Having the death talk with your child.

Whatever your religious beliefs may be, death means the loss of a living being. It is the absence of a physical presence. It is also a time of great sadness and mourning for you and your children. It is important to help children accept the realities of death; to understand the loss and be able to grieve. When you protect children from the sadness of death, you deny them opportunities to share their feelings and receive much needed support. Sharing feelings helps everyone.

Dr. Earl A. Grollman in his book, ‘Explaining Death to Children’, states that “death may be made more comprehensible by explaining it in terms of the absence of familiar life functions - when people die they do not breathe, eat, talk, think, or feel any more; when dogs die they do not bark or run anymore; dead flowers do not grow or bloom anymore.” He points out that “some children confuse death with sleep; particularly if they hear adults refer to death with one of the many euphemisms for sleep - “eternal rest”, “rest in peace.” As a result of the confusion, a child may become afraid of going to bed or of taking naps. Grandma went “to sleep” and hasn’t gotten up yet. Maybe I won’t wake up either.

Should Children Attend Funerals?

Funerals serve a valuable function. Every society has some form of funeral ceremony to help the living acknowledge, accept and cope with the loss of a loved one. Whether or not a particular child should be included again depends on the child and their maturity. If the child is old enough to understand and wants to participate, being included may help them accept the reality of the death while in the compassionate company of family and friends.

If a child is to attend a funeral, they should be prepared for what they will hear and see before, during, and after the services. They should be aware that on such a sad occasion people will be expressing their bereavement in various ways and that many will be crying. If the child prefers not to attend the funeral, they must not be coerced or made to feel guilty. 

Here are ten things to consider:

1. Talking about death is easier when a child feels that they have our approval to talk about it and they believe that we are interested in their views and questions. Encourage children to communicate before a death occurs and answer whatever questions they may have, appropriate to their age level. 

2. Each child is at a different age and maturity level. Communication about death depends on their physical age and life experiences. 

3. If the child is very young, they may view death as temporary, and fears may arise about being separated from their loved ones more than about death itself. 

4. It is not always easy to understand what a child is really asking. Sometimes it may be necessary to respond to a question to clarify the child’s concern. Don’t elaborate about the entire death process if the child is asking a simple question like “Where did Grandpa go?” 

5. A very young child can comprehend only small amounts of information. Answers need to be brief, simple, to the point and repeated if necessary. Sometimes young children are just confused about life and death in general and need to process what happened. 

6. A child often feels guilty and angry when they lose a close family member, especially a sibling. They need reassurance that they are loved and cared for and that death is not predicated on poor behavior or bad decisions. 

7. A child may need to mourn a loved one on and off in different ways until they become an adolescent and they understand death in a way that makes sense to them. 

8. They will always need support and acceptance through the grieving process. They need to be given permission to show their feelings openly. 

9. Whether a child should attend a funeral depends on their age, their ability to understand death and their relationship with the deceased. 

10. Children should always be asked if they wish to participate in the funeral or memorial. If they choose to attend a funeral, prepare them in advance for what they will hear and see. 

Have the talk about death with your children.

I’ve found that it’s easier to talk about death with children before a death occurs, when we are not emotionally involved. Take the opportunity to talk to children about dead flowers, trees, insects, or birds. Children should not be made to feel guilty or embarrassed about their curiosity about death. Their interest will open the door to a discussion that all living things die and in this way make room for new living things to take their place on earth.

It’s the circle of life.

Nancy Burban 2014


Funeral fund

A fond farewell to folk singer, activist, legendary Pete Seeger.

Pete Seeger, young banjo player and folk singer.

 Pete Seeger, troubadour and activist for more than a half-century, has taken his banjo to the afterlife.

The iconic banjo-picking musician who sang for migrant workers, college students and several presidents and introduced folk music to generations of Americans, died Monday at the age of 94. He slipped away peacefully in his sleep around 9:30 p.m. surrounded by family members.

With his lanky frame, use-worn banjo and full white beard, Seeger was an iconic figure in folk music who outlived most of his peers. He performed with the great troubadour Woody Guthrie and wrote or co-wrote "If I Had a Hammer," ''Turn, Turn, Turn," ''Where Have All the Flowers Gone" and "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine." He protested against Hitler and nuclear power. Pete Seeger was a cheerful, soft spoken storyteller with fingers ever poised over the strings of his famous banjo.

Peace was a message Seeger spread through song his entire life.

Seeger was credited with popularizing "We Shall Overcome” which he sang while proudly walking alongside Martin Luther King Jr. "Every kid who ever sat around a campfire singing an old song is indebted in some way to Pete Seeger," Arlo Guthrie once said.

His musical career was always braided tightly with his political activism, in which he advocated for causes ranging from civil rights to the cleanup of his beloved Hudson River. He took the sloop Clearwater, built by volunteers in 1969, up and down the Hudson, singing to raise money to clean the water and fight polluters.

"The most important job I did was go from college to college to college to college, one after the other, usually small ones," he told The Associated Press in 2006. " ... And I showed the kids there's a lot of great music in this country they never played on the radio."

Seeger often stated that “The idea of using music to try to get the world together is now all over the place."

