final wishes

[Allen]

With my nephew, my family name dies out. He has no son, all the rest of the males had daughters. There will be a link, but the name dies.

My case is very similar, when my son goes the name ends. If he nor my daughter have offspring then the family ends as well upon their passing. They are adults now and show no interest in the existing family graves. I feel me and my wife's passing will not change things in that respect much. Like mentioned before most of my friends and classmates are in the same boat having moved away or died off. I don't feel anyone is going to come and look for my grave nor my wife's so that is why I had considered cremation. Since that isn't doable any longer I will end up "planted". I intend to get a large headstone w/o the vases because there will be no one to maintain them. To me a cemetery is just a junk yard for old worn out bodies but like you guys have said "it's for the living, not the dead". I don't want to be strung up like Mussolini but once dead it's not going to matter much how our families arrange the farewell.

Since funerals ARE for the living, if you are considering cremation you may want to discuss it with those who will survive you, not just your wife but your children. It may be all too upsetting for them.

[Chaz]

True story: Old Elmer died about 30 years ago. He requested cremation and asked his two best friends to fly his Cessna over the California coastline at Big Sur and spread his ashes in the Pacific. Over the drop zone, one of the guys opened the plane's window, reached out and dumped Elmer's ashes. But he was sucked back into the cabin where he swirled around before settling in every nook n cranny of that Cessna.

[holdover]

I will be cremated and my ashes cast to the wind on my farm. There will be no viewing, if my wife and son decide to have a memorial service that is up to them. I am a member of the VFW, the AL, DAV and the fire dept. I request no action on any ones part. When I am gone if I am to be remembered it is for my service to my country and community, I desire no fanfare. The older I get the friends I had are rapidly passing, there may be a time that I am the last man standing among my friends of my generation.

[bdm]

This Burial is a classic one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAeHbFVBp8g

[blackhawknj]

We had a nice funeral in my church 3 years ago. A longtime (60 years) member and matriarch -all four of her children, her grand children and GREAT grandchildren are members, she was a member of the fire department's Ladies Auxiliary for 60 years-planned her service. At the conclusion her coffin was loaded onto a fire truck, the police closed the road for the procession to the cemetery.

[dobek]

Ok two fun “death” stories -

Family friend was a landing craft sailor during d-day and wanted to be buried at sea after cremation. So his son has ashes put in a vase made of salt - charters a boat near Pismo Beach CA - very solemn - few words - tears - wreath in water - son leans over rail - drops vase straight down. Now picture what happens when you drop a rock in the water..... yep .... ker-plunk and water splashes back up and soaks son.... I’m not sure who laughed first - but it made the whiskey taste that much better knowing Johnny had the last laugh....

Second story - in Sacramento the Coast Guard would dump ashes at sea from a C130 for military members and wives. My aunt Jackie was a Navy Chiefs wife (back when Chiefs ran the Navy) - and as Jackie is dying of cancer, she shares that she wants to be spread at sea. So on THE day - my dad has the box of ashes on the passenger front seat of the car and stops at a light. He looks over and starts laughing uncontrollably- he says he looked over and thought “well theres Jackie in the box” - it became a standard Dad Joke from then on.

Steve

[Allen]

We had a nice funeral in my church 3 years ago. A longtime (60 years) member and matriarch -all four of her children, her grand children and GREAT grandchildren are members, she was a member of the fire department's Ladies Auxiliary for 60 years-planned her service. At the conclusion her coffin was loaded onto a fire truck, the police closed the road for the procession to the cemetery.

A nearby business owner had a large service station with a wrecker service. He owned about 5 wreckers and enjoyed running one himself vs the headache of running the business. He really enjoyed driving a wrecker. He opened up for business every day around 6am. One morning right after he opened someone went in and shot him in his office (over money?). His family also ran the business and I suppose they knew his wishes. His coffin was loaded on one of his rollback wreckers and the entire funeral procession was directed thru the service station as part of the route to the cemetery.

[retread12345]

As a born again Christian cremation is an option Would like the ashes fired from a cannon in about a 37mm shell GO OUT WITH A BANG

[M1Tommy]

As a born again Christian cremation is an option Would like the ashes fired from a cannon in about a 37mm shell GO OUT WITH A BANG

I like that!
Wifey works with a lot of chronically and terminally ill folks, and has a rather well developed sense of gallows humor. She tells me, "Dear, go and plan all you want... I'll do whatever I want you know", while smiling sweetly.
Honestly, if my body or parts can help anyone, including students, I'd as well see them benefit. I will say that, am not a fan of the organ sellers profiting unless my family can, also. Otherwise, may as well use my ashes for fertilizer, etc.

As has been noted, there are a LOT of rules and regs about processing and disposing of a body. Some are good, i.e. limiting ground water contamination (folks start "family cemeteries" all the time, sometimes in silly locations, e.g. "... in the bend of that creek where grandpa fished...."), but IMHO most are to profit the folks who run the "industries".

Tommy
Tommy