18 JANUARY 6, 2022 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Baby Boomers plan unique yet traditional funerals
Funerals have been held since
the dawn of time to honor and
remember a departed loved one.
There is always a common thread -- the
importance of memorialization.
Now, however, with the Baby
Boomer generation, a new element
has been added to the traditional
funeral.
Calling hours and other traditional
rites are still an important part
of remembrance. But many Baby
Boomer funerals are taking on a
whole new look. They are becoming
very personalized remembrances
-- reflecting the individual and his
or her interests in life.
We know that the ancient Egyptians
buried artifacts to help the
departed spirit in the afterlife.
Excavated tombs have yielded
myriad items including games and
tools that the spirit might want.
It is interesting to note that this
practice is popular once more as
Baby Boomers request their favorite
sports equipment such as golf
clubs, tennis balls and team jerseys
be placed in the casket.
Mountain bikes and canoes have
been displayed during calling
hours. Even the casket can become
a reminder of the Baby Boomers’
interest in sports.
A New York City funeral director
said that a departed football fan was
laid to rest in a casket featuring a
Notre Dame logo and team colors on
panels and the corner caps.
In Upstate New York, one funeral
featured a jazz band playing on the
porch of the funeral home.
Another funeral highlighted the
departed’s interest in handicapping
horse races by simulating his
kitchen - complete with tip sheets
and race results broadcast from a
radio.
Baby Boomers are also known
for their interest in preserving the
environment.
At several sites in New York State,
as well as in other parts of the country,
“green” cemeteries and natural
burial plots are available. There are
no underground vaults, no mausoleums
and minimal landscaping so
the cemetery grounds are kept in a
more natural state.
Some families have asked funeral
directors to have a tree planted in
memory of the departed loved one,
thus helping to renew forest life.
There are companies that blend
cremated remains with concrete
to form reef structures then place
them in selected ocean sites to form
undersea “memorial reefs.”
These reefs are ecologically beneficial
because they form a natural
habitat for undersea creatures.
Today’s funeral director is likely
to be a Baby Boomer and more than
happy to arrange a funeral for you
that will be truly memorable and a
celebration of your life.
So when you start to preplan
your funeral, be sure to discuss
your desires with your family
and your neighborhood funeral
director so that you, too,
can have a truly personalized
funeral.
Courtesy of NYS Funeral Directors
Association
COPING WITH DEATH
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