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Perkasie, PA 18944
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Telford, PA 18969
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We understand that the passing of a loved one is a difficult time. If you have any questions while viewing this site, or are in immediate need of our services,you may contact our Perkasie office at 215 257-2144 or suessfh@comcast.net or the Telford office at 215-723-4636 or sadlersuess@comcast.net Thank you for taking the time to visit our website.
Obituaries
Recent Obituaries
Serratore, Joseph
May 11, 2013
Joseph Serratore
May 11, 2013
Joseph Serratore, of Richland Twp. and formerly of Sellersville, PA, died Saturday, May 11, 2013, in Grand View Hospital, West Rockhill Twp., PA. He was 55. He was the husband of Linda (Peacock) Winters. The couple had celebrated their 6th Wedding Anniversary on February 21, 2013. Born and raised in Glenside, PA, he was the son of Junie Mae (Pack) Serratore, of Sellersville, and the late John A. Serratore, Sr. He attained his Associate’s Degree from Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA. Mr. Serratore was the operations manager for Pincus Elevator, Inc., West Chester, PA for three years until retiring in October 2006. Previously, he worked for Kencor, Inc. West Chester, and Cemco Elevator, at its Plumsteadville and Hatfield, PA, locations. He was a member of the Living Hope Community Church, Plumsteadville. An avid hunter and fisherman, he was mechanically-inclined and excellent with his hands. Surviving with his wife and mother are three sons, Joseph Serratore, of Roxborough, PA, Michael Serratore, of Harleysville, PA, and Christopher Serratore, of Sellersville; a daughter, Danielle Serratore, of Sellersville; two stepdaughters, Jennifer Huber, of North Wales, PA, and Victoria Pittman, of Bethlehem, PA; a stepson, Zachery Winters, of the U. S. Army National Guard stationed in Kuwait; four grandchildren, Eleanor and Clara Huber, and Stephan and Phillip Pittman; a brother, John A. Serratore, Jr. and his wife Christine, of Orwigsburg, PA; a nephew, John A. Serratore III and his wife Lauren; and a niece, Stephanie Serratore-Zimmerman and her husband Shawn. Funeral Services and interment will be held at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Living Hope Community Church, 106 S. Main Street, Dublin, PA 18917. Arrangements are by the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie, PA.
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Ahlum, R. Henry
May 11, 2013
R. Henry Ahlum
May 11, 2013
R. Henry Ahlum, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 11, 2013, at 5:15 PM at Moravian Village Skilled Nursing, Bethlehem, PA, at the age of 96. He was the husband of the late Naomi L. (Emery) Ahlum who died October 31, 1999. Born in Richlandtown, PA, in 1916, he was the son of the late Frank and Sally (Sterner) Ahlum. A 1934 graduate of Quakertown High School, Quakertown, PA, he attained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, in 1939. After his marriage to Naomi in 1939, he enlisted in the U. S. Navy, serving as Lieutenant on the Marshall Islands during World War II. Following the war, he worked for Bethlehem Steel as a Metallurgical Observer. Then, he owned and operated Frank H. Ahlum & Son Plumbing and Heating, for many years until retiring. Mr. Ahlum was a life member of the Quakertown Rotary Club, the Wallace-Willard-Keller American Legion Post, Quakertown, as well as the Loyal Order of Moose No. 1622, Quakertown. He was a member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pleasant Valley, PA. He is survived by three daughters, Nancy A. Becker and her husband Lowell E., of Easton, MD, Adele A. Ahlum, of Royersford, PA, and Denise G. Sandy and her husband Steven C., of Easton, PA; a son, Dale H. Ahlum and his wife Nancy W., of Springtown, PA; five grandchildren; and five great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Howard and John Ahlum. His Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at 11:00 AM, at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2170 Route 212, Coopersburg, PA 18036, where family and friends may call from 10:00 AM until service. Interment will follow in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Pleasant Valley. All are welcome to attend a reception at the Church following interment. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Church at the above-named address. Arrangements are by the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie, PA.
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Schnell, Arlene
May 9, 2013
Arlene Schnell
May 9, 2013
Arlene S. (Lesher) Schnell, 87, formerly of Souderton and Lansdale, passed away on Thursday, May 9, 2013 in Currituck House, Moyock, N.C. Born in Tylersport, she was a daughter of the late Edwin and Carrie (Groff) Shaw. She was employed as a sewing machine operator at the former Iskin’s in Telford for more than 30 years prior to her retirement in 1990. Ms. Schnell was a member of the Ridge Valley United Church of Christ. She was also a member of the Amalgamated Textile Worker’s Union Local #128 where she served as secretary. In her earlier years she volunteered as a Girl Scouts aid. She is survived by a daughter, Sandra (Lesher) Chellew of Chesapeake, VA, two grandchildren: Kristin Berry (Roger) of Moyock, NC and Michael Chellew (Jamie) of Chesapeake, VA, and four great grandchildren (Joshua, Matthew, Jordan and Reese). She was preceded in death by a son, Karl S. Lesher, Jr., three brothers: Parson, Claude, and Morris Shaw, and a sister, Jessebelle Seibert. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 12:00 Noon in the Sadler-Suess Funeral Home, 33 N. Main St., Telford. Interment will follow in the St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery, Ridge Valley. Family will receive friends from 11 AM to 12 Noon prior to the service.
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Kulp, Patricia
May 8, 2013
Patricia Kulp
May 8, 2013
Patricia “Pat” Kulp, 68, of Souderton, passed away on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 in Abington Health Lansdale Hospital. She was the wife of the late Donald Kulp who died in 1991. Born in Sellersville, she was the daughter of the late Clarence and Edith (Seitz) Moore. A homemaker, she was a member of Little Zion Lutheran Church in Telford where she was active in many aspects of church life, and served on the Kitchen/Hospitality Committee for many years. An avid sports enthusiast, she was especially fond of youth sports. She is survived by five sons: Robert Kulp of Souderton, Donald Kulp and his wife Natalie of Souderton, Shawn Kulp and his partner Matt of Harleysville, Matthew Kulp and his wife Kelly of Pennsburg, Jason Kulp of Palm and his fiancée Sheryl Fetterman, six grandchildren: Brittany, Alexander, Cody, Logan, Lillian, Connor, and a niece, Kimberly Moore, who resided with her. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, Ronald Moore. Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 11 AM in the Little Zion Lutheran Church, 267 Morwood Rd., Telford, PA 18969. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Family will receive friends on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 from 7-9 PM in the Sadler-Suess Funeral Home, 33 N. Main St., Telford, and on Wednesday at the church from 10-11 AM prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the Hospitality Committee of Little Zion Lutheran Church at the above address.
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Schaeffer, Roberta H.
May 6, 2013
Roberta H. Schaeffer
May 6, 2013
Roberta H. “Birdie” Schaeffer, of Perkasie, PA, died Monday, May 6, 2013, in Grand View Hospital, West Rockhill Twp., PA. She was 79. She was the wife of the late Dennis Alden Schaeffer who died April 12, 2006. Born in Perkasie, she was the daughter of the late Robert T. Hendricks and the late Bessie (Cope) Binsberger, and stepdaughter of the late Mathias Binsberger. She was a 1952 graduate of Sell-Perk High School, Perkasie, and a 1953 graduate of the Lansdale School of Business, Lansdale, PA. She was employed as a bank teller for the former Bucks County Bank, Perkasie, for 40 years until retiring in the 1990’s. During high school and while attending business school, she worked at the former Lesher’s 5 & 10, Perkasie. She was a life-long member of St. Andrew’s United Church of Christ, Perkasie, where she belonged to the Womens Bible Study Group, the In-Betweeners Group and served on the Kitchen Committee. Mrs. Schaeffer was a member of the Women of the Moose and RAC (Retirement Activity Club) of the Loyal Order of Moose #1539, Sellersville, PA. Also a member of the Pennridge Senior Center, Silverdale, PA, she enjoyed ceramics and craft making as well as photography and gardening. An animal lover, she also was fond of feeding the birds. She is survived by three sons, Robert L. Schaeffer and his wife Marlene, of Quakertown, PA, Bradley L. Schaeffer and his wife Diane, of East Rockhill Twp., PA, and Brian L. Schaeffer and his wife Sherri, of Harleysville, PA; a daughter, Denise L. Mayhew, of Silverdale, PA; eight grandchildren, Kristen, Bryan, Chad, Sierra, Tyler and Chandler Schaeffer, Kyle Mayhew, and Ashley Bachman and her husband Tyler; a great grandson, Wyatt Bachman; a sister, Donna R. Duckworth and her husband Merrill , of Center Valley, PA; a half sister, Marie Kulp, of Sellersville; a stepbrother, Ronald M. Binsberger and his wife Yolanda, of Las Vegas, NV; and a stepsister, Rose M. Thieme, of Red Hill, PA. Her Funeral Services will be held Saturday, May 11, 2013, at 11:00 AM in St. Andrew’s United Church of Christ, 615 E. Walnut Street, Perkasie, PA 18944, where family and friends may call from 9:00 AM until service time. Interment will follow in St. Andrew’s Union Cemetery, Perkasie. Memorial contributions may be made to the church at the above-named address. Arrangements are by the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie.
