After my father passed away suddenly, my mother, siblings and I all struggled with planning his funeral. We were already in a state of shock and sorrow, and then we were overwhelmed with the options and decisions we had to make in regards to the funeral. Luckily for us, we worked with an amazing funeral home and funeral director who helped guide us through the process. I know how hard it is to plan a funeral and how many decisions need to be made. This website was created in order to give families preparing to lay a loved one to rest a guide of sorts that will help them determine what decisions will need to be made and information about those decisions. I extend my sympathies to you if you are in this position and hope my website helps to make things a little bit easier for you.
When you're helping to plan a memorial service or other funeral-related event, one of the important projects to complete is putting together a memorial table. This memorial service mainstay helps to paint a picture of the life of the person who has passed away and is often a place where people gather during the event. Because memorial services often don't follow a formal structure, there's no "right" way to put together a memorial table. In general, however, there are some steps you can follow to ensure the table does an effective job at honoring the person. Here are three elements to include on the table.
Pictures
While it might be common sense to include a picture of the person on his or her table, some extra effort in this department can lead to a table that really resonates with guests at the event. Make the effort to put together a wide selection of photos from throughout the person's life; you might have to ask for donations from other family members and friends, but the extra effort will be worth it. Photos that also depict the person in a variety of tasks -- including candid shots -- are ideal. It's important to include pictures of the person enjoying his or her favorite activities, whether it's gardening, fishing, golfing or traveling. To maximize space on the table, consider using a digital picture frame to display a slideshow of the photos.
Important Mementos
Collecting mementos from the person's life adds a great deal of personality to the memorial table. Some photocopied pages of an avid traveler's passport, a gardener's favorite sun hat or a selection of brushes from an artist can all be effective to display. Think of the items that the person enjoyed using -- when your fellow memorial guests see these items, they'll instantly conjure up memories of the person who has passed away and remind everyone of the person's passions.
Accomplishments
Items that share the accomplishments of the person are important. A college degree or a certificate from a trade school share the accomplishment of education, but other such elements are equally important. Find out if the person won any awards or was recognized in the community -- for example, a longtime golfer might have a hole in one plaque or an avid community member could have a service club award for volunteering. Even some homemade accomplishment, such as a piece of artwork from a grandchild that declares the person as the "world's best grandparent" serves as a touching addition.
For more memorial ideas or for a more permanent memorial, contact a local memorial company, like Pemi-Baker Memorials.
Share17 August 2015
