tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83398483888284009552024-03-13T09:02:34.170-07:00Funeral Guy's Bow TieFuneral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-52340739089149872112016-05-24T09:23:00.000-07:002016-05-24T09:23:35.446-07:00The End of the Line For Formaldehyde<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Original Article <a href="http://connectingdirectors.com/articles/48310-the-end-of-the-line-for-formaldehyde" target="_blank">via</a></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Amy Cunningham, Editor of <a href="https://fittingtributefunerals.squarespace.com/blog-1/" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">The Inspired Funeral</a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I used to associate the <a href="http://www.nfda.org/advocacy/current-legislative-regulatory-issues" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">National Funeral Director’s Association </a>(NFDA) with Brooks-Brothers-clad lobbyists who never questioned the utility of highly toxic embalming fluids. So imagine my delight last week–it really felt like Christmas–when I opened my May 2016 copy of <a href="http://www.nfda.org/news/nfda-publications/the-director" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">“The Director” </a>magazine (the NFDA’s glossy trade journal) and found a remarkable article called “Excising a Health Risk: The time to look into formaldehyde-free products is now” by the NDFA’s environmental compliance counsel of twenty-five years, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-lynn-green-1b237519" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">Carol Lynn Green.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Among Green’s talking points:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>1. </strong>“<strong>Formaldehyde-free embalming products serve an important risk-reduction function in embalming.”</strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. “OSHA will change how it limits formaldehyde exposure, setting more stringent standards and/or imposing restrictive work practices.”</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. “Today’s memorialization practices, the shorter period between death and memorialization, and consumer interest in green products and practices, create a niche market for formaldehyde-free embalming products.”</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My translation: just as we wisely stopped using poisonous arsenic to embalm in the decades after the Civil War, so too we should seek alternatives (in both <a href="https://greenburialcouncil.org/" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">funeral practice</a> and <a href="http://www.enigma-champion.com/encyclopedia/encyclo658.pdf" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">products</a>) to formaldehyde-reliant end-of-life rituals. Might we learn something from <a href="http://www.jewishjournal.com/expiredandinspired/item/abrahams_children_how_muslim_and_jewish_burial_practices_can_help_bring_pea" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">traditions that eschew chemically preserved corpses</a>? After all, it’s been five years since the U.S Department of Health and Human Services labeled<a href="http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/formaldehyde/formaldehyde-fact-sheet#q5" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;"> formaldehyde a human carcinogen</a> potentially dangerous to the people working around it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lest you suspect from my tone that I am “anti-funeral industry,” allow me to recount a conversation I had some years ago, when I was a mortuary school graduate in search of the required year-long residency. I quickly realized I was interviewing in the wrong funeral establishment when my prospective boss stated that all his residents spent the first three months in full-day, five-day-a-week, embalming practice. Line them up, and move them out! But as we continued to chat about the merits of strong fluids and wax reconstruction, he told me a moving story that illustrated the sacrifices he personally was willing to make. He described the day he collected from the Kings County Medical Examiner’s office the body of a heroic police officer, who’d been shot and killed in the line of duty, and written up in all the newspapers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“I wanted to make this great cop look good again <em>so badly</em>,” he said with real sincerity. “that I managed the whole ‘post’ by myself.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A “post” is jargon for a post-autopsied person cut open in a Y incision from shoulder joint to mid-chest to pubis by a pathologist to determine cause of death, then stitched back together with the plastic bag of cut-up, weighed, and analyzed viscera wedged into the abdominal cavity. It takes a long time and significant chemical exposure–with the deceased’s chest cavity open like that, formaldehyde pooling–even with the<em> best ventilation</em>, to make such a body wholly presentable. My new buddy inhaled so much toxic formaldehyde that day to get the officer’s body right, that he was faint and dizzy as he staggered out of the prep room, and had to be supported just outside the door frame by two employees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This story touched me deeply. The sense of civic responsibility, this man’s devotion to making the funeral right, his willingness to endure a horrendous experience–all of that stirred me. But his resignation regarding “the hit” he had to take, inhaling a chemical in a quantity that could lead to health consequences (stats show increased risk for <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2264563" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">myeloid leukemia</a> and <a href="http://time.com/3956241/funeral-directors-als/" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">ALS </a>in career embalming room workers) still puzzles me. Some embalmers are just that selfless. But others aren’t in a dialogue with their bodies. They still smoke cigarettes. One I know used to work in <a href="http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/asbestos/asbestos-fact-sheet#q5" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">asbestos</a>. All, of course, need the job, otherwise, who’d do it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So I was impressed, but perplexed by my prospective employer’s belief that formaldehyde toxicity can’t be avoided in the funeral biz, and that other employees should suffer as much as he has suffered. My heart goes out to this man’s wife and family. And to his staff, quite frankly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The upshot of Carol Lynn Green’s article is not to halt embalming entirely for those funeral consumers who expect it, know what it is, and still want it. It’s to find <a href="http://homefuneralalliance.org/resources/home-funeral-information/safety-of-home-funerals/" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">methods</a> and <a href="http://www.thechampioncompany.com/product-catalog/enigma-ecobalming.html" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">chemicals</a> that won’t threaten the health of dutiful funeral workers, and get funeral home owners curious about what they might add to their <a href="http://theamateursguide.com/?p=5242" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">menu of funeral options</a>. Funeral firms must get ready for Baby Boom customers who feel that death can be managed naturally with no toxic chemicals at all (look at those long lines at Whole Foods, people). When strong preservative is required–due to air travel, warm climates, delays in service scheduling–funeral directors will still use formaldehyde. One might hope that, now, with the NFDA’s straight forward encouragement, funeral directors will embrace formaldehyde-free fluids and stop tarnishing their legacy in the effort to celebrate someone else’s.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I wrote Carol Lynn Green right away and told her she was a “change agent.” She certainly is courageous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m reminded of a moment I savored years ago when my younger son Gordon shouted across a grocery store aisle: “Hey Mom, it says here on this package: ‘no dyes and no artificial preservatives!’ Your team is winning!”</span></div>
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Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-38433514424703331922016-05-17T11:34:00.002-07:002016-05-17T11:34:54.592-07:00Facebook’s operating chief opens up about her personal struggles after her husband’s death last year.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Original Article <a href="http://connectingdirectors.com/articles/48277-facebooks-sheryl-sandberg-tells-berkeley-grads-what-i-learned-in-death" target="_blank">via</a><br />
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Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook Inc.’s chief operating officer, on Saturday opened up about her personal struggles since the death of her husband last year, in a commencement speech at University of California at Berkeley.</div>
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Her speech at Berkeley contrasted with t<a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/07/02/heres-what-the-leaders-of-tech-told-graduates/" style="outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">he tone of her commencement speech at City Colleges of Chicago two years ago</a>. That address focused on ambition, confidence and gender inequality, themes she hit on in her 2013 book “Lean In.”</div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">It was the first time Ms. Sandberg spoke publicly about the aftermath of the passing last May of her husband Dave Goldberg, chief executive of online-questionnaire provider SurveyMonkey. Wavering between tears and laughter, and wearing a graduation gown in Berkeley’s blue and gold, Ms. Sandberg talked of the irony of finding gratitude through death, took a couple digs at Silicon Valley rivals, and revealed her New Year’s resolution.</span><br />
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Here are four excerpts from Ms. Sandberg’s speech at Berkeley:</div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394;">Grief</span></strong></div>
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Following the death of Mr. Goldberg, a psychologist friend of Ms. Sandberg suggested she think about how much worse things could be. It was counterintuitive: She said she had believed the way to recover was to try to find positive thoughts. He replied, “Dave could have had the same cardiac arrhythmia driving your children.”</div>
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Ms. Sandberg said she was overwhelmingly grateful that the rest of her family was alive and healthy. “That gratitude overtook some of the grief.”</div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394;">Resilience</span></strong></div>
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“The easy days ahead of you will be easy. It is the hard days—the times that challenge you to your very core—that will determine who you are,” Ms. Sandberg said. “You will be defined not just by what you achieve, but by how you survive.”</div>
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This year, Ms. Sandberg said her New Year’s resolution was to write down three moments of joy before going to bed each night. “This simple practice has changed my life. Because no matter what happens each day, I go to bed thinking of something cheerful. Try it.”</div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394;">Working Life</span></strong></div>
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In her first job, Ms. Sandberg said her boss found out she didn’t know how to enter data into Lotus software. She went home convinced she was to be fired. “I thought I was terrible at everything…but really I was just terrible at spreadsheets.” Understanding that her weakness was about one skill, not her entire professional potential, would have saved her a lot of anxiety that week, she said.</div>
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Ten days after she was widowed, Ms. Sandberg went back to work. “I remember sitting in my first Facebook meeting in a total haze, thinking, ’What is everyone talking about and how could this possibly matter?’” Ms. Sandberg related. “But then I got drawn into the conversation and for a second—the briefest of all seconds—I forgot about death.”</div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394;">Humor</span></strong></div>
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After Mr. Goldberg died, Ms. Sandberg’s rabbi told her time would heal, but for now she should “lean into the suck.” “Not what I meant when I said ’lean in,’” she joked.</div>
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Ms. Sandberg also made a friendly jab at Alphabet Inc.’s Google, a company that Facebook competes with for job candidates (and Ms. Sandberg’s former employer). “Everyone who has made it through Cal has already experienced some disappointment. You wanted an A but you got a B. OK, let’s be honest—you got an A-minus but you’re still mad. You applied for an internship at Facebook, but you only got one from Google.”<br />
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[H/T <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/facebooks-sheryl-sandberg-tells-berkeley-grads-what-i-learned-in-death-1463260014" style="outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;">WSJ</a>]</div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-25904412072322499562016-05-11T08:10:00.000-07:002016-05-11T08:10:09.599-07:00Japan’s Creepy Corpse Hotels Could Do Some Good in the States<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<em><span style="font-family: inherit;">Original Article <a href="http://connectingdirectors.com/articles/48240-japans-creepy-corpse-hotels-could-do-some-good-in-the-states" target="_blank">via</a></span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: inherit;">With 49% of Americans projected to choose cremation in 2017, we may need to address overcrowded crematoriums the same way Japan has. </span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dead people take up a lot of space, an issue Japan is beginning to comprehend. Approximately 110,000 people died in Tokyo in 2014, but there are only 26 operating crematoriums in the city. As the death rate continues to rise in Japan, the country has begun to explore alternative storage methods, if you will, to offer relief to overcrowded crematoriums. That solution comes in the form of “corpse hotels,” where bodies are stored in pristine conditions for up to four days before space is cleared at crematoriums for their arrival.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The new corpse hotel called Sousou is located in the city of Kanagawa, where 75,000 people died in 2014. As the city only has 20 operating crematoriums, it suffers from the same overcrowding issues as Tokyo. Located on a suburban block, the grim exterior of the hotel stands out among its surroundings with navy curtains covering all the window. The hotel may be slightly out of place, but it provides a place for families and friends to visit their loved ones before the body is shipped off to the crematorium a few days later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sousou representative <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/creepy-corpse-hotels-aim-relieve-7860548" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Hisao Takegishi</a> referred to the facility as a “funeral refugee,” a crucial step in dealing with the overcrowding issue at crematoriums. Sousou provides a section for relatives to relax and discuss their options with the staff, while the bodies of their loved ones are preserved in highly air conditioned other rooms in other parts of the building. The facility’s staff hopes to expand the business into other, more crowded cities like Tokyo where the disturbing nature of the building wouldn’t interfere in the lives of local residents as much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Japan’s corpse hotel idea calls attention to a similar issue in the United States. Although interring bodies is still popular in America for religious reasons, according to data from 2014, the percentage of Americans who want to be cremated had risen from <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/13/cremation-on-the-rise-infographic_n_5669195.html" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">3.5% percent in 1958 to nearly 40 percent</a>, and there’s evidence to suggest that statistic will only increase. The number of crematoriums in the United States has increased to keep up with the trendiness of cremation, but it’s likely we may run into a similar problem like the one in Japan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Members of the staff bowing as they say goodbye to one of their guests" height="365" scale="0" src="https://fsmedia.imgix.net/3d/79/4a/38/10bd/4e43/aad9/af56ed28c325/members-of-the-staff-bowing-as-they-say-goodbye-to-one-of-their-guests.jpeg?w=700&dpr=1&auto=format&q=75" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Noting the projected <a href="http://www.smartcremation.com/crematoriums-expanding-keep-demand/" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">49 percent of Americans</a> that will choose cremation in 2017, Barbara Kemmis, executive director of the Cremation Association of North America, said, “If we don’t address the capacity issue and increase the number of crematories, it could take up to two weeks to cremate someone in 2040.” Japan’s solution has secured a four-day waiting period between storage at the corpse hotel and cremation, putting the length of two weeks in perspective.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With the ever-increasing popularity of cremation in the United States, it looks like we may have to get dead serious about investing in some of these corpse hotels.