Funeral News | Cremation Solutions

We Can All Learn Something From Irish Funerals

There is something to be said for an Irish funeral, which is often referred to as a wake. More commonly a celebration, as opposed to a time of mourning, this type of service allows family and friends to become further involved in the planning process.

Prior to the mid 1900’s these events turned into large celebrations partly because men were not otherwise allowed to congregate, for fear of planning rebellion against the British government.

Until 15 or so years ago, Irish funeral ceremonies always took place in the home. Today, many are held in a different location such as a garden or country club setting. Locale is typically based on something or someplace the departed enjoyed.

An old-fashioned Irish funeral was looked upon as a social event, which could last as long as three days. The premise was not to leave the decedent alone, during that time. The term “wake” was used due to the fact that family members stayed with the body at night, making sure its spirit didn’t come back to life and evil spirits didn’t try to claim it.

A window was opened as soon as the person died. The body was dressed in dark clothing or covered with a white shroud and placed on a bed or in a coffin. No embalming was necessary. Candles were placed above the decedent’s head and boots were placed at his or her feet, in effort to make the journey through purgatory easier. Out of respect, clocks were stopped and blankets were placed over mirrors.

There was and still is plenty of food and drink (usually Irish whiskey and Beer) at an Irish funeral. There is also music (bagpipes), dancing and games. When any type of card game is played, it is customary to deal an extra hand for the person whose life is being celebrated. Contests of strength sometimes occur as well.

“Keening,” the Irish term for a display of sorrow, is an old tradition that still takes place at some wakes. Professional mourners are hired to do things like wail, cry and even recite poetry.

A pipe of tobacco is passed around as a means to assist the spirit of the loved one on his heavenly journey. Each person who smokes the pipe is encouraged to share a bit of wit and wisdom with the crowd.

On the one month anniversary of the wake, a “month’s mind” is held in a church to again celebrate the life of the person who died. A yearly mass is held as well.

In modern day USA families are getting more involved in planning and participating more in caring for their own dead. Home funeral are more common than they were 20 years ago. Baby boomers are not wanting services on thousand year old impersonal ceremonies. Because many are now choosing cremation services there is the freedom of more time for families to plan a more detailed and personalized memorial gathering.

More American families are now choosing to work with a funeral celebrant, when it comes to the details of the actual funeral ceremony or service. A celebrant is extremely versed in all aspects of a funeral. This includes everything from funeral history to the funeral rituals of many cultures. He or she can perform tasks like writing the perfect eulogy, offering advice in ritual and customs that may suit the individual needs of each family. Unlike clergy, celebrants are more open to handling families with multiple cultures and religions that are found in much of society today.

Celebrants take the time it takes to get an in-depth look into the life of the person they are memorializing. This information, coupled with things like the rest of the family’s personal values and religious beliefs, tend to make it a much more meaningful funeral ceremonies. The funeral home staff can often recommend a local celebrant or you can contact the Celebrant Foundation and Institute to find a celebrant near you.

Unfortunately, a traditional funeral service doesn’t always pay an adequate tribute to a loved one. With the help of a celebrant, that is never the case. Opting for an end-of-life ceremony, as opposed to a standard funeral, allows family members and friends to remember by way of stories and objects which truly define the departed.

Irish Cremation Products — Irish Funeral Products from therishwake.com

Yes, there is a lot to be learned from Irish funerals. They are celebrations of life and love, meant to make the initial mourning process and the overall healing process a little easier.

To learn more about how to plan an Irish wake click here and visit My Sendoff.com

To see some products designed with the Irish in mind visit “The Irish Wake”.com
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Introducing Your Touch Portraits

Fingerprint Art — Fingerprints Captured In Beautiful Portraits

Have you ever wanted something so unique to give as a gift that it won’t be found anywhere else in the world? Most people know that their fingerprints are one of the few things in the world that is unique and impossible to find again elsewhere. Now imagine artwork with unique fingerprint patterns that can’t be reproduced anywhere else. For those who like to feel a connection to their art as well as knowing the pattern or detail can’t be found elsewhere, fingerprint art can be a viable answer.

