How to Prepare For Your Own Funeral
Your funeral is an opportunity for you to say goodbye one last time. Everyone, regardless of health status or age, can prepare for their own funeral. It's quite easy and helps ensure your wishes are carried out and eases a great burden on your family when it is your time to go.
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Instructions
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Make detailed notes. It is common for a pastor or other faith leader to come to the home of the deceased family members in order to begin to plan for the funeral and/or memorial services. He or she will ask many questions that could have been easily answered by the deceased before their passing but may leave the family members a bit perplexed. Some may even get downright stressed over it.
With this in mind, start by trying to predict some of these questions. Favorite hymnal, bible verse, color of flowers, special speakers... etc If you aren't sure what questions need answering, ask your pastor. -
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Write your own eulogy. My Aunt wrote her own eulogy. She was the first person I'd heard of who planned their own funeral. It was beautifully written with points of her life highlighted that many of us did not know. Who knows you and your life better than yourself?! Nobody! And let me tell you, that room was silent with everyone knowing she had written it. It was as if we all had one last opportunity to hear her speak with us. It should be noted that she died of a stroke, not something terminal and well planned out.
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Make a list of what items go to whom after your passing and keep it current. After my Dad died, my Mom took it upon herself to place little garage sale stickers at the base of many very important things with the names of who they should go to.
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Decide how and where you wish to be buried and make your wishes known to your family members and write it down. Going a step further and making the arrangements and at least beginning to pay for them is a real plus and will take not just financial strain off of your loved ones but a lot of emotional stress as well.
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Tips & Warnings
Have a copy of all written documents kept with your lawyer, post office lock box, or at least at someone else's home in case something should happen to your original and be certain they are where your loved ones can easily locate them.
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Comments
View all 10 Comments-
what if I'm already dead?
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richardpeeej
Jul 14, 2010
There are some really good tips here I will be doing this that's for sure.
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llmcdaniel
Feb 16, 2010
This is good advice that is rarely taken. My mother even picked out her own burial dress, funeral music and singer, and burial details years prior to her death. Makes a complicated matter easier for the family.
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Psalmist4M
Jan 27, 2009
It's important to take a lot of the pressure off family to manage things after your death during their grieving. I think it's considerate & an expression of love to have as much planned & taken care of as possible. 5*s
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Virginia Allain
Jan 09, 2009
I've been thinking about writing my own obituary as I doubt my spouse will put the right things in it.
