just want to educate people a little bit because I feel like death isn’t talked about enough, it’s a very taboo subject,” she explained. “At first initially, I was hoping it would just be behind the scenes but now it’s giving people a safe space to ask questions and I’m hoping it will give them a bit more comfort.” Inez affirms that she meticulously avoids including any personal details or visual content of the individuals she attends to in all her videos. Her video topics have included explanations of how an inquest operates, her method for securing a coffin in the rear of a hearse, and the cosmetic techniques she employs to ensure the deceased resemble “themselves.” “When you go into hospital, you kind of lose your identity a little bit, or you become your illness,” she states. “I’m able to give that person a little bit of themselves back.” Inez’s responsibilities extend beyond body preparation and family coordination. She has previously worn costumes like Wonder Woman and “a full Star Trek outfit” for the family of a science-fiction enthusiast, and performed a dance at the funeral of an individual who enjoyed line dancing. Inez identifies the most rewarding aspect of her profession as receiving gratitude from people at the conclusion of funerals. “They just say ‘that was exactly what we wanted’, and that just makes everything feel amazing,” she remarks. Inez aims to alleviate people’s apprehension about contemplating their funeral preferences or discussing them with loved ones. “If you talk about your wishes beforehand, it can make the process so much easier. I’m hoping that as more people see my videos, maybe it will make it easier for them to talk about,” she comments. “I’ve been having that conversation since I was about 20. I want a black glitter coffin, and I want to be cremated or buried in my wedding dress.” Nevertheless, the mother of two acknowledges that she becomes “far too emotionally invested” in her work. “I get to know somebody for like two weeks, and I get to know who they are and who they were to their families and then I have to then say goodbye,” she stated. “I can’t switch that off, and if I ever got to the point where I could, maybe it would be time for me to hang my top hat up.” For further updates, follow BBC Derby on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Story submissions can be sent to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 0808 100 2210. This content is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites and provides information regarding its external linking policy.