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Gawronski, Thomas Frank
May 2, 2013
Thomas Frank Gawronski
May 2, 2013
Thomas Frank “Ski” Gawronski, of Perkasie, PA, died Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Grand View Hospital, West Rockhill Twp., PA. He was 55. Born in Doylestown, PA, he was the son of the late Theodore F. Sr. and Blanche (Neamand) Gawronski. He had a love for nature and the outdoors. His interests also included reading and doing crossword puzzles. He is survived by three daughters, Brandy Park, of Allentown, PA, Nicole Gawronski, of Easton, PA, and Laurie Heminitz and her husband Matthew, of Walnutport, PA; two sons, John Calario and his wife Serena, of Coopersburg, PA, and Thomas T. Gawronski, of Bethlehem, PA; seven grandchildren; two brothers, Timothy and Theodore Gawronski, Jr.; and two sisters, Judy Thatcher and Lucy Gawronski. He was preceded in death by a sister, Dawn Jones. Funeral services and interment will be held at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are by the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie.
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Leatherman, Beatrice L.
May 2, 2013
Beatrice L. Leatherman
May 2, 2013
Beatrice L. “Bea” Leatherman, of the Rockhill Mennonite Community, West Rockhill Twp., and formerly of Quakertown, PA, died Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Abington Health Lansdale Hospital, Hatfield Twp., PA. She was 84. She was the wife of Russell H. Leatherman. The couple had celebrated their 64th Wedding Anniversary on September 4, 2012. Born in Montgomeryville, PA, she was the daughter of the late Adolph E. and Laura (Marcellious) Wilson. She owned and operated Leatherman’s Beauty Shop, Perkasie, PA, for over 20 years. Then, she was employed by the Harleysville Insurance Co., Harleysville, PA, for a number of years until her retirement in 1990. She was a member of St. Andrew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Perkasie, where she volunteered in the Church Office folding bulletins and newsletters. An avid gardener, she also enjoyed doing crossword puzzles. Surviving with her husband are her daughter, Debra L. Winton and her husband Gary J., of Riegelsville, PA; five grandchildren, Rodd J. White and his wife Krista, Jon J. White and his wife Jessica, Michael L. Winton and his fiancée Michele Zepp, Chris A. Winton and his wife Audrey, and Melissa A. Davis and her husband Michael; eight great grandchildren, Erik, Kara, Jayden, Brielle, Emily, Jacob, Kayla and Deacon; and a brother, Donald Wilson, of Skippack, PA. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Paul, Norris and Adolph Wilson, and a sister, Geraldine L. Groover. Her Funeral Services will be held Monday, May 6, 2013, at 11:00 AM in St. Andrew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 20 Dill Avenue, Perkasie, where family and friends may call from 9:30 AM until service time. Interment will follow in St. Andrew’s Union Cemetery, Perkasie. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 480 Norristown Road, Suite 150, Blue Bell, PA 19422, or to the American Heart Association, 1617 JFK Blvd., Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Arrangements are by the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie.
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Moyer, James A.
May 1, 2013
James A. Moyer
May 1, 2013
James A. Moyer, formerly of Blooming Glen, PA, died Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in the Lutheran Community at Telford, Telford, PA. He was 83. Born in Hilltown Twp., PA, he was the son of the late Howard E. and Emma K. (Landis) Moyer. He was a 1947 graduate of Hilltown High School, Hilltown, PA. Mr. Moyer was employed by the FMC Corporation, Colmar, PA, for over 30 years until retiring in 1989. Following his retirement there, he worked for a number years for the Blooming Glen Garage. He was a U. S. Army Veteran of the Korean War, attaining the rank of Sharpshooter. Mr. Moyer was a member of Calvary Church of Souderton, Souderton, PA. An avid Philadelphia Phillies fan, he played American Legion Baseball during his younger years. He also enjoyed hunting, gardening and playing pinochle. He is survived by three daughters, Janet Diane Barndt and her husband Alan, of Spring Hill, FL, Joan Elaine Huff and her husband David B., of Sellersville, PA, and Judy Ann Schroeder, of St. Petersburg, FL; a son, James A. Moyer, Jr., of Middletown, NY; 10 grandchildren; two brothers, H. Edward Moyer and his wife Alice, of Perkasie, and Dr. Ray Moyer and his wife Page, of Dresher, PA; and three sisters, Dorothy Virnelson and her husband Frank, of Hilltown, Alice Haines and her husband Willets, of Tustin, CA,and Crystal River, FL, and Thelma Myers, of Santa Anna, CA. His Funeral Services will be held on Monday, May 6, 2013, at 11:00 AM at Calvary Church of Souderton, 820 Route 113, Souderton, where family and friends may call from 10:00 AM until service time. Interment will follow in the adjacent Church Cemetery. Arrangements are by the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie, PA.
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Gerges, Elwood
April 29, 2013
Elwood Gerges
April 29, 2013
Elwood H. Gerges, 90, of Sellersville, passed away on Monday, April 29, 2013 in Grand View Hospital, West Rockhill Twp. He was the beloved husband of the late Jennie (Okomski) Gerges who died in 1985. Born in Hatfield, he was the son of the late Elwood L. and Elnora (Hansell) Gerges. Elwood graduated from the former Lansdale High School in 1940. He joined the U.S. Navy in February of 1943, serving as an electrician aboard destroyer ships from Trinidad to Brazil, to the Philippines, to Iwo Jima, to Okinawa, Japan. Upon his discharge from the Navy, he was employed as a tool and die maker at Hunter Spring, Hatfield for 44 years, retiring in 1985. He enjoyed gardening, bowling, and spending time with his family and grandchildren. He is survived by his two children: Kenneth J. Gerges and his wife Patricia of Lansdale, and Elaine M. Shepley and her husband J. Richard of Pasadena, MD, his five beloved grandchildren: Michele Gerges, Kenneth J. Gerges, Jr., Jennifer Gerges, Brian Shepley and Michael Shepley, the expected birth of his first great granddaughter, and his sister, Grace Johnson of Harleysville. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by two brothers: Melvin H. Gerges and James H. Gerges. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 1:30 PM at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 9 Broad St., Hilltown. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Relatives and friends may call from 12:00-1:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Indian Creek Foundation, 420 Cowpath Rd., Souderton, PA 18964, notating Elwood Gerges on the check memo line. Arrangements are by the Sadler-Suess Funeral Home, Telford.
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Nase, James R.
April 24, 2013
James R. Nase
April 24, 2013
James R. Nase, formerly of Silverdale, PA, died Wednesday, April 24, 2013, in the Lutheran Community at Telford, Telford, PA. He was 74. He was the husband of the late Mary L. (Binsberger) Nase who died March 15, 2012. Born in Sellersville, PA, he was the son of the late Herman and Evelyn (Eyre) Nase. He was a 1959 graduate of Pennridge High School, Perkasie, PA. Mr. Nase was employed as a custodian for the Pennridge School District at the Sellersville Elementary School from 1988 until retiring in 2004. Previously, he worked for the former J. M. Freed Glass Co., Perkasie, for a number of years. He served in the U. S. Army from 1960 to 1963 and was stationed in Germany. He was a member of Christ Community Bible Church, Perkasie, where he previously served as a church usher. Mr. Nase was a member of the Silverdale Fire Company. Also a member of the North Penn Pigeon Club, Sellersville, PA, he housed homing pigeons at his home in Silverdale. He also enjoyed gardening, playing bingo and cards, especially pinochle. He is survived by a son, Mark W. Nase and his wife Sherri, of Perkasie; a daughter, Tracy L. Goglia and her husband Joe, of Fairless Hills, PA; four grandchildren, Bradley, Heather and Emily Nase, and James Goglia; a brother, Richard Nase and his wife Carol, of Sellersville; and a stepbrother, William Nase and his wife Barbara, of Florida. He was preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy Nase. Graveside Services will be held at 9:30 AM on Monday, April 29, 2013, in Whitemarsh Memorial Park, 1169 Limekiln Pike, Ambler, PA. His Memorial Services will follow at 12:00 Noon on Monday, April 29, 2013, at Christ Community Bible Church, 1830 N. Ridge Road, Perkasie, where family and friends may call from 11:00 AM until service time. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Christ Community Bible Church, 1830 N. Ridge Road, Perkasie, PA 18944. Arrangements are by the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie.
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Kalmbach, Kathryn
April 19, 2013
Kathryn Kalmbach
April 19, 2013
Kathryn M. Kalmbach, 87, of Bensalem Twp., passed away on Friday, April 19, 2013 in St. Luke’s Hospital, Fountain Hill. Born in Philadelphia, she was the daughter of the late Albert and Mary (Black) Kalmbach. Ms. Kalmbach was employed as the head of statistics for the Federal Reserve Bank in Philadelphia for more than 40 years prior to her retirement. In her free time she enjoyed flowers and gardening, especially volunteering at the community gardens in Bensalem. Her hobbies included collecting nut crackers, stamps and coins. She is survived by a brother, Wilbur Kalmbach and his wife Tess of Orange, CT, thirteen nieces and nephews; living locally are two nieces: Sheryl Kalmbach-Skehan and her husband Michael of Sellersville, Linda Kalmbach of Norton, MA, two nephews: John J. Kalmbach and his wife Cheryl of Port Matilda, PA, George Morton and his wife Carol of Brookhaven, and local great nieces and nephews: George, Emily, Olivia, Shane, Jamie and Logan. Graveside Services will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 10 AM in the Hillside Cemetery, Susquehanna Rd., Roslyn, PA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Friends of Animals, 777 Post Road, Darien, CT 06820 or to the North Shore Animal League, 25 Davis Avenue, Port Washington, NY 11050. Arrangements are by the Sadler-Suess Funeral Home, Telford.