His famous banjo.

Seeger's legacy included movies and dozens of albums for both adults and children.

He appeared in the movies "To Hear My Banjo Play" in 1946 and "Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon" in 1970. A reunion concert of the original Weavers in 1980 was filmed as a documentary titled "Wasn't That a Time."

The official Washington crowd sang along -- the audience must sing was the rule at a Seeger concert -- when it lionized him at the Kennedy Center in 1994. President Bill Clinton hailed him as "an inconvenient artist who dared to sing things as he saw them."

Seeger was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 as an early influence. Ten years later, Bruce Springsteen honored him with "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions," a rollicking reinterpretation of songs sung by Seeger. A 2009 concert at Madison Square Garden to mark Seeger's 90th birthday featured Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Eddie Vedder and Emmylou Harris among the performers. Bruce Springsteen claimed that Seeger was an early influence and gave him the title “Father of folk music”.

Seeger remained active to the end.

Seeger maintained his reedy 6-foot-2 frame into old age, though he wore a hearing aid, used a cane and conceded that his voice had sounded better in his youth. He relied on his audiences to make up for his weakened voice, feeding his listeners the lines and letting them sing out.

"I can't sing much," he said. "I used to sing high and low. Now I have a growl somewhere in between."

Nonetheless, in 1997 he won a Grammy for best traditional folk album, "Pete."

"He was chopping wood 10 days ago," his grandson recalled. He was active to the very end.

He was born to a creative family.

Seeger was born in New York City on May 3, 1919, into an artistic family. His mother, Constance, played violin and taught; his father, Charles, a musicologist, was a consultant to the Resettlement Administration, which gave artists work during the Depression. His uncle Alan Seeger, the poet, wrote "I Have a Rendezvous with Death."

Pete Seeger said he fell in love with folk music when he was 16, at a music festival in North Carolina in 1935. His half-brother, Mike Seeger, and half-sister, Peggy Seeger, also became noted performers.

He learned the five-string banjo, an instrument he rescued from obscurity and played the rest of his life in a long-necked version of his own design. On the skin of Seeger's banjo was the phrase, "This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender". Dropping out of Harvard in 1938 after two years as a disillusioned sociology major, he hit the road, picking up folk tunes as he hitchhiked or hopped freights.

"The sociology professor said, 'Don't think that you can change the world. The only thing you can do is study it,'" Seeger said in October 2011.

He married Toshi Seeger on July 20, 1943. The couple built their log cabin in Beacon after World War II and stayed on the high spot of land by the Hudson River for the rest of their lives together. For, much of that time, they had no water or electricity. Pete and Toshi liked to live a simple life. The couple raised three beautiful children. 

Pete and Toshi Seeger,

His beloved Toshi died in July, 2013 at age 91. At her funeral service, Pete spoke from his heart...

"A time to hug, a time to kiss

A time to close your eyes and wish.

Thanks to my wife Toshi, without whom the world would not turn nor the sun shine."

Thank you for your musical legend, dear Pete Seeger. 

You will be missed.

Nancy Burban 2014

Funeral fund

High school basketball team gets a miracle assist from beyond the grave.

It all started with an old basketball and a gold Sharpie. Coach Thompson told each player to pick someone to dedicate the game to. It could be anyone who inspired you. It could be a teacher, a mentor, one boy even picked his parents. No one took the exercise more seriously than junior guard Spencer Wilson. He picked his late friend Josh Rominger. 

The game was against their archrivals, Mount Airy High School.

With two seconds left and down by a point, Bishop McGuinness High School basketball team needed a miracle. When Mount Airy missed a chance to go up by two, Junior Spencer Wilson figured he'd give it a shot - a half-court shot. To Spencer's and everyone else's surprise, it went in.

"Right when the ball went in, I just thought it was a dream," said Wilson. "I was like, this can't be real."

"I will remember this game for the rest of my life," a fellow player said.

Spencer Wilson won his battle with cancer twice.

The win was a bright spot in a young man's life which was filled with many sad moments. Spencer spent the last five years battling cancer, not once but twice. Doctors said “You have a 7% chance to beat this," said Wilson. "That was the toughest news I've ever heard."

But he beat it, with the support of Josh Rominger, another boy also fending off cancer. "He meant a whole lot to me," said Wilson.

Sadly, Josh died last year, shortly after his 18th birthday. "With his story I could sort of relate to everything he went through so he really touched me," said Wilson.

Coach Thompson told each player to pick someone to dedicate the game to.

So when Spencer's coach told the team they would dedicate a game to someone who inspired them, Spencer didn't think twice. Each player wrote the name of their inspiration on a basketball with a gold sharpie. Spencer wrote Josh Rominger.

"We would all put our hands on the ball before we broke the huddle just as a constant reminder that we were playing that game for something bigger than ourselves," said Head Coach Josh Thompson.

So when Spencer made that last second shot, it was an honor to all the names on that ball, but especially to Josh Rominger.

Josh and Spencer.

Two young men forged a friendship during their battle with cancer.

"Josh's passion for life really drew me towards him," Spencer says.