Variety of Styles

Fingerprint art can be produced in a variety of ways. This can include enhanced and zoomed photographs or prints, art prints, portraits of full handprints, wall posters of an exploded single print and more.

See Our Full Selection Here: (Your Touch Portraits).

The imagination is the limit, but each product shares a distinct and unique element: a fingerprint of a loved one that can’t be reproduced anywhere else without the original. Furthermore, a customer isn’t limited to just one print. Multiple family members and friends can be included in the final portrait. This can be a neat way to get everyone involved and produce a piece artwork that includes an entire family.

How it Works

Fingerprint art products can’t be created without the original element, the print. So the process starts with a fingerprint collection kit being provided to the customer to collect a given print. The kit will come with instructions on exactly how to obtain the best print possible, a card for the print to be inked onto and the ink strips that create the color needed.

After the print is collected, the kit is then mailed back to our collection office to begin the production process. The next step involves a fabrication of a high resolution image of the submitted prints. We can alter the print anyway you want. You are in control of how your art will look. You will be emailed a copy of the artwork for your approval, before we do the final print on canvas. Then, with the image completed, the artwork can be produced as desired. Unlike the boring black prints normally seen at government identification stations, fingerprint art can be made with a variety of shades, colors, materials and surfaces. The framing can be matched to meet all sorts of tastes from conservative traditional to modern and impressionable.

Gifts with a Unique Twist

For parents who want to make something memorable for their kids to enjoy later in life, fingerprints, handprints and footprints can reproduce really neat ideas for gifts. How about memorializing the time when junior got into the finger paints a bit too much and left them on the walls of the house? So take a photo of the wall and have enhanced fingerprints layered on top with a frame titled “remember when?” This is just one idea of how to make fun or comical memories lasting, and fingerprint portraits can certainly help.

A basic print may seem pretty straightforward, but imagine a wall sized canvas, framed, with a single fingerprint across the entire surface. Now it becomes a work of modern art, with a unique pattern that catches the eye. Set in the right décor the print can become a focal point of an entire room, as well as nice conversation piece when friends come over to visit.

If a close relative or friend has passed away, prior to final service and all involved allowing, a print can be obtained and then translated into a lasting memory that everyone who loved the person will cherish. The prints or artwork can then be produced in a variety of ways that match how each relative or friend wants to remember the deceased in the best light.

In Summary

Fingerprint art takes what defines a person’s identity in the modern age and also makes them a part of a singular artwork that won’t be found anywhere else. It provides families with a great way to remember years and life events gone by without being mediocre about it. With the variety of art products possible, everyone will find an approach that appeals to their taste. Further, many will be surprised at how impressive the products can be once they are placed in a home or office or special room. Don’t be surprised if people visiting ask where to find a similar print or have one made. The artwork will generate lots of questions as it continues to catch the eye of all who see a fingerprint in a unique setting of love and memory. And that’s what makes art mean the most to those who cherish it.

See Our Full Selection of Art Made From Prints (Click Here).

See our Popular Selection of Fingerprint Jewelry

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Face Booking to The Death

Death on Facebook — Is Facebook The New Cemetery?

In the age of social media, the death of a Face Book user presents several concerns. The proper etiquette has not been yet established and leaves friends and family members questioning what the proper approach is. As the Face Book is accessible around the world, the phenomenon occurs all over the globe. According to Huffington Post, 30 million people who opened Face Book accounts have since past away.

The profile of abandoned accounts can be approached by several methods.
• The death is never reported to Face Book, and the account remains open, therefore available to post comments, ads and photo tags.
• The account can be switched to “memorial page” once the death is reported to Face Book staff. Local obituary or death certificate is required for the account to be switched to a different timeline.
• Immediate family members are able to file a petition to close the account, but will be required to forward a proof of relationship with the deceased.
• Court appointed access may be granted to continue the account allowing the members to post condolences, pictures and comments about the life of the diseased in a tasteful manner.

In 2009, Face Book revised its policy about the deceased members and allows the family, colleagues and friends to interact with the page as if it was active. However, the feature of public search is deactivated and only available to existing Face Book participants. The memories can be shared, and the comments in regards to past posts can be addressed.

