Life in the Garden

Matters of Life and Death

Memorial Service Ideas

Rich Pets

Leona Helmsley cut her grandkids from her will but left her dog millions

“Trouble”, Leona’s snowy white toy Maltese terrier will live out the rest of her years in style. In death, she will be reunited with her owner in the Helmsley Mausoleum.

New York Skyline on Helmsley Crypt
New York Skyline on Helmsley Crypt
Helmsley Mausoleum, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Helmsley Mausoleum, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

Egyptians often buried cats with their owners. And Florida recently passed legislation allowing pets to be buried with their owners.

For the royally pampered pooch, our latest pet urn in the Egyptian Urn Collection.

This urn is hand painted ceramic, vivid colors and features the wings of Isis. This urn will accommodate pets weighing up to 50 pounds.

Leona Image: Splash News

Tara’s Funeral and Cremation

Claire Rudholm

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 weeks in the ashram, her death, cremation, and a little bit about the ceremonies that followed. It’s a very touching and beautiful send-off.

Taras Last Journey
Tara's Last Journey

Friend, Freedom Fighter and a High Lama

Wheel of Life
Wheel of Life

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 prayers, clanging cymbals and ringing bells — all aimed at helping him along his journey to rebirth.

Thubten J. Norbu’s cremation Thursday, Sept. 11 was the first of its kind in the state of Indiana after getting approval from Gov. Mitch Daniels. Indiana Law requires that cremation be preformed by a licensed crematory, but Gov. Mitch Daniels gave the family authorization to build a funeral pyre to perform this traditional ceremony.

Workers in Bloomington prepared the pyre for Norbu’s cremation
Workers in Bloomington prepared the pyre for Norbu’s cremation

Norbu’s passing has prompted prayer vigils in Tibet, India, Russia, Mongolia and Europe, among other places. In Dharamsala, India, the Tibetan government-in-exile shut down the day the news of his death was announced.

The family plans to use the ashes of Thubten J. Norbu to create statues the family can use as remembrance.

Source and images via

Consumer Corner

Missouri Official State Bird: Native Blue Bird
Official Missouri State Bird: Native Blue Bird

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. Previously, if you chose cremation, your family could overrule you AND your DPA and choose something else. But now your DPA will have the final say – so be sure to specify your final wishes to your DPA.

Continue reading about End of Life Choices for Missouri Residents.