Spencer and Josh were two great friends with one horrible thing in common: they both had cancer. The difference was Spencer beat his, and Josh didn’t. Josh died nine months ago.

Before the game, Spencer wrote a letter to Josh's mom, explaining what they were doing and why he would be playing for Josh. "His joy illuminated the room, and it was always apparent to me that he was special," Spencer wrote. "Just wanted to let you know the impact your son has on my life still to this day. I will never forget him. Play for Josh."

"I read it and cried," says Josh's mom, Denna Rominger. "They just had that bond. Nobody else knew how Josh felt except for Spencer."

Spencer says he still thinks about Josh every day. That's why this opportunity meant so much to him.

"During timeouts, when we touched the ball, I found where I wrote 'Josh,' and I looked for that," Spencer says. "Put my hand on it every single time." Spencer thought of his friend.

Josh’s spirit inspired Spencer to win the game.

"One of my favorite quotes is 'dedicate yourself to today because tomorrow is never promised,'" said Wilson.

Which brings us to the end of that miraculous basketball game. With two seconds left on the clock, Bishop down by a point and their archrivals at the free-throw line, Bishop needed a miracle. And that's exactly what they got.

In the record book, Spencer Wilson will get credit for that remarkable Hail Mary. But the boys here at Bishop believe Spencer's friend Josh deserves an assist. Whether you believe in miracles from beyond the grave or not, you've got to score one for a friendship that endures forever. 

And, for the record, I believe.

The late Josh Rominger who inspired the winning game.

Nancy Burban 2014

Funeral fund

On loss and libations: Florida funeral home offers wine to mourners.

At the Hodges Funeral Home in Naples, General Manager Seth Minso shows the funeral home's new wine cellar that takes the place of the community room. The room offers a bar type setting with easy chairs as well as high top tables that resemble wine barrels where families can gather.

The Hodges Funeral Home in Naples, Florida has installed a modern wine room complete with a wine cellar. It's a comfortable space where families can congregate for a death-adjacent catered reception, a modern substitute for an hour-long grieving session on wooden church pews. 

From casket to cask– the modern day funeral.

The wine cellar is Funeral Director Seth Minso's touch of nightlife for the afterlife. The Naples, Florida funeral home now offers a full wine selection during its’ funeral services to mourners.

Seth Minso says more and more people wanted celebrations of life instead of traditional funerals. He added that Naples also has a lot of wine lovers.

The wine room is so new it has only been used a handful of times, but with great success. Families can rent the room and have a catered reception with wine service and their choice of music, funeral related or not.

"They still want to have a party, still want to celebrate and have the means to mourn their loved ones…but they don't want to do it over a person's body," Minso said. "For the younger generations that's become such an old fashion idea. Our goal is to make people comfortable, almost like they weren't even in a funeral home," Minso said.

An idea this radical comes with mixed opinions.

"I like the idea," said Judy Fowski, of Naples. "I like the idea of a celebration of life when people can stand around and talk."

"Maybe I'm old fashioned, I don't know. It doesn't sound like they go together," Vumbacco said.

The home will still offer its traditional services for those not interested in the wine cellar.

"No different than going to a restaurant that serves alcohol and not sitting at the bar," Minso said. "There's people that this is going to be meaningful and you got to help them through the grieving process."

Food and drinks at funerals are catching on nationwide.

Minso believes the idea could soon catch on throughout the country. While this is the first funeral home with a full wine cellar, there are several funeral homes in Texas and other states who offer a full bar and catered food.

"Nobody wants to go to a funeral; nobody wants to stay at a funeral home. So we've been renovating things," Minso said. The cellar is an addition to the already popular Hodges Funeral Home. Minso says it offers families a different way to grieve.

"Sure, there are tears, and sure, there's sadness, but the fact of the matter is there's a personal way to celebrate somebody," Minso said. "The traditional and religious aspects I believe in. This is just something as an extension to some of the other families. We're not trying to change what's important to you -- we're trying to add something that may be important to someone else."

Would having food and wine available change your mind about attending a funeral service? It has made a big difference in this funeral home which was already very popular in Naples.

The wine cellar where mourners can drink wine and eat during funeral services.

Nancy Burban 2014

Funeral fund

Hundreds of strangers flock to funeral of veteran who died alone at age 99.

A line of cadets queuing up in the rain during the former serviceman's funeral ceremony.

Harold Jellicoe Percival died in a nursing home and had no close relatives to attend his funeral in Lancashire, U.K, but more than 500 people, including many in uniform attended the ceremony after a notice was placed in the local paper and picked up on the internet. A two-minute Armistice Day silence was also observed across Britain at 11am.

Mr. Percival’s service was recognized in a memorial service.

Veteran Harold Jellicoe Percival, who died last month at age 99, served with the Bomber Command during the Second World War. His death would have gone unnoticed and marked with a simple service in an almost empty chapel if not for a group of compassionate strangers comprised of veterans and a funeral director.

Harold Jellicoe Percival, the last link to the Dambusters raid, lost the love of his life in 1935 and he had no children. When he died last month he had no close friends and it seemed there would be no one to mourn him except a small group of nursing home staff.