If the individual’s page has to be memorialized, the existing members will not be able to leave messages other then condolences and comments. The automated app activity will also be disconnected. All inappropriate content will be removed, and status updates of sensitive nature may be deleted at the discretion of the Face Book staff.

If close family members choose to deactivate the profile of the diseased, the Face Book will most likely comply and honor the request. However, many family members choose to keep the profile as an online headstone where all people who were associated with the deceased can still visit and interact by posting their comments. Many Face Book members often share their private lives with the world, and their profile serves as a testament of their life’s accomplishments. Existing members can visit and pay tribute to the person they used to admire, love and stay in constant contact with.

For many people, Face Book has become a vehicle to vent their feelings and interact without the actual personal contact. The safety of the Internet allows the individuals to express their true feeling and grieve when their admired friends demise. It also allows the existing members to connect with each other and share their grief, life experiences and memories connected to the deceased. If the page remains unchanged, the profile may appear in Sponsored Stories and Face Book Suggestions creating painful remainders that the owner of the profile is no longer among the living. As the birthdays reappear annually, people send birthday wishes unaware the member has passed on.

Digital cemeteries are built around the memories of cherished loved ones. Face Book has become a natural way for people to grieve and keep the identity of a deceased person alive. The virtual space allows other people to show how deeply they are affected. However, may people feel that once the individual is gone, the Face Book profile should be deleted permanently not allowing anybody to display their emotions. The topic is highly subjective and delicate, and it is creating controversy among all users of the Face Book world. For many people, social network is a comfortable way to express their feelings while others find it distasteful and disrespectful.

Methods of mourning greatly differ across many cultures. What seems appropriate to some individuals may not be accepted by others. Expression of grief is highly personal, and it may be displayed differently in cyber society and physical world. Some users mistake the Face Book for the real grief counseling and try to deal with the loss of a loved one in their own way by showing their denial or depression on the pages of the Internet. They also look for confirmation of their grief from other members.

As the subject remains extremely controversial, legal battles have taken place to access the profiles of the deceased in search of answers. In the U.S., the laws greatly vary from state to state. Property rights without any physical substance are difficult to transfer as the legal system is still in its infancy stages of determining such transfers. The Face Book policy clearly states that the accounts cannot be transferred without a written permission. Transferring the account to the next of kin still remains an unsolved mystery.

The copyright laws and inconsistent state laws make the transfer of a Face Book account to a descendant difficult. In some cases the access is granted. The terms of service are not specific and confusion still exists as some of the Face Book accounts contain sensitive information and data. Digital legacy management agencies have been created to aid with the issue. Members can create emails to be delivered upon their demise and can designate recipients of their choice. Online arrangements and cremation services may be also included in addition to funeral planning.

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Stupid Questions To Ask Your Funeral Director Friend

Jeff-Staab-Web — Your Right its All True.....

As a funeral director for over twenty years I have become pretty jaded to the weird and basically stupid questions that people ask. If you’re in the funeral biz then you know exactly what I’m talking about. After all most professionals are asked questions that take thought and consideration in hopes that you may lend some educated advice or insight into your area of expertise. Instead funeral professionals are constantly called on to dispel myths and urban legends of bodies sitting up and hair and finger nails growing.

Your first few years you are ready and armed with text book facts that will dispel such interesting questions. Like actually the skin just dehydrates around the nails and causes them to appear to get longer….. BORING! Now your some kind of Mort the geek. Continue on and explain how hard it is even for the living to sit up and how ridicules the question is because of how many muscles working in harmony it would take for something as inanimate as the dead to rise up! and now chicks will really start to dig you….NOT! So after a few years of breaking myths and popping bubbles it becomes quite boring so you start shrugging off the questions and changing the subject….Boring! again not winning over any friends here.

Now that I am a well seasoned funeral director and have heard just about all of it, I am starting to understand how these bizarre urban myths and questions that pry deep into my deviant sexual tendencies have become the gotta know questions of the week. “It’s much more fun to lie”.

Fingernails — Just Three Days Growth OMG!

