DO YOU WANT A FUNERAL? (page 2)

LV101

NO to your question. I was/young cajoled into wedding ordeal and I refuse to have a funeral I don't want. Reading blondie's comment above makes me sigh/discouraging! Do we ever get our way. I'm very social but go to these funerals --- one a few wks. ago and they praised the deceased (all good) and her charitable contributions to society were endless. I'm still trying to figure out how one woman could do this much charity/organization-service group work, raise 4 children and breathe. I can't figure it out but a couple of the groups were thru Catholic church other than Jr. League and few others. A couple of these groups exasperate me!

Anyway, when dining/lunch w/this individual we discussed how all the people in our lives and service orgs., etc., one really has no close friends --- a couple of others have told me same and there would be only --- maybe --- two people they'd ever care to see again in their lives once going into inactive service. Point is --- all this funeral expense and fluff going on seems stupid and big display to me. I realize it's for the family.

cyberjesus

It makes no difference. I wont be here anyway

talesin

I don't know who Ed Dunlap or his brother is, but RIP to your friends, j_w. :))

My body is being donated to science. If there are any folks who grieve me, and wish to have a party, ritual, or whatever to help them, that will be up to them. Like CJ says, I won't be around.

tal

blondie

Funeral is more than just the talk at a building.

A funeral is seeing that the laws in your area are followed, body buried or cremated, casket or not, embalming required, the expense. Organizing the final financial requirements, cleaning up the deceased's belongings. So pick a friend or a relative that can handle that. But remember this, when you die, you will not be there. The ones who might be hurt if you don't make arrangements might be the people you don't want to hurt.

I helped a friend who was an only child, both parents had been only children, so no blood relative to help, funeral was for last parent. I helped and we both found out what it takes to have a funeral, even small, to sit with a funeral director and make arrangements, something neither of us had ever done. I'm glad that my friend's parent had made specific arrangements for what she wanted. We had answers for all the director's questions even how to respond to high-pressure sales techniques.

talesin

We have a medical school here. No arrangements are necessary if you are donating your cadaver to science.

tal

moshe

I have a friend whose 2nd wife died 4 weeks after a lung cancer diagnosis- she was cremated with memorial services to follow at a later date- 2 years later he has a new ladyfriend and that memorial service is no longer pressing business. I always thought he was kinda cheap.

designs

Mainly for family and a few close friends. A few selected songs by Van Morrison and Bob Dylan and some readings from Keats and off we go.

Giordano

A dear friend passed away a month ago, it was expected but still it left a big emotional empty feeling for everyone that knew and loved her.

We received an email along, with about 200 others, from her husband a few days after she passed. He reassured us that she passed away in her home peacefully with hospice and family in attendance. He went on to say that she had already been cremated.

All well and good but none of us had a chance to say goodbye and a number of us felt incomplete about our role in her life and with her family.

A second email followed saying preparations were in the works to hold a memorial on the grounds of her home and all were invited. There would be tears and laughter and stories to be told and food and drink.

About 150 of us gathered together to hear and tell those stories about the life this amazing person had lived. Many contributed or read a poem, one person quoted Shakespeare another a scripture. We were surrounded by her beautiful gardens her friends and family.

When my wife and I left we both felt like we had gotten a chance to offer some comfort and in return to receive comfort and to finally be able to say goodbye. Instead of feeling the burden of this death we were able to remember her beautiful spirit, her laughter, the always ready smile and curious mind.

We both agreed that this was a good way to celebrate a life worth living. We weren't alone with that conclusion as a number of people we knew expressed that same sentiment and thought they would follow her example when their time came.

blondie

A dear friend passed away a month ago, it was expected but still it left a big emotional empty feeling for everyone that knew and loved her.

We received an email along, with about 200 others, from her husband a few days after she passed. He reassured us that she passed away in her home peacefully with hospice and family in attendance. He went on to say that she had already been cremated.

All well and good but none of us had a chance to say goodbye and a number of us felt incomplete about our role in her life and with her family.

A second email followed saying preparations were in the works to hold a memorial on the grounds of her home and all were invited. There would be tears and laughter and stories to be told and food and drink.

About 150 of us gathered together to hear and tell those stories about the life this amazing person had lived. Many contributed or read a poem, one person quoted Shakespeare another a scripture. We were surrounded by her beautiful gardens her friends and family.

When my wife and I left we both felt like we had gotten a chance to offer some comfort and in return to receive comfort and to finally be able to say goodbye. Instead of feeling the burden of this death we were able to remember her beautiful spirit, her laughter, the always ready smile and curious mind.

We both agreed that this was a good way to celebrate a life worth living. We weren't alone with that conclusion as a number of people we knew expressed that same sentiment and thought they would follow her example when their time came.

Dagney

I would like for my friends and family to have a party with few tear and mostly laughter and many stories.

I have come to appreciate the scattering of ashes, for some strange reason. The physical act brought some closure, especially when I did it for my mother on a beautiful river in Montana. It is really a good memory. But I think I'll donate my body...at least that is how I am leaning ATM.

No funeral though.

DO YOU WANT A FUNERAL?

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