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Johnson, Beth Ann
April 18, 2013
Beth Ann Johnson
April 18, 2013
Beth Ann Johnson, of Hilltown Twp., PA, died Thursday, April 18, 2013, in Doylestown Hospital, Doylestown Twp., PA. She was 84. She was the wife of the late John Fonda Johnson who died in 1994. Born in Sellersville, PA, she was the daughter of the late Pearson and Alice (Condict) Loux. A homemaker, she was a member of the Hilltown Baptist Church, Hilltown, PA. She loved the Philadelphia Phillies, never missing a game on television. She attended many of their home games and also traveled to Florida for Spring Training in 2001with her daughter Karen. She loved gardening, even selling fruits and vegetables at her roadside stand in front of her home for more than 20 years. She loved being with her children and grandchildren. Hosting her annual Fourth of July picnic brought her much joy by gathering the entire family together. She enjoyed sledding with her family until the age of 79, and she was especially fond of her 2012 trip to Ocean City with four of her children. She also enjoyed being in touch with her large extended family and was known as “Auntie” to many. She is survived by eight daughters, Joann Moll and her husband Gary, of Bullhead City, AZ, Donna Freeman and her husband Dave, of Port Orange, FL, Kathy Zepp and her companion, Jim Wood, of Harleysville, PA, Cindy Rodgers and her husband Bob, of Perkasie, PA, Brenda Johnson, of Hilltown, PA, Beverly Musselman and her husband Gary, of Perkiomenville, PA, Audrey Beair and her husband Don, of Perkasie, and Karen Detweiler and her husband John, of Harleysville; three sons, Wayne Johnson, and his wife Kim, of Perkasie, Brian Johnson, of Bensalem, PA, and John Johnson, of Hilltown; 15 grandchildren, Dorene, Tim, Jeff, Shannon, Jason, Brandon, Clint, Sarah, Alyssa, Malcolm, Chad, Heather, Kevin, Jessica and Tyler; 7 great grandchildren; and her twin sister, Louise Frank and her husband Henry, of Milford, NJ. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a grandson, Michael Johnson, in 2005, and a brother, Pearson Loux. Her Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, April 24, 2013, at Hilltown Baptist Church, Upper Church and Stump Roads, Hilltown, PA, where family and friends may call from 9:00 AM until service time. Interment will follow in the adjacent Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, 111 S. Independence Mall E, Suite 411, The Philadelphia Bourse Bldg., Philadelphia, PA 19106-2421. Arrangements are by the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie.
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Williams, Susanne A.
April 17, 2013
Susanne A. Williams
April 17, 2013
Susanne A. "Sue" Williams, of Telford, PA, died Wednesday, April 17, 2013, at the Lutheran Community at Telford. She was 82. Born in Philadelphia, PA, she was the wife of the late John R. "Jack" Williams. Known as "Mother of Telford 55", she worked as a secretary for Telford 55 Enterprises, for over 20 years until retiring in 1993. An avid golfer, Mrs. Williams was a member of the Indian Valley Country Club. She also enjoyed dancing, bowling, and playing cards. When she wasn’t with family or friends, she could be found reading, knitting or crocheting. She is survived by four loving children: a son, LT John R. Williams, Jr. USN Ret and Kim Rouke, of Virginia Beach, VA; and three daughters, Susanne Hinkle Delp and William Delp, of Sarasota, FL, Donna and Dan Sullivan, of Perkasie, PA, and Linda and Randy Waite, of Cary, NC. She also has seven grandchildren who adored their Meme and two precious great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister, Jean O'Brien. A Memorial Service will be held for her at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 27 at the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie, PA, where family and friends may call from 11:00 a.m. until service time. Interment will be held at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to Grand View Hospital Hospice (700 Lawn Avenue, Sellersville PA 18960).
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Stauffer, Mabel E.
April 16, 2013
Mabel E. Stauffer
April 16, 2013
Mabel E. Stauffer, formerly of Dublin, PA, died Tuesday, April 16, 2013, in the Lutheran Community at Telford, Telford, PA. She was 88. She was the wife of Herbert J. Stauffer. The couple had celebrated their 63rd Wedding Anniversary on July 10, 2012. Born in Plumstead Twp., PA, she was the daughter of the late Elmer and Laura (Worthington) Bishop. She was a graduate of Sell-Perk High School, Perkasie, PA. Mrs. Stauffer had been employed by the former EMICO Co., Dublin, for 10 years until retiring in the early 1980’s. Previously, she worked for the former Highland Hosiery Co. and she stitched baseballs for the former Dudley Sports Co., both in Dublin. During the 1950’s, she owned and operated Stauffer’s Children’s Shop in Dublin. She was a member of Peace-Tohickon Lutheran Church, Perkasie, PA, and a former member of the former St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Dublin, where she taught Sunday school for many years. An avid knitter, Mrs. Stauffer was a member of the Dublin Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary as well as the Order of Eastern Star, Doylestown Chapter No. 327, Doylestown, PA. Surviving with her husband are a son, James H. Stauffer and his wife Susan, of Perkasie; two daughters, Jean R. Curry, of East Rockhill Twp., PA, and Jill K. Ott and her husband Robert, of Hilltown, PA; five grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and two sisters, E. Belle Meyers, of Souderton, PA, and Gertrude W. Bryan and her husband Claude, of Dublin. She was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Richard Curry, two sisters, Edna Kriebel and Helen Derstine, and a brother, Harvey Bishop. Her Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, April 20, 2013, at the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie, where family and friends may call from 9:30 AM until service time. Interment will follow in St. Luke’s Union Cemetery, Dublin. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dublin Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary, 194 N. Main Street, Box 283, Dublin, PA 18917, or to Peace-Tohickon Lutheran Church, 100 Old Bethlehem Road, Perkasie, PA 18944. Arrangements are by the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie.
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Hafler, Rose
April 13, 2013
Rose Hafler
April 13, 2013
Rose Y. Hafler, 96, of Franconia Twp., formerly of Morwood, passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2013 in the Peter Becker Community, Franconia Twp. She was the wife of the late Stewart E. Hafler who died in 1989. Born in Vernfield, she was a daughter of the late Irvin S. and Priscilla C. (Young) Moser. A homemaker for most of her life, in her earlier years she was employed as a seamstress at the Lester Fellman Pants Factory in Vernfield. Mrs. Hafler was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Telford. She was also a member of the Amalgamated Clothing & Textile Worker’s Union, as well as the Ladies of the Moose in Sellersville. In her free time she loved being outdoors, traveling, camping, biking, and walking, and enjoyed being part of the Harleysville Senior Center Walking Group. She is survived by a son, Stewart I. Hafler and his wife Nancy L. of Sellersville, three daughters: Sylvia Rose Getty and her husband Dana R. of Hatfield, Joyce D. Cadwallader and her husband Keith E. of Georgetown, TX, Priscilla A. Hafler of Quakertown, nine grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren, a sister, Miriam Barndt, and a brother, Russell Moser, both of Harleysville. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by two sisters: Mary Sell and Elizabeth Schantzenbach. Memorial Services will be held on Friday, April 26, 2013 at 2:00 PM in the Chapel of the Peter Becker Community, 800 Maple Ave., Harleysville. Family will receive friends following the service. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family in Little Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Telford. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Grand View Hospice, 700 Lawn Ave., Sellersville, PA 18960. Arrangements are by the Sadler-Suess Funeral Home, Telford.
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Planning a Funeral
Most of us are not prepared to plan and carry out a funeral ceremony for someone we love. And so much of the information available on this critically important subject fails to focus on what is most important: having a personalized, meaningful funeral that helps families and friends begin the healing process of mourning after the death of someone we love.
This section includes information that will help provide insights necessary to help you and your family create a meaningful funeral experience that both honors the life of your loved one and starts you on the path to healing from your loss. Some of the content on these pages is adapted from a website called www.MeaningfulFunerals.com and the teachings of Dr. Alan Wolfelt, a noted grief expert.
To learn more about Dr. Wolfelt, please visit www.centerforloss.com
Our funeral home's dedicated staff wants to help you and can play a critical role in planning and carrying out a meaningful funeral or memorial service. Our licensed funeral directors are intimately familiar with the funeral planning process, key decisions a grieving family must make, and necessary legal documentation that is required during this difficult time. Our funeral professionals can handle all of the details and help you create a unique service that fits your needs and values.
For more information, please select from the links below:
Meaningful Funerals
"You can have the experience and miss the meaning."
- T.S. Elliott
Meaningful Funerals
Meaningful funeral ceremonies make a significant difference in how families channel their grief toward health and healing. During the funeral, the community comes together and responds to the reality that someone has died, and also to the reality that those remaining will need support, compassion, love, hope, and understanding. The funeral encourages you to think about the person who has died and to explore the meaning of their life and the ways in which they touched the lives of others.
The remembering, reflecting and choices that take place in the planning and conducting of the funeral service are often an important part of the process of grief and mourning. And ultimately, this process of contemplation and discovery creates a memorable and moving funeral experience for all who attend.
Why Have a Funeral?
When we experience the death of someone we love, a funeral service fills several important needs. First, it provides for the dignified and respectful care of the person and special tribute to their life. Equally important, the funeral service helps survivors face the reality of death, which is the first big step toward taking grief from the inside and allowing us to express it on the outside through mourning. Together, close friends and relatives can lend support and consolation when they're needed most.