Yeah that’s right! I can now explain in great depth as why it continually blows my mind that so many bodies actually sit up and how freaky it is that their nails grow so freaking fast you would think us embalmers were injecting miracle grow. Once I get a feel for how gullible my stupid friends are I can start creating some of my own myths that will surly intrigue even my most ghoulish of acquaintances. One of my favorites was how back in mortuary school we would connect electrodes to the bottoms of their feet using a car battery and how easy it was to actually get the bodies to laugh and chuckle so loud we had to shut all the door so others in the building couldn’t hear all the commotion. If this one keeps the questions coming I can lay it on so thick that eventually even my really twisted ghoul friends will soon realize I am completely full of shit and they will feel like the inconsiderate dumb asses they truly are!

Did you know that if you put a speaker up to the dead’s ear and crank it really load you can get the eyes to open and close!

Here are some of the classics stupid questions as well as some new ones shared from my funeral friends

At least you client don’t talk back to you
Must be pretty cool driving around in those fancy cars all day
Nobody care if your late for work
I hear that smoking embalming fluid is really great
Do you ever get any hot chicks on your slab
Do you ever get grossed out
Have you had to work with any good accident victims

There’s more and many that are just unmentionable. Lets here some of your curiosities below and I will honestly try to answer them.

I see dead people and have embalmed about 3000 of the faithfully departed. Don’t believe me? Smell my fingers!

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Christians Dying To Get To The Holy Land

As 44 percent of Americans opt for cremation, questions arise regarding the ashes’ final disposition. Many people consider scattering, but they experience uncertainty when seeking a final resting place that holds both meaning and a spiritual connection with their earthly body and loved ones. Holy Land Ash Scattering offers a solution that resounds within the hearts, minds and souls of Christians: scattering ashes in the Holy Land.

Two thousand years ago, our Lord and Savior, a man renowned for incredible compassion, kindness and love, walked the earth and spread his wisdom. Jesus Christ walked, lived and taught in the Mount of Beatitudes lush, rolling foothills. How often did he stand with the Mount behind him and spread his word whilst gazing upon the serene waters of the Sea of Galilee? Imagine the calmness, the peacefulness, of sitting in such a glorious setting and listening to such an incredible man.

Now, imagine the comforting tranquility that comes from knowing your, or a loved one’s, ashes rest along the same ground upon which Jesus once trod.

However, the ashes are not scattered to the wind. Privately owned land lies nestled within the foothills of the Mount of Beatitudes. The land, overlooking the Sea of Galilee much the same as Jesus must have, exists as a park dedicated to scattering ashes of Christians seeking eternal rest within the Holy Land.

mt of beatitudes — The Jesus Trail in the Holy Land

Because this park is owned privately and dedicated to the sanctity of eternal rest, you need never fear that scattered ashes will trespass where they should not. The fear of eternal trespass rather than eternal rest is a thought decidedly uncomfortable, and this is one fear that delays people when they try to decide upon a final location on their own.

Holy Land Ash Scattering removes that fear for you; it also removes worries that the final resting place will be trampled by tourists and trespassers – this park is neither a public place nor a thoroughfare.

If, on the other hand, you or your loved one holds a deep affinity for water, scattering ashes can take place in the warm, beautiful waters of the Sea of Galilee.

Our certified marine captain will pilot a vessel only 500 meters from the coast of Israel, the Holy Land, to perform a scattering ceremony. The ashes will then find rest in one of the most incredibly scenic bodies of water seen in this world.

Regardless of a land or sea scattering, the package includes a professional video of the ceremony. Capturing the ceremony on video, provided to you as both a DVD and a YouTube link, allows you to share the scattering ceremony with friends and family. It also gives you the opportunity to take comfort in the total serenity of the sacred resting place anytime you feel the need. The DVD will remain a cherished treasure, especially among those unable to travel to the Holy Land to scatter the ashes themselves.

Unfortunately, most people find travel costs prohibit them from attending the scattering ceremony of their loved one. By entrusting Holyland Ash Scattering with your loved ones resting place, the total package gains you admission to the serene park at any time you find yourself able to visit the Holy Land. You have a standing invitation to sit, contemplate the unparalleled scenery, and commune with your loved ones spirit in a resting place befitting the many Christians there eternally at rest.

