Life in the Garden

Matters of Life and Death

organ donation

Oregon’s Unclaimed Dead, Lost and Found

vintage postcard brother

An Oregon newspaper, “The Oregonian”  has created the country’s first searchable database of the state’s Indigent Burial Fund, with the names of people whose bodies were unclaimed and cremated or who’s bodies were donated to the OHSU anatomy lab from January 2000 to the present. The Oregonian is releasing this information so that families may find lost relatives — or at least learn the final chapter of their history.

As families are able to locate their missing loved ones, bittersweet stories are emerging.

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.

Celebrate Life

mary lee

One of the advantages of cremation is the luxury of time. Although many families want immediate closure, memorial services and interment can actually be planned for a later date to allow for family that may have to travel, or even better weather.

Such was the case with the Lee family. When Mary Lou Lee passed away in March, her family honored her wishes: She wanted her services to be held after school was out for the summer as she did not want her school-age grandchildren and great-grandchildren to have to miss school to attend her funeral service. “Have it in the summer,” she said, “and have everyone wear a big hat!”

lee

And they did. Last week, they laid Mary Lou to rest beside her husband. One of Mary’s son’s owns an early SUV (short bus) and the family boarded the bus and drove to the cemetery for the service.

bus

Back in the late ’60’s, with all the turmoil happening throughout the world, Mary Lou’s husband had several thousand of these flower power stickers printed up. According to one of the brothers, “These represent, not just a slogan or catch phrase, but a way of life.” One sticker survived and was displayed in a prominent location on Jim’s bus.

celebrate life

After the service, everyone gathered at Mary’s son, Jim’s place for food and fellowship. Earlier, the brothers went to Sam’s Club and bought their mom’s favorite foods, pimento stuffed olives and summer sausage, drug the tables and chairs out on the lawn, and honored their mother’s memory.

Beautiful.

Thank you Jim, for permission to share your experience with other families looking for memorial ideas.

Hookin’ Up

jazzy chair

There is hope for aging brains.

Law and Order’s Jerry Orbach donated his eyes.

Speaking of eyeballs, check out this eye bank ad. Creepy or cool?

The History Channel will explore cremation, the role of the medical examiner, organ and tissue donation and more during a show to air at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 20th in MODERN MARVELS: CORPSE TECH.The show’s theme will be “Adventures of the Body After Life.”

Let’s talk about life: More than 4000 babies in China have been named “Olympic Games”.

china baby

jazzy chair image via.

Time is of the Essence

vintage postcard

As difficult and harsh as the weather’s been lately, the beauty of spring is beginning to emerge. Buds on the trees, greening of the grass, birds returning to the garden.

Mr. Davis shared these predictions for the future from a 1968 Mechanixs Illustrated mag:

People have more time for leisure activities in the year 2008. The average work day is about four hours. But the extra time isn’t totally free. The pace of technological advance is such that a certain amount of a jobholder’s spare time is used in keeping up with the new developments – on the average, about two hours of home study a day.

Home study? Yes. Leisure time? NO. More please.

So we get it where we can. Miss CK NY’s post brought a tear, as well as Mr. Goddard’s “Ahead of the Curve” in Georgia about catching those little waves.

Finally, condolences to our neighbor to the South, the Bus Driver on the loss of his mom. Health wise, it’s been a difficult year for Mary Lou and her son Jim has been paying tribute to his Mother on his blog.

And on her final gift:

This morning, at 5:50 am, Mom left this earthly life. She specifically directed her mortal remains be given to Mid American Transplant Service and what could not be harvested, be used for research. What is left is to be cremated and placed with our Dad’s cremains in their plot the National Cemetery at Glenstone and Seminole.

I’ll always remember my sweet Etta Mae’s words: “Honey, after 80, it’s all downhill. EVERYTHING falls apart.”

Etta Mae Aulick

Today’s tip: DO IT NOW