The Iowa Board of Mortuary Science has reinstated a suspended Council Bluffs funeral director’s license. In its ruling made public today (Wednesday), the Board found the license of David L. Rogness should be reinstated because enough time has passed since he last practiced mortuary science, and that monitoring and supervision of his practices will satisfy and protect the public interest. The board granted a probationary funeral director’s license to Rogness under the condition that he be supervised for at least a year. He will remain on probation for 18-months under the terms of a consent order agreed to in April, 2000.The Board also requires him to complete 20 hours of continuing education beyond that which is required for his license reactivation.

In January 2000, the Board had initiated formal disciplinary proceedings again Rogness for knowingly making misleading, deceptive, untrue or fraudulent representations while practicing as a funeral director, by misrepresenting the funeral services he actually provided.

In November 1999, Rogness admitted to a state investigator that one-year prior, he used a rental casket for a burial and that he lied to the family of a deceased person, who had been promised a new casket. Rogness’ license was suspended by the Board in March, 2000, but the charges were settled through a consent order in April of that year, and he was authorized to apply for reinstatement in July 2000. He chose to do so and reactivate his license nearly 14 years later.