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Photos via Youtube/Freeclick (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quWImrhtvWE" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/13/cremation-on-the-rise-infographic_n_5669195.html" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">2</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quWImrhtvWE" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">3</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cover Image: Reuters</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">[H/T: <a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/15000-japan-s-creepy-corpse-hotels-could-do-some-good-in-the-states?platform=hootsuite" style="color: #1e73be; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Inverse.com</a>]</span></div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-33177662250253743072016-05-04T13:06:00.000-07:002016-05-04T13:06:26.116-07:00New Jersey Woman Honors Sister’s Memory With White Castle Urn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Original Article <a href="http://connectingdirectors.com/articles/48195-new-jersey-woman-honors-sisters-memory-with-white-castle-urn" target="_blank">via</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stacey Parrinello, a woman from Manalapan, New Jersey, is paying tribute to her late sister Mel Burrows’ memory with a custom- made White Castle cremation urn, designed by Minnesota-based Foreverence, a company dedicated to celebrating the lives of loved ones with individually designed, 3-D printed, urns. Each as unique as the lives they represent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mel was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in 2015, and as a special treat after her treatments, she and Stacey would sneak out of the hospital and pay a visit to their local Castle. “Let’s treat ourselves,” became the catch phrase of the sisters’ special trips and is prominently featured on the urn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“It might seem a bit silly to some people, but White Castle provided a sense of normalcy during Mel’s treatments. And that was a true gift, because those days were difficult for all of us,” said Parrinello. “The time we spent together at White Castle is something I’ll always cherish and look back on fondly, because I loved that Mel was able to find such joy in one of life’s simple pleasures. The White Castle urn is a way I can honor her and cherish some of the last memories we shared together.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To honor Mel’s memory and legacy, White Castle is inducting both Burrows and Parrinello into the 2016 Cravers Hall of Fame class. Bonded by unique and compelling commitments to the Crave, the Cravers Hall of Fame encourages White Castle’s most avid fans to submit original stories about their relationship with White Castle, and why White Castle is meaningful to them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“We are humbled by Mel’s story, and truly honored that our small, two-by-two hamburgers were able to impact her life in such a positive way,” said Jamie Richardson, vice president of White Castle. “As a special gift from our family to hers, we are donating $10,000 to the American Cancer Society in her name. White Castle brought joy to Mel during some difficult times, and our mission is to share her story and give back to others on her behalf.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stacey will be invited to the 2016 Cravers Hall of Fame induction ceremony in October at the White Castle headquarters inColumbus, Ohio. The deadline for entering the 2016 contest is June 30, 2016. The judges set criteria to evaluate each story based on the following: brand loyalty, creative presentation, originality and magnitude of the Crave. Previous winning entries have included tattoos, epic road trips, moving family traditions that have spanned generations, tributes to fallen friends, two movie stars, the former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and one rock legend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Entries are submitted online at whitecastle.com/CHOF, where rules and regulations also are posted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Our mission is to honor and celebrate the lives of family members and friends in a unique and personalized way. We were touched by Mel’s story, and were more than happy to create a custom-made White Castle urn to memorialize the fond memories she had with her sister,” said Pete Saari, founder and CEO of Foreverence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For those interested in learning more about the White Castle urns, a link is now available on White Castle’s online store.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For more information, visit <a data-include="300261325" data-omniture="http://www.whitecastle.com/" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="nofollow" style="outline: none !important;" target="_blank">www.whitecastle.com</a> or <a href="http://www.foreverence.com/" target="_blank">www.foreverence.com</a>.</span></div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-30081377248403039812016-04-26T15:26:00.000-07:002016-04-26T15:26:38.190-07:00A Guide to Getting Through Grief<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As we all know, there is not one way to grieve. Not every person experiences it the same way, nor do they heal from it in the same way. The very idea of grief is surrounded by so many misconceptions, that it's hard to figure out what is normal and what's not. Many people have suggestions for how <i>they</i> deal/dealt with grief, but it's hard to figure out what works for you.<br />
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Happify Daily created an infographic that covers the basics of grief. They cover the myths such as "women suffer more in grief." They also talk about the early stages of grief, working through grief, and when grief is prolonged.<br />
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Take a look below or view the entire graphic <a href="http://my.happify.com/hd/how-to-deal-with-grief-infographic/" target="_blank">HERE</a><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mQyuCym-Tio/Vx_qvdtny1I/AAAAAAAAA0E/D3brZ1rRYI4KIdNXui66Pt70kbhxTqhPwCKgB/s1600/Grief-Infographic-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mQyuCym-Tio/Vx_qvdtny1I/AAAAAAAAA0E/D3brZ1rRYI4KIdNXui66Pt70kbhxTqhPwCKgB/s1600/Grief-Infographic-2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-86709792961782821692016-04-20T07:56:00.000-07:002016-04-20T07:56:48.060-07:00The Man, The Myth & The Funeral Director: 5 MisconceptionsArticle <a href="http://www.frazerconsultants.com/2016/04/the-man-the-myth-the-funeral-director-5-misconceptions/" target="_blank">via</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let’s face it. Most jobs have their fair share of over-generalizations and stereotypes. All cops love their doughnuts. Firefighters spend their time responding to calls about a cat in a tree—that is, when they aren’t busy cooking chili. I’m sure we’ve all heard a few lawyer jokes, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Most jobs are portrayed through stereotypes so often, it becomes second-nature to think about them that way (no matter how inaccurate those stereotypes might be).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What about funeral directors? Let’s take a look at some common misconceptions about the profession.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let’s start off with the most common misconception: <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Anyone willing to make a career revolving around death is morbidly obsessed with the dead right?</em><br />This is as unfair as accusing all police offers of pastry addiction. It has more to do with how we as a society, especially in America, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/psychology-yesterday/201306/death-american-style" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">view death</a>. It is something of a taboo, and so it’s reflected in our ideas about funeral directors. Those who work with the dead get sucked into that mindset. That’s how we get that grim reaper image—that black suited, clammy handed, pale-man perception. Of course, this just isn’t <a href="https://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/08/17/humanizing-funeral-directors-men-of-mortuaries-calendar/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">true.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Funeral Directors are as normal as the rest of us, with perhaps a slightly grislier job than most. Their work is more noble than we tend to recognize. Their primary focus is on the family and helping them through one of the toughest points in their lives. They are caring and compassionate people.</span></div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Don’t they spend their day just surrounded by bodies?</span></strong></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Does a firefighter spend all his time just putting out fires? As mentioned, funeral directors focus first and foremost on the families they serve. They do everything in their power to provide some degree of comfort and peace as these families mourn their loved ones. Funeral directors also spend a great deal of their time in their communities, serving as trusted leaders and resources. Otherwise, they might spend some time on the same tedious tasks as everyone else: preparation, planning, and paperwork—and even less time still in hospitals, cemeteries, and morgues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Most jobs share one universal trait: they allow someone to earn a living. If a sizable income was your goal, there are many other career paths that would be much less demanding. This isn’t a 9-5 gig. A death can occur at <a href="http://www.frazerconsultants.com/2014/08/13-signs-just-worked-3am-removal-call/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">any time</a>. This includes weekends and holidays. There is little flexibility for a funeral director on call. They have to drop everything to respond to a call, day or night. The work of a funeral director can be rewarding, but it can also be emotionally taxing and exhausting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the past, many family-owned funeral homes would pass the business from father to son. Lately, however, there has been a surge of women entering the profession. The American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABSFE) reported that in 2015, <a href="http://www.abfse.org/docs/ABFSEDirectory.pdf" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">56 % of graduates</a> from accredited programs were female. Two generations ago, the estimate was zero percent. As these women make their way into the industry, they can help shatter the perceptions of a once male-dominated industry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While a modern funeral might not resemble funerals of the past, death is nothing new. Humans have pretty much always practiced ceremonies to mourn their loved ones. Somebody has always been needed to help orchestrate such ceremonies. The job might not have looked the same 1,000 years ago, and it likely won’t look the same 1,000 years from now, but the job has always been (and will always be) profoundly meaningful and important.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s easy for people to fall into the trap and make unfair generalizations about funeral directors, but hopefully a little education and good information can aid in combatting these unfair stereotypes. The very nature of funeral directing—to help guide and assist families in a great time of need—is an inherently human thing. Funeral directors are emotionally invested and passionate about their profession.</span></div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-77457042620274520712016-04-14T08:14:00.003-07:002016-04-14T08:15:35.594-07:00Spookiest Cemeteries in the U.S.The 2016 ICCFA Convention is in full swing in the great city of New Orleans! We thought we'd highlight some of the spookiest cemeteries in the United States, as Louisiana is home to the first 3 on the list by Fox News!<br />
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Article <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2014/10/28/spookiest-cemeteries-in-us.html" target="_blank">via</a></div>
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Whether it’s their iconic setting, notorious residents or stories of unsavory deaths, these cemeteries across America are sure to give you the heebie-jeebies.</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">1.</span> A touch of voodoo</span></h2>
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<img alt="A touch of voodoo" src="http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/travel/2014/10/28/spookiest-cemeteries-in-us/_jcr_content/list-par/list_item/image.img.jpg/876/493/1422837587488.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; max-width: 100%; width: 612px;" /><br />
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<span class="source" itemprop="name" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Jan Dahlqvist</span></div>
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With all the stories of voodoo that surround New Orleans, it’s no surprise that the Big Easy is home to one of the country’s creepiest graveyards. Visit the iconic above-ground graves at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, which was established in 1789 and has what is said to be the most haunted tomb in the world – of a voodoo priestess, no less!</div>
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Many visitors make the easy walk from the French Quarter to St. Louis Cemetery to perform a ritual at the tomb of voodoo legend Marie Laveau. The tradition involves performing a combination of steps, including marking three red X’s on the tomb, knocking on it and then leaving an offering for a request to be granted. What you’ll find there on any given day, according to the book “City of the Dead: A Journey Through St. Louis Cemetery #1” by Robert Florence, may range from a wedding cake couple encircled in coconut to a dead rat wearing Mardi Gras beads. Plenty of New Orleans tour companies will be happy to take you to this spot.</div>
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This cemetery is a favorite of filmmakers, with movies and TV shows like “The Heist,” “Easy Rider” and “NCIS: New Orleans” all filming scenes there.</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">2.</span> Vampire haunts</span></h2>
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<img alt="Vampire haunts" src="http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/travel/2014/10/28/spookiest-cemeteries-in-us/_jcr_content/list-par/list_item0/image.img.jpg/876/493/1422837589595.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; max-width: 100%; width: 612px;" /><br />
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<span class="source" itemprop="name" style="box-sizing: border-box;">New Orleans Convention and Visitor’s Center</span></div>
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Also in New Orleans is Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, a favorite of former New Orleans resident Anne Rice, author of “The Vampire Chronicles.” The cemetery is the final resting place of more than 7000 souls, yet it spans only a city block.</div>
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It was a favorite hangout of Rice’s character, the vampire Lestat, and it’s believed his tomb in the movie “Interview with the Vampire” was modeled after one on the cemetery grounds. Rice staged her own funeral at the cemetery, riding in a glass-enclosed coffin to promote her book “Memnoch the Devil,” and the tomb of her Mayfair Witches is based on several tombs there.</div>
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Lafayette Cemetery is a popular location in movies, including “Double Jeopardy” and “Dracula 2000,” as well as several music videos.</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">3.</span> Creepiness from colonial times</span></h2>
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<img alt="Creepiness from colonial times" src="http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/travel/2014/10/28/spookiest-cemeteries-in-us/_jcr_content/list-par/list_item1/image.img.jpg/876/493/1422837590691.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; max-width: 100%; width: 612px;" /><br />
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<span class="source" itemprop="name" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Cane River National Heritage Area</span></div>
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The oldest cemetery in Louisiana is American Cemetery in Natchitoches, which dates to 1737, though there are no surviving monuments prior to 1797. Historians believe the second French Colonial Fort St. Jean Baptiste was located on the site and that all of its residents were buried there. It fell into disrepair for a time, leaving many of the graves cracked and broken, but it’s still in use. Residents of Natchitoches can be buried there, just steps away from their colonial ancestors.</div>
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Reports abound of hauntings in the cemetery, with stories of a man screaming at night and a woman hanging amid the trees. The cemetery was the site of a major scene in “Steel Magnolias.”</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">4.</span> Where prisoners lie</span></h2>
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<img alt="Where prisoners lie" src="http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/travel/2014/10/28/spookiest-cemeteries-in-us/_jcr_content/list-par/list_item2/image.img.jpg/876/493/1422837591390.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; max-width: 100%; width: 612px;" /><br />
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<span class="source" itemprop="name" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Flickr/Cowtools</span></div>
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Out West, Colorado Springs has its share of eerie cemeteries. Woodpecker Hill, named for the damage woodpeckers did to the wooden markers, is on a bluff above Greenwood Cemetery and was the final resting place of prisoners. Among them are a double-murderer whose body wriggled for 20 minutes after he was hanged, due to a malfunctioning rope, and the last man ever executed by a Colorado-designed hanging apparatus that tended to decapitate its victims.</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">5.</span> Worthy of Scarlett O’Hara</span></h2>
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<img alt="Worthy of Scarlett O’Hara" src="http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/travel/2014/10/28/spookiest-cemeteries-in-us/_jcr_content/list-par/list_item3/image.img.jpg/876/493/1422837600596.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; max-width: 100%; width: 612px;" /><br />
