At Clozure, You’re Family

Melinda Gipson | April, 2026

Few topics are as uncomfortable or avoided as death. Yet Victoria Burke, a third-generation mortician and funeral director with more than 30 years of experience, believes that embracing this reality can lead to profound healing and a celebration of life.

Her journey into the world of mortuary science began with a traumatic experience at age 16, which ultimately shaped her compassionate approach to helping families navigate their darkest hours. "Every person I take care of, I treat as if they were my own family," Victoria explains. This philosophy stems from a deeply personal place: the loss of her beloved church elder, Reverend Mother Foreman. What she now sees as the mishandling of Mother Foreman's funeral left a lasting impact on Victoria, inspiring her to pursue a career in mortuary science and, more recently, to revolutionize the way we approach death and remembrance at Clozure. 

Victoria's mission is clear: to help people "go out in style," not in the flashy, materialistic sense, but in a way that authentically honors the essence of who they were. "Your style is the fiber of your legacy," she says. "It's about who you've created yourself to be in this world."

This personalized approach to memorializing our loved ones means digging deeper than just basic biographical information. Victoria asks about hobbies, favorite vacation spots, and cherished memories. She believes that understanding these details allows for a more meaningful celebration of life. One touching example she shares is of a woman who loved quilting. At her funeral, Victoria arranged for the church pews to be draped with more than 100 of the woman's handmade quilts. "When people walked in, they just started crying," she recalls. "They felt like she was there." Afterward, attendees were invited to take a quilt home, allowing them to keep a tangible piece of their loved one's legacy.

Victoria emphasizes that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to memorials. While she personally prefers a traditional funeral with a choir and tear-jerking gospel songs, she recognizes that others may want something entirely different. She's helped plan everything from formal church services to lively parties that feel like the deceased could walk in at any moment. The key, Victoria stresses, is capturing the individual's unique spirit. This might mean incorporating their favorite music, showcasing their artwork, or even honoring their perpetual tardiness (as in one memorable funeral where Victoria's uncharacteristic late arrival unexpectedly brought comfort to the family of a chronically tardy man!)

In today's digital age, Victoria sees great potential in using technology to preserve and share legacies. Clozure first offers an online “vault” where people can store their important documents, making them available only after death to a designated “legacy contact.” It then ties this vault to a Clozure Card™, a physical card with a unique QR code on it that may be scanned by first responders or medical personnel to retrieve information on how to reach that contact and to retrieve the deceased’s final medical directives and/or a DNR if one exists. Having notarized copies of a person’s permission for organ donation, for example, can speed life-saving help to the living. If someone’s religion prompts a request that only the family touch the body, this request too can be logged.

But the vault has other purposes. Planning one’s own memorial in advance can give your loved ones the time they need to grieve. Too often, in the absence of such directives, relatives are forced to make consequential, expensive decisions in the throes of what psychologists have dubbed “grief brain,” a kind of mental fog created by personal loss. It’s also a place where important passwords and video good-bye notifications can be stored and scheduled for release upon a certification of death.

Gathering family photos and histories can be particularly therapeutic, and can spark storytelling that cements your legacy. Such visual narratives can be especially powerful for non-religious services, offering a way to honor the person's journey without traditional religious elements. Such was the case with a send-off Clozure planned for Tom Sizemore, an actor best known for his role in Saving Private Ryan, when he died unexpectedly. For that service, Victoria received one of the highest compliments to be had in her profession: “Tom would have loved to be here!”

Victoria hopes that planning for the inevitable will come to be seen as a final act of kindness for your family. Having a concierge who knows how to deal with all the details of death a simple phone call away will come to be seen as a necessity for grieving families, she adds, and that’s why she is building Clozure – “to take some of the misery out of death.”

Ultimately, Victoria's approach to "going out in style" is about more than just the funeral itself. It's about leaving a legacy of love, creating meaningful connections, and giving those left behind a sense of closure and peace. By embracing the reality of death and planning thoughtfully, “we can transform what is often seen as a somber occasion into a powerful celebration of life!” she asserts.

And, in case you’re wondering, Victoria's own funeral plans reflect this philosophy. While she wants traditional elements like a church service and gospel music – something from the catalogue of her father, R&B legend Solomon Burke, perhaps. She also envisions some theatrical touches: a horse-drawn carriage, a flyover, and even "rainbows and marching bands!" It's a reminder that even in death, there's room for joy and celebration.

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