In all likelihood one of the medical schools near you would be thrilled to have your cadaver to help train the next generation of physicians. I believe they will, after 12-18 months, return the cremated remains to you for final disposition. Some will also bury the remains, if you so desire.
High cost of dying
- Thread starter Macfrommichigan
- Start date
I am an organ donor.* However, I don't want to be a medical experiment. That's just me.
*Nobody wants my liver.
*Nobody wants my liver.
Personally, I don't care what happens to my remains. I don't subscribe to any religion or other philosophy that places any importance on rituals or physical remains after death, so que sera, sera.
I've had made my wishes clear to my family. As it's already been said, funerals are for the living, so I've let my family know that they ought to do what they need to do to move on, but do only that. Don't go making a big deal of it for my sake and, good gracious, don't go spending a ton on something that goes into the ground within hours of the "show." Take that $10k+ and give it to a school or some other cause or to your kids (or someone else's) for education or medical bills. Hell, have an epic party, if that's what suits you, but don't spend it on a damn fancy box that will spend the rest of everyone's lives buried.
Don't even bury my body, for that matter. Burn it, or dump it, if you must, but I'd rather my body go to a medical school or the body farm or even that art exhibit. Do something good with it, something that makes the world a better place.
It's not like I have any enforceable say in the matter, though. The only enforceable provisions in a will are related to property disposition. Everything else is nothing more than a request--just making your wishes known to those you leave behind. What they do is their choice. There's nothing legally binding about saying you want to be buried or cremated or frozen or whatever.
Ans, @simon1, do get that will. It makes things a lot easier on those you leave behind. Probate court still will be involved (always the case in Texas), but far, far less so.
I've had made my wishes clear to my family. As it's already been said, funerals are for the living, so I've let my family know that they ought to do what they need to do to move on, but do only that. Don't go making a big deal of it for my sake and, good gracious, don't go spending a ton on something that goes into the ground within hours of the "show." Take that $10k+ and give it to a school or some other cause or to your kids (or someone else's) for education or medical bills. Hell, have an epic party, if that's what suits you, but don't spend it on a damn fancy box that will spend the rest of everyone's lives buried.
Don't even bury my body, for that matter. Burn it, or dump it, if you must, but I'd rather my body go to a medical school or the body farm or even that art exhibit. Do something good with it, something that makes the world a better place.
It's not like I have any enforceable say in the matter, though. The only enforceable provisions in a will are related to property disposition. Everything else is nothing more than a request--just making your wishes known to those you leave behind. What they do is their choice. There's nothing legally binding about saying you want to be buried or cremated or frozen or whatever.
Ans, @simon1, do get that will. It makes things a lot easier on those you leave behind. Probate court still will be involved (always the case in Texas), but far, far less so.
I’m the opposite. I’m dead- flush me down the toilet if that’s what you need to do.I am an organ donor.* However, I don't want to be a medical experiment. That's just me.
*Nobody wants my liver.
On edit: same on the liver, though. Maybe we can be an example of what not to do.
- Thread starter
- #45
Well stated, sir.
I'm going through it with my fathers estate right now. Talk about a con. I thought they marked stuff up unreasonably for weddings. Deaths are at a whole 'nother level.
What choice have you got, right? It's not like you can take the body home yourself and bury it in the yard. It's not like you have time to shop around or order a coffin online.
My father was like many in this thread. "I don't care what happens...." And that is fine, except unless you allow some money for the basics, your relatives are going to be paying many thousands of dollars for the most basic arrangements.
If you are getting on in years and don't have much in the way of assets, at least have some minimal burial insurance.
What choice have you got, right? It's not like you can take the body home yourself and bury it in the yard. It's not like you have time to shop around or order a coffin online.
My father was like many in this thread. "I don't care what happens...." And that is fine, except unless you allow some money for the basics, your relatives are going to be paying many thousands of dollars for the most basic arrangements.
If you are getting on in years and don't have much in the way of assets, at least have some minimal burial insurance.
Agree that the industry is opportunistic at just the time when people are most vulnerable. I will say that the trend is toward cremations which although not cheap are less expensive than a traditional burial. So it is likely that all the add-ons are trying to make up for this trend.
