When the police department in Gulfport, Miss., recently ended long funeral processions by limiting them to five vehicles, the news was not well-received by some residents, who saw it as killing a cherished tradition. “We could either limit the number of vehicles, or not do (funeral escorts) at all,” explained Lt. Brian Smith, head of [...]
Posts Tagged ‘funeral procession’
16 Nov
Burial Incidents Prompt Army Probe of Arlington Cemetery
The Army ordered an investigation Friday into operations at Arlington National Cemetery after questions about apparently improper burials. Army Secretary John McHugh said in a statement that the service’s inspector general will look into what he said was “lost accountability” of some graves, as well as poor record-keeping and other issues at the cemetery, the [...]
30 Sep
Funeral Home Hosts Weddings, Parties
SOLON – One of the oldest, most well-known types of businesses is trying to reinvent itself. It’s normally thought of as recession-proof. Now, owners are turning a place typically filled with sorrow into a scenic, social center. One of the most popular places to host an event in Solon sits right next to a cemetery. [...]
29 Sep
Compost in the Sky: Eco-Friendly Burials Trend Include Liquid Nitrogen, Pine Boxes
Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. If it were that simple, then funeral parlors wouldn’t have so much work to do. There is a lot involved preparing a loved one for their final resting place. With a world population closing in on 7 billion, that means there could be around 7 billion dead in the [...]
29 Sep
Should Families Be Charged For Online Obituaries? – 14 Question National Survey
Opinions and questions are circulating regarding whether families should be charged for online obituary services, and whether guest book signers should have to register to leave messages. Connecting Directors.com, in conjunction with FuneralNet, is conducting the following national survey of death-care professionals to develop a better professional understanding and improve the industry’s service at large. [...]
24 Sep
Flashy Funerals – A Last Chance to Make a Good Impression
The hunter’s family came in with a simple photograph of the deceased, snapped during a trek through the woods. The funeral director asked the family members to describe the man in the photo.” “They said he worked hard all his life, but when he had time off, he just loved to go to the woods [...]
2 Sep
Funeral Directors: Track Swine Flu Outbreaks in Your Area
While we wait for scientists to perfect a vaccine for the H1N1 virus, researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston and the MIT Media Lab have offered up a helpful tool in our arsenal against the flu: the Outbreaks Near Me iPhone app, which allows users to report and track infectious disease outbreaks as they happen. Read [...]
2 Sep
King of Pop to Rest Among Quiet, History
Michael Jackson’s life played out on a world stage, headlines screaming his every move, frenzy following his footsteps. His death, memorial and investigation amplified the delirium and prolonged the anguish of family and fans. On Thursday, he is scheduled to be interred at Forest Lawn Glendale in what will be a hidden monument in a [...]
22 Jul
The Quality of Death, End of Life Care in America: Inside Out
The following is an audio documentary done by WBUR in Boston. Though I have not been able to listen to the documentary in its entirety, what I have been able to listen to has been excellent. In this new documentary about end of life care in America special correspondent Rachel Gotbaum investigates what prevents many [...]
22 Jul
What NOT To Say to Someone That Has Lost a Loved One
Knowing what not to say can be just as important as finding the right words to comfort a loved one when they are grieving. Many of the following sayings might seem on the surface to be the right thing to say; after all you have probably heard them said at a funeral. However, to a [...]
