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Elderly parents

My mum's funeral.....

31 replies

AmIAHorribleDaughter · 05/02/2019 09:38

I don't know what to think on this.

My mum is very much alive (fingers crossed) but she is almost 92.
I am actually terrified that she has not given 'proper' thought to her funeral.

My dad died a few months ago at 92. he had told us specifically what he wanted- NO ONE at his cremation except family and no 'wake'- nothing. He wanted no service, no hymns (he was an atheist) and no fuss.

There were 6 of us who went to the crem - family. After , we went to mum's, had a cuppa and my DH and our kids drove home (5 hrs) and I stayed on with mum a few days longer.

My mum on the other hand , although she wants a cremation - has not specified anything further other than 'Oh EVERYONE can come to mine!'

Well yes, they can, but we could be talking of almost a hundred people. She is active in several local groups, has lived in the same town all her life and has lots of friends.

I live long distance- 5 hr drive. I have a sibling who lives on mum's doorstep but they are not the organising type.

I cannot envisage - dealing with the grief when it happens- of arranging a funeral 'party' for so many people. Mum's house is tiny, so no room there.

She appears to want a great 'send off' saying people have to wear bright clothes etc and not be sad BUT she is not taking into account the work it might involve for me (I'm mid 60s myself.)

I have no idea how to bring this up, so soon after my dad's death, but I know that I cannot face the idea of managing some social event at the same time as dealing with the grief, then there will be all the admin of the house to deal with, sell it etc.

Any ideas what to say to her?

OP posts:
MereDintofPandiculation · 06/02/2019 15:25

We hired a local pup and asked them to put on a buffet That takes assistance dogs to a whole new level Wink

Sorry. I'll get me coat.

Singlenotsingle · 06/02/2019 15:32

When my dsis died we spoke to the local Toby and they reserved an area in the pub for us . We could have had a separate room if we'd wanted one. They laid on a hot buffet of lovely food, and it was all warm, welcoming and comfortable. And cheap! People paid for their own drinks

Grace212 · 06/02/2019 15:48

OP I am sorry for your loss

I lost my dad last year and a friend of his organised the funeral - I would have done it if I had to of course, but I am overwhelmingly grateful to the friend who did it, as Mum was in such a state - also a case of illness and horribleness before the death.

I completely understand why you are worried about it but I would actually suggest not thinking about it. Your mum might change her mind. Interestingly my mum has already said she wants the simplest thing possible because she doesn't want me to endure a full funeral again, so to speak.

I do think it can be far too much for someone grieving, not just to do all this, but to actually face it and be there. It might be better to let the WI organise a memorial, that's another way to respect your mum's wishes to have an event.

dancinginthekitchen · 06/02/2019 16:01

My dad died not so long ago - tge thought of organising everything was daunting to start with but we found that the undertakers were so helpful and they took much of the arrangements off our hands - we still chose the music, readings etc but they arranged the crem, and the order of the day. Several hotels nearby also have ‘funeral tea’ menus so all we had to do was estimate how many would want to stay for tea and leave it to them. People really do try to make things as easy as they can at such a difficult time.
My big piece of advice though is to make sure that your mums will is up to date and that the executors understand her wishes - my aunt died last year (she brought me up after my mum died) and her will was so badly written that we are still trying to sort it all out.

NewspaperTaxis · 07/02/2019 16:47

Worst week of my life, my mum's funeral. Worse than the week of her death. That's when you begin to process it, esp if it's a month or so after.

Having to meet relatives you haven't seen in years is also a bind, it adds social pressure when you least need it. And you think, wow, really should have met up before this, not much point now...

So maybe arrange a pre-death funeral for your mum, like a dress rehearsal? As weird as that sounds - (and don't call it a funeral dress rehearsal, of course) it takes the edge of the actual event, because you get to meet everyone in a happier context i.e. when your mum is alive. No point in a get together when she's gone, she won't benefit. But it's mainly so on the event itself, you can say, 'I've done this...' And you've met everyone. This works if your mum is not imminently going to die of course, no good if it's in the offing as it will be deja vu!

For the day, it's different though for you cf others. They want sad music to cry a bit, and get in the mood, whereas if you're like me, that's the last thing you want for fear of a wretched breakdown, like Juliet Stevenson in Truly, Madly Deeply.

Also, for now get a nice large photo collage done of your mother's life on a board, or from Snappy Snaps. Do it now, scan in photos at your local library if they have a scanner, take them along to be done up, £100 usually and cheap compared to a funeral. Show it to your Mum. Then, at the funeral, you can wheel it out. But again, you don't want to do that after your Mum has died, and again, she won't benefit. Also, you don't want to do it just before your Mum has died ie just a month or so, because it will be ghoulish like you are willing on her death. So do that stuff now.

An iPod with fave tunes on a playlist. Again, do it now and she can benefit. Do it for the funeral, and you will kick yourself.

Ask locally where you may rent a place or large pub, but if she has loads of friends, money is a factor for a buffet spread, that said, some pubs don't do a buffet for less than 30 or so. Surely some of these places know what to do for a wake.

Eulogy, stick to one side of A4, mabye 500 words, any longer is fine if you are doing a 'turn' but you don't sound like you'd be up to it. It's basically an obituary. You can get the vicar to read it. Start maybe with a funny anecdote in the here and now, then broaden it out or go through stuff chronologically but a) Tone is more important than detail b) It can't be as detailed as the obits you read in The Times. c) You might reference some people in it your mother knows, to bring them in.

Money is always a factor but when it cost us £160 for the flowers to go on top of the coffin (with the unexpected request at the Church: do you want them to go in the grave with the coffin, or on top of the grave? Er, on top, we paid for them, we may as well see them for a bit) you do have to watch out for false economy when your parent is alive, even if penny pinching can give one the illusion of control when someone's life is slipping away from you and you don't feel in control.

NewspaperTaxis · 07/02/2019 16:50

PS When I said 'these places' for a wake, I mean some of the Age Concern places locally, maybe have a discreet word with someone so they can suggest just the place. Or if your mother mixes with a lot, surely she would know, having been to a few wakes herself?

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