Joe Starosta left the funeral business for footlongs.

The Muskegon resident buried his former career when he recently became a Cousins Subs franchisee at 9901 77th St., in the Shoppes at Prairie Ridge near the new Target Store.

People typically are surprised if and when they learn about his career change, he said.

“They expect a funeral director to be a solemn, stoic person, and I’m a happy-go-lucky type,” he said. “I like to crack jokes.”

Starosta, 47, entered the funeral business in 1989 and received his director’s and embalmer’s license in 1991. He worked about 13 years as manager for the Joseph Sass Funeral Home, Milwaukee. He still has that license — just in case.

A few years ago, Starosta and his wife, Laurel, decided they wanted to own a mortuary themselves.

But competition in the funeral business was tough, and such a purchase was too costly. He then saw an advertisement for Cousins, investigated the option and decided it would work for the couple.

“The Cousinses I ate at when I was 12 are still open,” he said. “It’s the only such restaurant that we both like.”

Their store is to open Feb. 5. He expected there would be two full-time employees, including himself, and about 10 part-time employees.

The couple plans to open a new Cousins store each year for the next three years. One would be on Highway 165 near I-94, one in Union Grove and another at an as-yet undetermined site.

Laurel is continuing with her job as an export compliance analyst with GE. Starosta also hopes to finish a bachelor of arts degree in business management from Cardinal Stritch University by fall 2010.

The current poor economy has not changed his mind about opening the sandwich shop, although he expects sales to be smaller because of it.

“In this economy, people are cutting back, but if they do go out, they’ll choose to eat a less expensive meal,” he said. “We’re positive we’ll meet all our goals.”

Preparing food is part of his life at home, he said, because he’s the family chef, doing almost all the cooking.

Starosta said the “people skills” he learned in the funeral business will come in handy now. He said knowing how to handle grieving people and when to use humor to lighten the atmosphere was essential.

“Handling a customer’s complaint because they got a wrong sub or it was made wrong will be a piece of cake,” he said.

Making a career change in his mid-40s was not easy, he said, but he doesn’t regret the move.

“I’m hoping I’m setting a good example for our children that it’s never too late to try something new and different,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.

“It just felt good, and it has turned out to be a good choice.”