Learn more at MeaningfulFunerals.com
What Makes a Funeral Meaningful?
No matter what kind of funeral ceremony you are planning, it helps to understand the components of a meaningful funeral. Meaningful funerals are made up of different parts that, when combined together, make for an incredibly emotional experience for you, your family and friends.
Meaningful Choices
Helping You and Your Family Create a Meaningful FuneralThis is a naturally difficult time, compounded by the fact that you are faced with many decisions that must be made as you begin to plan the funeral. You may feel overwhelmed by these decisions. When you are able to make informed choices, you are empowered with the important information needed to plan a meaningful funeral.
This is not the time to deny your need to mourn and embrace painful feelings of grief in the coming days. You may feel deep sadness as you plan this funeral and begin to acknowledge the reality that someone who you love has died. But when all is said and done, you will feel deep satisfaction that you helped plan a meaningful tribute or ceremony for someone who meant so much to your own life, and you will be on the path to a healthy grieving process.
Making Informed Funeral Choices
After selecting a funeral home, you and your family will choose the type of funeral service to hold, what will happen to the body and where it will be laid to rest. How a body will be cared for after death is an important decision. Whether you choose burial or cremation, you can use elements of ceremony to honor the life of your loved one and to allow you and your family to say goodbye in a meaningful way.
Key Choices
Key Choices Needed to be Made for a Meaningful Funeral As you begin to think about the funeral and the many options you have, you may be faced with the conflict of honoring the wishes of the person who died as well as your own wishes as survivors. While it is natural to want to meet the requests of the person who died, do consider changes that will be helpful to you, your family and friends. Begin a Family ConversationIt is often helpful to have a family conversation before going to see a funeral director. This can be a time for expressing your grief together as well as a time for some initial decision-making. Try as best you can to include everyone in the discussion. No one should feel left out.
The Arrangement ConferenceYou may have already scheduled a time to meet with your funeral director to help you plan the funeral. This meeting is called the “arrangement conference.” During the arrangement conference, the funeral director will explain all of the choices available to you and your family, help you make decisions to create your unique funeral, and gather important information about the person who died to complete necessary documents. Above all else, the funeral director will assist you in both arranging for and carrying out a meaningful funeral.
What Kind of Funeral Service Will You Have?You can choose from a variety of funeral service types and formats. Some people think funerals must conform to traditional ways, but there is no one right way to have a funeral. Just as grief has many dimensions and is experienced in different ways by different people, funerals are also unique. A funeral should simply be fitting for the person who died and the family and friends who survive them. This is an opportunity to be creative and to share an honest expression of your most heartfelt values. There are no rigid rules that need to be followed, but there are guidelines that can help you if you are unsure how you might proceed.
Burial Considerations
Planning a meaningful funeral for a loved one is a ritual that almost all of us will encounter at some point in our lives. As you consider the various aspects of a funeral where burial is the final disposition, there are several elements that you can and will need to select in order to create a touching tribute for your loved one. These things will also provide comfort to those who are living as you pay your final respects.
Service and Ceremony
Service and CeremonyChoosing Burial
Planning a meaningful funeral for a loved one is a ritual that almost all of us will encounter at some point in our lives. As you consider the various aspects of a funeral where burial is the final disposition, there are several elements that you can and will need to select in order to create a touching tribute for your loved one. These things will also provide comfort to those who are living as you pay your final respects.
The Burial Committal ServiceWhen burial is chosen, the graveside ceremony is the final opportunity to say goodbye. Accompanying a body to its final resting place and saying a few last words brings a necessary feeling of closure to the funeral process. Families are often deeply touched by this ceremony, and its memory resonates for years. A meaningful committal service not only helps us acknowledge the reality and finality of the death, it also symbolizes the separation that the death has created. It is an essential ingredient of a meaningful funeral experience.
Direct BurialA direct burial is when there is no funeral service, but instead simply final disposition of the body by the funeral home.
A word from Dr. Alan Wolfelt
If you are considering direct burial, I plead with you to reconsider. Honoring the life and death of the person who died with some sort of ceremony - no matter how brief, how small or how informal - will help your family acknowledge the reality of the death and begin to heal. When no ceremony is held, it is as if the life and death of the person who died had no significance to anyone. Also keep in mind that you may still hold a committal service at the gravesite should you choose direct burial.
Think carefully about the many options available to you and your family. Slow down and plan. It is through planning that a meaningful funeral experience is created. And do remember that funeral directors, clergy, celebrants and close friends who have done these things before can all be valuable resources to you. You are not alone!
Burial Products and Personalization
Burial Products and PersonalizationCaskets
Casket Choices
The casket typically becomes the visual and emotional focal point of the funeral service, and just as important, serves as the final resting place for your loved one. The casket you choose can be more than just a burial vessel - it can become a touching reminder of all that made your loved one special. When selecting a casket, the first decision is typically the casket material - wood or metal.
The casket material chosen is often selected because it reflects the personality of your loved one. Wood is traditionally valued for its warmth and natural beauty, while metal is treasured for its strength, durability and elegance. Various factors impact the value of the finished product, including the species of wood or type of metal. Additional considerations include the design of the casket such as shape, color, interior fabric and hardware. Each of these can make a statement about the beloved individual, as can the features that allow you to create personal tributes to your loved one. These choices affect the overall appearance of the casket, as well as its value.
Metal Caskets
Metal CasketsMetal caskets, including those made from bronze, copper, stainless steel and steel, are known for their unique finishes. Bronze and copper are among the most durable and beautiful of metals; both are naturally non-rusting. Stainless and carbon steel caskets come in a variety of grades, gauges, styles and finishes. Many metal caskets contain features that help resist the entrance of outside elements.
Bronze & Copper CasketsBronze and Copper caskets combine quality construction and beautiful finishes. Many families choose these materials because they are superior to all other casket materials in strength, durability and naturally non-rusting qualities. Tools, ornaments and other artifacts from these materials can be seen in museums dating back as far as 5,000 years. A wide variety of styles, colors and features in bronze and copper are available, allowing you to select a casket that is suited to individual preferences.
Stainless SteelStainless steel is known for its quality and longevity, making it a valued material for casket construction. It is available in different grades, which are determined by the amount of chromium and nickel content — the higher the content, the higher the quality and strength of the steel and its corrosion-resistant qualities.
Carbon SteelCarbon steel caskets are available in multiple grades, for example (from thickest to thinnest): 16 gauge, 18 gauge and 20 gauge. While not as durable or resistant to corrosion as stainless steel, copper or bronze, a wide selection of colors, finishes and personalization features make these caskets an attractive choice.
Wood Caskets
Wood CasketsHardwood caskets include a variety of species: mahogany, walnut, cherry, sycamore, maple, oak, pecan, select hardwood and pine. Families who choose these caskets appreciate the qualities of natural wood. The warmth, beauty and personality it brings to fine furniture is also well suited for the construction of caskets. Some wood caskets are manufactured from solid specie wood, and others are constructed with high-quality veneers.
MahoganyMahogany is used extensively for high-grade furniture and cabinetry. It has a well-earned reputation because of its attractive grain pattern and beautiful natural luster.
WalnutConsidered a wood of beauty, walnut boasts a striking grain color and pattern. Walnut is warm and inviting, dignified and elegant, and engenders a pride of ownership. Having a natural lustrous patina, walnut is also known for its strength and durability.
CherryCherry is one of the most popular hardwoods. Because of its strength and stability, cherry is often used for burial caskets, paneling and gun stocks. Its rich, warm look and creamy, reddish color make it attractive.
MapleMaple is valued for its strength, wear resistance and beauty, making it a popular choice for flooring, especially for heavily trafficked areas such as a ballroom. But it's also a popular material used in making caskets. Maple is evenly textured with a natural luster. While the grain is usually straight, it can also be wavy or curly.
PecanPrized for the delicious pecan nut, pecan trees also produce a strong and heavy hardwood. Pecan is light in color and is often found in the construction of beautiful furniture and architectural paneling.
OakOak is a popular furniture and flooring favorite. This durable wood is used for doors, paneling, home furnishings and caskets. Oak has a prominent grain pattern that can be either tight or coarse, depending on the species.
PinePine has been popular since colonial times. There are nearly 100 species of pine, ranging in color from pale yellow to light brown. Though not technically classified as a “hardwood,” it is considered to be a durable wood, usually straight grained with an even texture.
HardwoodHardwood is a cost effective, yet attractive, solid wood product made from select wood species including poplar and cottonwood.
VeneerVeneering has been a standard in the fine furniture industry for more than 50 years. Veneered wood caskets incorporate quality craftsmanship with premium wood veneers and engineered wood composites that create a look and finish of warmth and beauty that many families are drawn to with solid wood caskets.
Personalize with Burial Casket Features
Specially designed features are available with many caskets today, and serve as another visual way to create an impactful and emotional expression during the service. There are numerous features and flexible ways to personalize a casket that reflect the personality and interests of your loved one. One such feature incorporates artistic designs that can pay tribute to an individual's life of service, passions and interests. These designs can be attached to the corners of many different types of caskets. Another unique feature available on select caskets is a special drawer where you can display cherished mementos during the service and place private farewell messages that can then remain in the casket with your loved one at their final resting place.
