Scoring you own funeral

[nac]

I don't want a traditional funeral. I want my friends and family to gather and celebrate the life we shared together. Play whatever reminds you of me and talk about all the adventures we had.

 

[Simon Says]

I've recorded an audio "Eulogy" cd of songs that framed my life , I've given copies to dear friends and told them to play it when I pass.
Knowing that my time left is pretty short, ( doc says 3 more) I'm using it to touch bases with all those who have touched my Life to tell them how much. this is one of the songs that will play ...

One of my top 10 albums

 

[veinbuster]

I don't want a traditional funeral. I want my friends and family to gather and celebrate the life we shared together. Play whatever reminds you of me and talk about all the adventures we had.

Sounds like the best way to go.

 

[nac]

Sounds like the best way to go.

Ehhh what do I know?

I lost my Dad when I was 14 to cancer. He is my hero. I lost my oldest brother about 10 years after that and have lost a few more loved ones along the way. After many years, and specifically for me, I've come to realize that I cherish the time I had with each of them. My Dad was my hero, still is. If I had the chance to do it all again, knowing from the start that I would only get 14 years with him I would absolutely do it again.

I hope that when I go, my family and friends can look back on all the adventures, all the laughs, all the love we shared during this lifetime and smile. My Wife and kids are the center of my universe and I just want them to remember how much I love them.

Sorry, that got sappy fast

I also know that mourning someone is an intensely personal process and I would never expect anyone to do it a certain way. What works for me may only work for me.

 

[veinbuster]

Ehhh what do I know?

I lost my Dad when I was 14 to cancer. He is my hero. I lost my oldest brother about 10 years after that and have lost a few more loved ones along the way. After many years, and specifically for me, I've come to realize that I cherish the time I had with each of them. My Dad was my hero, still is. If I had the chance to do it all again, knowing from the start that I would only get 14 years with him I would absolutely do it again.

I hope that when I go, my family and friends can look back on all the adventures, all the laughs, all the love we shared during this lifetime and smile. My Wife and kids are the center of my universe and I just want them to remember how much I love them.

Sorry, that got sappy fast

I also know that mourning someone is an intensely personal process and I would never expect anyone to do it a certain way. What works for me may only work for me.

I feel much the same. Years ago I stashed enough cash, told my wife and daughters where it was and told them I would like them to spend it celebrating. I also wrote it out and signed it - for them outside of the complications of a will.

I lost both of my parents, my wife and half of my aunts and uncles within a small time window. I can see the benefit of a more formal goodbye - I’ll leave the details for mine to my daughters. I do know my mom’s service was important to her siblings. I know that my wife’s service was necessary for my youngest. I got the unexpected benefit of seeing some old friends that I had mostly fallen out of touch with.

I would like to make whatever they want to do as easy as possible. For example, I can pre sort tens of thousands of photos and unknown hundreds of recordings of me on guitar.

 

[nac]

I feel much the same. Years ago I stashed enough cash in the house, told my wife and daughters where it was and told them I would like them to spend it celebrating. I also wrote it out and signed it - for them outside of the complications of a will.

I lost both of my parents, my wife and half of my aunts and uncles within a small time window. I can see the benefit of a more formal goodbye - I’ll leave the details for mine to my daughters. I do know my mom’s service was important to her siblings. I know that my wife’s service was necessary for my youngest. I got the unexpected benefit of seeing some old friends that I had mostly fallen out of touch with.

I would like to make whatever they want to do as easy as possible. For example, I can pre sort tens of thousands of photos and unknowns hundreds of recordings of me on guitar.

You are a good man my friend

 

[Bill SAS 513]

I love the idea...and not morbid at all...(Unless you (Rhetorically speaking) make it that way). We had a few months with my Dad, and planned everything out. His death sucked, of course, but he helped make it so much easier when he did pass.

 

[TheoPratt]

Absolutely, planning your own funeral in a way that reflects the joy and memories you've shared with loved ones sounds like a beautiful idea. It's all about celebrating a life well-lived and remembering the good times. And it's heartwarming to hear that your dad helped make his passing a bit easier by planning ahead. By the way, have you ever heard of Hutton Monument Co? Their ability to create personalized carvings on various items, like bricks or garden stones, seems like a unique and thoughtful way to remember and honor those we care about.

 

[GrahamBarber]

I just came across your post and wanted to jump in and say hi. I'm really sorry to hear about your friend's mom, that's such a tough situation to go through. On a brighter note, it's really cool that you recorded your own version of that song you've always loved. Sometimes, when we take the time to listen closely, we discover hidden treasures in the music that we might have missed before. Keep up the great work, and if you feel like sharing more, I'd love to hear about the footstone too.

 

[CandidPicker]

TBH,
One never knows when their time will be up on this earth. That being said, I've not written or recorded any personal music I'd wished played at a memorial service, but have recorded a CD playlist of songs familiar to my local friends. Although arrangements will likely be surviving family's responsibility, there are several notable songs I can share...
1. Sarah McLachlan -- I Will Remember You
2. Vince Gill -- Go Rest High on the Mountain
3. Peter Frampton -- Lines on My Face
4. Eric Clapton -- Change the World
5. Lynyrd Skynyrd -- Simple Man
The remainder of the CD consists of songs familiar to my congregation of local friends and others scattered across the United States.

In reality, I sincerely doubt surviving family would know what to do unless they had ample warning. Also, my health, although not perfect, is still good for someone my age. I try to watch what I eat, not overdo food or drink, and avoid health risks. My only recent concern is that I sometimes feel fatigued after physical activity, and sometimes don't sleep well at night, mostly for reasons like local construction occurring after 8 PM until 4 AM.

All this being said, whether I live another 35 years or staple and turn in my "final report" tomorrow remains to be seen, and is not my call, nor do I have any choice in the matter.

I look forward to rejoining you all on the upside of the grass tomorrow. We all need to remember that tomorrow is a new day, and that the reason people celebrate is typically to have fun. Not to mourn at a funeral. Although I've considered doing the Cosby thing and letting a cassette tape play as folks attend calling hours. It might be fun, but might be considered a bit inappropriate considering the occasion.

 

[Famulenu]

Hi CandidPicker. Your choice of songs for a memorial service playlist is quite thoughtful and reflects your personality. I hope you'll be enjoying life for many more years to come! And who knows, your cassette tape idea might just bring a smile to people's faces during calling hours. If you ever want to explore eco-friendly funeral options, you can check https://greenfarewells.com/. In the meantime, let's cherish the moments and look forward to many more days on the "upside of the grass"!

 

[markd21]

Complicated...

Hmmmm, it'd probably be one of my piano compositions. Maybe I'll have my magnum opus completed by my death and it can be heard...