Facebook Allows Perpetual Memorials-YourFuneralGuy

Facebook  now allows perpetual memorial sites to keep  going. Yes the family can choose to have a  perpetual memorial site by keeping the deceased’s site going.  Or they can  notify facebook of a death, and have a memorial site that comes down at their  request. Recently there was an article in Newsweek on this subject. The average age of  a Facebook user is age 33. It use to be that the memorial site came down in about a month, but now it appears that the site can go on, until the family requests it be taken down.

Now a facebook account can simply be closed and their be no memorial at all.

Recently more elderly folks are flocking to facebook. This all raise the possibility of a “Baby Boomer” community of the dead on Facebook or virtual tombstones depending how you look at it.  This confronts traditional religious values in a weird sort of way. This from a February 17th Newsweek article.

Virtual Graves?

Facebook changed its policy regarding the pages of members who have passed away. Responding in part to urging by people at Virginia Tech who wanted after the 2007 shooting there to continue to commune with their lost friends on Facebook, the company now allows a person’s page to remain active in perpetuity. (Family members may request that a loved one’s page be taken down.) “When someone leaves us, they don’t leave our memories or our social network,” the new policy says.

One might imagine such virtual mourning is shallow, but it’s not. Here is a real gathering place, where friends can grieve together—and where the deceased continues, in some sense, to exist. “You’re creating something like a tombstone, but people can visit that tombstone anytime, anyplace, as long as they have Internet access,” says Brian McLaren, a leader in the emerging church movement and author of A New Kind of Christianity. “That seems to me to be a great gain.”

via www.newsweek.com

This raises all kinds of possibilities, like facebook having a virtual graveyard section. Maybe someday you can leave virtual flowers there.In effect there are already virtual memorials and obituaries,

Funeral Industry|Funeral  Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Your Funeral Guy: It’s Your Funeral President Obama.

This post is here because of demand. A President plans his funeral before  his/her Inauguration. This means that President Barack Obama has already planned his State Funeral. It is not a lower cost funeral. The Price tag is over 100 million. This is far above the average cost of a funeral.

FDR planned his funeral and locked his plans in a safe. No one knew what his plans were till after the funeral.

I  hope the Funeral of Barack Obama does not happen in the next 60 years. Think about the significance of this Act of Advance Planning.

From the First Page of My Book. Chapter 1:

“Title: It’s  your funeral, plan in advance to stay in charge Mr.(Or Ms.) President.

“When the President of the United States takes office one of the first jobs the new first family faces is to plan a State Funeral, (plan in advance Mr.or Ms. President).

Whether you are William J.Clinton Democrat, George W.Bush Rebublican, or Barach H. Obama, does not make a difference in this process.

A notebook is assembled(on a computer) that contains all the details of the plan. Think about the significance of this act of advance planning.

At at the time of major grief and and transition in a family,a country, the world, a plan is in place to bring rembrance, celebration, dignity, stability, unity and some closure for millions of people.”

Copyright 2009 by R.Brian Burkhardt-All rights reserved.

Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Most funeral industry professionals do not know this information but you now are informed.

Source: Your Funeral Guy’s experience with The Ronald Reagan State Funeral.

Your Funeral Guy: Green and Natural Burials are on the way.

A natural burial(or green burial site ) site is woodland in which the dead are buried, wrapped in a shroud or put in coffins-caskets- of pine, cardboard or some other biodegradable material. The site is dedicated a conservation area. The grave sites bear small markers  made with flush stones to the ground. Sometimes a GPS marker is in involved.

Aside from green or natural cemeteries, another popular green alternative is the evolving into artificial ocean reefs. Since 1998,  Eternal Reefs(Atlanta) has taken cremated ashes and mixed them with concrete to create reef balls, which weigh between 400 and 4,000 pounds. The balls get placed  in special  places in the ocean  creating artificial reefs. Coral polyps, anemones and underwater creatures attach themselves to these  balls over time.