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<span class="source" itemprop="name" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Elmwood Cemetery</span></div>
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Elmwood Cemetery and Gardens, which overlooks the Broad River, was founded in 1845 and once was the most prestigious and “fashionable” cemetery in Columbia, S.C. The quintessential Southern grounds feature towering oak trees, wildlife, winding roads, grand old family-owned mausoleums, obelisks and monuments, and a wrought-iron arch that beckons you inside.</div>
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The cemetery holds the graves of an estimated 500 Confederate soldiers, many without headstones, as well as a number of the South’s most prominent residents, including William and Mary Huntt. William served as South Carolina’s secretary of state, while Mary is famous for sewing the original Ordinance of Secession into her skirt and hiding the State Seal, keeping them safe during the Union occupation of the city. Also at Elmwood: a would-be bride who supposedly died the night before her wedding due to “nerves.”</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">6.</span> History comes alive</span></h2>
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<img alt="History comes alive" src="http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/travel/2014/10/28/spookiest-cemeteries-in-us/_jcr_content/list-par/list_item4/image.img.jpg/876/493/1422837603843.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; max-width: 100%; width: 612px;" /><br />
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<span class="source" itemprop="name" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Bill Crabtree Jr</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.hollywoodcemetery.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #183a52; display: inline-block; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Hollywood Cemetery</a> in Richmond, Va., is a who’s who of American history and the second most visited cemetery in the nation after Arlington. Named for its holly trees that stand amid the hills and valleys overlooking the James River, Hollywood Cemetery is home to Presidents James Monroe and John Tyler, President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis, 25 Civil War generals, many Virginia governors and other well-known figures.</div>
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More than 18,000 Confederate soldiers, including the first casualty of the Civil War, are buried here, and a 90-foot granite pyramid stands in tribute. One of its most recognized monuments is a cast iron dog that stands guard over the grave of a young girl who died in 1862.</div>
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As for its haunted side, the story goes that a creature covered in blood, now known as the “Richmond Vampire ,” was spotted emerging from a nearby railroad tunnel and chased to the cemetery, where it took up residence and remains in the grave of bookkeeper W.W. Poole. You can tour these historic and haunted grounds by foot, trolley or Segway.</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">7.</span> Graves in grand scale</span></h2>
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<img alt="Graves in grand scale" src="http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/travel/2014/10/28/spookiest-cemeteries-in-us/_jcr_content/list-par/list_item5/image.img.jpg/876/493/1422837604424.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; max-width: 100%; width: 612px;" /><br />
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<span class="source" itemprop="name" style="box-sizing: border-box;">R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia</span></div>
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In Philadelphia, you’ll find more Civil War-era graves, including those of 40 generals, as well as a signer of the Declaration of Independence and six passengers on the Titanic. Laurel Hill cemetery, nearly hanging over the Schuylkill River, is known for its fantastic grounds, its outdoor sculpture garden and its house-size mausoleums, monuments and obelisks. The grand and ornate scale of these burial places lead you to wonder about those whose lives they represent. On one tomb, an unusual statue depicts the deceased emerging from the grave in a puff of smoke.</div>
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Nestled within Philadelphia’s city limits, Laurel Hill Cemetery, with its large cherry trees that bloom brilliantly in the spring, is a National Historic Landmark. With its massive size and grandeur, it is a true “city” of the dead.</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">8.</span> Peculiar tombs</span></h2>
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<img alt="Peculiar tombs" src="http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/travel/2014/10/28/spookiest-cemeteries-in-us/_jcr_content/list-par/list_item6/image.img.jpg/876/493/1422837605933.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; max-width: 100%; width: 612px;" /><br />
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<span class="source" itemprop="name" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Bethel Inn</span></div>
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In the small village of Bethel, Maine, you’ll discover a host of out-of-the-ordinary gravesites at Woodland Cemetery. Built in the early 18th century and set apart from the town, this garden cemetery features many terraces that let the imagination run wild with what’s hiding below the next hill. </div>
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Iconic headstones include a marker sculpted as a tree stump to indicate that the young girl who is buried there was “cut down” in the prime of her life. Another monument was chiseled by Daniel Chester French, sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial. You’ll also find a lot set aside by a Civil War commander for any soldier who could not afford a burial place. While only one marker stands, it is believed that others are buried there who could not afford a marker.</div>
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The nearby Bethel Inn hosts a <a href="http://bethelinn.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Ghost-Gravestones-14-2.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #183a52; display: inline-block; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Ghosts and Gravestones Weekend</a> around Halloween that shares local ghost stories and includes a tour of the cemetery.</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">9.</span> Where the headless horseman roams</span></h2>
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<img alt="Where the headless horseman roams" src="http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/travel/2014/10/28/spookiest-cemeteries-in-us/_jcr_content/list-par/list_item7/image.img.jpg/876/493/1422837606172.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; max-width: 100%; width: 612px;" /><br />
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<span class="source" itemprop="name" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Matt Born-StarNews Media</span></div>
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Dotted with live oaks draped in hanging moss, Bellevue Cemetery in Wilmington, N.C., is a favorite spot for filming the TV series “Sleepy Hollow.” Located on the outskirts of the city’s “Mansion District,” Bellevue has graves that date back to the 1800s. It may be a serene resting place during daylight, but add a little Hollywood fog and moonlight and it becomes a setting worthy of the headless horseman.</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">10.</span> Buried alive</span></h2>
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<img alt="Buried alive" src="http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/travel/2014/10/28/spookiest-cemeteries-in-us/_jcr_content/list-par/list_item8/image.img.jpg/876/493/1422837608638.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; max-width: 100%; width: 612px;" /><br />
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<span class="source" itemprop="name" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington</span></div>
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Another Wilmington cemetery, St. James Parish Cemetery, was founded in 1729 and is said to house the grave of a man who was buried alive and lost all of his fingertips trying to scratch his way out. It’s also home to Revolutionary War officers and patriots who came from England, Scotland, Ireland and France to begin a new life, and more than 60 children under the age of 5 who died from illnesses. Its moss-covered headstones and above-ground brick graves add to its spookiness. </div>
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Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-71112033010692009992016-04-06T07:00:00.000-07:002016-04-06T07:00:19.587-07:00Why January is the month you’re most likely to die: Factors like the chronic chill and genetics cause the year's highest death tolls<div class="mol-para-with-font" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
Article <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3405386/Why-January-month-likely-die-Factors-like-chronic-chill-genetics-cause-year-s-highest-death-tolls.html" target="_blank">via</a>:</div>
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What is it with deaths this January? Before we got halfway through the month, the world had lost a pantheon of cultural icons - musician David Bowie, actor Alan Rickman, and the DJ and Top Of The Pops presenter Ed ‘Stewpot’ Stewart.</div>
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These sad losses reflect a little known fact: that January is the peak time of the year for deaths. This is for a multitude of reasons - some quite straightforward, such as the cold weather, others more complex, such as our genes.</div>
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Quirks of the human psyche play a crucial part as well. January famously includes the ‘most depressing day of the year’ - the third Monday of the month - identified by Welsh psychologist Dr Cliff Arnall in 2005.</div>
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This was based on a formula said to weigh factors such as weather, debt, the time elapsed since Christmas and failed New Year’s resolutions. By applying a mathematical ‘sadness’ algorithm to these factors, yesterday was ‘Blue Monday’, as it’s come to be known.</div>
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Scientifically, this calculation may be bunkum, but the fact that so many are willing to believe it indicates the idea has strong emotional traction. Indeed, the Samaritans says that January is a peak time for calls from people feeling emotionally distressed and desperate.</div>
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Psychologists have a name for this potentially lethal post-festive plummet in morale: the ‘broken promise effect’.</div>
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People in low mood in the early winter hang on to the hope that Christmas and New Year will bring better things.</div>
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December sees a drop in the suicide rate, which experts call the ‘postponing effect’; the rate ‘rebounds’ in January, with an above average rise.</div>
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Another factor may be that people who are seriously ill often hang on to life at Christmas and New Year, for a final chance to see loved ones and enjoy the emotional warmth of the season.</div>
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Indeed, a study in 1973 by sociologists at the State University of New York found a similar peak in survival rates around people’s birthdays.</div>
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<br />It also reported that seriously ill Jewish people may ‘postpone’ their deaths until after important religious dates such as Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement.The report, published in the American Social Review, examined the death dates of more than 1,300 people. </div>
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The cold weather, too, is an obvious factor - and last year proved to be particularly grim. In January 2015, the death rate peaked at more than 30 per cent above the average for that month over the previous ten years.</div>
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More than 12,500 more people passed away in those four weeks than usual. Public Health England (PHE) put it down to the weather, with the ‘statistically significant excess’ in deaths coinciding, it said, with serious cold snaps.</div>
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The sad fact is that Britain is comparatively very poor at protecting itself against the killer chill. </div>
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Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal countries in Scandinavia and northern Europe that endure bitterly cold winters have lower excess winter mortality than Britain.</div>
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A 2013 ONS report noted that people in those countries take better precautions against the cold, and their homes are better insulated. </div>
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Perhaps surprisingly, flu is not the great January killer. Most of the deaths are linked to respiratory and circulatory diseases brought on by the body being severely stressed by chronic chill.</div>
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As Tim Ellis, chief executive of the National Records of Scotland, explains: ‘Very few [of the additional deaths in winter] are caused by hypothermia and only a small proportion by influenza.</div>
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‘Most are from respiratory and circulatory diseases, such as pneumonia, coronary heart disease and stroke.’</div>
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There are also genetic reasons for such deaths.</div>
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In cold weather, our immune systems rev up to resist the bugs that thrive when people huddle together in stuffy rooms, shops, trains and buses. When our immune systems are highly active, they are also more likely to go awry.</div>
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<br />But inflammation can be lethal. Chronic inflammation causes damage throughout the body and plays a significant role in heart disease, type 1 diabetes and arthritis.Our immune genes control our immune cells and trigger inflammation - the body’s way of fighting off infection by releasing chemicals that cause swelling as a defence against invaders.</div>
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‘We see a rise in new cases of type 1 diabetes in January,’ says John Todd, a professor of medical genetics at Cambridge University who studies seasonal gene changes. ‘Heart disease is also much worse in the winter months.’</div>
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Figures from the British Heart Foundation prove that there are significantly more deaths from coronary heart disease during January. Further- more, a 2012 study by Harvard university shows that levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides (fats in the blood linked to heart disease) peak in January, and are lowest in summer.</div>
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The reason for this is not yet clear.</div>
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Once we have made it through January, though, we can all look forward to the happy months of July, August and September.</div>
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Across Britain, these have the lowest death rates, according to ONS figures between 1959 and 2012.</div>
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After that, the death rate begins to rise again in October, then begins a steep ascent to its winter heights at the start of November.</div>
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It seems that the English novelist Anthony Trollope had it right back in 1858, when he wrote in his novel, Dr Thorne: ‘Let no man boast himself that he has got through the perils of winter till at least the seventh of May.’</div>
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In the meantime, enjoy the rest of January. If you can.</div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-88839656051773384102016-03-29T15:56:00.005-07:002016-03-29T15:56:48.746-07:00Dead and Alive Project with Klaus Bo<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ale3wgs_W3g/VvsFrdbM_AI/AAAAAAAAAy4/Yrxdg9Anv2MdysVLcdrdiy5Ieb1o-BRkA/s1600/Klaus%2BBo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ale3wgs_W3g/VvsFrdbM_AI/AAAAAAAAAy4/Yrxdg9Anv2MdysVLcdrdiy5Ieb1o-BRkA/s640/Klaus%2BBo.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="media__caption--title" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: start;">Greenland</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; text-align: start;"> </span><span itemprop="caption" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; text-align: start;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">In Upernavik, the soil is too hard to bury the dead. Instead, they are laid to rest in concrete and stone-covered coffins above ground. Often, these coffins face the ocean, so that dead sealers can watch the place they once worked. <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160314-pictures-death-ritual-funeral-burial-ceremony-people-culture/" target="_blank">via</a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Photographer, Klaus Bo, has set forth a project documenting the
different cultural experiences surrounding death. The project is called “Dead
and Alive Project.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">“</span><span style="background: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">In some places – like Denmark – death is taboo, in other
places death and the deceased are natural parts of the life of the living. The
background for this project is the desire to show how death rituals often
reflect life. With its selection of different death and burial rituals,