But veterans groups and a caring funeral director wanted a memorial service to honor him and they led an internet campaign highlighting the forgotten war veteran’s accomplishments. Hundreds of people who never knew him were moved by his story and came to pay their respects at his funeral – touchingly held at 11am on Armistice Day.

Harold Jellicoe Percival had over 500 mourners who celebrated his life.

The extraordinary turnout of strangers included many children who stood in the rain alongside military personnel in uniform, some on leave from Afghanistan. All were determined to honor the memory of Mr. Harold Jellicoe Percival, who valiantly served his country with the Bomber Command as ground crew on the famous May 1943 raids by 617 Squadron.

Beneath a cold, rainy sky the mourners formed a queue at the crematorium in Lancashire. Over 100 filled the pews inside, with another 400 or so standing outside in the rain.

After the funeral cortege arrived, a two-minute silence was observed. Then Mr. Percival’s casket, draped in British flags, was carried in to the chapel accompanied by the sounds of The Dambusters March amid extemporaneous applause.

Almost forgotten, now memorialized by many.

The Reverend Alan Clark who officiated over the service told the mourners: ‘You have come in numbers surpassing anything that was expected. You come not because you knew him, but because each of us are part of each other. We have a common humanity.’ ‘We marvel at the power of the printed word’, referring to the short notice appealing for mourners which the funeral home and veterans group had placed in the local paper.

The funeral home was contacted by veterans’ groups and other military supporters who wanted to acknowledge the life of Mr. Percival and the appeal was quickly picked up by others on internet social networking sites.

Funeral Director Eddie Jacobs said: ‘This was a man with only a couple of very distant relatives going to his last resting place alone. The British people responded like only the British can.’

Other staff stated: ‘It’s staggering. It shows how great the British public are. He was not a hero, he was just someone who did his duty in World War Two. We were expecting a few people, a few local veterans, but it snowballed. It’s very emotional.’

His caretaker Janet Wareing added: ‘He would talk about the war sometimes. His sort of role has often been forgotten. He would remove the deceased aircrew from bombers when they returned full of bullet holes. Then he would try to keep the plane in the air ready for the next mission. It was very harrowing.’

Group Captain Bob Kemp of the RAF Benevolent Fund said: ‘Harold Percival served in perhaps the most famous unit of World War Two. It is fitting that he should be given this sort of send-off. It is remarkable.’

Mr. Percival’s legacy.

Mr. Percival was a distant relative of Spencer Perceval, who in 1812 became the only British prime minister to be assassinated. He was born in Penge, South-East London.

Mr. Percival never married. The only love of his life, Jessie Campbell, died of tuberculosis back in 1935. He remained alone for the rest of his life, mourning her loss.

After the war Mr. Percival emigrated to Australia, where he worked as an interior decorator for many years. He returned to Britain after retirement and lived in hotels until he moved into the nursing home where he later died.

Everyone deserves a dignified funeral and memorial service at end of life.

Thanks to hundreds of Brits, Mr. Percival's life was memorialized. His legacy was honored.

If you know of someone who might need financial assistance for their funeral or burial needs, let us help. We can start a donation page for them on www.funeralfund.com


Nancy Burban 2014

Funeral fund

Outdoorsman makes final journey to the afterlife by boat instead of a traditional hearse.

The definition of a hearse is a vehicle, such as a specially designed car or carriage, used to carry a coffin to a place of worship and ultimately to a cemetery or crematorium. Can a boat carrier be considered a hearse? Yes, it can and it carried Ronald Bloss Sr. to his final resting place.

Ronald Bloss was an avid fisherman.

Every year when the weather warmed enough, Ronald Bloss Sr. would tow his fishing boat to the river. The Pennsylvania man would spend all day on the water. Bloss would bring his pontoon boat out, and ride around on that, said Bloss' only daughter, Tina Rohrbaugh. He'd fish, listen to the radio and spend time with his friends on Shelly Island, across from Three Mile Island, where he had a cabin.

The Pennsylvania man, died of cancer Saturday at age 78, but he was able to take one last boat ride.

His family brought his boat to the Diehl Funeral Home in Mount Wolf and they placed Bloss' casket aboard his Johnboat for one final trip to the cemetery. This time Ronald Bloss Sr. was towed to the river.

You could almost see the sign that said "Gone Fishing"; Ronald’s final wish was granted.

Bloss also liked to hunt.

When Bloss couldn’t fish, you would find him hunting. He spent the fall in his cabin in the mountains. He was a true outdoorsman who had a hobby for every season.

But Bloss started to feel ill in December when he was bear hunting in the mountains, his son-in-law Dennis Rohrbaugh remembered.

When Bloss got home to Mount Wolf, he sought medical immediate attention. As a diabetic, he thought his sugar might be a little high. It turned out his sugar was very high. But, after the doctors did all the tests, they found something else, something much worse. Ronald had cancer. Doctors found a tumor growing on Bloss' pancreas. It had spread to his liver.

The doctors told Bloss the cancer was inoperable. He would only live about two more months.

His daughter recalls her Dad’s last wishes.

