On Sunday, August 12th at 3 P.M., the Franklin Civil War Round Table will present Dr. Todd Van Beck, who will speak on “Embalming Surgeons in the Great American Civil War.”

At the beginning of the Civil War there was no preparation for what would happen with those who died. The common thought was that the war would be short and almost no one would be killed. Almost 700,000 deaths later, the process of caring for the dead became a huge chapter of the Civil War story. Dr. Van Beck will give an in-depth look at the huge challenge of caring for the living by processing the dead during the war.

Van Beck has been in funeral service, bereavement care, and church lay ministry for almost fifty years. He is the author of hundreds of articles and books and a speaker on a wide variety of topics ranging from funeral customs to counseling and the psychology of grief. He has spoken in Europe, New Zealand and around the world. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Mount Mercy University, a Masters’ Degree from Mount Saint Mary’s and an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service. He has been recognized by many professional organizations for his work in the art and science of embalming. He is currently the Director of Continuing Education Studies at the John A. Gupton College in Nashville.

The event is free to the public. The Franklin Civil War Round Table is an educational program of Franklin’s Charge, and meets each month at Carnton's Fleming Center, 1345 Eastern Flank Circle. For more information, email fcwrt@yahoo.com, or visit https://www.franklinscharge.org/the-round-table.