Fun Funeral Facts

Have you ever attended a funeral and found yourself wondering what it would be like to plan for and attend” your own funeral? When Nonnie died, we had no idea what to do other than contact Nonnie’s Minister at Third Presbyterian Church where she had worshiped for as long as I can remember. Nonnie did not pre-plan her funeral.  So, how does one plan a funeral? Nonnie loved music, theatrical entertainment, socializing and family. Funerals have all those elements. Music was a must! What funeral songs do you want at your funeral? We sang Nonnie’s favorite hymns. Then we all listened to a loud, heart thumping, goosebump creating, organists rendition of  Widor’s “Toccata” from Fifth Organ Symphanoy in F, Op 42 #1″  which pulsed throughout  the church as we gave our beloved Mom, wife, grandmother, and friend her final goodbye ! Since Nonnie did not pre-plan her funeral, it was up to us to create the best and most meaningful personal  “send off” possible.  Our list of questions and tasks included:

  • Who would officate at Nonnie’s service?
  • Should we have an interpreter for the deaf?
  • Who would give the eulogy? or eulogies? (Boo, my brother Todd and me)
  • How to eulogize your loved one? (I read a letter I wrote to her the night after she died)
  • What time of day to have the service? (In the morning, so we could have a luncheon after)
  • Designing the program. What photo to use?      (Wasn’t my favorite photo of Mom, but we had a deadline)
  • How many programs to print? (We ran out!)
  • Who would be the ushers? (We chose Nonnie’s best girlfriends to be “Usherettes”!)
  • How do we make the entire service both personal and meaningful to others?
  • What music to play?
  • What hymns to sing?
  • What scriptures to have read? Who would read them?
  • Do we want to have flowers? If so, what kind? And what to do with the flowers after the service?
  • Do we want to have a “guest book”?
  • Where do we want to have the reception following the service?
  • Do we want to invite everyone for lunch after?
  •  How do we estimate how many will attend the luncheon?

So many questions to answer, so little time! Trying to make decisions in a whirl of activity and boundless grief is not easy.  There are many advantages to pre-planning your funeral!  And there are fun funeral facts to consider. There is always the choice of an “efuneral“, a very creative and an interesting solution. And now, due to the wonders and magic of the internet, you can “live stream” your funeral for those who can’t be there in person to watch live! If you want to plan your funeral, there is no time like the present to do so. As we all know, death is inevitable. Boo has told me already “No sobbing”.  That’s a tough request to honor, but I will try. If I die before Boo, be sure to tell my Dad that I want a celebratory party with great food, drinks, music and dancing! Share with me how you might plan your funeral.

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