Thinking about your own funeral is never easy, but preplanning can be one of the most thoughtful and practical gifts you give your loved ones. By making these important decisions in advance, you can ensure your wishes are honored and spare your family the stress of making arrangements during a difficult time.

Many people confuse preplanning for prepaying. Most individuals over 50 have done some preplanning by expressing that they’d like to be buried alongside their brother at a certain cemetery, or to be cremated and have their cremated remains scattered in a special place,  or to have their services at their church, in hopes that it will bring some of their family members closer to Christ, but these conversations alone do not provide complete guidance for loved ones.

With more than 35 years of experience as a funeral director, I have found serving the public to be both fulfilling and rewarding. However, determining the intentions of the deceased and aligning them with the needs of surviving family members can be challenging. Preplanning is the solution. 

A licensed funeral director can offer you free preplanning services by sitting down with you to complete the next steps of prearrangement. They’ll take the time to explain in detail the options available to you for the services you want and will give you an exact price, so there won’t be any surprises when the time comes. They’ll work to align with your preferences and budget. Many people think that all prearrangements must be prepaid, but prepaying is optional. Choosing to prepay at today’s cost and locking in the price can remove financial burden from your family,  but it is not a requirement at our family-owned funeral home. Should you prefer, we are able to process payment using your life insurance or assets at the time of service.

Preplanning your funeral may feel overwhelming, but taking these steps now can provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones. It allows you to make informed, thoughtful decisions and relieves your family of additional stress during an emotional time. Whether you choose to make all the arrangements or simply outline your preferences, your foresight will be a lasting gift. 

My goal is to ensure that every individual over the age of 60 has a prearranged plan in place. Prearrangement enables us to better assist your family by providing clear guidance to fulfill your wishes, while also considering their emotional and spiritual needs. I encourage you to contact your funeral director, or if you’d like to sit down and visit with me, please contact me at (309) 694-9831 or email [email protected].

If you have a question you would like Gary to answer in this monthly column regarding end-of-life decisions, please email it to us at [email protected].