As part of our ongoing "Women in Funeral Service" series, I recently had the pleasure to visit with Deena Pulaski. Deena and her husband, Casmir, just celebrated their two year anniversary at their new funeral home, Lakeview Funeral Home and Crematory in LaPorte, Indiana. "We always knew that we'd own a funeral home, but imagined that we'd purchase an existing business, and it would be later than sooner." said Deena Deena was gracious enough to discuss take time out of her busy schedule to … [Read more...] about Meet Deena Pulaski
funeral service
Tara’s Funeral and Cremation
My friend Kristen sent me the beautiful story of Claire Rudholm, also known as Tara, who passed away in 2004. After a stage-4 cancer diagnosis she was given 'weeks to months' to live, she was only 33. Tara expressed a desire to return to southern India to the Sivananda ashram where she had lived and worked as a karma yogi. She requested a full traditional Hindu cremation, and that her remains be spread along the holy Ganges river. Through email and snapshots, Tara's friends documented the 5- 1/2 … [Read more...] about Tara’s Funeral and Cremation
Friend, Freedom Fighter and a High Lama
Bloomington, IN. Thubten J. Norbu, a former Indiana University professor and the oldest brother of the Dalai Lama, died Sept. 9, 2008 in Bloomington, Indiana. Norbu was regarded as a reincarnated saint. As mourners filed into his room dropping blue,yellow, and white silk blessing scarves at his feet, Norbu was positioned upright in his bed, seated in the lotus position and adorned with an ornate Buddhist head dress. Amid a fog of incense, eight robed monks sat along a wall chanting Tibetan … [Read more...] about Friend, Freedom Fighter and a High Lama
Consumer Corner
A new Missouri law gives you more control over what is done with your body after your death. Do you want to be buried, cremated, body donated to science? The authority to make this decision is known in legalese as "right of sepulcher." A DPA, or agent, is someone you name in a legal document to make medical decisions for you if can't speak for yourself. Under this new state law, the DPA has one additional power: right of sepulcher. In the past, next-of-kin had the final say on this issue. … [Read more...] about Consumer Corner
Do Not Disturb
In our culture we honor the dead by carving their names in stone, staging celebrations of life, and personalizing any and all funeral accessories from the casket to the urn. In contrast, here in the Bible Belt, I've attended a few services that where the body is on display (usually in a church) but the ceremony itself is actually an altar call for the "lost". In talking with Native Americans I've learned that in their culture, it is forbidden to mention the name of the deceased for fear of … [Read more...] about Do Not Disturb