Dunno where you have to live to be able to use UC’s Willed Body Program – must be some similar programs elsewhere? My mother, sister and brother all signed up for it. (Truth to tell, I don’t remember whether I have.) When you sign up they send you a card with their phone number; a survivor dials the number and they come to pick up the body. No doubt they’re glad to get all the bodies they can.
I want to be cremated. After that, my wife can just flush my ashes if she wants to. (She won’t). I am a veteran but I am not very enamored with this country so don’t care if I get a flag or not. Probably won’t be up to me though.
T
Israel is unusual, I think, in that burial is a government service. You die, they clean you, wrap you in a shroud and bury you within 24 hours, if not the same day - and the state pays the bill. It’s a well-oiled, slightly impersonal machine, but at times like that people seem to want a machine. They don’t want to make decisions; they want to do the rituals, say the eulogies and go home for the shiva.
Dad has prepaid through the Neptune Society.
When my sister died unexpectedly her husband chose them, and seems satisfied with their services.
well, having gone unprepared for my mother’s demise, I tried to do better for my daughter. I have an itemized step-by-step SOP package, with appropriate paperwork, forms like DD214, bank account data, insurance, burial instructions (VA) who to contact; she’s already my power of attorney
I plan to donate my body to a local reseach/university hospital so I can do more in death than I have in life.
If I am aware that my time is near, I will send funds to a friend to pay for the booze at my wake.