Lares, Jennifer, interviewee. Maldonado, Joél Simone, interviewer. moving image Digital photographs Color 2020-2030. gmgpc Video recordings. lcgft Personal narratives. lcgft Oral histories. lcgft Interviews. lcgft eng Dr. Jennifer Lares, a licensed funeral director and embalmer for almost three decades, is the founder of Mulling Mortician, a company providing custom onsite and virtual training and education. For over eight years, Dr. Lares served as a Department of Defense mortician in the United States Navy and as a United States Army civil servant. She currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Funeral Service Education Department at Northeast Texas Community College. Additionally, Dr. Lares works as a contract licensed funeral director and embalmer for several funeral homes in southern Texas. This interview focuses on the contrasts and similarities between the COVID-19 pandemic and Dr. Lares's experiences serving in the military. Dr. Lares also shares the challenges she experienced during the height of the pandemic in her personal life and her professional life. Recorded virtually via Zoom, 2024-08-16. Reflections on the COVID-19 Pandemic from Last Responders: COVID-19 American History Project, 2023-2024 (AFC 2023/018), American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Lares, Jennifer--Interviews. Undertakers and undertaking--United States--Interviews. Undertakers and undertaking--Texas. COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-2023--Social aspects. COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-2023--Economic aspects. Organizational change. Veterans--Employment. COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-2023--Psychological aspects. Reflections on the COVID-19 Pandemic from Last Responders: COVID-19 American History Project, 2023-2024 https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/afc2023018.afc2023018_019_mv01 Collection is open for research. To request materials, please contact the Folklife Reading Room at Duplication of collection materials may be governed by copyright and other restrictions.