After Bloss passed, his daughter remembered something her dad told her about an unusual funeral he heard about a few years back. While he was eating in the Manchester Diner one day, a lady told Bloss about her husband's funeral, where he was carried to the funeral ceremony by boat.

Bloss thought that was a perfect ending to an outdoorsman’s life. He told his daughter that he wanted to take his last journey in his prized boat.

So on Wednesday, Diehl Funeral Home in Mount Wolf took Bloss on his final boat ride.

It was a fitting tribute from his family, to a man who loved to be on the water.

"That's what dad really wanted," Rohrbaugh said. "It was like him going fishing, going for that last ride."

The funeral home had their first “boat service”.

Ronald Bloss Sr.'s family thought it would be appropriate given Bloss' love of the water and his service in the U.S. Navy. The two things he was most proud of.

Michael Gladfelter, owner of Diehl Funeral Home and Cremation Center Inc., said this tribute marked a first for his funeral home, too. He's done other unique services, but never used a boat carrier as a hearse. His goal is to always help families honor their loved ones and their last requests. He was honored to serve this family in their water based memorial. For Bloss, who loved fishing and being on the water, "I thought this was perfect," Gladfelter said.

Nancy Burban 2014

Funeral fund

Kindness suits a 5th grade football team. A story of anti-bullying.

What a gift! Instead of joining the bullies, this school made a child feel accepted and loved.

It was a touching moment for all when a fifth-grade football team stood up for their special-needs waterboy, 6 year old Danny, who was bullied for wearing suits to school... by dressing just like him!

They played great defense and showed him their full support.

Danny Keefe, a first-grader from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, who suffers from a speech impediment, become the target of bullies who called him a baby and ridiculed him for wearing a suit and tie to school.

So, members of the Williams Intermediate School fifth-grade football team, where Danny is a waterboy, banded together to send a clear message to the boy's tormentors by dressing up like him and holding a Danny Appreciation Day.

When Danny was a week old, he suffered a brain hemorrhage that resulted in apraxia of speech - a disorder in which a person has trouble saying what he or she wants to say correctly and consistently.

Danny is also  the fiercely loved water boy for the fifth-grade football team.

Instead of lashing out at the bullies, the boys decided to use their football skills to good use and planned a great defense. They planned on honoring Danny and one day all 45 fifth-graders arrived in school and surrounded the dashing 6-year-old Danny, all dressed in jackets and ties.

'This is the best day ever,' a beaming Danny exclaimed as the older kids chanted his name in the library. The first-grader's father, Mark Keefe, who is the assistant coach of the Badgers, told the fifth-graders that they should be proud of themselves.

The children said that the 6-year-old is part of their ‘band of brothers,’ and they were not going to let anyone bully him. ‘We thought we would all come to school like Danny and sponsor Danny to show Danny that we love him...that we love him very much,’ said one of the 11-year-olds, wiping his eyes.

When the rest of the school saw this outpouring of love, they joined in. Kudos to the parents and teachers of these extraordinary young people! 

If more classmates supported children who were being bullied and showed their love and appreciation, the bullies would lose their power. These children would feel accepted instead of intimidated.

A simple act of kindness can become the gift of a lifetime.

A simple act of kindness can become the gift of a lifetime.

Smile 

Your day just got a lot better!

Nancy Burban 2014

Funeral fund

Breaking News! Funeral service and memorial e-notices contain malware which infects your computer.

Hackers are preying on the sympathies of bereaved families and friends. If the deceased is not mentioned in the email, do not click on the link. 

Funeral homes and those they serve should be on alert for a nasty new email scam.

As if grieving families don't have enough to deal with at the time of a death, now they have to deal with a new email scam, trying to steal their information and harm their computers. This new scam swipes the names and logos of funeral homes in hopes of getting recipients to click on a malware-infected link, which will infect their computer. The emails were not sent by the funeral homes that they name. Instead, they are part of a criminal campaign designed to trick recipients into downloading and installing malware.

The infected email purports to be an e-invite to a funeral or remembrance service for an unnamed friend or acquaintance. That should be your first clue. No one is mentioned.

The email may have the subject line “funeral notification” or “passing of your friend.”

Several versions are circulating. Here's one version:

“You are cordially invited to express your sympathy in memory of your friend at a celebration of life service….”

There’s a link to get more info about the deceased and the service. That link apparently is infected with malware. Do not click it. Resist the urge!

The emails include an upcoming date for the funeral service, so recipients may feel they have little time to get the information they need.The hackers create a sense of urgency so most people will click first and question later. Later will be too late -for your PC that is.

At least two funeral homes – one in Texas, one in Arkansas – have issued warnings that their names are being used on the fraudulent emails. These types of e-scams morph fast, so I would expect more versions using other funeral home names to pop up.

What you need to look for.

If you get an e-invite to a funeral or memorial service, ignore it if it doesn’t include the name of the deceased.

If you get one and you are concerned that you might miss a real memorial or funeral service, you can put your mind at rest by googling the funeral home name and checking the funeral home’s website. This is very important, do not use the links on the email! You can also scan the local death notices in your newspaper.

If you fall prey to these hackers,the only death that you'll notice is your computer's demise.

