Eco-friendly funeral/burial

[DianaB]

I think that each family's funeral services are different. It sometimes depends on how sudden the death was. If the person died suddenly and no one got to say their good-byes then it's a lot harder than if they were sick or expected to die.

For me and other Christians there is the expectation of Heaven and seeing each other again. That makes a difference in funeral services for me.

Personally, I want a "Celebration of Life" service when I go. I'm going to be in Heaven and I want people to celebrate that I'm there!!!

For my Dad's funeral I had people wear bright colors......because we weren't celebrating his death......we were celebrating his life. I didn't want anything to be morbid or sad. It was still hard to tell him good-bye. I placed a card in the casket with my Dad telling him how much I loved him and that I would always be a "Daddy's girl" and my brother put a couple of cigarettes and matches in his pocket because my Dad wouldn't give up smoking. We had a laugh over that one!!

[gja1000]

Sorry the above link doesn't go to the page about eco friending burials. I'm going to try another link - hope it works, but if it doesn't I googled eco-friendly funerals austin, tx and the link came up - it's actually on a site called WalletBlog.

http://www.walletblog.com/2010/04/ar...ost-effective/

[gja1000]

Diana, your dad's funeral sounds so perfect! Thanks so much for sharing that with us. that is exactly what I would want!

[Lindsey]

Diana, I think your dad's funeral sounds like a wonderful celebration of his life! That is exactly what I want... don't think about me being DEAD, think of how much fun we had together when we were alive! Memories will last forever. I love that you got to have a little laugh that day. I think that makes all the difference.

[gja1000]

Here is a link to a non-profit organization, AMBIS, the Austin Memorial Burial & Information Society (AMBIS) is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization of area residents dedicated to helping our neighbors make funeral and memorial arrangements that are dignified, meaningful and affordable.

It has really good information about affordable funerals.

http://fcaambis.org/

[Blueyes]

We have a running joke with our friends that own the ranch that we go to, Mark and Jan. If anybody gets deathly sick, we are suppose to take a pillow and blanket to the bucket of the tractor. If we get well, that's great, but if we die, our bodies will get dumped off a steep bluff. It's really a sick joke, lol! Anytime anybody complains about feeling bad, somebody tells them to just go get in the bucket

[Janet]

I know already that as soon as all this estate stuff is over with, I'm going to start planning a green service for myself. I know the people that handled my parents funerals well so I will find out all I can from them.

[Blueyes]

That's a great idea Janet. It will give you peace of mind, and when the time comes, Ricky won't have to do it. You are a wise woman!

[gja1000]

Betsi, my mom and her sister (who is gone now) always said that when they got old and sick they were going to ride the gondola to the middle of the Royal Gorge and jump out. That's not quite as morbid as a pillow and blanket in the bucket, but in the same vein. LOL! Gary sometimes says when he is too sick to be happy, he's gonna do like the old Indians did - just go out in the woods, sit down till he dies.

[Blueyes]

Go sit in the woods... Go get in the bucket... Some days around here Mike says he may just ride to the ranch and get in the bucket. Just his way of saying he feels really bad, and I bet Gary just says he's going to the woods. Frightening how similar they are, lol!

[DianaB]

Glen's Dad used to say that when he got too old to go duck hunting that he wanted the boys to take him out ONE last time.........so every winter they would ask him if this was the year!!!! We always got a big laugh out of that!!

We had a guy that lived out our direction years ago that got really old.....didn't have any family except a brother who lived with him........and he went on a death walk.......he hid his body and has never been found. A lot of people went out looking for him but he knew the land so well.....every well, hole, and whatever. No one ever figured out exactly what happened to him but it was known that he had taken care of himself somehow. No foul play was ever thought of. Very weird!!

Glen and I have both told each other that we'd like to be buried in our little cemetery. Baker's have a back hoe and we can be buried 20 feet deep if we need to be!!! I have no problems being buried in a blanket or whatever beccause I'm not going to be here to worry about it. What ever's easy and doesn't cost much!!! However I DO want a funeral service. I want people to hear that I was a Christian and how I'm going to be in Heaven......and how I loved Jesus with all of my heart. I want it to be a celebration!!

[judy]

That is a wild story, Diana! Did his brother know he was not going to come back after his walk?

You should be buried in your own cemetery. I wrote to a local funeral home, and got this response:

"Thank you for inquiry. With respect for your question about cemetery- the closest "Green Cemetery" is located near Utica, NY and although we have not had the oportunity to have a burial- if you wish I can gather the information. Also there has been conversation that Rhinebeck Cemetery is going to open a "Green Section" or allow "Green Burials"- what the specifics are and fees associated with that are still unknown- that is in the works.
As for other local cemeteries- see next paragraph.

As for the cost of the "Green Burial" there are a number of different factors that go into determining that. One being...what type of "Green Burial" are we talking about: is it the one that is associated with the Green Burial Association-where the deceased is shrouded or placed in a bio-casket and it is a simple graveside service, or one that is a slight variation and is a more traditional service (i.e.: viewing...which can include formaldehyde free embalming, church or funeral service, and buried in a traditional plot). With that the question always arrives at - "how can it be a green burial when the cemetery requires a vault"? The short answer is that we have arrangements with some of the local cemeteries, where the concrete liner ( which still allows moisture to enter) is simple placed upside down over the bio-casket. Therefore meeting the cemetery requirement- which is essentially for maintenance purposes- while still allowing the burial to be "Green". So as you can see the idea of "green burials" is great, it is simply a bit harder to pinpoint a final cost without knowing all of the variables.

I hope this helps to clarify and not muddy up the waters- so to speak.

Let me know your thoughts and thank you once again for asking,"

[Janet]

Of course I haven't had a chance to check into it too much yet with everything else going on, but as soon as it quiets down and I can do more research that is what I'm planning to do. I don't want a vault of any shape or form, just one of the biodegradable weave type baskets. I just feel so comfortable about this.

[judy]

I have all of the papers for my will, dnr, ETC., ETC. I just hafve not wanted to sit down and do it! I also have to find out if I can transfer my house to Jessie, while still being able to have control over it. What if I want to sell it? I don't like the idea of anyone else having control over my stuff, but I will be 65. I am (Thank God!) very healthy, but everything has to be transferred 5 years before you end up with medical care bills. I'll only be 70 in 5 years, but yoou really never know. It's not like I'm only 55 anymore!

[Janet]

Why not just gift it to her in your will. Not sure about other states, but we can gift up to one hundred thousand dollars before having to pay inheritance tax. So my brothers nor I will have to pay a tax. I know it's crazy for us to wait, but once everything is settled with Mom's estate in April, Rick and I are going to do our Will. Our attorney does it all at once, Will, POA and Medical Power (forget exactly what it's called). It's very possible with our 3 houses it could add up to over the tax amount, so we would have to gift it to him a little at a time or save it so it can be used to pay our living expenses in a nursing home which aren't cheap and if there is any left, it can go to him.