It is also likely that the industry is aware of the mindset of the loved ones who are making the arrangements. Namely that an inheritance will soon be passed on to family members from the deceased. Psychologically they know if you received a gift, however big or small, it was not something you had in the first place. It came from the deceased. So to pay for a funeral service with money that was not yours in the first place makes the selling of funeral services easier. And yes, it does take time to settle the estate so if the money is not there today it will be soon enough.
Have been an organ donor for years now. Consider doing so as well. It is a worthy act that can literally save lives. In most states it is a simple matter of signing or registering with your Driver's License.
It is also likely that the industry is aware of the mindset of the loved ones who are making the arrangements. Namely that an inheritance will soon be passed on to family members from the deceased. Psychologically they know if you received a gift, however big or small, it was not something you had in the first place. It came from the deceased. So to pay for a funeral service with money that was not yours in the first place makes the selling of funeral services easier. And yes, it does take time to settle the estate so if the money is not there today it will be soon enough.
Have been an organ donor for years now. Consider doing so as well. It is a worthy act that can literally save lives. In most states it is a simple matter of signing or registering with your Driver's License.
Our local undertaker is a crook. Literally. It's a small town, so I'll leave it at this: if you die here, make sure people write out a check, no cash, for whatever you want folks to give money to. My mom got checks MONTHS after my dad died from the funeral home. And funny, NO cash. Friends and family wondered why they didn't get any acknowledgement from my mom.
We aren't the only ones. Hope he dies before I do. I'd love to do to his grave what my dad always claimed he did to people he disliked, lol.
We aren't the only ones. Hope he dies before I do. I'd love to do to his grave what my dad always claimed he did to people he disliked, lol.
My wife and I are in our forties and we had to bury our fathers in 2014, weeks apart. After a thorough discussion we decided we want to be cremated when our time comes. There are too many of us in this world and not enough proper land. It’s also the most environmentally responsible way to go.
The industry is basically ran by four or five “Families”
I have heard multiple stories where back in the 40s-50s (before my time), our town had one undertaker. The hearse also doubled as the local ambulance. If the undertaker picked someone up that was bad off, he often times took the long way to the hospital on purpose.
Oh, to clarify I mean those who supply the undertakers, not the undertakers.
Going to be going to what I fear will be a sad funeral today. Prayers appreciated gents.
That's a higher cost of dying than we've been discussing. Hope all goes well.
It was heart wrenching just before the service, but our former pastor did a phenomenal job. I was able to say a few words. Spoke with the departed's son after. He's a year younger than my son. Seems to be holding it together. Ugh. But some day their faith shall be sight.
I worked very briefly in the Funeral Industry 20 odd years ago. I did not mind it until people came in that I knew and that made it difficult for me. How Funeral Directors operate in small towns where they know everyone baffles me. I would find it far to hard. It is an expensive thing to die. The trouble is that we are all going to end up there at some stage in our lives. Hopefully for members here it is far off into the future.
Being mostly rural, it's not unusual for funeral directors to know the families or the person. It's ... well, I'm not even a generation removed from when men in the community used to dig the graves and pour (yes, pour) the vaults. I helped with the last vault pouring locally. I'm only two generations removed from when caskets were made locally the night before. Maybe a generation removed from when the locals helped prepare the body for burial. People used to have a closer connection to deaths in the community. It was as much a part of mourning as the rest.
I think that's the same for small town funeral directors. It's something that can be done to help the family. Yes, there's horror stories. But a lot of them are concerned about the family because they know them.
I think that's the same for small town funeral directors. It's something that can be done to help the family. Yes, there's horror stories. But a lot of them are concerned about the family because they know them.
Gotta get that stuff prepared.
Popcorn Sutton had his casket and headstone ready years before he died. His stone read "Popcorn said #### you".
- Thread starter
- #59
Once knew someone in that line of work in a small town. Apparently he only went out to dinner or bought a drink 20 miles away, never in his community.
My soon to be 14 year old who told me to quit calling him 14 because “I got one more week to be young” told me his plans for his grave.
A bench that says “have a seat and sit a while. It’s lonely down here.”
As for myself....I don’t know.
My parents, weirdly, won’t say. They just told me my older brother is the executer.
A bench that says “have a seat and sit a while. It’s lonely down here.”
As for myself....I don’t know.
My parents, weirdly, won’t say. They just told me my older brother is the executer.
