Oh, the Little Details

I took Grandmother’s charm bracelet and added my charm and Mom’s charm, also engraved with my birthdate. I took my cousins' charms off for them to get. I will pass the bracelet to Lauren because it represents her grandmother and great-grandmother. I can’t wait to wear it.

I wanted to make sure my cousins did not mind if I kept the bracelet, so I messaged them and hoped no one cared. No, I did not have to do this even though their charms were on the bracelet. One may think I shouldn’t have said anything, but I wanted a clear conscience. I did what was right, and they did not care.

Dad gave me two neat pennants the preachers brought as they visited Grandmother. I like the one made with two nails shaped like a cross.

 

 UHave you considered how you will act regarding your loved one’s belongings? (Should little items be put in a will?)U

 UIf there are items you want certain people to have, can you do it in private because other family members may wish to have their possessions, too?    U

UMany relatives from out of town will gather for a funeral. Have you considered communicating your plans to others so everyone can see each other? A simple gathering such as a last-minute meal with a few relatives may mean a lot to someone.U

Final arrangements

Dad had temporarily come up with the arrangements for Mom’s funeral.  Everything was all written out.  She wanted her Bible opened on her coffin to the 23^rd Psalm and wanted the song, “What a Day That Will Be,” sung during the funeral.  She had listed who she wanted as her pallbearers and wanted five long stem roses laid on her coffin which stood for the four girls and Dad.  She did not want the funeral to be held at her church because she did not want us to think about her funeral as we went to church.  Mom also did not want people to send flowers.  She wanted the money to be given to the youth of the United Methodist Church who could not afford to go to summer camp.

U  Is there an organization that friends and family could give money towards in lieu of flowers?  U

Dad decided to have the viewing from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Edo Miller & Sons Funeral Home on Wednesday, March 17^th, 2004, which was St. Patrick’s Day.  The funeral service would be Thursday, March 18^th, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. in the chapel of the funeral home.  The interment would be at 2:00 p.m. at Beard’s Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.

U  Are the loved one’s final wishes written down in a will such as:  the funeral arrangements, funeral service, songs, pallbearers, flowers, and other wishes? (I know of a lady that was diagnosed with cancer, and she did not write down her wishes.  She still had hope and did not want to talk about it.  She passed away with her husband not knowing what her wishes were for her funeral.)  U

U  If the loved one is the head of the household, have they laid out everything concerning important information to make it less stressful for others?

  (i.e. insurances, benefits, bills, debts, accounts, social security information, investments, combinations to safes and deposit boxes, or other financial and real estate investments.)    U