Logo

It's Not Really a Funeral Plan If It's Not at the Funeral Home

Josh Bedell • March 24, 2025

Can I just say that funerals stick in the mind of a loved one years after a death? It’s important that you get it rightPlease don’t put your wishes in the drawer with the rest of your files. Oh, and that thing where you tell the kids what you want. That’s not the best either.   

 

Here’s what often happens: 

 

The plan in the file - It might be part of the estate plan or stuck in with the financial advisor’s paperwork, or just written on some paper. It is highly likely that it will not be found until well after the funeral is over. In the hours following a death there are literally more than a hundred things to do. Trust me, I’ve seen the lists. People count this stuff. I know because I’ve just been through it myself. There is a lot to do over a short period of time when someone dies. Your family will not be going through the files.   

 

They will not know you wanted to wear your blue dress and that you wanted The Wind Beneath My Wings sung at your funeral. They just won’t. So, imagine the anguish when they find your “plan” two weeks after the funeral service is over.   

 

Imagine how they are going to feel when they realize they buried you in the wrong dress and sang the wrong song. Terrible. That’s how they will feel. Sadly, they’ll feel that way for a very long time. 

 

You’ve told your kids what you want - Seems like it will be ok, but maybe not. My friend Martha and her two sisters have not been on speaking terms since their mother died. Seems everyone heard something different from Mom regarding what she wanted. The twins heard she didn’t care “do what you want”. So, when mom died visiting one of them a Southern Baptist service was arranged. That service stunned Martha who was raised Catholic and heard mom say she wanted “a service just like the one we did for your dad.” 

 

Call the funeral home, make an appointment and get everything written down and on file at the funeral home. It’s easy and there is not charge for the appointment. 

 



www.walkersfuneralservice.com

Since 1922, Walker’s Funeral Home & Cremation Services has proudly provided Chapel Hill, Mebane, and Hillsborough, NC, as well as surrounding communities, with personalized, compassionate care. Family-owned and operated, they offer funeral, burial, memorial, and cremation services, focusing on each detail to tell the story of your loved one in a meaningful, lasting tribute. Their locations in Chapel Hill, Mebane, and Hillsborough offer families state-of-the-art facilities and modern amenities amid the timeless beauty of these historic properties. Their privately owned crematory in Mebane enables families to rest assured that their loved one is always in the care of their empathetic, professional staff. Visit walkersfuneralservice.com to learn more.

By Josh Bedell March 24, 2025
Why should you attend a funeral? The presence of family and friends at the funeral is appreciated. We gather to acknowledge a life that was lived. We gather to comfort those for whom life has just been forever changed by the death of someone they loved.
By Josh Bedell March 24, 2025
Are you considering going to a funeral? Will you be a guest or, are you the survivor in charge and deciding if there will even be a funeral? Either way, before you just skip the funeral perhaps you should consider how elephants behave when one of their species dies. Perhaps we have something to learn from Dumbo.
By Josh Bedell March 24, 2025
One of the realities of losing a spouse or a parent is the impact that event has on living arrangements. Are we living in the “right” place? Is the house too big? Is it too far away from family? Will my surviving parent be safe where they live? Should I move to be closer to mom or should mom move closer to me?
By Josh Bedell March 24, 2025
Even months after the funeral it’s not uncommon to feel just not exactly right. We all lose our way from time to time. Things happen and we can’t find our JOY. It’s not really so much gone, as it is misplaced. Life feels dull and the days seem to drag. No matter what the circumstances, if you look for it, you can find your own personal JOY again. However, you will have to work a bit to find it and reconnect.
By Josh Bedell March 24, 2025
Emotions are raw when families are mourning a death. Tread lightly and be kind. Remember you may want to have Thanksgiving dinner with these people in a few months!
By Josh Bedell February 18, 2025
For most of us, one of our first questions when we think we need a funeral home soon is, “How much will it cost?” It’s understandable that everyone wants a simple answer to this question. Unfortunately, there is no one simple answer.
By Josh Bedell February 18, 2025
How does planning for your funeral in advance save you money? Doesn’t it just let the funeral home make money on your money? How big a part should emotion play in your funeral selections?
By Josh Bedell February 18, 2025
It’s late, why is the light on at the funeral home? Today, there was a funeral. People cried. Tissues were crumpled and left on the tables. Flower petals fell to the floor. Now, the cleaning staff is making things tidy for the family who will be here tomorrow.
By Josh Bedell February 6, 2025
Food provides comfort and strength. A gift of food shows that we care. It’s natural to connect food with the healing process of a funeral.
More Posts
Share by: