It was a huge funeral, and the sons of the dead man were dead drunk. I was directing the rosary that evening, and one of the grandsons told me that his uncles were about to start a brawl in the family room. The family room has a glass wall opening onto a patio, and a […]
I have been a funeral director for many years. I think that one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen at a funeral involved a beautifully dressed and very well-spoken African American preacher who was sermonizing at an upscale funeral. The ladies wore hats and veils and gloves, and the men wore black suits and […]
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My nephew Craig had a great sense of humor, and he passed away when he was only 19. At his funeral, the immediate family was all able to go view the body privately. We were all standing around reflecting and saying goodbye, a very silent and somber moment. Then his brother’s stomach growled like I’ve […]
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Due to a scheduling snafu, the minister didn’t show for my father’s funeral, which was last month. I’d already planned to eulogize him. Fortunately, I had prepared additional “optional” information to use, depending on what the minister would say. I ended up using all of it. While everyone was seated in the funeral home chapel, […]
What do you say to a friend whose spouse has passed? What words of sympathy can you offer? Maybe you’ve been through a similar loss yourself, so “I know how you’re feeling” are the words that come to mind. Beware—those are the very words that might be the least helpful or comforting. Here’s the gist […]
My grandfather died in 2007 after a very long battle with prostate cancer. For more than 30 years he had been active with the volunteer fire department where I grew up, serving as its chief for about three decades. He also was the secretary and treasurer for the state and county firefighters associations. The day […]
