Life in the Garden

Matters of Life and Death

keepsake urn

Urn Talk: St. Francis of Assisi Pet Urn

vintage postcard

We’ve created a cast metal urn to honor St. Francis and bless the sweet creatures he protects, and has become one of our most requested pet urns. This urn can serve as a pet urn or keepsake urn for animal lovers, holds pets weighing up to 55 pounds.

St. Francis Pet Urn

Saint Francis of Assisi is known as the patron saint of animals, the environment, and Italy. It’s customary for Catholic churches to hold ceremonies honoring animals around his feast day of October 4.

St. Francis statue urns are available in a satin bronze finish, as well as pewter and copper finish. Lined bottom to protect furniture. Urn can be personalized with a brass nameplate on the base.

Urn Garden Pet Urns

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.

Will Kurt Cobain Ever Have Peace?

curt cobain

A little late to the party, but I just found this story regarding the supposed theft of Curt Cobain’s ashes at the first of June.

From Rolling Stone:

The majority of Cobain’s ashes were spread at a New York Buddhist temple and in Washington’s Wishkah River. Cobain’s widow, Courtney Love said she kept a small amount (as well as a lock of his hair) for herself and was storing the ashes in a pink bear-shaped handbag that was hidden in the wardrobe closet of her Hollywood home. She believes the bag was taken by a former friend.

This isn’t the first time Love has had something of her husband stolen: In March, Love alleged that thieves used Cobain’s social security number to steal several million dollars from his estate. In both cases, Love believes she knows who is responsible for the theft.

Cherish the Memory

Yesterday, we covered various ash scattering techniques. As the cremation rate climbs, people are looking for creative and memorable ways to carry out the wishes of their loved one regarding their remains. Although many take home their loved ones ashes in a crematory urn , it is estimated that 21.7% plan on scattering the remains at some point, up from 17.8% in 1997. For this reason, planning a ceremony for the scattering of ashes is an important aspect of consideration.

Since many funeral home directors include scattering services in their funeral packages, it brings up ideas that many traditional-minded families may not have considered. This is a time that decision making can be difficult and overwhelming,and given that the ceremony is one that is ingrained in one’s memory, the choice is important because it is often the only opportunity that you will have to honor the loved one and the life that you shared together.

When choosing ash scattering as the method of cherishing the memory of the person, it’s important to take into consideration particular areas that may hold a great significance to the one that has passed on. This is a particularly meaningful part of the grieving process, because it allows the observing family to have a visual image of their loved one resting  in a place that they cherished and spent much of their life surrounded by. Some people prefer to photograph or video tape the ashes being scattered over this place as a constant reminder that they will be surrounded by an area that they loved.

Even for those that choose scattering as a method of dispersing ashes, many families still like to have a small portion of the ashes or a lock of hair incorporated into a small memorial such as a piece of cremation jewelry or keepsake urn. Others prefer creating a memorial that may include a memorial stepping stone , memorial garden plaque, or a statuary or garden memorial sculpture to honor their loved one. Garden stones and garden benches can also be used indoors or out, and all create loving touches in your sacred space. Whatever your decision, this is a personal choice that is meant to honor and represent your passed loved one as well as heal, restore, and remember the time and life that your loved one spent on Earth.