Who are your 10???

Depending on the extent to which LA. regulatyes cemeteries, you may be able to delay the service and burial for some time. After all, even without cremation bodies are preserved with formaldehyde or whatever. Your cemetery or the funeral home may be willing to hold onto the body until things loosen up. Might help things go more smoothly with some cash incentives or your personal connections could do the trick. In cold winter states it is not unusual for bodies to be held until Spring. Good luck with your efforts.
 
10? The maximum here right now is 5.

I had a church member die, alone, in the hospital last Friday. She was alone, even though she was not a COVID-19 patient. We are wondering how and when we will be able to celebrate her life.
 
I'm sorry for your loss of a friend.
I passed by Elmwood cemetery the other day and there was a funeral going on. Two people under the little tent sitting several chairs apart and about three people standing outside the tent away from each other.
Very sad.
 
Let see, some one to pour some back powder in the cannon, some one to put in the ashes, some one to light the fuse. Could be the same person'

I try to make it a point to see the people Icare about while they are alive.

Don't go to other peoples funerals, its not very likely they are going to be at mine.

Now the wake might be a different deal
 
There wasn't 10 at my dad's funeral back in the UK in early 2011. Even I wasn't there, I was too busy watching my first wife dying by inches here in Vegas. Just as well, in 1998 Dad said he would haunt me in a bad way if I took the trouble to go back there for his passing. No worries, I was able to scatter his ashes over his favourite chunk of desert at a later date.
 
I have one son that lives local to me, I will be baked nd pitched of a cliff in my favorite woods! The wife says she will join me there. The family has started pre positioning beloved pet in case they are allowed to join us in the resurrection. I told my son he didn't have to hurry, wait for a nice day, he may wait for his mom to join me, I won't mind!

My mom turns 89 at the end of this month, I have instructions from her to do something similar.

A friend and I were making hospital visits last spring, and the guy we were visiting wife's mom had died the week before. She was so excited that her Mom got to see her Dad after 37 years of separation. I never thought of it that way before.

But one way another, we will all find out!

Ivan
 
Sorry about your friend, it's already been said let the ones you love and care about know everyday that you care about them. a hug your wife and kids and family maybe for a friend too.

When I go I just want to char-broiled dropped in a lard can and placed in a Veterans Cemetery with a color guard and taps. No obituary, no service.

I told my friends I did not want a funeral or celebration of my life. one of them told me you will be gone so we can do what we want. I told him if you respect me you will do what I want. Funerals are for the living, dying is for the dead.
 
I see no reason you couldn't go and stay in the back of the church or funeral home. Get there late and leave early.
 
I have all the preliminary bases covered. The aftermath will be according to however my son wants handle it. Something simple & tasteful, and low-impact is better; maybe later when good weather returns, eh?
We are ashes to ashes types. Clean, efficient, and doesn't waste space.
 
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...show up properly attired...and see what they do...

gasmask-by-darkmatteria.jpg
 
My arrangements provide for my remains to be cremated right away and be held until whoever is left of my family decides when and how to dispose of them. I have earmarked funds in my will for the purpose and made suggestions.

But as someone else said, funerals are rituals for the living, not the dead, and I won't be in any condition to care. I'll be okay with anything from mass grave to mausoleum.

I know my wake should be well attended, whenever it happens. I have designated it to dispose of my whisky collection. That should attract lots of friends, including those I never knew I had. I hope my instructions to that effect are taken seriously after my departure ;)
 
Barbecue me and feed me to the woolves.

I don't so much care. We live in a suit of skin, with no conductor...
 
Not an easy subject, but since the subject has come up I will make one more plea for others to make their wishes known to those who will have to deal with the loss.

Couple of years ago we lost a cousin, old single guy with no children, living in Florida (2000 miles away from us). He passed away quite suddenly. I was detailed to take care of the family responsibilities.

By the time I got there the hospital morgue staff were pushing to get the remains out of there. I called 3 local funeral homes to inquire about services and expenses, within a few hours I had two of them trying to claim the remains from the morgue before they even discussed it with me (I later found that Florida funeral operators issue the death certificates, needed for all final affairs, so essentially they were looking to lay claim to a lien on the dead body's estate).

The house had an alarm system, I did not have the access codes. Nice visit by local law enforcement when I entered; probably the only reason I didn't need a lawyer and bail bondsman was my retirement badge and ID.

No will. No notes or written instructions. No pre-paid funeral plan. No power of attorney to act on his behalf.

His big annual vacation trip was always to play golf at Myrtle Beach with a bunch of his old co-workers. I contacted them, arranged cremation, sent the remains to his friends, and he now lies on the fairway of the 17th hole (in view of his best friend's patio). Tough decision to make, but something had to be done and I did what I thought he would like.

17 months later, and $15,000 out of pocket for final expenses, legal fees, and court costs, we were finally able to close the estate. All of his bills were paid in full, and we were able to recoup expenses from sale of his home.

We knew of only two living relatives, both first cousins. Based on his address book and correspondence I found two other first cousins on his father's side of the family, of whom we never knew anything. I ran them down in Texas, let them know our cousin had died, and included them in the estate equally.

Everything would have been much easier on everyone involved if there had been a last will and testament and some instructions for the survivors.

If you do not have a will GET IT DONE NOW. If you haven't updated your will in a few years DO IT NOW. Make your wishes crystal clear, don't leave others to make your decisions for you. Make sure there is a mechanism by which your bills and expenses can be paid using YOUR MONEY if possible.

I spent 3 weeks in Florida, 2000 miles away from home, including Christmas and New Year. Then my wife and I spent nearly a year and a half paying the bills, paying the lawyers, and paying the court costs (had to post a $250,000 surety bond to act as executor of a $150,000 estate, minus the mortgage and car note).

Please get it done now. Make sure those who will have to deal with your business have your instructions on how to do it.
 
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