Nancy Burban 2014

Funeral fund

Ebony Franks - Funeral Fund Campaign

My daughter was a beautiful strong child, though she was born with CP and couldn't walk or talk, She taught us how to be strong and how perservere through the struggles of life. She taught us patience and understanding with just a smile, and how to face each day bravely with just a blink of an eye. Thruogh all the pain that she faced daily, she did so bravely. Now that my princess is gone, we would love to give her a Going Home worthy of the princess that she was. And we're asking for your help in monetrary Donations to help us cover the cost of her Going Home that we are unable to cover. Being that this was so unexpecting, we had very little saved up for such an expensive trumatic event. Do to my daughters painful disabilities, she wasn't suppose to live past two. But being the strong fighter that she was, she gave us 19 beautiful years of her beautiful smile and soul. So no matter what you can give to help us give her a beautiful send off, will trul be greatly appreciated..... Thank you and GOD BLESS you all.......Sincerely, Julia Franks & Family

Ebony Franks Funeral Fund Campaign

Funeral fund

Riding on the highway to heaven? Pope auctions his Harley Davidson chopper for charity.

The Pope thanks the Harley Davidson people.

The Harley Davidson Motor Company presented two of its motorcycles and a custom biker jacket to Pope Francis last June, when Rome hosted the 110th anniversary celebration of the iconic American motorcycle. The Pope blessed about 800 bikers and their rides in St. Peter’s Square.

Did you know the Pope had a Harley?

It’s a safe bet that no matter what religion you practice or even if you don’t, Pope Francis has found a way into your heart through his humility and good works. Pope Francis has quickly gained a reputation as the cool pontiff, but who knew he had a Harley? Two, actually and a custom biker jacket.

The pope plans to sell off his 1,585cc Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide, embellished with a signature on the tank that reads "Francesco”.

In June, the pontiff was given two of the iconic motorcycles by the Milwaukee-based manufacturer “Harley Davidson” in celebration of the 110th anniversary of the motorcycle brand. The pope is known for refusing to ride bullet proof Popemobiles so that he can interact with the faithful and turning to more low-key modes of transportation.

"I suspect that it will (have) a very limited mileage," said Ben Walker, head of motorcycles at Bonhams, the auction house handling this sale.

The Pope is presented with a custom, leather "biker" jacket.

The proceeds will go to help the homeless.

The sale of the motorcycle will fund the renovation of Caritas’ Don Luigi di Liegro Hostel and Soup Kitchen at Rome’s Termini station. The two projects have operated since 1987 to help relieve the suffering of about 1,000 people every day, Caritas Rome reports

"We hope to be able to do both Pope Francis and Harley-Davidson proud by raising a significant amount of money for a very worthy cause," Walker said.

Bonhams estimated the holy hog could raise between 12,000 and 15,000 euros, about $16,000 to $20,000.

After the Harley is auctioned at the Grand Palais in Paris on Feb. 6, a custom leather biker jacket also given to the pope and later signed by His Holiness will be sold separately.

“It is a precious gift that has once again made us happy in feeling the closeness of our bishop to the poor of the Church of Rome. We are deeply grateful to Pope Francis for this,” Monsignor Enrico Feroci, the director of Caritas Rome, said at a press conference.

The Pope practices humility when it comes to transportation.

Pope Francis has always encouraged clergy to show humility in their choice of transportation.

In July, he told a group of seminarians and religious novices that he felt hurt when he sees a priest or a sister with a brand new car. “And, if you like that beautiful car, think about how many children are dying of hunger,” he said, urging them to choose simpler transportation options.

As a cardinal in Argentina, Pope Francis was well known for taking public transportation.

In September, the Pope accepted an Italian priest’s gift of a used Renault 4 with 186,000 miles on its odometer instead of the “Pope mobile”.

Pope Francis embodies the spirit of giving and once again looks out for the less fortunate.

You rock, Pontiff!!!

The Pope's "Holy Hog", with his name on the side.

Nancy Burban 2014

Funeral fund

A consumer’s guide to planning your cremation service.

If you are choosing cremation, plan ahead of time. Planning your own cremation service takes the burden off your loved ones and you’ll be sure to have your final wishes honored.

There are two ways to plan your own cremation service. You can plan your service with the assistance of a funeral director or you can plan it on your own. You can write your plans and attach it to your will or leave it with the funeral home if you are pre-planning your service.

Since this is a “once in a lifetime” event and you don’t want to make mistakes, I suggest you consult with a funeral director from a good funeral home, who has done this hundreds if not thousands of times. They have great ideas that you might not have thought of and can get you items that are only available to funeral homes.

Think about what you would like your service to be like. Remember this is your last hurrah, so make it memorable. 

Here are some things to consider when planning your cremation service:

· Visitation. Would you like your loved ones to be able to say their final goodbyes? When making this decision, think about what your family and friends would like. Will it give them closure and ease their grief? If so, then choose a visitation. You might want to choose two hours in the afternoon and two hours in the evening to accommodate those who are working or need to hire a babysitter..


