I was honored to speak to the incoming District Commanders at the American Legion Department of Indiana, July 13.  One of the Commanders volunteered that he learned he could transfer the arrangements he had made for he and his wife to be cremated.  They made the arrangements before they were aware of cremation services offered by Veterans Funeral Care through the American Legion.  He was amazed that our prices on cremation services were so much less expensive.  He was very pleased to learn that Veterans Funeral Care refunds the excess amount in the trust at the time of need to the next of kin and wanted other Legionnaires to be aware of that.

 Pam is a hospice nurse and when she lost her son, Ryan to cancer, I knew it would be tough.  When Ryan died in May, 2008, she fulfilled her son’s wishes to be cremated and celebrated his life on a sunny June Sunday afternoon at Broad Ripple Park.  Seems that Pam had spent a lot of sunny afternoons with Ryan, as a child, at Broad Ripple Park and it was one of his favorite places to go.  What an appropriate place this would be to share remembrances and celebrate his life.

As I walked toward the shelter at the Park on that sunny Sunday afternoon, I could not help but put myself in Pam’s shoes and the tears started flowing.  The sounds and sites of kids playing on the swings, Frisbees flying, dogs barking and the smells of cookouts took me immediately back to the days I spent with my sons, Josh and Matt, in their younger years in a park.  Several times I turned back to the car to compose myself as I shared Pam’s grief in the loss of her son.

Ryan’s body has been cremated, but his memories will live on and were celebrated and appreciated by the huge gathering of people that attended the memorial service on that sunny day in the park.  This will always be a special remembrance of a life to me.

One meets the most interesting people at the Indianapolis 500, but this year was truly heartwarming!  Seems that the Californians sitting in front of us had traveled to yet another Indy 500 with a special purpose in mind…….to personally transport the cremated remains of their loved one to the most special place on earth, to their beloved and now departed loved one……

“My dad's name was Marshall.  My mother and step-mother, both 81, were there too.  My brother could not make it, but a friend, his daughter and son-in-law joined us. 
    The Indy 500 was Marshall's only sports interest and passion.  He listened to it on the radio from childhood until around 1970 when it was on closed circuit television in a few movie theaters for a couple of years before ABC started broadcasting it live.  He only dreamed he'd make it to the race someday.  Making it finally in 1999 was a momentous life experience, truly in his own admission making his life complete.  I likened it to his pilgrimage to Mecca. He made it to the race seven times. I am very grateful for the opportunity to make it all happen for him………and that has greatly fullfilled me.  And as hooked on the race as I already was, now I'm really, really passionate.  Dad's resting real easy.
    You may recall that we scattered Marshall inside turn two.  Do you remember that there were 8 yellows in the race?  That action occurred in turns 1, 3, 4, and the pits.  There were no crashes in turn 2.  Marshall never liked crashes, just the racing.  It was a glorious day and a terrific race.  Dad's resting real easy.”

 We recently conducted pre planned funeral services for a man that died with no living relatives.  Fortunately, the man was blessed with good friends that were looking out for his well being, even after his death.  They came in prepared for a battle over the excess funds remaining in his pre-paid funeral trust, but left every satisfied.  In his latter years expressed a preference for simpler services than when he made these arrangements years ago.  Combined with the fact that our prices were substantially lower, the amount of the refund was in the thousands of dollars.  We decided with the help of the friends to designate a couple of charities that he would support and donated the excess funds accordingly.