Issue 19.14
Several years ago when I was conducting a funeral, I went to hold the door for an elderly lady who was coming in pushing her walker. She surprised me when she said, “Don’t you love a good funeral? Funerals are the best meetings ever. I love a good funeral. I try never to miss.” She got me thinking. The best meetings? The more I thought about it, the more I could see her point. Funerals draw. Family members will travel long distances to attend a funeral, even disaffected family members. For good reason, friends feel a desire, if not an obligation, to show respect for the deceased and to share comfort with the family. I believe more people strive to attend funerals than weddings.
Prior to my career in the funeral industry, my wife’s mother passed away in our home after an extended illness. We found ourselves needing to plan a funeral for the first time in our lives. We planned a church funeral and had a large attendance. Many people shared memories and cried with us. It was a good funeral. But my wife’s reaction afterward was significant to me. She asked, “Mom would have been pleased with it, don’t you think?” I reassured her that it was a good funeral. My own father quietly passed away five years ago. His funeral took place on a weekday. As we stood to follow the casket at the end of the funeral, I glanced back at the folks in the church. I was amazed. The church was filled with friends and family who cared about us, even though it was in the middle of the workweek. This memory is still with me. The memory is also with my mother who sought reassurance by saying, “It was a good funeral. Dad would have been pleased with it, don’t you think?”
So, yes, I have to say that “I love a good funeral.” At Serenity Funeral Home, we are passionate about helping and caring for the families that we serve. We invite you to stop by for a visit and pickup your free funeral planning guide. We are located just off Riverside Dr. at 1316 S. 400 E., St. George, UT, or call us at (435) 986-2085, or visit online at www.serenitystg.com.
Dick Johnson is a funeral planner and co-owner of Serenity Funeral Home.