Several unique panel designs for the lid of the casket are also available, and each one offers its own dignified approach to serve as a special place and focal point for families to recall a life story and highlight the personal facets that made their loved one special. There are select caskets with panels that allow you to display artistically crafted medallions that can serve as a visual eulogy, allowing you to highlight the most meaningful roles and relationships of your loved one's life.
Some caskets include a pleated panel that enables you to display cherished photos and personal mementos near your loved one. Insertable panels are also available that include embroidered designs with tributes focused on relationships, service, passions and interests. In some cases, you can design or customize your own embroidered panel if standard offerings do not deliver that final personal touch. Some of the same embroidery designs can also be applied to other casket interiors, such as the casket overthrow or pillow.
Burial Casket Features that Encourage RemembranceMany of the designs and features used with the casket can also serve as personal memorial keepsakes, such as the medallions or corner designs. In order to allow healing to begin, it's important to accept that the everyday relationship with the loved one has moved from physical reality to memory. Many people find it helpful to have tangible reminders of their loved one, including items and symbols that relate to the final celebration of life. Keepsakes of various types, such as medallions, can also be engraved with the loved one's name and dates, or special designs that create even more meaningful and touching remembrances for current and future generations.
Ask your funeral director for more information on what is available to help personalize and encourage remembrance during the funeral of your loved one. They can guide you through the selection process and help you make informed choices.
Remembrance JewelryDesigned to hold a lock of hair, flower petals, earth from the gravesite or a small portion of cremated remains, keepsake jewelry is a unique way to hold a loved one close with a fashionable and lasting remembrance.
Burial VaultsBurial Vault Choices
Burial vaults are lined units that enclose the casket when it is placed at the gravesite and are designed to prevent the weight of soil and heavy equipment from damaging the casket. There are no laws that require the use of outer containers, but cemeteries often require their use, as it reduces the chance that soil over the grave will settle and helps with general gravesite maintenance and appearance.
Burial vaults are available in a variety of materials including metal, concrete and composite materials.
Unlined Outer Burial ContainerUnlined outer burial containers, or grave liners, are usually constructed of wood or concrete and may improve the appearance of the grave. These products provide a barrier that keeps soil and debris away from the casket during the closing of the grave. Some grave liners also provide structural protection from the weight of soil and heavy equipment. As these products are unlined, they provide no protection to the casket from soil and/or water making their way past the outer container unit.
Metal VaultMetal vaults are available in a variety of materials, including bronze, copper, stainless steel, galvanized and aluminum. These two-piece enclosures offer protection from the weight of soil and cemetery equipment, as well as keep the elements away from the casket. Some metal vaults feature beautiful ornamental details and can be personalized to honor your loved one.
Concrete VaultConcrete vaults are outer closures that provide structural protection from the weight of soil and heavy equipment and offer additional protection from soil reaching the casket. Concrete vaults are available in many styles including undecorated concrete finishes, metal wrapped tops and interiors, and simulated wood grain or natural stone finishes. Concrete vaults can typically weigh more than 2,000 pounds and can require additional costs for transport and placement.
Polymer VaultBurial vaults constructed of non-porous polyethylene and polypropylene material provide the benefits of being lightweight, impact-resistant and water-resistant. Polymer vaults can be constructed in multiple layers for added strength and durability. Their ease of handling also reduces cemetery labor costs and the need for heavy equipment during transportation and gravesite placement. Vault styles are available that can be personalized to help honor your loved one.
The Living Memorial ProgramBatesville's Living Memorial® Program is a unique and special way to honor the memory of a loved one. When you select a Batesville® burial product or an Options® cremation product, arrangements are made for a tree seedling to be planted as a living tribute - at no additional cost to you.
Seedlings are planted in national forests in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, The Canadian Forestry Association, The Grand River Conservation Foundation, and other international organizations to re-establish woodlands destroyed by forest fires, blight and other natural disasters. You will receive a special letter that verifies a tree has been planted where the need is greatest.
Cemetery Space, Monuments and Grave Markers
Cemetery Space, Monuments and Grave MarkersCemetery Space
Perhaps your family already owns a cemetery plot where the person who has died will be buried. If not, maybe you've noticed a nice local cemetery. Your funeral director will know which cemeteries are nearby and can help you purchase cemetery plots appropriate for your needs.
Traditionally, families have chosen to bury their loved ones in a cemetery. Entombment, which is the placement of the casketed body in an above-ground structure called a mausoleum, also takes place at a cemetery. When a casket is entombed, it is placed in an enclosure (called a crypt), and the front is usually sealed and faced with either marble or granite.
Many families choose burial or entombment at a nearby cemetery because it allows them to visit the gravesite as often as they like. This helps them continue to feel close to the person who died, while still acknowledging the death.
Because so many aspects should be considered when purchasing a cemetery plot, you may want to consider discussing the options in advance. Questions you may want to consider include:
- Does the plot meet my religious requirements?
- Are there any restrictions I need to consider based on the type of monument or burial vault?
- Does the plot include perpetual care and maintenance?
- Are plots available in the same location to provide for burial of the entire family?
Also called headstones, grave markers are used in cemeteries to memorialize and identify the gravesite of the person who has died. You may want to personalize the grave marker by including a poem, a drawing or a short phrase that defines the person who died.
Monuments and grave markers are available in a variety of materials, including natural stone, concrete and bronze. Styles can range from very simple to ornate, as single markers or companion monuments.
Sharing Memories
Sharing MemeoriesMemorial Websites
When someone we love dies, we often feel the need to share their story and the story of our loss with family, friends and our extended communities. A recent trend has been to memorialize loved ones by creating a website that honors their memory and mourns the loss.
The website can be created to house online video tributes and even guestbook memories collected at the funeral from family and friends. Some funeral homes offer this as a service, or you may be technologically savvy enough to build your own. Your imagination is your only limit to sharing memories and honoring your loved one.
Keepsake BooksFriends and relatives often share memories, stories, photos and condolences in guest books, both at the funeral and on the funeral home's website. At the funeral, invite people to write down a memory of the person who died. Ask children if they would like to write a letter or draw a picture for the person. Their “goodbyes” can then be saved for the keepsake book or even placed in the casket alongside the body. Many funeral homes offer keepsake book publishing services that collect and document these important memories.
Video TributesA video tribute is a unique way to personalize a memorial service - giving you and your family the opportunity to pause and reflect on the life of the person you knew and love. These touching montages can consist of music, photos, memorabilia, or newspaper articles that take viewers through the life of the person who has died.
Your video tribute can be played during the funeral service, during a visitation, or at any other time you and your funeral service professional decide upon. Many funeral homes can also post your video tribute to their website so that others can view it at any time. Tributes can also be made into DVDs or saved electronically for your family to keep. Your funeral home may offer this service or can recommend a local vendor who specializes in this area.
Cremation Considerations
When choosing cremation, it is important not only to capture the memories and celebrate the spirit of your loved one, but also to provide healing through gathering together, paying tribute and celebrating a life well lived.
Keep in mind that cremation does not limit your ability to spend time with the body of your loved one or hold a meaningful ceremony. You may have a visitation period and a funeral service prior to the cremation. Or your family may spend time privately with the body before cremation, followed by a public ceremony a day or two later with the urn present. You may want to consider keeping your loved one's body present for the funeral ceremony as it often encourages more expressions of grief and authentic mourning.
What Happens During Cremation
Cremation is another form of disposition or handling a body after death. However, many people don't know what happens during cremation.
Cremation takes place in a carefully maintained facility known as a crematory or crematorium. The funeral home may or may not have its own crematory on site, but your funeral director can take care of all arrangements either way.
Within the crematory is a special cremation chamber. The body is placed in a cremation container or casket and positioned inside the cremation chamber. Once the container or casket is in the cremation chamber, the door is tightly sealed. The operator then turns on gas jets, which create intense heat that reduces the body to bone fragments. This process takes approximately 2-3 hours.
After the cremation, the remains are collected and processed to the consistency of sand or a finer ash. The white or grayish remains, often called cremated remains at this stage, are then sealed in a transparent plastic bag along with an identification tag. The bag weighs about 5 lbs. and will often be returned to the family in a selected urn, which can then be buried, placed in a niche inside a columbarium, taken home or transported for scattering. Additionally, the cremated remains can be separated and placed into multiple urns, keepsakes or even jewelry specifically designed as a final resting place.
Cremation is a respectful, dignified process chosen by many families. However, some faiths discourage or prohibit cremation. If you plan to hold a religious funeral ceremony or have the remains buried in a church cemetery, check in advance to make sure there are no issues.
Service and Ceremony
Choosing CremationThis journey marks a new beginning; now is the most important time to come together and recount the fond memories that tell the story of your loved one. A variety of choices are available to create a loving memorial, bringing together family and friends for a final goodbye. Meaningful ceremonies with personalized memorials can be as unique as the loved one being remembered
When choosing cremation, the ceremony is a way to inform the community of a loved one's passing, tell their story and celebrate their life. A ceremony is most meaningful when it reflects your loved one's relationships, interests, and the moments you shared. Memorializing your loved one when choosing cremation may include one or any combination of the following options.
ConventionalFriends and family gather for a tribute prior to cremation, often with the decedent present, which draws support and allows family and friends to say goodbye.
MemorialThis gathering of friends and family following cremation often features the memorial urn as the ceremony's centerpiece and allows family and friends to recall memories and support one another.