A reef  ball memorial starts  from $995  according to Eternal Reefs (Atlanta).

Home funerals are another option. Green and  home funerals go together. A Funeral at home take us back to before the Civil War when Americans  had home funerals handling  and burying their Loved Ones. This also enhances the grief recovery process.

In Texas, folks can act as the funeral directors, retrieve a death certificate and have a  home funeral with a  burial  in their backyard if the city,county permits it. Be sure to check with your state and local authorities to pursue  this option.

Green and Natural Funerals and Burials are on the way. In almost all cases they are a lower cost funeral.

Be sure to lower your funeral expenses.

Your Funeral Guy,

Your Funeral Guys blog.

Your Funeral Guy: Green Funeral Homes/Burials-low funeral cost- are Happening Now

A Funeral Director in New Jersey is taking the lead  in Green by selling solar pannels and advocating lower funeral cost(low funeral cost =green funeral/burial. The Director’s name is Bob Prout

“Prout is also leading the way as a proponent of natural or

“green” burials, which further protect the environment and give people

another option in the end of life planning process. “More and more people

who truly loved the earth in life are choosing to continue their conservation

efforts in death by opting for natural burials,” Prout says.”

Here is the full post and an excellent one at green Funeral Homes and Green funeral cost.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,229869.shtml

This is predicted in the work "Rest in Peace"

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak. #1 International Best Selling Author Jason Oman also gave thumbs up to this book. This book is published by Morgan James Publishing.

Your Funeral Guy, R Brian Burkhardt, Funeral Director, Author, Blogger, State of Illinois

Your Funeral Guy:Funeral Cost too High in the USA!(last 2 weeks)

Your Funeral Guy:Funeral Cost too High in the USA!(last 2 weeks). Funerals always cost too much in any situation because a person is involved. But the death of these folks is too much funeral cost to the  world. May they all rest in peace. All three.

First there was the Tim Russert  Wake and Memorial Service:
The funeral cost to the nation was too great.
Maria Shriver read the poem….The Little Ship in Washington DC. Bruce Springsteen was front and center.
It would be wrong not to repeat it. It is one of the best funeral poems ever written.

The Wife of the Actor and  California governor “Arnold” gave a great funeral poem.

“The Little Ship”

I stood watching as the little ship sailed out to sea. The setting sun tinted his white sails with a golden light, and as he disappeared from sight a voice at my side whispered, “He is gone”.

“But the sea was a narrow one. On the farther shore a little band of friends had gathered to watch and wait in happy expectation. Suddenly they caught sight of the tiny sail and, at the very moment when my companion had whispered, “He is gone” a glad shout went up in joyous welcome, “Here he comes!”

A Good post on this is here:
http://www.tellinitlikeitis.net/2008/06/maria-shriver-poem-at-tim-russerts-funeral-service.html

Then there was the  funeral song “over the rainbow”. People walked out of his memorial service to this Rainbow. Was this a blessing from the man upstairs(apologies to atheists if this does not make you a believer nothing will)

If you do not cry during this Video! You are not human. Barack Obama and John McCain sat together at this event. If you ever click on a Your Funeral Guy, funeral cost link click on this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBddo1RGiJU

Then there was the Tasha Tudor death: The great literary illustrator original  green lady died.
Kids will miss her. Even guys read “The Secret Garden.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/22/AR2008062202026.html”

As if this was not enough we also lost to funeral cost, George Carlin the modern Free Speech almost pornographic comedian. The famous 7 words guy.

Even Jerry Seinfeld is coming back to honor him.

In the 2 weeks Funeral Cost has been too high in the USA!
May all Rest in Peace.
Now there is more funeral story and history in Rest in Peace.

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak

Your Funeral Guy:Funeral Directors Raise Funeral Cost-The apprentice

The Funeral Cost of a Funeral Director is about 20 to 26 USD a hour in 2008. It is a large factor in the average cost of a funeral.