· Rental or cremation casket. You can choose to rent a casket or purchase an inexpensive wood or cloth cremation casket. If you choose a cremation casket, basic wood is a good choice. You can plan to have the cremation casket covered with a special memorial blanket or a silk covering. Your funeral director can show you different options. There is no need to purchase an expensive casket if you are going to be cremated. Rentals are equally beautiful and will save you money.

· Memorial service. Would you like a memorial service or a religious service in your place of worship? Perhaps you would prefer a non-denominational or spiritual service? The memorial service can take place in the funeral home after visitation if desired or at a later date. You can also have a religious memorial service in your house of worship.


· Personalization. You can make a collection of your favorite photos, videos and mementoes to be displayed at your service. You can also create a DVD with a slideshow of your “life story”. If you have musical friends, ask them to do a medley of your favorite songs or create a music list on your iPod of the music you would like played at your service. Look into using web services for those who cannot travel to your wake. This is your last goodbye. Surround yourself, your family and your friends with the things you loved and cared about.


· Eulogy. Who would you like to give your eulogy? A close friend, family or a colleague are good choices. Choose an alternate in the event that your first choice is not available physically or emotionally. You might want to prepare a short biography with some of the things you want to be remembered for. This is the last story that you will tell. Let your voice be heard!

· Clergy. Is there a Priest or Rabbi who you would like to say a prayer or a reading? If you are not religious, hiring a celebrant is a great alternative. The celebrant can personalize your service any way that you would like. Think of the celebrant as a kind of event planner for your final sendoff. You can even choose a small gift to be given to those at your service like seeds to plant in your memory or a small photo book.


· Cremation Ashes. Think of where you’d like your cremains to be buried or scattered. There are many options from using a traditional urn to using keepsake urns and dividing up your cremains so each family member receives a portion. Having your cremated remains made into jewelry is also an option, so that family members can keep you close to their hearts. Burying your cremains in a biodegradable earth or sea urn or scattering your ashes on land or sea is also gaining in popularity.


We’re all going to leave this earth one day and planning your own cremation service will give you peace of mind that you will be honored in a way that is respectful and tells your life story.

Nancy Burban 2014

Funeral fund

A lesson in kindness and compassion: Teacher donates her kidney in memory of her dead aunt.

When Colorado teacher Jen Sculley heard one of her students desperately needed a kidney transplant she didn't think twice about offering to help. Jen Sculley was a perfect match for her young student who was going through dialysis every day due to a rare kidney disease.

Jen Sculley donated her kidney as a way of honoring her recently deceased Aunt.

Jen Sculley offered to help the girl as a way to honor an aunt who died recently from cancer and who shared the same name as the student. She first learned of her student's serious kidney problems when the girl, who was having dialysis every day, told her she wouldn't be able to join in all the activities in the sports class.

The student has FSGS, a disease that attacks the kidney's filtering process. As she explained her illness, Jen Sculley said she heard a clear voice saying: 'You are going to give her a kidney.' She thought it was the voice of her Aunt who died recently from cancer.

The girl's family and friends had already put themselves forward as possible donors but no match had been found - until Jen Sculley was tested.

'Through her I get to pass on the memory of my aunt and that’s amazing,' Ms. Sculley said.

Kidney donations are on the decline, yet the need is rising.

“Home of the angels’ is proud of their Gym Teacher’s actions.

Colleagues at the Denver school, with its' motto 'Home of the angels', praised Jen Sculley.

'I’ve never seen a teacher in my 36 years go above and beyond to that extent,' Rudy Carey, a teacher at the school, said.

The transplant happened last week and Ms. Sculley is spending the rest of the month on medical leave. The physical education teacher at Denver's East High School and her student, who has not been named, are both making good progress after their operations on Friday.

Jen Sculley is one of several teachers donating kidneys to students.

Jen Sculley is not the first teacher to donate a life-saving kidney to a student. Several other teachers across the country have made headlines recently for going beyond the classroom to help students with kidney donations.

· Last year in Ohio, 8-year-old first-grader Nicole Miller was in desperate need of a kidney transplant and received a donated kidney from her former kindergarten teacher Wendy Killian.

· Another kindergarten teacher in Texas donated a kidney to a student's father who needed a transplant.

· And in 2009, a teacher in New York donated a one of her kidneys to a 19-year-old writing student in need of a transplant who was on a waitlist that could have taken up to eight years to finally receive a kidney – eight years he didn’t have.

Teachers play such an important role in student’s lives. Teachers teach us life lessons and these teachers have taught us the ultimate act of kindness. They’ve given the gift of life.

Jen Sculley is hugged by students.

Kidney donations are on the decline since 2004, yet the need is ever increasing.

For more information about kidney disease and how to become a donor, 

visit the National Kidney Foundation's website. www.kidney.org

Funeral fund

Taylor Scout Smith’s Letter: Girl's Note to Future Self Found After She Dies Unexpectedly..

Taylor with her Mom at the beach.

Have you ever wondered if some children and adults for that matter have premonitions and get their affairs in order due to a gut instinct that their lives will be cut short? I do and after reading about Taylor on Facebook, I believe that this young girl experienced this phenomenon and wanted to leave her precious words to those who would be left behind.

Words spoken from the grave: Taylor's note was found by her parents as they were cleaning up her room after she died.

