Serving York County

Cremation as a final choice is on the increase, perhaps for economic reasons, perhaps not. Whatever the reason, one question always arises: Does choosing cremation mean we cannot have a viewing or have the body present at the funeral service? Of course, the answer is no.

Before the actual cremation takes place, some families have a viewing. It might be a public viewing for friends and family or a simple private gathering for those closest to the deceased. In other cases, families will opt to have a funeral service with the deceased present, before cremation takes place. In either case, the casket will be either a rental casket or a cremation casket.

A rental casket looks just like a regular casket except that the end of the unit opens in a way that it can be re-used. All of the material in the interior of the casket can be replaced with new material. Alternatively, there are inexpensive caskets made especially for this purpose when cremation will follow.

Of course, a popular trend when cremation is chosen is to have a memorial service following cremation. Some families wish to have the cremains present in an urn. Some choose not to. Either way, since there is not a body to view, photographs, videos and other mememtos to express the life of the deceased are usually displayed.

With the many options available, families will want to decide what is best for their own situation, taking into account the wishes of their departed loved one. Here at Koller Funeral Home & Cremation Center, in York, PA, we are always glad to answer questions and offer options for consideration. We have many years of experience in fulfilling the wishes of families.

None of us will live forever. Some of us avoid that reality and opt to leave end-of-life arrangements to the kids. Others meticulously research and plan every detail, not wanting to leave anything to chance.

Then, there are the impulse buyers. Well aware of the need to make end-of-life arrangements, they set out to do just that. Convinced that pre-planning a funeral can be a simple, quick process and wanting to get it over with, they often fall prey to salespeople whose only goal is to make the sale. They come in many varieties from telemarketers selling cemetery spaces, markers, vaults and even caskets to faceless websites offering electronic sales with no option for human contact. They have one thing in common – to separate the uninformed, impulse consumer from his money. These salespeople are rarely licensed funeral directors and often are only vaguely familiar with funeral laws.

Because their goal is to meet their sales quota and earn commissions and bonuses, they will often mislead their customer. Typically, they assure the buyer that the package they are purchasing is all-inclusive, leading them to believe there will be no further costs when the end comes. Depending on when in life our impulse buyer purchases the funeral package, they might go for many years thinking they have everything covered. These salespeople often pose as consultants or advisers, but they never intend to be there in time of need. They know they will be leaving it to the funeral home to deliver the bad news when the family produces the paperwork, thinking everything is covered only to find that there are thousands of dollars of expenses ahead.

Our impulse buyer will often turn to the Internet because items – even caskets – can be cheaper there. I heard of a case recently where a person purchased a casket online at a $200 savings. However, when it came time to use it, they needed it immediately; and the shipping cost was over $400. One has to wonder what that family would have done if that casket had been damaged in delivery. Their only recourse would have been to deal with the Internet company – often a daunting task.

Funeral pre-planning is an excellent idea. However, one must not rush into purchases with sales people. The consumer must be aware. Before signing any papers to buy vaults, casket, etc. it is important to check with the local funeral home of your choice to see the whole picture for services and costs. Your local funeral director can assist you, helping you explore your options and decide just what type of services and merchandise are involved for the type of services you want.

Here at the Koller Funeral Home & Cremation Center in York, Pennsylvania, we have the expertise to answer all your questions, offer recommendations and help you with funeral planning – whether you are planning in advance or have immediate needs.

As the air becomes crisp and the trees turn to brilliant shades of red and gold, fall settles in around us. Before we know it, the stores have stocked their shelves with holiday decorations and we see those first Christmas commercials on the airwaves.

When you have lost a loved one, those are strong reminders that the holiday season will forever be different. How will you handle the season with all its customs and traditions?

The Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s holidays are all about customs and rituals – often passed down to us through the generations. In fact, we can spend so much of our lives following the same routines dictated by tradition that we forget that these patterns of celebration began because they were right for a time now passed. But choices made in the past when circumstances were different might not be right for the newly bereaved.

It might be true that traditions bind families together; but if you have lost a loved one, perhaps changing the rules and making new traditions would have a healing effect. Consider these thoughts…

• Even rigid customs can be bent especially if they would be painful for you at this time.
• If a celebration requires more energy than you have right now, its okay to skip it or to substitute a new activity.
• Entertaining can be simplified. Perhaps a casual potluck gathering for close family and friends where you can freely remember your departed loved one should replace the elaborate, formal holiday party for 100 guests.
• You can learn to be creative, flexible and even spontaneous as you customize your holiday plans.

So in this holiday season, shaping your traditions to suit your current needs makes sense. Each stage of your life demands its own rituals and celebrations. By embracing change, you will allow your loved one’s spirit to live on as your altered traditions build a bridge from the past to the present and to the future.

When a pet dies, it can be just as devastating as losing a family member or other loved one. Experts say that the elderly and children, who often develop especially deep bonds with their pets, are the most vulnerable to the extreme pain of loss.

When you lose a pet, it helps to know that you are not alone and to hear how others have coped. A place to start is the website called “Mourning a Best Friend” run by Susan Dowd Stone, MSW, LCSW. Ms. Stone is a New Jersey therapist specializing in bereavement and trauma. In addition to writing and speaking on the human-animal bond, she runs a pet bereavement group and educates veterinarians on the effects of ongoing loss.

Her website covers the many emotional issues related to pet loss, from grieving to healing and moving on. One of those issues is the need to honor and memorialize that departed pet.

Just as we make arrangements to honor our human family members and loved ones who die, we can do the same for our beloved pets.

Here at the Koller Funeral Home and Cremation Center, we can help you explore your options for handling your pet's remains, from cremation to burial. We can assist you in selecting pet urns,  pet caskets, pet-themed grave markers and keepsakes including accessories and even jewelry that will let you keep your pet close to your heart.

We do not directly handle the transport, cremation or burial of pets, but we do utilize a local service to do these things for you here in York County, PA.

If you want to discuss arrangements for your departed pet, please contact us here at the funeral home at your convenience.