visitors to the final exhibition will gain insight into how much any given
culture’s values, hopes and dreams are reflected in their thoughts about death
and life after death, and how differently we treat our dead from culture to culture.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Klaus
has travelled far and wide to document different death traditions. Below are
just a few of the photos that will be featured in the April issue of National Geographic with small insights to their stories:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yj3bl4kbSDQ/VvsGRMYIxjI/AAAAAAAAAzA/izS6RQ6hj1MhJOKRcmXbqMN4PAneTI5vg/s1600/Klaus%2BBo%2BGhana.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yj3bl4kbSDQ/VvsGRMYIxjI/AAAAAAAAAzA/izS6RQ6hj1MhJOKRcmXbqMN4PAneTI5vg/s640/Klaus%2BBo%2BGhana.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="media__caption--title" data-reactid=".5.0.2.0.$20.$18" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: start;">Ghana</span><span data-reactid=".5.0.2.0.$20.$19" itemprop="caption" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; text-align: start;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; line-height: 1.7;">
Church members carry Nene Nomo’s body to his grave. His coffin pays homage to his profession, chicken farming. <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160314-pictures-death-ritual-funeral-burial-ceremony-people-culture/" target="_blank">via</a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ogt1lKlp_pE/VvsGq8y2vGI/AAAAAAAAAzE/rcYvzE-0iJo3lOPQBsfa3kXIJQ2VtL6HQ/s1600/Klous%2BBo%2BNepal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ogt1lKlp_pE/VvsGq8y2vGI/AAAAAAAAAzE/rcYvzE-0iJo3lOPQBsfa3kXIJQ2VtL6HQ/s640/Klous%2BBo%2BNepal.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="media__caption--title" data-reactid=".6.0.2.0.$188.$186" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: start;">Nepal</span><span data-reactid=".6.0.2.0.$188.$187" itemprop="caption" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; text-align: start;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; line-height: 1.7;">
Ramri Tamang’s body is cremated on the outskirts of the village, surrounded by family members. According to their Buddhist beliefs, it is important to destroy the body so that the spirit cannot return to it. <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160314-pictures-death-ritual-funeral-burial-ceremony-people-culture/" target="_blank">via</a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xb_DLrpYMSw/VvsHaeRHjtI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/maV-2H7zgDA4GG8uSM2ZDnPxwVbWNv-dQ/s1600/Klaus%2BBo%2BIndia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xb_DLrpYMSw/VvsHaeRHjtI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/maV-2H7zgDA4GG8uSM2ZDnPxwVbWNv-dQ/s640/Klaus%2BBo%2BIndia.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="media__caption--title" data-reactid=".8.0.2.0.$248.$246" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: start;">India</span><span data-reactid=".8.0.2.0.$248.$247" itemprop="caption" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; text-align: start;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; line-height: 1.7;">
Bodies are cremated at Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi’s main cremation grounds. More than 150 bodies are cremated there every day, and its frequent use has caused deforestation in the area. <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160314-pictures-death-ritual-funeral-burial-ceremony-people-culture/" target="_blank">via</a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DYt05htJnsQ/VvsHaaAyAwI/AAAAAAAAAzU/XH_6oT-7oq4kzbh42MUr7DPxEfy9OZdVA/s1600/Klaus%2BBo%2BMadagascar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DYt05htJnsQ/VvsHaaAyAwI/AAAAAAAAAzU/XH_6oT-7oq4kzbh42MUr7DPxEfy9OZdVA/s640/Klaus%2BBo%2BMadagascar.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="media__caption--title" data-reactid=".9.0.2.0.$395.$393" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: start;">Madagascar</span><span data-reactid=".9.0.2.0.$395.$394" itemprop="caption" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; text-align: start;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; line-height: 1.7;">
Family members dance with and celebrate their ancestor during a Famadihana. <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160314-pictures-death-ritual-funeral-burial-ceremony-people-culture/" target="_blank">via</a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dT1sPQxa4jc/VvsHaShBDcI/AAAAAAAAAzY/RP60fzlEYecNNUB0nY4l1kwSpUYpQjqPg/s1600/Klaus%2BBo%2BNepal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dT1sPQxa4jc/VvsHaShBDcI/AAAAAAAAAzY/RP60fzlEYecNNUB0nY4l1kwSpUYpQjqPg/s640/Klaus%2BBo%2BNepal.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="media__caption--title" data-reactid=".7.0.2.0.$56.$54" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: start;">Haiti</span><span data-reactid=".7.0.2.0.$56.$55" itemprop="caption" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: pragmatica-web, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.14px; line-height: 25.5px; text-align: start;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; line-height: 1.7;">
Women in Port-au-Prince chant to lure the spirit of a deceased mambo, or Vodou priestess, into a kalabasa squash (seen floating in a bowl in the center). Afterward, they will release the spirit at a nearby road junction. <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160314-pictures-death-ritual-funeral-burial-ceremony-people-culture/" target="_blank">via</a></div>
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To read more on the project, go to the project website <a href="http://deadandaliveproject.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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To view the feature on National Geographic, click <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160314-pictures-death-ritual-funeral-burial-ceremony-people-culture/" target="_blank">HERE</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-6812253177731778492016-03-23T07:58:00.000-07:002016-03-23T07:58:59.201-07:00Decomposing Bodies Power Ethereal Cemetery Lanterns<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Y_wJxHTECA/VvKttVin6XI/AAAAAAAAAyg/W42FwKTX78k9_uXaojtfp_ZJxuZ9R66nw/s1600/SylvanConstellation-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Y_wJxHTECA/VvKttVin6XI/AAAAAAAAAyg/W42FwKTX78k9_uXaojtfp_ZJxuZ9R66nw/s640/SylvanConstellation-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 30px;">What happens to you after death? We expect that our loved ones will grieve, someone will say consoling words to our family and friends, and perhaps there will be a party with fond toasts to our memory. But what becomes of our remains? In most cases, bodies are either embalmed or cremated, buried or scattered in some meaningful location. But the </span><a href="http://www.bath.ac.uk/news/2016/03/01/future-cemetery/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #683496; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Centre for Death and Society</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 30px;"> at England’s University of Bath held a competition in hopes of reimagining the future cemetery. They selected as their winner ‘Sylvan Constellation,’ a proposal that combines grieving with the latest in green technology to create a sustainable, peaceful space.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sylvan Constellation envisions the cemetery as a series of woodland paths through clusters of ‘memorial vessels,’ some at the level of the path and some suspended on columns overhead. The vessels contain remains and microbial fuel cells that hasten decomposition. As the body breaks down, its energy is converted into electricity that causes the vessel to glow, lighting the nearby paths, creating beautiful surroundings while avoiding the environmental impacts of embalming or cremation. Centre director Dr. John Troyer said <a href="http://www.bath.ac.uk/news/2016/03/01/future-cemetery/" style="background-color: transparent; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #683496; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">in a press release,</a> “The proposal captured the Future Cemetery design competition’s larger themes by presenting a mix of different sustainable technologies.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The proposal is the work of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. GSAPP will receive a prize of five thousand pounds and a month’s residency in Bath to research the nearby Arnos Vale Cemetery, where Sylvan Constellation will be constructed. GSAPP will collaborate with Arnos Vale and the Centre to bring the project to fruition. “By working together on this project, collaborators will establish networks for longer-term projects involving innovative, sustainable design around end-of-life planning,” said Troyer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.bath.ac.uk/news/2016/03/01/future-cemetery/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #683496; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">O</a>riginal Article <a href="http://www.psfk.com/2016/03/the-future-of-cemeteries-centre-for-death-and-society.html" target="_blank">via</a></span></div>
<br />Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-71668588416528624072016-03-16T11:44:00.001-07:002016-03-16T11:44:13.640-07:00Irish Funeral Traditions: The Wake<div class="MsoNormal">
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The Irish are famous for many things like their St.
Patrick’s Day celebrations, love of Guiness beer, and we can’t forget the
accent! With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, we thought we’d explore
Irish funeral traditions.</div>
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<b>The Wake</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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A wake used to be a very lively event, and for some it still
is. However, in recent years there has been a shift to making it a more somber
event. In years past, the wake would be held in a house. The deceased would be
laid down to rest, while stories were shared, laughs filled the air, and drinks
were all around! The body is not to be left alone at any time. A person,
usually a woman, sits nearby at all times. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Some traditions include stopping all the clocks in the house
at the time of death. Some believe this is an effort to help the dead pass on,
when they realize time isn’t passing. Others believe this was an effort to help
the doctor know when to declare an exact time of death when he arrived. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Anther tradition includes turning all mirrors and pictures.
It was said that a soul could get trapped in a reflective surface. Later they
would haunt the home. While this may sound hokey, this stemmed from a time when
there was an unhealthy interest in death. (Think Victorian era.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another common tradition at the wake would be to have every
male caller take at least one puff from a pipe to lift evil spirits from the
body. Some would place the pipe next to the deceased, even on their chests!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Want to read more about the Irish wake? Click <a href="https://randomdescent.wordpress.com/2012/11/18/how-we-irish-remember-our-dead-november-traditions/" target="_blank">HERE</a> OR <a href="http://blog.funeralone.com/grow-your-business/unique-services/irish-funerals-can-teach-us-celebrating-life/" target="_blank">HERE</a></div>
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Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-41299692084833791082016-03-09T10:33:00.001-08:002016-03-09T10:33:21.280-08:00Tips for Writing an Epitaph<div class="MsoNormal">
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When it comes to writing the epitaph, the challenge posed
can be an emotional one. However, it can also be an opportunity to give the
world a small window into the importance of the life lost. The process can
actually aide in the grieving process, however bittersweet the experience may
be. Below are some tips on how to write an epitaph.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> Keep it Short and Sweet</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> Think of What the Deceased Would Write for
Themselves</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> Describe What Makes up their Essence</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> Decide on Who is Speaking</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Convey a Strong Feeling</span></li>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Keep it Short and Sweet:</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Many epitaphs are one to two lines in length. Some feel
limited by the space restrictions, but for others it can be beneficial. The
best way to look at it is quality over quantity. Keeping your epitaph concise keeps
the significant and meaningful words to speak volumes instead of extra words
“fluffing” the headstone. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Think of What the Deceased Would Write for Themselves:</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Throughout this process, have you thought about what you
would write for your personal epitaph? Try to put yourself in the shoes of the
deceased. What would they write about themselves? What aspects of their life
would they have wanted highlighted and displayed for the world for years to
come?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Describe What Makes up their Essence:</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Many use the relationships of the deceased such as,
“Daughter, Mother, and Friend.” Perhaps their occupation is the best descriptor
(or a combination), “Brother and Soldier.” It may be helpful to describe key
aspects of their personality. For example, “A kindred spirit that loved you
before she knew you.” Think of what makes them…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">them.</i> Was it the way they interacted or served others? Was it a
specific quote they lived by? Was it their dedication to a cause? What made
them tick?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Decide on Who is Speaking:</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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An epitaph can be written from the viewpoint of the deceased
or it can be written from an unknown third party. “Bob was strong until the
bitter end” vs. “My loved ones will always be loved by me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Convey a Strong Feeling:</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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An epitaph can take on a melancholic tone or it can be
celebratory! The message can be tragic or it can emphasize the love surrounding
their life. Deciding on the feeling you want to elicit behind the epitaph will
help guide you in your message. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
An epitaph is a hard task that brings many memories to the
surface. Some memories fill your soul with light, while others may bring a
shadow to your heart. Writing an epitaph is process, and we hope these tips are
helpful to this process.<o:p></o:p></div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-91672897782595715182016-02-29T10:00:00.000-08:002016-02-29T10:23:17.474-08:00What Happens to Your Social Media Profiles After You Die?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zmcJ6aKTzE8/VtSMVM3DWtI/AAAAAAAAAxk/kOWm99xFQ00/s1600/Depositphotos_30237445_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zmcJ6aKTzE8/VtSMVM3DWtI/AAAAAAAAAxk/kOWm99xFQ00/s640/Depositphotos_30237445_original.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Death during the 21<sup>st</sup> century is a tad more
complicated than in the past with the introduction of the Internet, e-mail, and
social media. In addition to funeral arrangements and financial arrangements,
families of the deceased must now decide what to do with social media accounts!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So what happens to your social media profiles when you die?
The answer to this question depends entirely on which social media platform
you’re asking about.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X-9XtMjgJWs/Vs9NaDH5JSI/AAAAAAAAAxA/mBOr7g6wevw/s1600/facebook.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X-9XtMjgJWs/Vs9NaDH5JSI/AAAAAAAAAxA/mBOr7g6wevw/s1600/facebook.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Facebook:</b> You
have two options with Facebook. Immediate families, after showing proper
documentation, can choose to close the entire account or turn their profile
into a memorial page. Should you choose to go with the memorial page, Facebook will
remove sensitive information from the profile (contact information and
addresses), removes all status updates, and also changes the profile settings
so that only friends can find the profile and post information to the memorial
wall. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The profile will no long show up in the “People You May
Know” section, nor will friends be reminded of the deceased’s birthday. Facebook
will also deactivate the user’s login information to prevent anyone from
guessing the user’s password and logging in.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If no notice is given, Facebook will leave the profile as-is
forever. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Would you like to put in the request to deactivate a
deceased person’s account or create a memorial page? Click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/228813257197480" target="_blank">HERE</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5noW2bpxSag/Vs9Najye7SI/AAAAAAAAAxM/dtzSDfMVT0I/s1600/twitter.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5noW2bpxSag/Vs9Najye7SI/AAAAAAAAAxM/dtzSDfMVT0I/s1600/twitter.png" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Twitter:</b> After
six months of inactivity, Twitter automatically starts deleting inactive
accounts. Upon receiving proper documentation, Twitter will deactivate an
account for a death notice. At no point in time will Twitter release the login
information for a deceased person’s account, regardless of your relation. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Uniquely, Twitter will not recycle any username information.