PrivateA small gathering and informal family farewell takes place in a private setting and offers the chance to say goodbye, allowing family and friends to recall memories and support one another.
Direct CremationA direct cremation is when there is no funeral service or memorial service, but instead simply final disposition of the body by the funeral home or memorial society.
A word from Dr. Alan Wolfelt
If you are considering direct cremation, I plead with you to reconsider. Honoring the life and death of the person who died with some sort of ceremony - no matter how brief, how small or how informal - will help your family acknowledge the reality of the death and begin to heal. When no ceremony is held, it is as if the life and death of the person who died had no significance to anyone. Also keep in mind that you may still hold a committal service at the gravesite or crematory should you choose direct cremation.
Think carefully about the many options available to you and your family. Slow down and plan. It is through planning that a meaningful funeral experience is created. And do remember that funeral directors, clergy, celebrants and close friends who have done these things before can all be valuable resources to you. You are not alone!
Cremation Caskets and Containers
The selection of a cremation casket is just as important as the selection of the ceremony and will complement the tribute designed for the one being remembered. Before cremation, during the ceremony, and at the time of cremation, the casket or container is the resting place that gives dignity to your loved one. It may also be where you will see your loved one for the last time.
Cremation CasketCremation caskets are made of wood and available in a wide variety of styles that are suitable for services with a visitation, viewing or a gathering held prior to the cremation. The warmth, beauty and personality wood brings to fine furniture is well suited for the construction of caskets. Depending on your selection, cremation caskets can be personalized to fit your needs with accessories like custom tribute panels or custom embroidered interiors.
Wood Selections for Cremation Caskets
Hardwood caskets include a variety of species: mahogany, walnut, cherry, sycamore, maple, oak, pecan, select hardwood and pine. Families who choose these caskets appreciate the qualities of natural wood. The warmth, beauty and personality it brings to fine furniture is also well suited for the construction of caskets. Some wood caskets are manufactured from solid specie wood, and others are constructed with high-quality veneers.
MahoganyMahogany is used extensively for high-grade furniture and cabinetry. It has a well-earned reputation because of its attractive grain pattern and beautiful natural luster.
WalnutConsidered a wood of beauty, walnut boasts a striking grain color and pattern. Walnut is warm and inviting, dignified and elegant, and engenders a pride of ownership. Having a natural lustrous patina, walnut is also known for its strength and durability.
CherryCherry is one of the most popular hardwoods. Because of its strength and stability, cherry is often used for burial caskets, paneling and gun stocks. Its rich, warm look and creamy, reddish color make it attractive.
MapleMaple is valued for its strength, wear resistance and beauty, making it a popular choice for flooring, especially for heavily trafficked areas such as a ballroom. But it's also a popular material used in making caskets. Maple is evenly textured with a natural luster. While the grain is usually straight, it can also be wavy or curly.
PecanPrized for the delicious pecan nut, pecan trees also produce a strong and heavy hardwood. Pecan is light in color and is often found in the construction of beautiful furniture and architectural paneling.
OakOak is a popular furniture and flooring favorite. This durable wood is used for doors, paneling, home furnishings and caskets. Oak has a prominent grain pattern that can be either tight or coarse, depending on the species.
PinePine has been popular since colonial times. There are nearly 100 species of pine, ranging in color from pale yellow to light brown. Though not technically classified as a “hardwood,” it is considered to be a durable wood, usually straight grained with an even texture.
HardwoodHardwood is a cost effective, yet attractive, solid wood product made from select wood species including poplar and cottonwood.
VeneerVeneering has been a standard in the fine furniture industry for more than 50 years. Veneered wood caskets incorporate quality craftsmanship with premium wood veneers and engineered wood composites that create a look and finish of warmth and beauty that many families are drawn to with solid wood caskets.
In recent years, casket manufacturers have addressed the need for larger-sized caskets. Available in many of the same materials, colors, finishes and designs as in traditional-sized caskets, oversize caskets offer a more comfortable fit for your loved one when required.
Cremation ContainersCremation containers are made from both composite and solid wood components and are fully combustible. These are most appropriate when a private viewing has been scheduled.
Memorial Urns
Memorial Urn ChoicesThe urn or personalized memorial will become the final resting place for your loved one. The selection of the urn typically complements the final placement, whether buried in a cemetery, placed in a niche, or placed as a treasured touchstone in the home or garden. It can also become an ideal medium to facilitate ceremonial scattering. The urn or personal memorial you select will provide dignity, respect and a lasting tribute.
Final Placement ChoicesUrns are available in a wide variety of styles and materials. What's right for you will depend on your choice of final placement as well as personal tastes.
Burial
With the growing number of cremations, more families are choosing to bury the cremated remains of their loved ones as a way to provide a permanent place for future visitation. Many families choose burial or entombment at a nearby cemetery because it allows them to visit the gravesite as often as they like. This helps them continue to feel close to the person who died, while still acknowledging the death. Your funeral director will know which cemeteries are nearby and would best meet your needs. He or she can help you purchase cemetery plots appropriate to your needs.
Monuments and Grave MarkersAlso called headstones, grave markers are used in cemeteries to memorialize and identify the gravesite of the person who has died. To personalize the funeral service, you may want to personalize the grave marker. You can include a poem, a drawing or a short phrase that defines the person who died.
Monuments and grave markers are available in a variety of materials, including natural stone, concrete and bronze. Styles can range from very simple to very ornate, as single markers or companion monuments.
Cemetery PlotsCemetery Burial
Perhaps your family already owns a cemetery plot where the person who has died will be buried. If not, maybe you've noticed a nice local cemetery. Your funeral director will know which cemeteries are nearby and can help you purchase cemetery plots appropriate for your needs.
Traditionally, families have chosen to bury their loved ones in a cemetery. Entombment, which is the placement of the casketed body in an above-ground structure called a mausoleum, also takes place at a cemetery. When a casket is entombed, it is placed in an enclosure (called a crypt), and the front is usually sealed and faced with either marble or granite.
Many families choose burial or entombment at a nearby cemetery because it allows them to visit the gravesite as often as they like. This helps them continue to feel close to the person who died, while still acknowledging the death.
Because so many aspects should be considered when purchasing a cemetery plot, you may want to consider discussing the options in advance. Questions you may want to consider include:
- Does the plot meet my religious requirements?
- Are there any restrictions I need to consider based on the type of monument or burial vault?
- Does the plot include perpetual care and maintenance?
- Are plots available in the same location to provide for burial of the entire family?
Niche
A niche is a recessed compartment typically found in a columbarium or mausoleum to hold an urn. The niche may be open-front, protected by glass (this option allows viewing of the urn), or closed-front, faced with bronze, marble or granite. Generally, the urn containing the cremated remains is placed inside the niche and the front is sealed. Many urn styles can be placed in a niche.
Ceremonial Scattering
Complete or ceremonial scattering is a symbolic release of your loved one back into the world. This can be done in a variety of ways. Biodegradable urns made of unbleached pressed cotton can facilitate underground or water scattering. Some urns are designed for ceremonial scattering and are therefore lightweight, easy to open and safe to hold at multiple angles.
Home Display
You may want to memorialize your loved one in your home after cremation. Many urn styles provide a touching and discreet way to hold the memory of your loved one close. Urns are available in natural stone like marble, a variety of metals such as bronze and copper, and beautiful wood finishes like oak, cherry or mahogany. Cast acrylic and cast bronze statuary art urns are also available in a variety of styles. Products for memorials in the garden or landscape, including wind chimes, birdbaths and sundials, are also an option.
Personalizing and Customizing the Memorial
To add a heartfelt and individual touch, your loved one's personalized life story message can be applied throughout the ceremony or gathering, as well as to the container, memorial urn and keepsakes you choose. Smaller urns, keepsakes, and remembrance jewelry can be given to family members and close friends.
Urn Vaults
The urn or personalized memorial will become the final resting place for your loved one. The selection of the urn typically complements the final placement, whether buried in a cemetery, placed in a niche, or placed as a treasured touchstone in the home or garden. It can also become an ideal medium to facilitate ceremonial scattering. The urn or personal memorial you select will provide dignity, respect and a lasting tribute.
Urn vaults are lined units that enclose the urn when it is placed at the gravesite. They are designed to prevent the weight of soil and heavy equipment from damaging the urn and environmental protection. There are no laws that require the use of urn vaults, but cemeteries often require their use as they prevent the grave from settling and help with general gravesite maintenance and appearance.
Urn vaults are available in a variety of materials, including cultured granite, metal, concrete and composite materials or a combination of materials. Urn vault options also include a large selection of interiors, including smooth or textured finishes as well as fabric choices. Urn vault styles are available that can be personalized to help honor your loved one.
Sharing Memories
Memorial WebsitesWhen someone we love dies, we often feel the need to share their story and the story of our loss with family, friends and our extended communities. A recent trend has been to memorialize loved ones by creating a website that honors their memory and mourns the loss.
The website can be created to house online video tributes and even guestbook memories collected at the funeral from family and friends. Some funeral homes offer this as a service, or you may be technologically savvy enough to build your own. Your imagination is your only limit to sharing memories and honoring your loved one.
Keepsake BooksFriends and relatives often share memories, stories, photos and condolences in guest books, both at the funeral and on the funeral home's website. At the funeral, invite people to write down a memory of the person who died. Ask children if they would like to write a letter or draw a picture for the person. Their “goodbyes” can then be saved for the keepsake book or even placed in the casket alongside the body. Many funeral homes offer keepsake book publishing services that collect and document these important memories.