Taylor with her brother.

When 12-year-old Taylor Smith wrote a special letter to herself last spring, to be read in 10 years’ time, she didn’t know it would be opened before even a year had passed -- and that it wouldn’t be her eyes reading the words, because she would die unexpectedly.

Instead, her letter was opened by her parents after she died in early January. They posted the letter to Facebook, hoping Taylor’s words would inspire others, and it did.


12-Year-Old Girl Pens Letter To Future Self Before Sudden Death, Inspires Us To Live To The Fullest.

Taylor Scout Smith, of Johnson City, Tenn., died Jan. 5 of complications from pneumonia leaving behind her parents and older brother. She was a student at Liberty Bell Middle School, was active in her local youth ministry and was very faithful in her beliefs.

"If it's God's time, it's God's time, and he loved her more than we could ever love her. So much so that he said 'come on,'" her father Tim Smith stated. "A lot of people are probably wondering why it's so easy for a father whose just lost his daughter to say something like that, to not curse God, to not hate God, the only thing I can say is that right now it's easy for me to trust God because my baby girl trusted him."

Taylor with her Dad.

She tells her future self to 'get that college degree!' and that she wants to be a lawyer and reminds herself to go to church.

Though her untimely death devastated her family, they found comfort in her last letter and her inspiring words.

Here’s an excerpt from the letter left behind:

"Dear Taylor, how's life? Life is pretty simple 10 years in your past, I know I'm late for you, but I'm writing this early, so congratulations on graduating high school, if you didn't, go back and keep trying, get that degree," she wrote to her future self. "Do you have your own place yet? If we're in college what are we majoring in? Right now I want to be a lawyer."

The Smith family says the letter, which they found in a box in her bedroom, is a perfect example of how Taylor lived her life. "Her dad said what made her so special was she had the wisdom of an adult but the faith of a child," Taylor's aunt, Kathy Oakes said.

The last line of Taylor's letter was especially heartwarming.
"It’s been 10 years since I wrote this. Stuff has happened, good and bad. That’s just how life works, and you have to go with it."

On the front, the letter read: “To be opened by Taylor Smith on April 13, 2023 only unless said otherwise.”  Her last letter inspired many with her profound wisdom.

The letter goes on with words of wisdom and advice to her future self and anyone who reads it today.


On Jan. 8, friends and family of 12-year-old gathered to celebrate her life.

“Initially it’s shock, and waves of depression, and hoping that it’s not real, and hoping that every time you take a nap or go to sleep you find out it wasn’t real,” Taylor’s dad Tim Smith said.

Thank you dear Taylor for leaving your personal legacy, to inspire so many others after your passing. We know you’re looking down from heaven smiling.

Nancy Burban 2014

Funeral fund

Friends, Funeral home and Cemetery help with burial expenses for Allentown, Pa teen.

Woodlawn Memorial Park, Weber Funeral Home and Allentown, Pa. teachers donate services, money and time for Charangelo Wilson.

A dearly beloved student in the Allentown Pa’s School District's alternative education program lost his yearlong battle with leukemia. friends and district staffers are rallying to help his family with funeral expenses.

Charangelo Wilson lost his battle with cancer.

Charangelo Wilson, 18, who was enrolled in the IBEAM Academy, died last Tuesday. He had been discharged from Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest just before Thanksgiving but his health worsened and he was readmitted back, sadly on Christmas Day.

Charangelo Wilson, had already lost his mother and grandmother to cancer. His older brother, Charkeem, also died two years ago at age 21. The rest of the family had no insurance or other means to afford a funeral.

Wilson’s English teacher comes forward to help the family.

Wilson's English teacher, Jennifer Bennis, having heard the families’ plight stepped in to help. Bennis buried her own mother and aunt at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Allentown, and she knew the cemetery's director, Lisa Snyder.

Bennis asked for help and Snyder responded in a way that exceeded her expectations. She donated a burial plot of the Wilson family's choice. She also donated the burial vault, the outer burial chamber that is required to hold the casket. And she waived the fees for opening and closing of the grave.

Those items and fees would normally cost $5,000.

The funeral home reduces costs drastically.

Synder also contacted Weber Funeral Home in Allentown, which is owned by the same parent company as Woodlawn, Stonemor who agreeded to perform the funeral service at a reduced rate of $1,600.

"I don't want anyone not to be buried or reverently remembered because they don't have the money," Snyder said Friday. "I waived everything here and then worked together with our funeral home, and that's where it stands."

Wilson was buried at 9:30 a.m. Monday with a graveside service at Woodlawn, 1500 Airport Road. Following the burial, a memorial service was held at the 3rd Day Worship Center Church in Allentown.

The family continues to need support and funds for the funeral.

Snyder said Wilson had a strong Christian faith and faced his situation bravely, though family members on the Facebook page said he was depressed at times.

"There was a time when he was not feeling well where all he wanted was people to write him letters," Snyder said.

His friends responded, and Wilson spent his last days reading letters of support.

Bennis is continuing to raise money for the Wilson family to pay the $1,600. We will be starting a donation campaign on www.funeralfund.com later this week.

Nancy Burban 2014

Funeral fund