So, your username is yours to keep!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Would you like to put in the request to deactivate a
deceased person’s account? Click <a href="https://support.twitter.com/articles/87894" target="_blank">HERE</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c-kuQOGiZvM/Vs9NaAGVK2I/AAAAAAAAAw8/O2Xlia4Q1xg/s1600/Instagram.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c-kuQOGiZvM/Vs9NaAGVK2I/AAAAAAAAAw8/O2Xlia4Q1xg/s1600/Instagram.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Instagram:</b> While
Instagram won’t release any login information, they do give you options for the
deceased’s account. Just like Facebook, you can choose to Memorialize the page
or remove the account altogether.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
require certain documentation to support your claim, but an immediate family
member can submit the form at any time. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Would you like to put in the request to remove a deceased
person’s account or create a memorial page? Click <a href="https://help.instagram.com/264154560391256/" target="_blank">HERE</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dIkW4w95ddo/Vs9NabZRI4I/AAAAAAAAAxE/wjlNF-855sE/s1600/linkedin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dIkW4w95ddo/Vs9NabZRI4I/AAAAAAAAAxE/wjlNF-855sE/s1600/linkedin.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">LinkedIn:</b> Your
profile will remain live until notice is given. An immediate family member must
submit the request along with documentation and additional information like the
link to the obituary. After review, LinkedIn will close the account and remove
the deceased’s profile. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Would you like to put in the request to close a deceased
person’s account? Click <a href="https://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2842/~/deceased-linkedin-member---removing-profile" target="_blank">HERE</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd42aO8YEVs/Vs9NaOsZIII/AAAAAAAAAxI/Lvd_e9ATXs4/s1600/google.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd42aO8YEVs/Vs9NaOsZIII/AAAAAAAAAxI/Lvd_e9ATXs4/s1600/google.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gmail:</b> Did you
know you can decide what you want done with your account <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">before</i> you die? Google calls it their “Inactive Account Manager.”
You can decide who has access to your information ahead of time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If this wasn’t set up, an immediate family member can submit
a request to either close the account or request very specific information from
the account. At no time will Google release login information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, even after the account has been
deactivated, Google does not re-release the username to be taken by someone
else.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Would you like to set up your Inactive Account Manager or
submit a request on behalf of a deceased person? Click <a href="https://support.google.com/accounts/contact/deceased?hl=en" target="_blank">HERE</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Want to learn more? Read some of these great articles!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://computer.howstuffworks.com/social-networking-death.htm" target="_blank">View:</a> “What happens to all my social networking information
when I die?” by Jonathan Strickland</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://mashable.com/2014/06/24/social-media-death/#A0lBSijRKqql" target="_blank">View:</a> “What Happens to Your Social Media Profiles When You
Die?” by Sylvan Lane<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-3578021645457803822016-02-24T09:19:00.001-08:002016-02-24T09:19:16.599-08:00Token of Love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cPFgF4G1cpw/Vs3lxgtBvFI/AAAAAAAAAwo/BFt_NazJRy8/s1600/headstone%2Bgifts%2Band%2Btokens%2Bsecurity%2Bnational%2Blife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cPFgF4G1cpw/Vs3lxgtBvFI/AAAAAAAAAwo/BFt_NazJRy8/s1600/headstone%2Bgifts%2Band%2Btokens%2Bsecurity%2Bnational%2Blife.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is customary to leave flowers and gifts at the headstones of our loved ones. But have you ever wondered what some of them mean? While something left behind for a loved one can be something personal between the two of you, some things have a cultural background.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The most common items left on graves, besides flowers, are stones and
rocks. This is primarily a Jewish custom. In the Old Testament, the sons
of Jacob and Rachel placed stones over their mother’s grave. One reason people place stones on graves is that they believe it keeps
the soul down. This theory, with roots in the Talmud, cites that souls
continue to dwell for a while in the graves in which they are placed.
The grave, called a beit olam (a permanent home), was thought to retain
some aspect of the departed soul.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Rocks are favored over flowers on Jewish graves because flowers were
considered pagan. Also, rocks have a more permanent symbolism than
flowers, which fade and eventually die. This practice has gone beyond Jewish custom and is now embraced by
people of all faiths. The reason is simple. It’s an easy way to leave a
small memento that someone was there to visit the grave, to honor the
deceased.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another common item left on graves is a coin. This practice has its
origins in ancient Greek mythology. Kharon (or Charon) was the ferryman
of the dead, an underworld demon. He received the shades of the dead
from Hermes, who gathered them from the upper world and guided them to
the shores of the Akheron, one of the five rivers in Hades. From there, Kharon took them in his boat to a final resting place in
Hades, the land of the dead, on the other side. The fee was a single
obolos coin, which was placed in the mouth of a corpse at burial. Those
who had not received due burial and were unable to pay their fee would
be left to wander the earthly side of the Akheron (some say it is the
River Styx and not the Akheron), haunting the upper world as ghosts.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A coin left on a headstone lets the deceased soldier’s family know that
somebody stopped by to pay their respect. Leaving a penny means you
visited. A nickel means that you and the deceased soldier trained at
boot camp together. If you served with the soldier, you leave a dime. A
quarter is very significant because it means that you were there when
that soldier died.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Celebrities get their own personalized tokens of love and remembrance. At Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, visitors leave golf balls at the
grave of legendary golfer Bobby Jones. People leave Campbell soup cans
on artist Andy Warhol’s grave in homage to his famous painting of…a can
of soup. Fans of Elvis leave scores of teddy bears on his grave at
Graceland. One famous example involves the grave of Hollywood icon Marilyn
Monroe. Her ex-husband (and baseball legend) Joe DiMaggio set up an
account with a local florist to put roses on Marilyn’s grave three times
a week for 20 years after her death. He reportedly promised her on
their wedding night that if anything were to happen to her he would
honor her in some special way.</div>
<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-22595080097642937492016-02-16T08:32:00.001-08:002016-02-16T08:32:20.369-08:004 Ways To Think Outside The Box When Honoring A Loved One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e7d6n5F-KwI/VsNOxeKBkWI/AAAAAAAAAwU/tIuzskk-Zhw/s1600/Funeral%2BGuys%2BBow%2BTie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e7d6n5F-KwI/VsNOxeKBkWI/AAAAAAAAAwU/tIuzskk-Zhw/s1600/Funeral%2BGuys%2BBow%2BTie.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://blog.funeralone.com/funeralone-products/life-tributes/think-outside-the-box-honoring-loved-one/"><b><i>VIA. </i></b></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was supposed to live to be 102 and
be shot by a jealous husband,” one man’s tombstone reads. Another’s
says, “Here lies an atheist. All dressed up and no place to go.” And a
psychic’s reads, “I knew this would happen.” </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s not disrespectful to be
creative, even funny, when dealing with end of life matters. In fact,
it’s likely to help cope with the grief.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Obituaries don’t have to be dry or
formulaic. “After 96 years of laughing, loving, shouting, learning,
teaching and building, Henry passed away,” began one in the January 31st
issue of </span><a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?n=henry-kibel&pid=177499965&fhid=2058"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New York Times</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.
The writer described the deceased the way a good author constructs a
character – showing, rather than telling. It went on to say, “Although
he over salted everything, he managed to live to 96.” In these simply,
short lines, we truly got to know Henry and understand why he will be
missed.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s what a funeral service should truly do – tell the </span><a href="http://blog.funeralone.com/funeralone-products/life-tributes/5-ways-that-photos-help-honor-and-share-a-loved-ones-life-story/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">amazing, personal, detailed story of a person’s life</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.
This means both the good, the bad, the funny and the sad moments. And
sometimes, it means that you have to go out of the box to truly honor
the life lived.</span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Focus On Moments That Will Kickstart The Healing</b></h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">A 68 year-old woman was grappling
with what was to say at her mother’s funeral. Their relationship had
been strained until the last few months, when the 92 year-old matriarch
finally gave her daughter the approval and love she’d craved. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">When it came time to </span><a href="http://blog.funeralone.com/funeralone-products/f1connect-website-platform/most-beautiful-funeral-memorials-all-time/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">prepare her mother’s eulogy</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,
she thought back on their relationship and she knew what she would most
like to hear to help her heal and move forward… she didn’t sugarcoat
her mother’s memory. “I will be grieving the mother I had these last few
months,” she told the small gathering, “and I learned that it’s never
too late to make things better. I intend to use my remaining years to do
that with my own children.” </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Their eyes filling with tears, her
two daughters stepped forward and linked their arms through hers,
remaining that way while the 23rd Psalm was recited. Instead of simply
paying tribute to the dead, the eulogy served to communicate with the
living and launch a healing process. Reminded by death that time is
finite, we may be inspired to forgive and ask for forgiveness. </span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b>When It Comes To Memories, Show, Don’t Tell</b></h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Funerals, wakes and memorial services
should be more than just a series of speeches. Photos, videos, music,
activities, and personalized products can all </span><a href="http://blog.funeralone.com/grow-your-business/unique-services/funeral-trends-to-watch-for-in-2016/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">make a service distinctive</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Here are a few out of the box ways to make a funeral as unique as the life lived:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>1. Share the loved one’s prized possessions</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Are your families often concerned
that they will be too choked up to speak? If so, suggest that they begin
the service with the favorite song of their loved one. For example, a
family who lost their grandfather played the Yiddish songs he’d loved at
the start of his service. Not only was this a great way to inject his
personality into the service, but the family also had some extra time to
reflect and compose themselves before the eulogy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="loved one" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-11217" height="462" src="http://blog.funeralone.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Original_Katie-Meyers-Mothers-Day-Lunch-framed-recipe_h.jpg.rend_.hgtvcom.616.462.jpeg" width="616" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/handmade/kids-craft-frame-an-old-family-recipe"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Another great way to add some
personal elements into a loved one’s service is share the things that
meant the most to them – literally. If in the eulogy you talk about what
a great cook grandma was, give everyone a copy of her famous lemon cake
recipe after the service. This helps to add a personal element into the
service that will really help everyone reflect on the meaningful
moments in a person’s life, and it will help their legacy live on.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="line-height: 1.5;">2. Make the loved one the star of their funeral</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">If the loved one was the center of the party in life, why not help them be the same at their funeral? “</span><a href="http://dangerousminds.net/comments/extreme_embalming_because_what_is_a_corpse_if_not_a_poseable_action_figure"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Extreme embalming</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">”
is not widely available and may be too offbeat to have wide appeal, but
many families have used this unique service as a way to truly make
their loved one a part of their own funeral. For example, one flamboyant
New Orleans woman </span><a href="http://abc7chicago.com/society/extreme-embalming-funeral-goes-viral/112531/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">got to attend her own funeral</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,
having been embalmed and posed sitting at a table with a glass of beer
and cigarette, a disco ball glittering above her head while another, an
83 year-old socialite was similarly done up with a pink boa and holding a
glass of champagne. Others have been placed on a favorite rocking
chair, motorcycle and in a poker game. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="line-height: 1.5;">3. Lay loved ones to rest in a personalized way</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Was grandpa or dad an enthusiastic
handyman? Help your families really become involved in the funeral
service by having them embrace their loved one’s do-it-yourself-mindset,
and share with them </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Riutw7vBQ0"><span style="font-weight: 400;">this YouTube video</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">
that teaches them how to build their own coffin. Or maybe their loved
one had another hobby that they were enthusiastic about, like music,
skateboarding, ballet or bible study. One British company called </span><a href="http://www.crazycoffins.co.uk/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crazy Coffins</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">
will create a quirky final resting place that truly reflects the life
lived, whether it’s a coffin shaped like a guitar, a Bible, or even
their favorite sports car. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="loved one's urn" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-11218" height="504" src="http://blog.funeralone.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016-02-08_1136.png" width="468" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">And just because your families may
choose to have their loved one’s cremated doesn’t mean that they can’t
personalize their final resting place. </span><a href="http://decorative-urns.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Une Belle Vie</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> creates beautiful urns that resemble a resin handbag, which is perfect for fashionistas. Another company, </span><a href="http://personalized-urns.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Personalized Urns</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,
works one-on-one with families to choose colors and photos that best
represent their loved one (and even their pets), to turn an ordinary
cremation urn into a mosaic work of art that tells the story of a life
lived.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="line-height: 1.5;">4. Create memorials for all friends and family – not just those at the funeral</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Because of the fast-paced nature of
funerals, not every family member or friend has time to take off work or
arrange travel to their loved one’s funeral…. especially when family
members are spread across the country. This is why there is a great need