Video TributesA video tribute is a unique way to personalize a memorial service - giving you and your family the opportunity to pause and reflect on the life of the person you knew and love. These touching montages can consist of music, photos, memorabilia, or newspaper articles that take viewers through the life of the person who has died.
Your video tribute can be played during the funeral service, during a visitation, or at any other time you and your funeral service professional decide upon. Many funeral homes can also post your video tribute to their website so that others can view it at any time. Tributes can also be made into DVDs or saved electronically for your family to keep. Your funeral home may offer this service or can recommend a local vendor who specializes in this area.
Keepsakes & Remembrance Jewelry
Keepsake urns are smaller versions of full size urns and are manufactured to hold a small portion of cremated remains, a lock of hair or ceremonial flowers. Keepsake urns allow you to share your loved one's cremated remains with family and close friends.
Designed to hold a small portion of cremated remains, a lock of hair, flower petals, or earth from the gravesite, keepsake jewelry is a unique and elegant way to hold a loved one close with a fashionable and lasting remembrance. Available in men's and women's styles, consider selecting a matching piece for family members or friends to share a special and lasting bond.
Living Memorial
Batesville's Living Memorial® Program is a unique and special way to honor the memory of a loved one. When you select a Batesville® burial product or an Options® cremation product, arrangements are made for a tree seedling to be planted as a living tribute - at no additional cost to you.
Seedlings are planted in national forests in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, The Canadian Forestry Association, The Grand River Conservation Foundation, and other international organizations to re-establish woodlands destroyed by forest fires, blight and other natural disasters. You will receive a special letter that verifies a tree has been planted where the need is greatest.
Guides and Resources
When a loved one dies, grieving family members and friends are often confronted with dozens of decisions about the funeral.
This section is designed to give you an overview of frequently asked questions as well as provide additional support, grief resources and other important information that may help you at this difficult time.
FAQs to Planning a Meaningful Funeral
FAQs to Planning a Meaningful FuneralAs you and your family begin the funeral planning process, a number of questions will surface that you will need further insight on in order to make nformed decisions. Below please find a number of frequently asked questions and clarifications on misconceptions of funerals that may help you as you plan a meaningful funeral to honor the unique life of your loved one.
Why do I need to plan a funeral for my loved one?One of the most important reasons for planning a meaningful funeral is that it helps you and your family focus your thoughts and feelings on something positive. The funeral encourages you to think about the person who died and explore the meaning of their life and the ways in which they touched the lives of others.
The remembering, reflecting and choices that take place in the planning and conducting of the funeral service are often an important part of the process of grief and mourning. And ultimately, this process of contemplation and discovery creates a memorable and moving funeral experience for all who attend.
What makes a funeral meaningful?Meaningful funerals are made up of different parts (music, readings, visitation/reception, eulogy/remembrance memories, symbols, procession, committal service and gathering) that, when combined, make for an incredibly meaningful experience for you, your family and friends. Even among different faiths and cultures, funeral ceremonies throughout North America often include many of the same elements. Your faith or culture may have its own variations on these elements and you should be encouraged to follow them as you see fit.
Who should I turn to for help to plan a meaningful funeral?The funeral home and its staff play a critical role in the planning and conducting of a meaningful funeral. They are the people with the training and expertise you will rely on in the days leading up to the funeral. Their advice, compassion, attention to detail and willingness to personalize the ceremony will greatly influence your funeral experience.
What kind of funeral service should I have?You can choose from a variety of funeral service types and formats. Some people think that funerals must conform to traditional ways, but there is no one right way to have a funeral. Just as grief has many dimensions and is experienced in different ways by different people, funerals are also unique. A funeral should simply be fitting for the person who died and the family and friends who survive. This is an opportunity to be creative and to share an honest expression of your most heartfelt values. There are no rigid rules that need to be followed, but there are guidelines that can help you if you are unsure how you might proceed.
How do I ensure the funeral is personalized?The funeral service you plan should be as special as the life you will be remembering. Here are a few ideas:
- Write a personalized obituary.
- Create a column in the guest book for people to jot down a memory after they sign their name.
- Display personal items and hobby items on a table at the visitation.
- Show a DVD or slide show of the person's life during the funeral.
- Select flowers that were meaningful to the person who died.
- Use a lot of music, especially if music was meaningful to the person who died or means something to your family.
- At the funeral, invite people to write down a memory of the person who died. Appoint someone to gather and read the memories aloud.
- Create a personalized grave marker.
Your family must choose not only the type of funeral service to hold but also what will happen to the body and where it will be laid to rest.
Embalming is how the funeral home temporarily preserves the body of the person who died so it can be viewed by the family. Embalming also allows a number of days to elapse before burial and cremation, thus giving family and friends time to prepare and gather for the funeral.
The body of the person who died is the most important symbol to include in the funeral service. Whether present in an open or unopened casket, the body serves as the emotional focus for mourners and helps them acknowledge and embrace their pain. When a body or cremated remains are buried or scattered, there is a “place” for families to go when they want to feel close to their loved one.
Families who have spent time with the body have said it has helped them come to terms with the death and begin to transition from life before the death to life after the death. Although it can be emotionally painful, time spent with the body is often helpful to many people.
If my loved one is being cremated, what happens during cremation?Cremation is another form of disposition or handling a body after death. However, many people don't know what happens during cremation.
Cremation takes place in a carefully maintained facility known as a crematory or crematorium. The funeral home may or may not have its own crematory on site, but your funeral director can take care of all arrangements either way.
Within the crematory is a special cremation chamber. The body is placed in a cremation container or casket and positioned inside the cremation chamber. Once the container or casket is in the cremation chamber, the door is tightly sealed. The operator then turns on gas jets, which create intense heat that reduces the body to bone fragments. This process takes approximately 2-3 hours.
After the cremation, the remains are collected and processed to the consistency of sand or a finer ash. The white or grayish remains, often called cremated remains at this stage, are then sealed in a transparent plastic bag along with an identification tag. The bag weighs about 5 lbs. and will often be returned to the family in a selected urn, which can then be buried, placed in a niche inside a columbarium, taken home or transported for scattering. Additionally, the cremated remains can be separated and placed into multiple urns, keepsakes or even jewelry specifically designed as a final resting place.
Cremation is a respectful, dignified process chosen by many families. However, some faiths discourage or prohibit cremation. If you plan to hold a religious funeral ceremony or have the remains buried in a church cemetery, check in advance to make sure there are no issues.
Should I involve our children in the funeral?Most of the rituals in our society focus on children. Unfortunately, the funeral ritual, whose purpose is to help mourners begin to heal, is often not seen as a ritual for kids. Too often, children are not included in the funeral because adults want to protect them.
Funerals are painful, but children have the same rights and privileges to participate in them as adults do.
Here are ways to appropriately include children:
- Help explain the funeral to them - Tell children what will happen before, during and after the ceremony. Give as many specifics as they seem interested in hearing.
- If the body will be viewed either at a visitation or at the funeral itself, let the child know this in advance. Explain what the casket and body will look like. If the body is to be cremated, explain what cremation means and what will happen to the cremated remains.
- Find age-appropriate ways for children to take part in the funeral - grieving children feel included when they can share a favorite memory or read a special poem as part of the funeral. Shyer children can participate by lighting a candle or placing something special in the casket (a memento, a drawing, a letter or a photo).
- Understand that children often need to accept their grief in doses, and that outward signs of grief may come and go. It is not unusual, for example, for children to want to roughhouse with their cousins during the visitation or play video games right after the funeral. Respect the child's need to be a child during this extraordinarily difficult time.
Glossary of Funeral Terms
Glossary of Funeral TermsAs the planning begins, you may be introduced to new words and terms that are associated with the funeral planning process. We have provided a quick glossary for your reference.
- Arrangement conference - The meeting with the funeral director in which you discuss your wishes for the funeral and the disposition of the body
- Burial - Also called interment, earth burial at a cemetery is the most traditional method for final disposition of the body
- Celebrant - A person who provides personalized services to a family to create a meaningful ceremony or ritual during a life transition
- Columbarium - An above-ground structure for final disposition of cremated remains
- Committal service - A brief graveside ceremony held with the casket or urn present before it is lowered into the ground
- Cremation - A form of disposition that involves reducing the body through intense heat to cremated remains
- Crypt - An above ground burial site in a mausoleum
- Direct cremation - Cremation without a funeral or memorial service
- Embalming - A method of preserving the body for a number of days following the death, allowing the family to view the body and hold the funeral service on a day that is convenient for out-of-town friends and relatives
- Entombment - Placement of the casket in an above-ground structure called a mausoleum
- Funeral - The ceremony that honors the end of a person's life
- Grave liner - An unlined outer burial container
- Honorarium - The fee typically paid to a clergyperson or celebrant for officiating the funeral ceremony and to musicians or soloists for their contributions
- Mausoleum - A small building in a cemetery that is like a burial plot above the ground
- Niche - One of a number of recesses in the wall of a columbarium where the urn containing cremated remains is placed
- Obituary - A notice in the newspaper that announces the death to the community, summarizes the person's life and invites readers to attend the funeral and/or make memorial contributions in the name of the person who died
- Pallbearers - The people who carry the casket from the ceremony to the hearse and from the hearse to the gravesite
- Urn - A small vase-like container specially designed for holding cremated remains
- Vault - A concrete or metal container into which the casket is placed before burial at a cemetery
- Visitation - A scheduled time for family and friends to see the person who died, perhaps for the final time
Pre-Planning
PreplanningThe Advantages of Planning Ahead
The idea behind planning ahead is simple. One day, a great deal of vital information about you or a loved one will be needed by your family and anyone whose responsibility it is to assist them. Those who plan ahead can be assured that, not only will their personal wishes be fulfilled, but other unnecessary difficulties will be avoided.
