Issue 7.16
The entertainment industry lost several of its prominent members a few weeks ago. Among them were René Angélil, businessman and the manager/husband of musical sensation Céline Dion, and David Bowie, iconic pop superstar. Although both men were famous, their personalities and backgrounds were extremely different, and, as such, they had very different final wishes.
Mr. Angélil’s services took place at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal. Thousands of fans, friends, and family members gathered to honor Mr. Angélil. According to People Magazine, the full Catholic funeral included communion and was planned by Mr. Angélil himself in the months prior to his death. It was reported that he wished to spare his wife the burden and pain of organizing his funeral. He viewed preplanning his own funeral as a final act of love for Céline. A second memorial service was held for Mr. Angélil at Las Vegas’ Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The event was live-streamed around the world.
By comparison, the NY Daily News reported that David Bowie told loved ones he wanted to “go without any fuss” and was quietly cremated shortly after his death. Mr. Bowie requested that there be no private or public funerals or memorial services after his passing. Heartbroken fans created impromptu memorials outside the singer’s apartment building in New York and in England. One source was quoted by The Mirror as saying, “There is no public or private service or a public memorial. There is nothing.” Another individual offered, “In many respects you don’t need a memorial or service to remember David by . . . you have his music instead. He would have wanted to just disappear with no fuss, no big show, no fan-fare. This would totally be his style.”
Whether you prefer a traditional funeral, a simple memorial service, or cremation with or without a tribute, our mission at Serenity Funeral Home is to help you decide how to best honor your life or the life of your loved one. You deserve the opportunity to personalize your service beforehand, and your family deserves the opportunity to remember you in a manner befitting your personality and style.
Please stop by our office to obtain a copy of a free funeral preplanning guide. Serenity Funeral Home is located just off Riverside Drive at 1316 S. 400 E., St. George, UT, (435) 986-2085, or visit us on-line at www.SerenityStG.com.