The Necessary Details

Your only requirements are to sign up for Holyland Ash Scattering, fill out an authorization form, pack the ashes for shipping according to provided instructions, and send two or three pictures of your loved one to be included in the tribute DVD. The total package takes care of everything else: applying for permits and licenses, all administrative work, the shipping and the performance and recording of the scattering ceremony. You need not worry about the nitty-gritty detail work.

If you are contemplating your own eternal rest or seeking perfect placement for the long-held ashes of a loved one, sign up with Holy Land Ash Scattering. Find peace and comfort in the knowledge that scattering ashes will take place in the land held most sacred by the Christian population.

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Here are Some Great Resources For Funeral Professionals

Resources for Funeral Professionals

Happy Holidays From

I Lived, I Mattered. Dont Put Me In The Closet!

I want more then a party when I die!
Americans are embracing cremation as their preferred choice when making funeral plans today. About 45% according to the Cremation Association of America. Working in Hospice Care or the funeral biz, we hear it all the time. “Just scatter my ashes and have a party”.

I don’t want all that fuss involved with a funeral. It sounds good and simple, but does not create a very healing environment or a carefully planned ceremony that will shine a positive light on your life. Most people want to feel that their life mattered and that the things they believe in and the projects they have started will be remembered and hopefully carried on. A funeral should express what the deceased valued in their life and help instill those values in others so that the dream may continue.

These selfish half ass plans to just have a party in my memory just don’t cut it today or any time in history. Opportunities to remember and heal takes thoughtful planning. That’s what Funeral Directors and Celebrants do! Cremation should allow for even more opportunity then burial, because it give us the freedom of more time to create what should be the most important event in your life. To take what mattered most to us to our grave without ever sharing is just a sad, sad shame. What’s even worst is, as a result of not having a real funeral plan, is the final disposition of your earthly remains are not being fulfilled. The ashes of many are ending up stowed away at home in “the closet”. How and why are the sacred earthly remains of our loved one’s ending up in such a non-flattering shrine.

Ashes in Closet — Mom, Uncle Fred, Johnny......

It sounds simple “just scatter me”. But to make this request can often lead to these closet internments. The request to scatter me is apparently not enough. The survivors who want to do the “right thing” but are often unsure of exactly what to do with the cremated remains or what people usually refer to as “the ashes”. You choose scattering because it’s a very natural way to go back to the earth and continue the cycle of life. But when no one really knows the specifics it just might be put off so long that not doing becomes easier then not doing.

The lesson here is to just take some time and think about your legacy and how and where do you want things done. People that do participate in scattering have said they feel a huge sense of relief and that the scattering can conjure feelings of completing the natural cycle of life as they are giving the ashes back to nature.

Selecting a location to scatter is what should be an important life decision. For spiritual Christians the mountains, lake or golf course just seems to be sanctified then the sacred grounds of a cemetery. For these spiritual Christians there is now a way to choose scattering yet also be laid to rest on beautiful sacred grounds.

The Ash Scattering Society now offers a service called Holyland Ash Scattering in response to people’s desire to be scattered in worldwide locations of particular beauty and meaning. Their Holy Land Ash Scattering service, provides the ultimate location for scattering ashes. Their memorial scattering garden is in Israel along the Jesus trail, overlooking the beautiful Sea of Galilee, where Jesus once walked. It’s easy to ship the ashes to them and you even get a video of the complete scattering ceremony!

With new options like Holyland Ash Scattering it’s time to get many of those poor abandoned souls, out of the closet! and laid to rest. Spiritual Americans have begun to embrace this new option. For many the pilgrimage to the Holy Land has been a lifelong dream. Some do get to visit this very meaningful region and have a life changing experience. Now with the services of Holyland Ash Scattering anyone can rest eternal for all time for less than the cost of a plane ticket.

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Tap the Skills of Your Funeral Director for Some Halloween Fun!

