Yesterday, Ralph O.--a funeral planner, came at the appointed time to give us some information and answer questions.
Some of the information he gave us had to do with the high cost of dying these days. It turns out that if I died today it would cost more than $6000.00 to have a modest, simplified, yet dignified burial. I was surprised. The average cost, he said, runs in the vicinity of $7500 to $8500. And the costs keep rising every year. In just a few more years, the average cost will be $10,000.
One of our concerns was how my body would be transported from Orem to St. George. I was a bit shocked when he said one of the options was Paul could load the casket onto the back of a pick-up truck and drive it down there himself! (That's too weird for me! Too weird for Paul too.) To have the St. George mortuary drive up to retrieve me, would today cost about $750.00. It would cost more than that to have the local mortuary drive me down there.
So anyway, I picked out a casket that I liked. It is white with brass colored trim and a pale pink liner. Do you like it?
I named those who would be potential pall-bearers (Grandsons, Robert Klar, Chris & David Hyde, Kelly & Robert Holmberg, and Great-grandson, Drew Nakai). Honorary pall-bearers would be my son Bob, and sons-in-law Brent and Paul.
I named those who might speak (Paul, Anne, Bob, Linda, Dara). Of course, I can change my mind about any of those things. What would YOU like to do? Musical selections and prayers still need to be figured out, too. The hardest decision was music for the services. I like so many of the hymns that I couldn't decide. I know I have granddaughters who sing, that would be nice. So, I still have things to work on.
Don't worry, I am not "planning" on dying any time soon. Paul says I am going to live to be 100. Nevertheless, this pre-planning will be my gift to my children when I die.
7 comments:
OH DEAR! DON'T MAKE ME SPEAK! I WILL CRY THE WHOLE TIME! AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Would it be easier to SING???????
wqcoox: what comes out when you are choked up and trying to sing
:D
I would be more than honored to be a pall-bearer. I think you should have as many songs as you want, there is no limit in my mind. Is it too weird to have a voice recorded goodbye?
I think I'd cry no matter what I'm doing. Thinking about it makes me want to cry. Maybe once I have time to ponder and mull it over, I'll be okay...
That's it...Grandma can't die. Period. You have to drum that into her head and tell her she has to survive until she can be twinkled.
I heard you never want to buy a casket from the mortuary. Apparently they upcharged it 200%. I heard you can buy it directly from the manufacturer. The only issue then would be where to keep it.
But, why buy when you will never use it, right?
Update: I began to feel "crickle" after I signed up for this funeral insurance. So, I made Pat write to cancel the policy and get my money back. I have been putting money in a savings account for quite awhile now, and plan to continue to do so, which I hope will be sufficient to cover burial costs.
So, we are back at square one as far as planning the funeral services.
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