The funeral home owner cost is much more. If you use the traditional funeral home engage the funeral owner’s (or manager )services—- you certainly are paying for the service. Here are two of the Tricks funeral home owners employ is to raise funeral cost.

1. use apprentices to lower their cost

demand a licensed person!

2. limit the time that funeral directors spend with you without lowering your cost.

take as much time as you need!

A simple tip to lower funeral cost is to ask for a green funeral, green burial and information on the average cost of a funeral. Remember it is best to be your own funeral advocate.

More information on what is involved with a funeral and Average Funeral Cost here in two books.

Two books have contributed to the Funeral cost reduction situation.

Mark Harris’s “Grave Matters”:

Grave Matters: A Journey Through the Modern Funeral Industry to a Natural Way of Burial by Mark Harris

And “Rest in Peace” by R. Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak.

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak

Both these books creatively examine the issues around green funerals and burials and funeral costs.

More information on this can be found at the Funeral Consumer Alliance, Green Burial Council and the AARP

in this article:

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/consumersmarts/archives/141653.asp

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Your Funeral Guy: Call Funeral Directors to honesty on Funeral Cost

Your Funeral Guy: Call Funeral Directors to honesty on Funeral Cost

Recently I thanked a Funeral Director on another blog for his honesty on Funeral Cost.

Here is what I said it is worth repeating here:

“Thank you for your honesty.

we share a trust level well short of that of mechanics, stockbrokers, real estate and insurance agents. This information should be a wake up call.

Only a few in our profession are this honest and candid. On another blog on this site I have mentioned & commented on some scandals. They are the result of the sins of more than a few. Let it be known that inspite of some blogs and comments that are tough, I have withheld information from the media on these events. Instead I have called on Leaders in the Funeral Industry to be honest. You sir are a part of the city set on the hill.

Your ethics are appreciated. I love helping families and for that reason I wrote a new book called Rest in Peace. In this work I declare that there are honest ethical funeral directors like yourself who are willing to embrace the changes that are to come!”

It is my hope that the ILLINOIS FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION (IFDA )will embrace ethics and honesty.

Right now I just find myself too busy helping folks lower the cost of their funerals…to keep up with this.

The IFDA knows the changes that are coming.

To the IFDA I Wish you the best.

There will be blogs here from time to time as things become public on the IFDA Funeral cost issue and the “IFDA Preneed Trust.”

The IFDA has had it’s wake up call.

Earlier this year it came out that the IFDA- had mis managed 40 Million Dollars of the folks “IFDA Preneed Trust” money in Illinois.

Beware of organizations like the IFDA in keeping Funeral Directors Honest and keeping your lower cost funeral Specific State Senator Randall Hulfgren refused to take action on this along with hultgrenfh. Hultgren Funeral Home is not the only culprit. Trimble Funeral Homes www.trimblefuneralhomes.com had family on the IFDA committees and has refused comment on the IFDA Preneed Trust situation inspite of positve press from…Quad-City Dispatch

More information on keeping funeral directors honest can be found here including average funeral cost:

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak. #1 International Best Selling Author Jason Oman also gave thumbs up to this book. This book is published by Morgan James Publishing.

Your Funeral Guy, R Brian Burkhardt, Funeral Director, Author, Blogger, State of Illinois

Your Funeral Guy:Green Burial, Green Funeral –Lower Funeral Cost

Your Funeral Guy:Green Burial, Green Funeral does not always mean Lower Funeral Cost. Seattle, Maine, North Carolina, San Francisco all have places that are starting to become in this new trend.It has been happening in England. Just like any funeral you get what you pay for and you should pay less funeral cost and still get great service.

Two books have contributed to the Green Burial Situation.

Mark Harris’s “Grave Matters”:

Grave Matters: A Journey Through the Modern Funeral Industry to a Natural Way of Burial by Mark Harris

And “Rest in Peace” by R. Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak.

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak

Both these books creatively examine the issues around green funerals and burials.