for services that bring outside family and friends into the funeral
service itself. </span><a href="http://bit.ly/1KbFIOy"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Life Tributes’ webcasting software</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">
allows you to share the private viewing of memorials happening at your
funeral with those all around the world – over the internet, in a safe
secure location. The webcast can even be uploaded to the loved one’s
tribute page on your website, alongside obituary information, messages
of support and their Life Tribute video – creating a complete and
lasting memorial page that family and friends can forever look back on.</span></div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-42881732047274526992016-02-10T08:49:00.003-08:002016-02-10T08:49:45.351-08:00Do you know your community? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" data-hs-cos-general-type="meta_field" data-hs-cos-type="rich_text" id="hs_cos_wrapper_post_body"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ajUsoShKgtE/VrtotvPIsTI/AAAAAAAAAwA/9u4AhIqoONU/s1600/regional-data-research-demographics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ajUsoShKgtE/VrtotvPIsTI/AAAAAAAAAwA/9u4AhIqoONU/s1600/regional-data-research-demographics.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As a business owner, do you know your community? Most people would probably answer yes to that question, but very often the way we perceive everything around isn't based on actual data or facts but our own personal observations. <span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" data-hs-cos-general-type="meta_field" data-hs-cos-type="rich_text" id="hs_cos_wrapper_post_body">While instincts and personal
experience can certainly be valuable, they don’t provide all of the
information necessary to make strategic and tactical decisions that
can result in long term success for your business. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" data-hs-cos-general-type="meta_field" data-hs-cos-type="rich_text" id="hs_cos_wrapper_post_body">First step is pulling up the data in your community to get a better idea of what you are working with.</span> This type of market research can reveal information about trends that may impact the future of your business. This research can bring to light opportunities and potential challenges, and can help you re-evaluate your marketing, products, and service. Having a strong understanding of your community's demographics is important, and you can learn more right away just by pulling up these stats: </div>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li>Total population</li>
<li>Gender mix</li>
<li>Ethnicity</li>
<li>Income</li>
<li>Education</li>
<li>Marital status</li>
<li>Age distribution, with an emphasis on age 65+</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These data points help analysts determine a great deal about the
future of a community. Here are some examples of how understanding the
characteristics of your community’s residents can impact your firm:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Total population</strong> Examining this data can provide
insights on population trends, such as whether or not your community is
growing. You’ll also have the opportunity to plan for what this data
could mean for your long-term business viability. It’s great for a
community to experience growth, but you’ll need to be prepared to expand
your business (staff, facilities, etc.) in order to meet demand. If the
data indicates a trend of population decline, what actions would you
take?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Ethnicity</strong> The United States is experiencing <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/next-america/">notable shifts</a>
in ethnic makeup. If the population is expected to change in your area,
how will you alter or supplement your firm’s services to meet the needs
of your client families? Consider how you and your staff can acquire
the knowledge and skills required to best meet your customers’ needs.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Income</strong> It’s important to gather data about income,
as this can drive your service offering and pricing decisions. You’ll
also want to measure and assess the expected income trends for your
area. Of course, income is just one of the factors that may affect your
pricing model. Don’t forget that “price shoppers” still want to receive high value for their money.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Age distribution </strong>Research indicates that people ages 65+ are receptive to the benefits of advance funeral planning. People in this group may be more emotionally and rationally
prepared to prearrange their funerals. Is the number of people in this
age group expected to grow or decline for your community?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When you know your community you'll have the base you need to improve your services and be better equipped to serve your families, which will only help your business's long term success!</div>
</div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-11875187989477343882016-01-27T07:48:00.002-08:002016-01-27T07:48:49.612-08:00How You Will Die<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Have you ever thought about when and how you will die? Would you want to know if you could? Nathan Yau put together <span class="_Tgc">a little algorithm that does just that, and can give you an idea of </span>how and when you will die, given your sex, race, and age.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yau explins, "I returned to the Underlying Cause of Death database maintained by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It provides data for the
number of people who died in the United States between 1999 and 2014.
The records are based on death certificates, which require an entry for a
single cause of death.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The CDC classifies the causes into 113 subcategories, which fit under
the umbrella of 20 categories of disease and external causes. More
specifically, the CDC uses the International Statistical Classification
of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), which is published by the
World Health Organization.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The simulation below covers the main categories, or <em>chapters</em>, as they're referred to by the ICD." </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I put in my stats and watched as it formulated my chances and causes of death at each age. You see each dot represents one of your simulated lives, and as each year
passes, more of your simulated selves pass away. Color corresponds to
cause of death, and the bars on the right keep track of the cumulative
percentages. By the end, you're left with the chances that you will die
of each cause.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZEzwZRA6Oc/VqjmyHd6SwI/AAAAAAAAAvo/F2zrF86LTSs/s1600/when%2Bwill%2Bi%2Bdie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZEzwZRA6Oc/VqjmyHd6SwI/AAAAAAAAAvo/F2zrF86LTSs/s1600/when%2Bwill%2Bi%2Bdie.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Take the test <a href="http://flowingdata.com/2016/01/19/how-you-will-die/"><b>HERE</b></a> </div>
</div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-10085045343870246342016-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:002016-01-20T05:00:15.952-08:00Céline Dion's Husband Planned Funeral Before His Death to Ease Her Burden <div style="text-align: justify;">
It has been a rough few weeks in the media hearing about the loss of David Bowie, <span class="st">Alan Rickman, and Celine Dion's husband, and her older brother just a few days later; unfortunately all due to cancer.</span></div>
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<span class="st">It was recently reported that Dion's husband hoped to make the difficult situation of his being ill a little easier for his wife, and had pre-planned his funeral.</span> Dion's longtime stylist and friend Annie Horth said that because of this, Dion is "going through [this] peacefully and with control."Angélil wanted to have his funeral at Notre-Dame Basilica, where he and Dion wed more than two decades ago. </div>
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We have discussed pre-planning on the blog <a href="http://funeralguysbowtie.blogspot.com/2014/10/death-marriage-why-should-you-prepay.html"><b>before</b></a>, but for a refresher, <span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: start;"><b><a href="http://www.snlabetterway.com/products/#.VCxIH_ldWMI">Preneed life insurance</a></b>
is an insurance policy whose benefits cover the cost of the
predetermined expenses of a funeral, cremation or burial. The expenses
typically include standard funeral home services, funeral merchandise,
church services and even burial services and merchandise. </span><span style="text-align: start;">The
purpose of preneed life insurance is to set aside funds for your
funeral, before the need arises, thereby protecting your loved ones and
your financial assets.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Tz9w49K3Ek/Vp8byhdNw6I/AAAAAAAAAvM/S4JuKVNu9AE/s1600/pre%2Bplan%2Byour%2Bfuneral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Tz9w49K3Ek/Vp8byhdNw6I/AAAAAAAAAvM/S4JuKVNu9AE/s1600/pre%2Bplan%2Byour%2Bfuneral.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: start;"></span>So why should you prepay and plan ahead for your funeral? <span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">Proper
planning for your final wishes is more than wise, it is a thoughtful
decision to help your family during a difficult time of loss. But i</span>t
doesn't just benefit the loved ones you leave behind, you can actually
save money by prepaying and planning with funeral homes, by locking down
prices for services and products. P</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">reneed
life insurance is tied directly to the costs of a prearranged funeral
or cremation. All of the services and merchandise that you select may be
completely covered by your insurance if your funeral home has
guaranteed the price of your funeral.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">Second, there may be no tax liability on the death benefit to your surviving family members. And </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">the benefit of your preneed life insurance policy may be payable immediately to the funeral home at the time of your death.</span></div>
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<span class="st">If you want to learn more about pre-planning your funeral, you can start <a href="http://www.snlabetterway.com/products/#.Vp8ZRFIl_T9"><b>HERE</b></a>.</span>Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-56730474890061047582016-01-13T08:41:00.004-08:002016-01-13T08:53:44.470-08:00A 64-Year-Old And A 7-Year-Old Ask Each Other Questions About Life And Their Words Are Pretty Beautiful<h2 class="preview-text">
<span style="font-size: small;">What happens when two people, 57 years apart, ask each other the same
questions? What sort of advice could a 7-year-old have for a
64-year-old? </span></h2>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqSxjmvXzzY" target="_blank">In a video by Facts.</a>,
a young boy and an older man sit across from each other, against a bare
white wall. Then, they proceed to ask each other the same questions
about life and growing up. </span>
<span style="font-size: small;">An incredible conversation ensues.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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"Do you wish you were young?" the boy asks the man.
</span></h2>
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"Well the great thing about being young is you have more time — you
have more time to do things," the 64-year-old responds. "I could play
games, which I did. I used to play cowboys and Indians...I could use my
imagination more."</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">The 7-year-old finds this sad, to which the older man responds: "Well, I could be an older cowboy."</span></div>
</div>
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</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="" src="http://images5.aplus.com/uc-up/65b21da4-904b-466a-81d8-a3d9ec08c0d5/65b21da4-904b-466a-81d8-a3d9ec08c0d5.inline_yes" /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"Will you fall in love and what will it be like?" the man asks the boy.
</span></h2>
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</span></div>
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</span></div>
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"I don't know. We'll have babies. It'll be fun. Even though I'll have to change his diaper. It'll be fun," the boy responds.</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">And, of course, if his future baby cries, the boy will just sing Ed Sheeran to him. </span>
<span style="font-size: small;">When
the boy presses the older man about his love life, the man explains
that he, indeed, found love once. Unfortunately, sickness took her away. </span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">But there's a lesson in that.</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>"These things happen.
That's life. But I have very good memories," the 64-year-old says,
reassuring the boy and telling him not to be sad. "You can remember all
of the good things, and that's the important thing."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="" src="http://images5.aplus.com/uc-up/20333783-3ecc-4a0c-8782-499feca0aaf2/20333783-3ecc-4a0c-8782-499feca0aaf2.inline_yes" /></span>
</div>
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</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">And when it comes to life advice, they have some words of wisdom for each other.
</span></h2>
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</span></div>
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</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"Act normal. Don't be silly. Don't bully lots of people," the boy says.</span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Then, in an emotional ending, the older man tells the boy just how to look at life going forward:</span></div>
</div>
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</span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: small;">
"You don't have to be rich to be happy. Do the things you like doing
that make you feel good. Because when you're happy yourself, everybody
else is happy."
</span></h2>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><b>"Be yourself. Don't let other people tell you what you should be.
Just be as you are...You have all the right things to do. All of your
good friends. Keep those friends going. And keep life going," he adds,
shaking the boy's hand.</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">With that, the little boy stands up from his chair and gives the 64-year-old a hug.</span></div>
</div>
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<img alt="" src="http://images5.aplus.com/uc-up/f75a91e9-37f3-4eed-b04b-b5c6d7d208b8/f75a91e9-37f3-4eed-b04b-b5c6d7d208b8.inline_yes" />
</div>
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</div>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: small;">Be sure to watch the full video below:</span> </h2>
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<br /></div>
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="394" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BqSxjmvXzzY?rel=0" width="700"></iframe> <br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Article originally appeared on <a href="http://aplus.com/a/57-years-apart-boy-man-life-advice-facts"><i>A Plus</i></a></span></span></h2>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-58974377762672525592016-01-06T07:29:00.002-08:002016-01-06T07:29:24.496-08:00Cremation Tournament and Suicides<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5pvvr8IuRQg/Vo0vJALT5YI/AAAAAAAAAuM/SU6N_597Rto/s1600/Cremation%2BCompetition%2BChina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5pvvr8IuRQg/Vo0vJALT5YI/AAAAAAAAAuM/SU6N_597Rto/s1600/Cremation%2BCompetition%2BChina.jpg" /></a></div>
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We <a href="http://funeralguysbowtie.blogspot.com/2015/12/allowing-families-to-face-death-watch.html"><b>recently posted</b></a> about the rise of cremation rates in the United States. Earlier this week the Chinese
government hosted an unusual competition. More than 50 of the country's best
battled it out to be crowned the country's top cremator.</div>
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It was the first ever national contest for cremation
workers, but its very existence cuts to the heart of Chinese ideas about death,
land use and a desire to instill national pride in a stigmatized vocation. In a country where 10 million people die annually, disposing
of bodies is a political and practical issue. <i><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35196868"><b>BBC</b></a></i> covered the story.</div>
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Cremation is <a href="http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/10/daily-chart-16" target="_blank">more common in China than in the U.S.</a> A majority of Chinese, just over 50 percent, are cremated after death
and that number is going up. This is largely for practical reasons.
