Another Funeral to Plan

I went with my brother to help with him the funeral arrangements.   Tim did not want any services on Sunday, (what would have been his 6^th anniversary).  That is totally understandable.  The wake will be on Monday and the funeral on Tuesday.  They chose the funeral home where Francine worked and loved.  Mr. Prout, the funeral director treated Tim and Francine’s mom so well.  The church is St. Lucy’s in Newark, where she was baptized, had her 1^st Communion, Confirmation and wedding..  That was her parish it is appropriate that is where she will have her funeral.

 They chose a coffin, with just enough “bling” to appease Francine while still being tasteful.  ((For those of you who knew Francine that would have made you laugh).    Her obituary was written, her outfit chosen and services decided on.

 Tim held up very well.  Her mom wept through it all.  I cannot begin to imagine how she feels losing a child.  She gave her ideas for what she thought Francine would have wanted.   They only thing that they had a difficult time deciding on was where she will be buried.  Her mom wanted her with her grandma.  Tim wanted her with our mom – and a place where someday he would join her.

 Many years ago, (when I was a teenager), my grandfather passed away.  He was buried in a crypt in a mausoleum.   At the time, my dad and his brother both purchased a crypt as well.   This way, they felt that one day, they would all be together.  Each crypt is a double, which means that they will be buried with their wives.  At the time, my uncle also bought another one.  Back when I was 17, I could not understand why he needed to do that.  They told us it was “to have just in case”.  Well, this seems to be the  “just in case”.  Many times Francine had told her mom and Tim, that she wanted to be buried in a mausoleum.  Tim seems to be finding comfort in the thought that she will be right next to our mom.

 Since Francine worked part time in the funeral home while she finished her schooling to become a mortician…her dream.  Perhaps when you regularly deal with death, there is not much about it that will faze you.  She was not afraid of death.  She dealt with it on a daily basis.  She talked openly about it and perhaps this will bring Tim some comfort.

Tagged: brother, comfort, crypt, death, funeral, funeral arrangements, mausoleum, mortician, sister-in-law