Halloween can be a time for me to have some fun with some of the skills I have acquired over the years working as a funeral director. One of the many hats worn by funeral directors and embalmers is what is called restorative art and cosmetics. We use these skills all the time to make the deceased look peaceful and natural. Death has a negative effect on skin tone as well as blemishes, and dis-figuration from disease or accidents. Learning these skills is part of our education in a college curriculum called mortuary science. The real learning goes on over the course of our careers and if you’re lucky you get to work alongside of a funeral director experienced in such an art. It can be very rewarding to be able to give survivors a chance to view and say goodbye when without your skills it would not be pleasant or possible at all.

So back to Halloween and a time to bring my skills to the dark side. No! I don’t dig up bodies to practice my craft. I don’t embalm road kill for lawn decorations either! But when the kids need face painting it’s time for me to shine. Peaceful , huh! Ten years younger, noooo. That’s not what they want is it. I always joke with them that I need them to lay on their backs and stay very still. This Halloween I began to wonder about how many other funeral directors have been called upon when it come to fun cosmetics. I’m sure I’m not unique . My two girls are getting older now 11 &13. My oldest, Jena told me she would do her own face this year, she did a great job! for the school dance last week. But today she asked me, when she saw a really creepy mouth on the internet. We got up early so she could be painted for school. It’s the first picture below.

Here are some of the faces we have done

Red Heart Queen

Heart Eater!

Jeffs Phone Pictures 2012 127 — Bride Not To Be

Jeffs Phone Pictures 2012 039 — Edward Scissor Hands

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Does Your Funeral Home Have Ghouls!

Sometimes there already there in the morning when you get to work. Lurking in the parking lot looking and trolling for tidbits, hoping you will tell them about your day. Many funeral homes have them and they don’t just come out around Halloween, although many of them are partial to that wonderful darkest of holidays. Where do they come from anyway? Even more pertinent when will they leave.

Almost every funeral home I ever worked at had these neighborhood trolls. They can be real pest and hard to chase off. I had one that would make an appointments to change his pre-arrangements every month, always asking questions that would even make Caleb Wilde uncomfortable. OHHHH now you know what I’m talking about! did a name or two just jump to the front of your mind.Some look and act perfectly harmless, that is until they get under your skin and begin to infect your very soul. The more you get to know them the less you want to know.

Bates — Do you Need Any Help Trimming the Hedges?

Many have mommy issues and although I’m no shrink, I’m pretty sure there’s some pills they should be taking that might help them with their magnetic attraction towards funeral businesses. I call them “Funeral Home Ghouls”.

These folks can become a real sore spot in for funeral home PR. They usually mean no harm, but us funeral professionals aren’t used to putting people off. God forbid we offend anyone!. Even if it is the neighborhood freak. Were much better at diffusing conflicts and grief and have some pretty good organizational skills. My boss would say things to me like be nice and tell them you’re busy. What to do? They don’t have exterminators in the yellow pages with strong enough toxins to eradicate this sort of pest.

Some have chameleon like camouflage and blend right in with the heard. We even had one that live in a hearse with his mommy and I’m talking winters in Vermont! One cute waitress where we often went for coffee always had to know just a little more about what went on behind our closed doors. One day she confided in me and explained how she always wanted to “do it” in a casket. I felt obligated to helping her out and responded the only way I know how. She had good taste and selected the Batesville Copper! I know many of you have your funeral home ghoul stories. Please share! (No Names Please) Ghouls have feelings too.

Are you afraid you will lose their loyal business. Don’t be. And please when they start showing interest in the profession and ask about funeral school, do your job, and PLEASE steer them away and let them know how far better off they would be cleaning shoes for the bowling alley in another town. Don’t even let em cut the grass! It could only lead to more frustration in something you want no part of. Sorry I have no quick solution or should I say “Silver Bullet”. Allen Creedy hasn’t blogged this lessen yet. But I do have some advice. Don’t let it go as long as I did. Years in some cases. Nip it in the bud, it only gets worst and freakier. Leading them along and associating regularly can only tarnish the image of your funeral business. I know I’m not alone and I have seen the ghoul situation really eat at some of my bosses. I would love to hear how you handled your funeral home ghoul.

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