Prepare by Educating Yourself about Funerals and caring for your loved ones

There are some Emergency Preparedness topics that we often don't think of.  Preparing for the death of a loved one is one we don't want to think about and prepare for, but a very real need we should know something about.  Sister Joyce Mitchell in the 8th Ward is very knowledgeable about this, and has given us some invaluable resources and information to use.  Please read what she has to share below:
 

"When I lived in another city, I was the visiting teacher to a 57 yr old woman who died unexpectedly . She had no savings. Her ex-husband had no money. Her mother who live in CA had no money either, so she authorized me to control the disposition of her daughters' remains. I told the Bishop I could do all that was needed (casket, services, burial etc) for under $1400. He said "If you can do it for that much the ward can pay for it." And we did! It was awesome. I donated a casket I made myself. We buried at a cemetery in Magna that didn't require a vault. We held a graveside service (which had been her preference). We bought a lovely gravestone online.

How could I do it? I was prepared.

My 84 yr old father-in-law died in New York in February. Total cost for embalming, a funeral in NY, followed by a funeral in Utah, $879 flight for the body, veterans cemetery plot, burial vault, two obits, and everything: $5,650. I met a lady who lives in Highland about a month later whose father had died the same week in February. Her family paid $10K for only one funeral here in Utah.

How did I spend so little and she spent so much? I was prepared.

One man in his 40's with no job and a 100% disabled son spent $8K on a funeral for his mother. He didn't have any money but bought it on credit, hoping that he could pay for it eventually from the sale of her home. All her assets were tied up in probate because she had no will and had not put her assets into a trust. He had to pay $1K right away to retain a lawyer so he could even gain access to her bank account. This mother had actually expressed interest in setting her affairs in order but died before she could follow through.

I am a consumer advocate member of the oldest and largest organization to assist families in understanding their funeral options and rights. 

Everything a person needs is online for free: 

• compare funeral home prices at a glance, 
• find money to pay for a funeral,
• plan your own after-deathcare, 
• prepare a durable power of attorney for healthcare, 
• prepare a living will, 
• assign one person to control the disposition of your remains, 
• build your own casket,
• step-by-step instructions when someone dies
• and more. 

This site is non-commercial, non-profit 501c3, all volunteer-run: www.UtahFunerals.org."

Joyce Mitchell

Mt Mahogany 8th ward

 Thank you Sister Mitchell!