PLANNING A FUNERAL? ADD THESE TO YOUR CHECKLIST!

If you have lost a family member and/or have been tasked with the daunting feat of planning a funeral, memorial service, or thanksgiving of celebration of life, there are a few things to note while forging ahead with your funeral preparations. Organising a funeral takes thought and should not be an endeavour lightly undertaken. After all, you have an entire family depending on you to get it right.

This planning, of course, refers to the tasks which are left to the family as every other aspect of funeral planning can only be legally undertaken by a licensed undertaker. But we are not talking mortuary-related services which must be performed at a funeral home. We are referring to what must be performed at YOUR home.

Deciding on Attire and Funeral Roles

What will we send for mom or dad to wear? What was uncle's favourite colour? Should we dress our brother in his favourite football team's jersey? Chelsea, right? Grandma liked that peach church hat with the feather. Will cousin John be flying in from the United Kingdom? Granddad would be pleased to know we put John as a pallbearer--he was his favourite grandson.

To be quite honest; Auntie Sharon always wore that gold watch, we should bury her with it. Not forgetting our budget, perhaps we should let Uncle Roy be cremated in his three-piece black suit instead of purchasing a new one.

These are but a few of the racing thoughts, which nearing the funeral date should hopefully become rational. Let us see if we can get the family together and

convince everyone to wear the same colour--blue. Also, ask Alicia, Justin's best

friend, if she would be willing to read the eulogy considering how close they

were and articulate she is.

Coming Together to Honour a Life

On the contrary, Justin's brother may be upset that he was not chosen to eulogise his twin brother, and we do not wish for any drama to unfold, especially at a time like this when families should come together.

While as funeral directors at Barbados funeral homes, we have seen our fair share of family squabbles and even fights due to whom was omitted from participating in the funeral, whose name was left out of the obituary, intentionally or not. At a time when death looms over a household, let that be a time when families come together--if only for one day and to celebrate the life of your loved one.