What are your funeral plans?

[bassin_bug]

I just can't see spending 5k or so on a coffin and another 2k for a hole in the ground. I've told my wife I want to be cremated and have told her of my wishes in how to dispose of my cremains. Of course, I'm an organ donor.
What are your plans?

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Here is what I DON'T want and the reason why. My sister's husband died a week after Ronald Reagan and, apparently she was impressed with his casket. She had one hand made, of real cherry wood, to the tune of $15,000. Add another $3,500 for the gravesite, $1,500 to open the grave, $5,000 for the funeral, $5,000 for a granite slab and another $3,000 for the register. When she called me and told me she had ordered the casket, I blurted out, "What on earth did you do that for? He would have been happy if you had buried him in his boat with a fishing lure in his hand." Her answer was, "I'm putting him away in style." I think it was stupid and if he could have talked to her, she would have been crying for a different reason.

Last November my mother died suddenly and her funeral cost about $10,000 and it was plain and simple with only a graveside service. Exactly 30 days later, my brother died in an auto accident. We used a different funeral home and, this time, I walked in when my sister decided she would make funeral arrangements. She went for the most expensive casket, and I said, "NO! Unless you are paying for this funeral. If I'm paying half of it, I get a voice in this decision. The very lowest price we could get the complete funeral done for was $8,326 and included the headstone. In addition, she ordered Mom's casket flowers and the wreath cost $500. My brother's was larger and prettier and it cost $375 (different florist).

I have a friend whose wealthy brother died a few months ago and his second wife thought she would inherit everything. She had a funeral that was fit for a king and the bill was $43,000. (I got that price right). Her inheritance was only 1/4 of the total estate because he had 3 children from the first marriage, now she is moaning.

My spouse said, "Cremate me and spread my ashes in my favorite fishing hole on Cherokee Lake." Now you know why, and I totally agree.

[DJD]

I had no idea that funerals could cost that much! Seems like my eyes have been opened to a scam on people at their worst time. Thanks

[Devils Horse]

Tyme in a bottle...funny stuff. Run me through one more time...even better. Be sure and have em bore them little holes in the nozzle bigger, Redneck so's you don't clog it up and get stuck in there. Y'all kill me.

Already told my wife years ago, cremation and toss the ashes in Barren River Reservoir. Spent so much of my life trying to get the fish to eat, seems only fitting to have one last shot at it.

Agree that Woodford's is the best stuff there is. Got a giant bottle (1.75 liters) some friends gave me as a gift, and every now and then I have myself a highball. In fact that sounds pretty good right now...

[Tyme2fish]

Agree that Woodford's is the best stuff there is. Got a giant bottle (1.75 liters) some friends gave me as a gift, and every now and then I have myself a highball. In fact that sounds pretty good right now.

What's your address? I'll be right over!!

[Col Forbin]

DH, enough woodford will make us both forget about politics. Love that stuff.

[bassin_bug]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is what I DON'T want and the reason why. My sister's husband died a week after Ronald Reagan and, apparently she was impressed with his casket. She had one hand made, of real cherry wood, to the tune of $15,000. Add another $3,500 for the gravesite, $1,500 to open the grave, $1,500 for the vault, $5,000 for the funeral, $5,000 for a granite slab and another $3,000 for the register. The casket flowers were $600.00. When she called me and told me she had ordered the casket, I blurted out, "What on earth did you do that for? He would have been happy if you had buried him in his boat with a fishing lure in his hand." Her answer was, "I'm putting him away in style." I think it was stupid and if he could have talked to her, she would have been crying for a different reason.

Last November my mother died suddenly and her funeral cost about $10,000 and it was plain and simple with only a graveside service. It cost us $125 just to add the date of death to her, already in place, headstone. Exactly 30 days later, my brother died in an auto accident. We used a different funeral home and, this time, I walked in when my sister decided she would make funeral arrangements. She went for the most expensive casket, and I said, "NO! Unless you are paying for this funeral. If I'm paying half of it, I get a voice in this decision. The very lowest price we could get the complete funeral done for was $8,326 and included the headstone. In addition, she ordered Mom's casket flowers and the wreath cost $500. My brother's was larger and prettier and it cost $375 (different florist).

I have a friend whose wealthy brother died a few months ago and his second wife thought she would inherit everything. She had a funeral that was fit for a king and the bill was $43,000. (I got that price right). Her inheritance was only 1/4 of the total estate because he had 3 children from the first marriage, now she is moaning.

My spouse said, "Cremate me and spread my ashes in my favorite fishing hole on Cherokee Lake." Now you know why, and I totally agree.

I added the price of the vault and flowers for my sister's husband. In most states it is required, by law, that a person be buried in a vault.

[psprowler]

My dad took part of his stimulus check and bought a couple of plots over at the local cemetary. When burying his brother he found that you can get the county to bury for about $300. Don't remember the specifics and they definitely didn't go that route but he brought that up as kind of a side note.

As for me - cremate and spread my ashes over Big Walnut Creek and Lost River.

[Devils Horse]

You're welcome anytyme brother.

Actually Col it doesn't take much for me to put politics aside. I'm an opinionated SOB, but I like most everyone. If a guy is a fishaholic, he and I will most likely be friends regardless of his creed, color or vocation.