What would your family do if you suddenly vanished?

By Paul Larson

MILLBRAE – Have you ever thought about how your family would cope if you were to suddenly die? Does your family know what your final wishes are? Can they answer detailed questions about you such as the names of your parents, your mother’s maiden name and where they both were born? What if you have no family? Who would answer questions about your final wishes such as: Do you want your burial at a certain cemetery? Do you want funeral services to take place at a funeral home or particular church? Do you want to be cremated? If so, where would your cremated remains go following the cremation?

If you are like me, along with a lot of other people, then the above matters are things you don’t have time to think about. But, at the same time, many other people DO think about these matters. These are types of people who, in their daily lives, take their responsibilities seriously. They pay their bills in a timely manner, care for their family, plan for their future, plan for their children’s college educations, plan their vacations, plan for a rainy day with homeowner’s insurance and life insurance policies, and yes, they plan for the time when they pass away.

You may say “Oh, just bury me in a pine box”. That may be fine, but in reality “pine boxes” can be expensive. Telling this to your family may be humorous at the time, but may cause confusion if they were put in the position of making decisions after your death. If costs are a consideration then you will need to be educated by a Funeral Director Professional onreal life personal choices and not a choiceyou’ve seen in an old western movie.

Do you want to leave your family with an organized plan to follow after your death, or do you want to leave them puzzled with nothing but questions that can’t be answered? This is a decision only you can make. Final matters can be easy and streamlined, or in certain circumstances can become a nightmare for those left behind. I know this is not easy to think about, but by pre-planning you will make final details a lot easier for your surviving family. Think of it this way: pre-planning your final arrangements can be considered a “gift” for your family’s “peace of mind” after you are gone.

Pre-planning or “Pre-need” arrangements are very easy to make, and our staff at CHAPEL OF THE HIGHLANDS will guide you every step of the way. We will ask you questions on necessary personal details and have you sign necessary documents.

More and more people are asking me how to complete pre-need arrangements, and more and more people are following through with this very simple, but very necessary final detail. After making pre-need arrangements you then can continue on with your daily life knowing that your final wishes and instructions are kept on file at the CHAPEL OF THE HIGHLANDS which would be followed if someday something unexpected were to happen.

If you ever wish to discuss cremation, funeral matters or want to make pre-planning arrangements please feel free to call me and my staff at the CHAPEL OF THE HIGHLANDS in Millbrae at (650) 588-5116 and we will be happy to guide you in a fair and helpful manner. You may also visit us at www.chapelofthehighlands.com.