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.
Joyce Mitchell
Mt Mahogany 8th ward
Thank you Sister Mitchell!
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