Both you and your loved ones can benefit when funeral arrangements are made well ahead of need. It can be beneficial to include your immediate family in those plans, ensuring those left behind are aware of your wishes and able to plan a meaningful funeral that will help them begin their mourning. By discussing plans in advance, you can take all the time necessary to make decisions about cremation or burial, type of ceremony and other funeral elements.
You may want to discuss your thoughts and decisions with your family and a funeral service professional. The Meaningful Funerals Companion Guide can be used to capture your wishes and biographical information in advance. Upon completion, simply store it in a safe place with your other important documents.
Recommended Reading
Recommended ReadingMost of us are not prepared to plan and carry out a funeral ceremony for the death of someone we love. And so much of the information available on this critically important subject fails to focus on what is most important: having a personalized, meaningful funeral that helps families and friends begin mourning after the death of someone they love.
In addition to the information contained in this website, a list of recommended reading is provided below to help you understand your choices and allow you to plan the most meaningful funeral for your loved one.
Dr. Alan Wolfelt- Wolfelt, Alan, Creating Meaningful Funeral Ceremonies: A Guide for Caregivers, Fort Collins, Colorado: Companion Press, 2011
- Wolfelt, Alan,Creating Meaningful Funeral Ceremonies: A Guide for Families, Fort Collins, Colorado: Companion Press, 2011
- Wolfelt, Alan, The Journey through Grief: Reflections on Healing, Fort Collins, Colorado: Companion Press, 1996
- Wolfelt, Alan, Understanding Your Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart, Fort Collins, Colorado: Companion Press, 2003
Other Authors
- Fulghum, Robert, From Beginning to End: The Rituals of Our Lives, New York: Villard Books, 1995
- Long, Thomas G., Accompany Them With Singing: The Christian Funeral, Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009
- Metrick, S.B., Crossing the Bridge: Creating Ceremonies for Grieving and Healing from Life�#8217;s Losses, Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 1994
- Noel, Brook and Pamela Blair, Ph.D., I Wasn�#8217;t Ready to Say Goodbye: Surviving, Coping and Healing After the Sudden Death of a Loved One, Milwaukee: Champion Press, 2008
- York, Sarah, Remembering Well: Rituals for Celebrating Life and Mourning Death, San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2000
Recommended Links
Someone you loved has died. You are beginning a journey that is often frightening, painful and sometimes lonely. No words, written or spoken, can take away the pain you now feel.
The following organizations are additional sources of information, education and referral that may bring you some comfort and encouragement as you make a commitment to help yourself heal.
Funerals and Related Matters - National Organizations and Support Resources
- International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association - http://www.iccfa.com
- Cremation Association of North America - info@cremationsassociations.org
- International Order of the Golden Rule - info@ogr.org
- National Funeral Directors Association - http://www.nfda.org
- Selected Independent Funeral Homes - http://www.selectedfuneralhomes.org
- Funeral Service Association of Canada - http://www.fsac.ca
National Self-Help Organizations and Support Groups
- AARP, Widowed Person's Services - http://www.aarp.org
Independent branches of this organization can be found by searching online for Widowed Persons Services and the name of your town and state. - American Association of Suicidology - http://suicidology.org
Information and resources; referrals to suicide survivor groups - Center for Loss and Life Transition - http://centerforloss.com
Resources, education and training, and referral for bereaved families; provides certificate program in Death and Grief studies for bereavement professionals - The Compassionate Friends - http://www.compassionatefriends.org
Information and resources for bereaved families who have experienced the death of a child - The Dougy Center - http://www.dougy.org
Information, education, referral and support for children and families; publishes a national directory of support programs for bereaved children - Share - http://nationalshare.org
Pregnancy and infant loss support - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) - http://www.MADD.org
Education, resources and advocacy for bereaved families - Parents of Murdered Children, Inc - http://www.pomc.com
Information, resources and support for bereaved families - National Hospice and Palliative Care - http://www.nhpco.org
- National Institute of Mental Health Public Inquiries - http://www.nimh.nih.gov
Education and publications for families and professionals
Pre-Planning
Life Choices
Most of us plan ahead in life. We plan for our wedding, our children's education, family vacations, and other significant expected life events. We also plan for the unexpected events of life by purchasing home, auto and medical insurance.Understanding the benefits of pre-planning has prompted many to take the step to pre-plan their own arrangements.
Please call us at (215) 257-2144 to set up an appointment to discuss pre-planning with a caring professional.
Why Pre-Plan?
Peace of MindMany who have undergone the emotional strain of arranging a funeral within hours of losing a loved one have made the choice to pre-plan their own funeral. Doing so lifts the burden from their loved ones by relieving decision-making pressure at a time of grief and emotional stress.
Personal Choice
Funeral arrangements are a deeply personal choice. Pre-planning provides you with the time needed to make practical, detailed decisions that reflect your standards, lifestyle, taste and budget. And we assure you and your family that the choices you make will be carried out as planned.
Lower Costs
When you finalize your plan, we can advise you of the total cost. You do not have to set aside funds for your plan, but doing so protects you against escalating funeral costs. By locking in today's funeral costs and ensuring that the necessary funds are set aside, you help relieve yourself of unnecessary future worry and your survivors of an unexpected expense.
Immediate Arrangements
In Time of Need
We understand that making the many decisions which come at a time of loss can be difficult. We offer our support by providing you with options as you consider making immediate arrangements.
Please call us at (215) 257-2144 to make arrangements in person with a caring, professional Funeral Director.
Grief Support
Welcome to the Griefwords Online Library
Brought to you by the Center for Loss and Life Transition - Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D., Director
Helping Others with Grief
A friend has experienced the death of someone loved. How can you help? The following articles provide many practical suggestions for helping others with grief:
Helping a Friend in Grief
Helping a Grandparent Who is Grieving
Helping a Grieving Friend in the Workplace
Helping a Suicide Survivor Heal
Helping Your Family When a Member is Dying
Helping Yourself with Grief
Someone you love has died. You are now faced with the difficult, but important, need to mourn. Mourning is the open expression of your thoughts and feelings regarding the death and the person who died. It is an essential part of healing. The following articles provide many practical suggestions to help you move toward healing in your unique grief journey.
Mustering the Courage to Mourn
Love and Grief:
In Communion and Greater Than the Sum of Their Parts
Helping Yourself Heal When Someone Loved Dies
Will I Befriend My Feelings Or Will I Deny, Repress, Or Inhibit Them?
Helping Yourself Heal When Your Spouse Dies
Helping Yourself Heal When Your Child Dies
Helping Yourself Heal When Your Parent Dies
Helping Yourself Heal When a Baby Dies
Helping Yourself Heal During the Holiday Season
For and About Grieving Children and Teenagers
Children and teenagers have special needs following the death of a friend or family member. The following articles provide wonderful insight in helping children and teens understand and express their grief.
How to Talk to the Children and Teens in Your Life About the Newtown, CT Tragedy
Helping Infants and Toddlers Cope with Grief
Helping Children Cope With Grief
Helping Children with Funerals
Helping Teenagers Cope with Grief
Recommended Links
Someone you loved has died. You are beginning a journey that is often frightening, painful and sometimes lonely. No words, written or spoken, can take away the pain you now feel.
The following organizations are additional sources of information, education and referral that may bring you some comfort and encouragement as you make a commitment to help yourself heal.
Funerals and Related Matters - National Organizations and Support Resources
- International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association - http://www.iccfa.com
- Cremation Association of North America - info@cremationsassociations.org
- International Order of the Golden Rule - info@ogr.org
- National Funeral Directors Association - http://www.nfda.org
- Selected Independent Funeral Homes - http://www.selectedfuneralhomes.org
- Funeral Service Association of Canada - http://www.fsac.ca
National Self-Help Organizations and Support Groups
- AARP, Widowed Person's Services - http://www.aarp.org
Independent branches of this organization can be found by searching online for Widowed Persons Services and the name of your town and state. - American Association of Suicidology - http://suicidology.org
Information and resources; referrals to suicide survivor groups - Center for Loss and Life Transition - http://centerforloss.com
Resources, education and training, and referral for bereaved families; provides certificate program in Death and Grief studies for bereavement professionals - The Compassionate Friends - http://www.compassionatefriends.org
Information and resources for bereaved families who have experienced the death of a child - The Dougy Center - http://www.dougy.org
Information, education, referral and support for children and families; publishes a national directory of support programs for bereaved children - Share - http://nationalshare.org
Pregnancy and infant loss support - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) - http://www.MADD.org
Education, resources and advocacy for bereaved families - Parents of Murdered Children, Inc - http://www.pomc.com
Information, resources and support for bereaved families - National Hospice and Palliative Care - http://www.nhpco.org
- National Institute of Mental Health Public Inquiries - http://www.nimh.nih.gov
Education and publications for families and professionals
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BERNARD SUESS FUNERAL HOME
606 Arch Street
PERKASIE, PA 18944
(215) 257-2144