Roughly 10,000,000 people die in China annually, meaning graveyards
would take up vast amount of land the government wishes to use for
agricultural projects. Traditional burial has also fallen out of favor
in China for the same reason it has in the U.S. With more people living
in cities, it’s impractical and seemingly purposeless for families to
bury their dead in fields far from their apartments. With that said, in China, cremation is more
it’s associated with communism. Under Mao Tse-Tung, cremation was
periodically and locally mandated. For many Buddhists, who traditionally
burn bodies, this didn’t represent a religious problem, but ancestor
worship, a cultural holdover from Confucianism, dictates that corpses
should be left alone lest familial connections be broken. <em>The Los Angeles Times</em> recently reported that elderly people in some Chinese provinces were <a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-china-suicides-20151106-story.html" target="_blank">killing themselves because they feared cremation mandates</a> would be enacted.</div>
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This mandate caused fear for others as well. In November 2014 two officials were arrested after they allegedly bought corpses from grave robbers to <a class="story-body__link" href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-29875999">meet government cremation targets</a>. They said they were trying to ensure government quotas on the number of cremations every month were met.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t0BDQAa2sZw/Vo0yt1tEcmI/AAAAAAAAAug/H7MZfXoKAYM/s1600/_78710074_156991858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t0BDQAa2sZw/Vo0yt1tEcmI/AAAAAAAAAug/H7MZfXoKAYM/s1600/_78710074_156991858.jpg" /></a></div>
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So why a cremation competition? With unsavory views on cremation, you can imagine how those who work in the industry are viewed.The civil affairs ministry said in a statement that the competition "enhanced society's understanding of the cremation
industry... and gave a strong push to the building of the cremation
worker corps." A ministry spokesman said cremation workers faced
strong social stigma as well as the potential health risk of handling
bodies with infectious diseases.</div>
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"What they're still most worried
about is society's prejudice," he told Xinhua, adding that there were
cases of cremation workers hiding their occupation when filling out
school forms as they were worried their children would face
discrimination. This tournament was a way to hopefully boost the profile morale of cremation workers.</div>
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Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-85423859574557375042015-12-23T04:30:00.000-08:002015-12-23T04:30:12.438-08:00Dealing With Grief During the Holiday Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_KQfsvh30Yw/VnmywJKSj-I/AAAAAAAAAt4/6ZJ0ch34e6E/s1600/Dealing%2BWith%2BGrief%2BDuring%2Bthe%2BHoliday%2BSeason.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_KQfsvh30Yw/VnmywJKSj-I/AAAAAAAAAt4/6ZJ0ch34e6E/s1600/Dealing%2BWith%2BGrief%2BDuring%2Bthe%2BHoliday%2BSeason.jpg" /></a></div>
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Birthdays, anniversary, and holidays can be a painful reminder that your loved one isn't around anymore to celebrate with you. In our culture we expect to spend the holidays with loved ones, and the fact that a loved one isn't here anymore can be hard to cope with. Traditions that involved them can leave you not wanting to participate at all. Every one grieves differently, and people want different things when it comes to dealing with loss. We have rounded up some of the best advice on how to deal with grief during the holiday season to hopefully make the transition a little smoother.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. Rather than avoiding the feelings of grief, lean into them. It is not
the grief you want to avoid, it is the pain. Grief is the way out of the
pain. Grief is our internal feelings and mourning is our external
expressions.<br /><br />2. Have a Plan A/Plan B – Plan A is you go to the
Thanksgiving, Christmas Day or Christmas Eve dinner with family and
friends. If it doesn’t feel right, have your plan B ready. Plan B may be
a movie you both liked or a photo album to look through or a special
place you went to together. Many people find that when they have Plan B
in place, just knowing it is there is enough.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
3. Surround yourself with people who love and support you. Share
your plans with family and friends and let them know of any intended
changes in holiday routine. Memories can sometimes be a source of
comfort to the bereaved. Share your memories with others of holidays
spent with your loved one by telling stories and looking at photo
albums.<br /><br />4. GIVE! It's amazing how in times of grief, sometimes the biggest comfort is to give to others.You might purchase something that symbolizes the person or time before your loss and donate it to a needy family. Or make a donation in a loved one's name to a charity or cause he or she cherished.<br />
<br />5. Make a new tradition to remember your loved one. Making a conscious decision to
spend some part of the day talking about this person will enable others
to feel like they have permission to talk about him or her, too. For example, you could hang a stocking in honor of the person you lost. Throughout the evening, family and friends fill the stocking with
items that serve as talking points for memories It's a wonderful
tradition that can generates conversation in a comfortable way.</div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
6. Do something different. Acknowledge that things have changed;
indeed, the holiday will not be the same as it was ever again. Accepting
this will help manage expectations. Plan new activities, especially the
first year after the loss. Go to a new location for family
celebrations, change the menu or go out to eat, volunteer, invite
friends over, attend the theater, travel … create new memories. Many
families return to their usual routines and rituals after the first
year, but some enjoy incorporating their new experiences permanently.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
7. Skip it. If you feel that it will be too much for you and
you'd like to simply opt out of participation in a holiday, let family
and friends know. But plan alternative comforting activities for
yourself and let someone know what you will be doing. It's a good idea
to make sure someone checks in with you on that day.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
8. Finding a supportive network can be very helpful. Seeking out others who will possibly better understand your feelings may
help you feel less alone over the holidays. Grief groups are free to join and attend. <a href="http://www.cjsids.org/grief-and-bereavement/if-youre-bereaved.html">Start here</a>
to find one in your area. You can also call a nearby hospice: The
employees will be able to direct you to nearby support groups and
holiday focused programs. </div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">sources <a href="http://grief.com/grief-the-holidays/">here</a>, <a href="http://www.vsbgp.com/dealing-with-grief-during-the-holiday-season-10-things-to-help-get-you-through-this-difficult-time-3281.html">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-12-2012/death-loss-christmas-holidays-goyer.html">here</a>.</span></span></i></div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-68347704774294747992015-12-16T04:25:00.002-08:002015-12-16T04:25:55.145-08:00 Not just a man's job: More women are funeral home directors <div class="content">
<span class="first-paragraph">
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="first-paragraph"><span class="paragraph-0"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-crZfFbMyz58/VnFXf27un7I/AAAAAAAAAto/X7-O63qu4-g/s1600/Women%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bfuneral%2Bindustry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-crZfFbMyz58/VnFXf27un7I/AAAAAAAAAto/X7-O63qu4-g/s1600/Women%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bfuneral%2Bindustry.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
For centuries, and
across many cultures, women have taken many roles in the rituals
surrounding death. They have dressed bodies, cooked and cared for
survivors and rendered other services.</span>
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="paragraph-1">But, until a few
decades ago, few women were funeral directors in the American funeral
industry. That job was one among many that were widely considered “a
man’s job.”<br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That is changing, in both perception and reality.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bernie Henderson, president of
Woody Funeral Home and Cremation Service, grew up in a family funeral
home business and has seen the change taking place around him.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Back in the 1960s and ’70s,
Henderson said, “you didn’t expect to see a woman in that job. It was
highly unlikely. It wasn’t thought of as work conducive to having
females do it. It was like a lot of other jobs — police officers,
firefighters, ministers, doctors, the military, engineers.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Those were stereotypes that were
still around, even into the ’80s,” he said, “in part, I think, because
men were afraid they’d get shown up.”</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But, in the past decade especially, Henderson said, women have proven “they can do anything they want to, and do it quite well.”</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Henderson has first-hand
experience to back that observation when it comes to his profession. At
Woody — with its three Richmond-area locations — four of the company’s
10 funeral directors are women.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">According to the Wisconsin-based
National Funeral Directors Association, women accounted for 16.5 percent
of the association’s membership as of 2014 — compared with 9.7 percent a
decade earlier. The group represents 48 percent of U.S. funeral homes.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-puX-bV0ksNg/VnFXfO5jqBI/AAAAAAAAAtk/YjF93b_Jn7E/s1600/Women%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bfuneral%2Bindustry%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-puX-bV0ksNg/VnFXfO5jqBI/AAAAAAAAAtk/YjF93b_Jn7E/s1600/Women%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bfuneral%2Bindustry%2B1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">***</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Ingrid Brown</strong> was the first of Woody’s female funeral directors when she started her apprenticeship there 13 years ago.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“My father made sure I got a good
education,” Brown said. “I like dealing with different cultures, and I
think that is a valuable asset for me.”</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Women, she said, sometimes have a
knack for attention to detail. “We have to check with the hospital to
release the body, do the paperwork, meet with the family to make
arrangements for visitation and services, book everything that needs to
be booked, call the newspapers to put in the notices — there are so many
details.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“And all funeral directors have to adjust to the different needs of different families.”</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The other women funeral directors
with Woody — Carmelita Anderson, Narita Wright and Jordan Mullins —
also noted qualities that may help women in the job.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I think some women may be a
little more in touch with feelings than some men may be,” Wright said.
“And some family members are able to open up to us a little more and
tell us what they need.”</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anderson said she sees women
approach the job “a little differently, with more sympathy and
willingness to show it. Some families respond to that softer side.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Some men are stiffer, more businesslike,” Anderson said. “Though some are also able to show emotion when it’s called for.”</span></span><br />
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mullins, 27, has been a funeral
director for five years and been with Woody since July. She said that,
once in a while, women in the position of funeral director still see
resistance from grieving families.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Sometimes certain members of
families aren’t expecting to see a woman,” she said. “They still default
to an older man in that role — a gentleman in his 60s rather than a
female in her 20s.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“But being a younger woman can be an advantage, too,” she said. “It just depends on the family.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TxoiGg_-qzs/VnFXfDm8u6I/AAAAAAAAAtc/8D1oh9SudzM/s1600/Women%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bfuneral%2Bindustry%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TxoiGg_-qzs/VnFXfDm8u6I/AAAAAAAAAtc/8D1oh9SudzM/s1600/Women%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bfuneral%2Bindustry%2B2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">***</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Indications are</strong> that the percentage of women funeral directors will continue to rise, according to the National Funeral Directors Association.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2013, the most recent figures
available, 62.7 percent of mortuary science students nationally were
women, up from 35 percent in 1995.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chuck Bowman, secretary of the
funeral directors association’s board and an officer in a Denver funeral
firm, said that when women began to assume the role of funeral director
“some people thought women wouldn’t be tough enough ... that they
couldn’t deal with the sight of a dead body. Of course, that’s turned
out to be a bunch of hocus-pocus.”</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bowman said women “bring a
motherly quality to the job” that often is ideal for a grieving family,
especially when the deceased is a child.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lacy Whitaker, executive director
of the Virginia Funeral Directors Association, said the industry
“attracts the caring, nurturing side” of women. And as women continue to
enter the business, she said, she expects more women will open their
own funeral homes.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Henderson said the rising tide of
women as funeral directors — and in administrative positions and
ownership in the industry — also reflects the determination of more
women to pursue the business.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Women are coming into the
industry with a strong will to be part of it,” Henderson said. “They’re
not entering into it casually.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“They have a can-do attitude —
they’re going to make this happen,” he said. “They’re not doing it
because ‘I’m the son and my daddy wants me to do it.’ ”</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTtbPLH7MDU/VnFXfcdnZ4I/AAAAAAAAAtY/5vr116wpeoM/s1600/Women%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bfuneral%2Bindustry%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTtbPLH7MDU/VnFXfcdnZ4I/AAAAAAAAAtY/5vr116wpeoM/s1600/Women%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bfuneral%2Bindustry%2B4.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">***</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Lacyn Barton</strong>
fits that description. She is a licensed funeral director for Nelsen
Funeral Homes and location manager for the firm at its home at 4650 S.
Laburnum Ave. in eastern Henrico County.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Barton studied mortuary science
at Arapahoe Community College in Denver and worked in the industry in
Colorado, Washington state, Arizona, New Mexico and Pennsylvania — 14
years in all before joining the Nelsen staff last week.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I’ve been trying to seek out
opportunities to advance,” she said. “I wasn’t born into the business.
... I’ve been seeking opportunities for better, higher jobs.”</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Her entry into the funeral
business was an odd one. A horse-training accident resulted in a broken
skull and left her unconscious. Her family was planning her funeral.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“When I did wake up, I had to learn to walk and talk again,” Barton said. “My family told me the story of what had happened.”</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She no longer could ride horses
because of the risk of even worse injury, she said, effectively ending
her career in that field. She began contemplating what her family
members had been through when they had expected her to die.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I said, ‘I think I’ve found my calling — helping people through the difficult time of a funeral.’”</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She said she expects more and more women to consider the funeral industry as a career path.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Women will find they have the
personality and skills for the job,” she said, “the compassion and
empathy to make the work a meaningful personal experience. When it comes
to nurturing and care-giving, women are especially adept.”</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nelsen’s two other locations are
in Ashland and Williamsburg. Woody and Nelsen — both independently
operated — are owned by Houston-based Service Corp. International under
that company’s Dignity Memorial brand. A public company, Service Corp.
