A COURIER SUN SPECIAL SECTION Coping withDeath Baby Boomers plan unique, yet personal funerals With the advent of 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 – a refl ection of the individual and his or her interests in life. The ancient Egyptians buried artifacts inside tombs to help the departed spirit in the after life. All manner of items including games and tools the spirit might want have been found in excavated tombs. This practice is popular again as Baby Boomers request favorite sports equipment such as golf clubs, tennis balls and team jerseys be placed in their casket. Mountain bikes and canoes have been displayed during calling hours. Even the casket has become a reminder of the Baby Boomers’ interest in sports. A New York City funeral director told us that a departed football fan was laid to rest in a casket sporting 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 deceased’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, plans have been proposed to build “green” cemeteries. 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. Certain companies blend cremated remains with concrete to form reef balls and then deposit them in selected ocean sites to form undersea “memorial reefs”. These reefs are ecologically benefi cial 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. If you have a question about funeral service, or would like a list of the New York State Funeral Directors Association (NYSFDA) member funeral directors in your area, contact NYSFDA, 426 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205 or visit the Website at www.nysfda.org. Reprinted with the permission of the NYSDA
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