12 Things The Undertaker Might not Tell You

Adam at National Cemetery

I know that while we are alive the topic of death is something that many try to avoid.  But death is something that touches us all. You should at least be aware of a few things while you are still kicking and able to make decision. Once the reaper knocks on your door or the door of a love one you will be disabled by grief or lack of life signs on you. I know it. When my mom passed and as the baby son who was taking care of her until the end, I was mentally incapacitated. I walked I talked and it look like I was making decisions but in fact I was trying to have others make decisions. I almost missed the opportunity to have my mom’s interment in a national cemetery since my dad was a veteran. The Funeral Director(undertaker) told me about it, but I passed the responsibility to someone else who was unable to the work(which is very simple) with Veteran affairs(link enclosed). At the last moment I took to the phone in tears and found out she was qualified for a free plot and all the trimmings, except the funeral itself.

 I would like to give you simple facts that I was not aware when that time came.  Now I have it on my living will giving instructions and eliminating the guess work as much as possible. That way is easier on everyone. This is particularly true for gay and lesbians, even if you are married. Remember that under the federal government DOMA Act (Defense of Marriage Act, by homophobes haters)  your marriage is not recognized by the federal government.  With a living will things can be better….not guarantee if his family fights you so be aware of your rights if you want your partner to be in charge.
If you have any questions you leave it on the comments part of this article
Adam for adamfoxie*
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1. Go ahead and plan your funeral, but think twice before paying in advance. You risk losing everything if the funeral home goes out of business. Instead, keep your money in a pay-on-death account at your bank.

2. If you or your spouse is an honorably discharged veteran, burial is free at a Veterans Affairs National Cemetery. This includes the grave, vault, opening and closing, marker, and setting fee. Many State Veterans Cemeteries offer free burial for veterans and, often, spouses (www.cem.va.gov).

3. You can buy caskets that are just as nice as the ones in my showroom for thousands of dollars less online from Walmart, Costco, or straight from a manufacturer.

4. On a budget or concerned about the environment? Consider a rental casket. The body stays inside the casket in a thick cardboard container, which is then removed for burial or cremation.

5. Running a funeral home without a refrigerated holding room is like running a restaurant without a walk-in cooler. But many funeral homes don’t offer one because they want you to pay for the more costly option: embalming. Most bodies can be presented very nicely without it if you have the viewing within a few days of death.

6. Some hard-sell phrases to be wary of: “Given your position in the community …,” “I’m sure you want what’s best for your mother,” and “Your mother had excellent taste. When she made arrangements for Aunt Nellie, this is what she chose.”

7. “Protective” caskets with a rubber gasket? They don’t stop decomposition. In fact, the moisture and gases they trap inside have caused caskets to explode.

8. If there’s no low-cost casket in the display room, ask to see one anyway. Some funeral homes hide them in the basement or the boiler room.

9. Ask the crematory to return the ashes in a plain metal or plastic container — not one stamped temporary container. That’s just a sleazy tactic to get you to purchase a more expensive urn.

10. Shop around. Prices at funeral homes vary wildly, with direct cremation costing $500 at one funeral home and $3,000 down the street. (Federal law requires that prices be provided over the phone.)

11. We remove pacemakers because the batteries damage our crematories.

12. If I try to sell you a package that I say will save you money, ask for the individual price list anyway. Our packages often include services you don’t want or need.