More information on this can be found at the Funeral Consumer Alliance, Green Burial Council and the AARP

in this article:

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/consumersmarts/archives/141653.asp

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Your Funeral Guy: Low Funeral Cost Cemetery Video and TV

Here is You tube video that shows why low funeral cost cemeteries are needed. The low cost funeral cemetery is a green cemetery. Update Nov 18, 2008 This link has been taken down by you tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GGvaHFbJZY

try this link instead for a view of a low cost cemetery.

http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=92649&videoChannel=74

CSI, Donation to Science, Organ Donor, Green Funeral, Cremation, but not Funeral Cost–TV. Modern Marvels:Corpse Tech.
This was a very informative television program. From the decomposing of bodies, to the traditional funeral business. There was even a look inside cremation ovens.

The cemetery of the future was addressed. The focus was on the San Francisco Area. The Green Cemetery and the green funeral.
Funeral Cost that can be saved in cremation and green was not addressed,
The good news is that the series Modern Marvels: Corpse Tech continues to shown on the History channel.

The shows how the dead help the living.
Organ donation, tissue donation and research.
The newest and best cremation machines were featured.
Good Stuff.

The statistics given in the show were not entirely accurate coming from 2006.
Cremation rates are up. Funeral Cost is down.

More info with average Funeral Cost Information can be found here.

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak. #1 International Best Selling Author Jason Oman also gave thumbs up to this book.

Your Funeral Guy, R Brian Burkhardt, Funeral Director, Author, Blogger, State of Illinois

Getty Images RF

Your Funeral Guy: History Channel Special to run Cremation-Funeral Cost Special.-June 20th 2008

Do you want funeral cost lowered? Low cost cremation anyone? Green cremation anyone? Yes- the History Channel is to run a Funeral Cost Cremation -”Special on the TV show Modern Marvels on the History Channel- (June 20th 2008) If you miss it this it will be most likely re-aired.

It will also include information on medical organ donation.

Credit goes to The Funeral Insider Guys on this one:

“History Channel To Explore Death in Modern Marvels: Corpse Tech

“The History Channel will explore cremation, the role of the medical examiner, organ and tissue donation and more during a show to air at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 20th in MODERN MARVELS: CORPSE TECH.The show’s theme will be “Adventures of the Body After Life.”

In a news release, Facultatieve Technologies announced that a portion of the show would feature its cremation equipment.

Check your local listings to make sure you don’t miss the program.”

Here is a link to this quote:

http://www.katesboylston.com/fsx_jun13/fsxjun13b.html:

Here is a quote from the a company  featured in this special.

These below average  funeral cost options are addressed in

June 20th, 8.00 pm: Facultatieve Technologies on the History Channel
In America, the popular Modern Marvels programme is broadcast daily by the ‘History Channel’. Each programme deals with unusual stories behind a broad range of subjects; from simple tools and technical discoveries to human miracles. On 20 June 2008 (8.00 pm), it will dedicate an entire programme to cremation and its origins, with Facultatieve Technologies being invited as the expert opinion. This is to be expected, as Facultatieve Technologies leads the pack in the field of designing, constructing and maintaining cremation ovens, both in the US and across the globe. This international organisation has been active in the branch since 1908, endowing with it a vast repository of in-house experience and expertise. The programme meets the staff, and visits the main site with all its facilities. It will cover the history of cremation, but will chiefly focus on its future, discussing, for instance, the environmentally-friendly units made by Facultatieve Technologies in Medina. Would you like to know more, or watch previous Modern Marvels programmes? Then click here Here is the link:

http://www.facultatieve-technologies.com/webgen.aspx?p=992&o=7260

Your Funeral Guy gives credit where Credit is due.

More information can be found here:

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak. #1 International Best Selling Author Jason Oman also gave thumbs up to this book.

Your Funeral Guy, R Brian Burkhardt, Funeral Director, Author, Blogger, State of Illinois