International operates more than 1,500 funeral homes and 450 cemeteries.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">***</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Among the longer-tenured</strong>
women funeral directors in the Richmond area is Nicole Blanchard, one
of three women among the 12 funeral directors at Bliley’s Funeral Homes’
three full-service Richmond-area locations.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blanchard comes from a
funeral-business family. Her father ran a funeral home in Delaware. A
1990 graduate of the mortuary science program at John Tyler Community
College, she made the rounds of Richmond-area funeral homes for 18
months looking for an apprenticeship — a requirement for a funeral
director’s license.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I wasn’t having any success,”
she said. “A few places said, ‘We’ll call you,’ but I knew they weren’t
going to.” She said she was ready to start hunting for jobs in Northern
Virginia when she tried Bliley’s one more time. “And they were ready to
have a woman on the staff.”</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She is in her second tour at Bliley’s, her work there sandwiched around a stretch at Nelsen from 1994 to 2006.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Initially, she said, she saw some
resistance to a woman as funeral director — at work and from families —
but that faded and often many families appreciated her softer approach.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Some people would say a woman
can’t move a 300-pound body — well neither can a man,” she said. If a
woman needs help, she gets help, just as a man does, Blanchard said.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She said she is surprised to see how many younger women are entering the industry now.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“The younger generation isn’t
limiting itself,” she said. “Just as in other occupations, they’re
overcoming the same arguments against doing the work.”</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She said most men in the
profession “care about the families they work with. They have the same
warmth and sympathy that women do,” but there are times when grieving
families respond to women more freely, such as when the deceased is a
child or a baby.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She recalled a time during her apprenticeship that she took as a sign that she had made the right career choice.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="encrypted-content">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She was driving a hearse, she
said, not during a funeral procession but in ordinary traffic. “I was
stopped at a light. An older gentleman pulled up beside me and motioned
for me to roll down my window. I did, and he smiled and said I was the
first female hearse driver he had ever seen. He said, ‘I think I like
it.’ ”</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><a href="http://www.richmond.com/business/local/article_41ef08e2-4b7a-5bbd-94f8-740c6665f488.html"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></i></a></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://www.richmond.com/business/local/article_41ef08e2-4b7a-5bbd-94f8-740c6665f488.html"><i>Article VIA. </i></a></b></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-69587802899700828812015-12-09T05:16:00.004-08:002015-12-09T05:16:58.339-08:00Allowing Families to Face Death - Watch Your Loved One's Cremation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zHLoNFkUml8/Vmgo0NwXJ0I/AAAAAAAAAsg/3AM0TkiGHwk/s1600/1449589644-Death-processor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zHLoNFkUml8/Vmgo0NwXJ0I/AAAAAAAAAsg/3AM0TkiGHwk/s1600/1449589644-Death-processor.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You may have heard that cremations are on the rise. More and more people are choosing to forgo the traditional burial in a casket and do cremations. In an article posted by the <b><a href="http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/news/56444-funeral-industry-embracing-new-ways-to-honor-dead">Charleston </a></b></span><b><a href="http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/news/56444-funeral-industry-embracing-new-ways-to-honor-dead">Business</a></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/news/56444-funeral-industry-embracing-new-ways-to-honor-dead"> Journal</a></b>, it was reported that n</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">early 62% of Americans were buried after death in 2005. The National Funeral Directors Association projects 48.5% of Americans who die this year, or about 1.27 million people, will be cremated. The percentage jumps to a projected 56.2% in 2020 and 71% in 2030.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">With the change, we have already seen a shift in the way we go remembering our loved ones. Companies have come out with more eccentric ways to store ashes, f<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;">uneral homes sell pendant necklaces that feature a dead relative’s fingerprint, personalized urns with an etched photo of a departed friend and bracelets that hold the ashes of a beloved family pet. Today, the possibilities are really endless when it comes to memorilizing those you care about. You can even view your loved one being cremated. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;">For some, watching the cremation process, something unheard of in the 1970s, has become another step in the grieving process.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.2em; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Marcus Yocum, who has worked in the funeral services industry since the early 1990s, opened <a href="http://www.charlestoncremationcenter.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #000099; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Charleston Cremation Center and Funeral Home</a> in October. His 6,400-square-foot facility includes separate crematories for humans and pets in the same building as the chapel and reception lounge.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.2em; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Loved ones of deceased individuals can stand in a hallway and look through a window to watch the cremation process. Yocum said it’s a way of giving families peace of mind and comfort.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6csyM9TNpoA/Vmgo0Pp7S2I/AAAAAAAAAso/V2GgAZb5W7A/s1600/1449590273-Death-window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6csyM9TNpoA/Vmgo0Pp7S2I/AAAAAAAAAso/V2GgAZb5W7A/s400/1449590273-Death-window.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.2em; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.2em; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“More and more families are wanting to witness the cremation, view the cremation,” he said. “We’re taking that question out of whether or not their loved one was the one that was placed inside. I want to take that question out. My facility is full-disclosure.”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.2em; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The McAlister-Smith Funeral Cremation crematory in West Ashley is also open to families who want to see the process.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.2em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He then offers to let the family go to the crematory unannounced to inspect it. If the family is still concerned, he offers the opportunity for them to watch the cremation.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.2em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“I would make it available for you to not only place mom or dad in the cremation chamber, allow me to put everything in place, close it, you can even push the button to start the process,” Willis said.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.2em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Now, that’s not saying you have to go and do this,” he said, adding that some religious customs require the entire family to bathe the body and place it in the cremation chamber as a group.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.2em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Willis’ facility also includes a draped window from behind which family members can watch.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.2em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“For us, as funeral directors, to be able to stand with the family and allow them to face death — that’s what we want,” he said. “We want to stand with them and be with them and help them walk down that road. All of what we do, all of these things is an effort to do that.”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.2em; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The aftermath of death feels like it has always belong to the Funeral Director, but families are wanting to be <b><a href="http://funeralguysbowtie.blogspot.com/2015/10/families-choose-home-funerals-for-their.html">more involved</a></b>, more inclusive when it comes to the preparations of their loves ones. </span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“There are a lot of avenues for families to take now,” Willis said. “It has become — not necessarily a trend, but families have said, ‘This is what we want,’ and most funeral homes nowadays are saying, ‘Then let’s help you do that.’ ”</span></span></div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-15700561516298953332015-12-02T10:00:00.000-08:002015-12-02T10:00:03.773-08:00A Will For The Woods - A Green Burial<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We have a seen a <b><span style="color: #274e13;">"green"</span></b> movement make its way into our every day lives, in our products, businesses, and even our drinks! Today people are more conscious about the earth we live in, and there is more of an urge to take care of it. There is an effort to make whatever we can more of a green processes, and we have seen that take affect in the funeral industry as well. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>What Is a Green Burial?</i></b>
Green burial is a simple and natural alternative to resource-intensive contemporary burial or
cremation. The deceased is laid to rest in the earth using only biodegradable materials and without
a vault or toxic embalming, in a woodland or other natural setting, often with a fieldstone or
indigenous plant marking the grave. This practice can be used as a conservation tool, enabling the
acquisition, restoration, and stewardship of natural areas. Simple natural burials were prevalent for
thousands of years (and still are in many parts of the world, including in traditional Muslim and
Jewish burials) before the contemporary funeral industry propagated the standard of expensive and
elaborate funerals divorced from natural processes. </div>
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As the world has become increasingly concerned with climate change and environmental
degradation, the role that our funeral and burial practices play in these matters has gone largely
unaddressed.
The typical American-style funeral — with a casket made of precious wood or metal, a concrete
vault, a large marble or granite monument, and embalming — is incredibly resource-intensive, and
it has become common in much of the world. In the U.S. alone, approximately 33 million board feet
of mostly virgin wood, 60,000 tons of steel, 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete, and 5 million
gallons of toxic embalming fluid are put into the ground every year. Further, the large tracts of land
that conventional cemeteries occupy are typically covered in turf grass in need of constant
maintenance in the form of mowing, watering, and the application of chemicals. Cremation,
sometimes misconstrued as a green alternative to conventional burial, consumes a large amount of
fossil and other fuels, and as the body is burned at high temperatures, particulate pollution, CO2
(approximately 110 pounds per cremation, on average), and toxins such as dioxins, furans, and
mercury are released into the atmosphere.
The burgeoning green burial movement seeks to change these conventions — not only by greatly
reducing resource use and pollution, but also by using burial as a conservation strategy to protect
and restore natural areas. In addition to these environmental benefits, the cost of a green burial is
often much less than that of a conventional one. Furthermore, green burial offers many the solace
of knowing that they will remain within the cycle of life.
Created over the course of four years, A Will for the Woods documents the movement’s progress by
focusing on some of its key figures, including Joe Sehee of the Green Burial Council; Kimberley and
Dr. Billy Campbell, founders of the nation’s first conservation burial ground; and Dyanne
Matzkevich, who is saving a tract of forest within her conventional cemetery by turning it into a
green burial ground. The film’s main focus, however, is the story of Clark Wang and Jane Ezzard.
Faced with the possibility of Clark's imminent death, they find beauty and comfort in the
environmental and spiritual significance of green burial.</div>
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Wang asks the questions, <i>what if our last act could be a gift to the planet? </i>Determined that his final resting place will benefit the earth, musician and psychiatrist Clark Wang prepares for his own green burial. While battling lymphoma, Clark has discovered a burgeoning movement that uses burial to conserve and restore natural areas, forgoing contemporary funeral practices that operate at the ecosystem's expense. Boldly facing his mortality, Clark and his partner Jane have become passionate about green burial, compelled by both the environmental benefits and the idea that one can remain within the cycle of life, rather than being cut off from it. The spirited pair have inspired a compassionate local cemetarian, and together they aim to use green burial to save a North Carolina woods from being clear-cut. Making the most of the time that he has, Clark finds joy in his music and dance, connection with his friends and family, and great comfort in the knowledge that his death, whenever it happens, will be a force for regeneration. The film follows Clark's dream of leaving a loving, permanent legacy, and environmentalism takes on a deeply human intimacy. Documenting one community's role in the genesis of a revolutionary movement, A Will for the Woods draws the viewer into a life-affirming portrait of people embracing their connection to each other and to timeless natural cycles.</div>
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<i><b>Check out the trailer for this inspiring documentary!</b></i><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="393" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/62452617?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="700"></iframe><br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/62452617">A Will for the Woods - Official Trailer</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/awillforthewoods">A Will for the Woods</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339848388828400955.post-24565706419102119832015-11-25T09:58:00.001-08:002015-11-25T10:07:57.987-08:00Reach client families in relevant ways this Holiday Season!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6IrKbPPqvT8/VlX1tpk2U-I/AAAAAAAAAsM/EiYEOQsccS4/s1600/US_National_Christmas_Tree_2012%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="359" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6IrKbPPqvT8/VlX1tpk2U-I/AAAAAAAAAsM/EiYEOQsccS4/s640/US_National_Christmas_Tree_2012%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Security National Life shared a post on their site with <b><a href="http://www.snlabetterway.com/simple-steps-to-find-more-success-for-your-funeral-home/#.VlXrH3arTIU">Simple Steps to Find More Success For Your Funeral Home</a></b>. We wanted to expound on one of their steps, "Reaching client families in relevant ways." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With Thanksgiving tomorrow and the rest of the Holidays following shortly after, now is the season to gather, and celebrate with your employees, clients, and community. It is not only a time to foster relationships you have, but to cultivate new ones. As a funeral home owner, your reputation in the community is everything, and creating opportunities for the community to get to you know you can be a huge part of your firm being successful. How is your community going to get to know you? Invite them over!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Depending on your funeral home and the space you have, here
are some great examples of involving your community in your place of business!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Host a Holiday Party.</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Invite the community over for a Holiday Party! Show a
Christmas movie, drink hot chocolate, or sing carols and play games. Do you
have an outdoor space? Screen your movie outside, have a bonfire, roast
marshmallows. You can make this event family friendly, like having children
over to decorate ginger bread houses, or decorate a Christmas tree with their
creations. Or you could cater it towards a group of adults and do more of a
formal sit down dinner. If you have the space, utilize it! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Remember.</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The holidays can be a hard time for those who have lost
loved ones. Host a service at the end of the year that celebrates and remembers
those who have passed away in your community over the past year. You could have
a light vigil, have speakers, let anyone come up and share memories. You can
really make this a night to remember! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> </o:p> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Rent your space!</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The holidays are a time for lots of parties! If you have the
ability, think about renting out some space for local businesses to host their
own holiday parties and dinners. Not only does this bring people into your
place of business so they become familiar with your funeral home, you can earn
money on the side. Now that is a win, win! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Decorate your Funeral Home</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you ever heard of those communities that have such astounding
decorations people come from all over to see it? Light up and decorate your
funeral home! Make it THE place to come and see! Blast music, sell hot
chocolate, and make stopping by your firm a holiday tradition every year for
people in your area!</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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Funeral Guy's Bow Tiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04790401330783583219noreply@blogger.com0