Veteran Cremation Services After Body Donation

Organ and tissue donation give the gift of life, sight, and health every single day, and make excellent additions to cremation services in Clarksville, TN. This is even true when it’s a veteran that’s doing the donating.

According to national statistics, about 115,000 people in the United States are waiting for a life-saving transplant right now, and about 20 people die every day while waiting for an organ. Plus, there are countless other diseases, infections and conditions that kill because we don’t know enough about how to treat or cure them.

Depending on your preferences, needs and specific circumstances, you can choose to donate your whole body or your organs and tissues, as body donations can be used for both science and life-giving organ donations. Organ and tissue donation focus on recovering specific tissues and organs for the purpose of gifting them to people waiting on transplant lists. One organ donor can save up to eight people and one tissue donor can save up to 50 people. Organ and tissue donation don’t prevent the bereaved from having a cremation or funeral after the donation, though the exact cause and circumstances of the death and organ donation might impact the timing of any funeral or cremation service arrangements.

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is in charge of organizing and distributing organs and tissues across the United States. Donated tissues and organs are removed from the original body by surgeons and then given to the new body. If you would like to register as an organ and/or tissue donor you need to contact your state UNOS outpost or associated institution online or by the phone. Many registries require the donation of many kinds of organs from eyes and tissues to hearts, lungs and more. You can choose to be both an organ and tissue donor and a whole-body donor. If you choose this route, any needed organs and tissues will be removed and then the body will be sent to a chosen institution.

Whole body donation is when the entire body is donated to be used in medical training, scientific research, or mortuary science training. While not as outwardly glamorous or heroic as donating organs or tissue to a dying person, whole body donation still saves likes as it helps medical students learn more about anatomy and disease and provides researchers with the opportunity to explore medical conditions and diseases. Both of these can lead to thousands of saved lives in the future as they help educate the future leaders of medicine and determine how diseases and conditions can be treated or cured.

It’s important to make arrangements with an institute in advance in order to donate your whole body to medical or mortuary science. There are barely any out-of-pocket costs associated with whole body donation, and, oftentimes, your remains will be returned to our family once they are no longer needed. Generally, the remains are cremated at the institution and then the ashes are sent back to the family for final disposition.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you want to learn more about donation, veteran’s services, or Clarksville, TN cremation services.

Funeral Homes and Millennials

If you’re a millennial or in a similar young age group, you probably haven’t and don’t want to think about funeral planning. We don’t blame you – even people that aren’t as young as you don’t want to think about their passing. But you need to spend time thinking about what you want for a funeral home in Clarksville, TN as preplanning is very important. So, what do you do? How do you get started?

These tips can help:

Save Some Money – Millennials are also looking to save money on funeral expenses, like caskets. Yes, some caskets are expensive. But there are tons of other options that are much more budget friendly. Your funeral director can advise you on the best one to choose for your needs and budget.
Choose a Funeral Home– The very first step is to choose a funeral home, as someone will need to prepare your remains for disposition, handle your service, and even be a place to hold your service. Do some research on local funeral homes to learn about their prices, services, beliefs, and offerings. This way you can find one that has what you need and want.
Doesn’t Have to be Religious – Younger generations are also moving away from funeral and memorial services, as many people think that funerals and memorials are strictly religious events. While funerals can certainly be religious, they don’t have to be. You can choose to have a non-traditional memorial service that isn’t religious or hire a funeral celebrant to lead a non-religious funeral. Your funeral service can be anything you want it to. Do you love golf? You can have a celebrant focus on your golf game. Are you a huge flower lover? Cover your funeral in flowers.
Check Prices – In addition to using Google, Yelp and other websites to help you find a good funeral home you can also check the funeral home’s actual website to get a good idea of pricing. Funeral homes are required by law to provide clear and accurate prices for all of their services so you can get a good idea of what’s available and how much it will cost before you event step foot into a funeral home.
What About Disposition? – More and more people, especially younger generations, are choosing cremation over burial as, to them, burial is a waste of space, money and time. In fact, the National Funeral Directors Association reports that more than half of the dispositions in the USA these days are cremations. But what do you want? Do you want to be buried? Cremated? You can still have a traditional funeral service if you want to be cremated, or you can have a non-traditional memorial service even if you want to be buried. It’s totally up to you! Your funeral director can help you determine what you want done with your remains before, at, and after the service.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you want to learn more. As a Clarksville, TN funeral home, we can offer a lot of information on preplanning and our services. After all, planning your funeral doesn’t have to be stressful or painful with these tips.

The Importance of Obituaries

Whether you’re having a funeral or a memorial service after a cremation service in Clarksville, TN, there are many reasons why you should publish an obituary for your lost loved one, including:

Sharing the Loss – Sharing your grief and loss with the general community can be a big help after the death of a loved one. You’d be surprised how many people will reach out with helpful offers like condolences, prayers and general help. As a bonus, obituaries that are posted online almost always have comment sections in which people can post and share their own experiences with the deceased and words of comfort.
Notating History – An obituary is also a good way to make sure the deceased’s story is written down for future generations. Children, grandchildren, cousins, aunts and uncles will all be able to access a part of their personal history.
Paying Tribute – Each person on this planet has a unique life story as special as they are. While we can easily assume that the deceased lived and died, an obituary gives a window into how they lived and why they were important and special. Beyond the basic facts of life like date of birth, age date of death, survivors, and predecessors, an obituary can include other fun and unique information about a person including their hobbies, favourite foods, work history and amazing accomplishments.
Part of the Grieving Process – Remembrance is a big part of grieving. In other words, when you spend time thinking about a lost loved one by narrating that person’s history and remembering why that the deceased was important to you, you are showing and experiencing your grief in a healthy way and will ultimately help you move forward in your particular grief journey.

These reasons, and many more, are why obituaries are not just a random tradition with no reasoning or meaning. Up until about twenty years ago, most local newspapers published obituaries for free as they were considered to be news stories. These older obituaries mostly listed facts and kept the emotional editorializing to a minimum. Many newspapers also printed death notices which, unlike obituaries, were paid advertisements that gave the name of the deceased, the date, and the time and location of funeral services. These days, the majority of newspapers charge fees for printing obituaries.

While these fees can be expensive, they do mean that the purchaser has the power to write whatever he wished about his deceased loved one, be it emotional or fact-based. There is also some funeral home that post obituaries on their websites for free or for a small fee. Ask your funeral home or funeral director about their policy regarding this new tradition. You can also post an obituary on a memorial website like Legacy.com or post an obituary on Facebook or another social media site for free.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you want to learn more about obituaries or Clarksville, TN cremation services. Call or visit us today.

Sending Your Condolences for Military Servicemembers

It can be hard to know what to say to someone that is going through the loss of a loved one or the loss of a military service member, especially when trying to craft a sentiment that both acknowledges the loss and provides comfort to the bereaved. But, as many people want to reach out with condolences for friends, coworkers, or family members after hearing the news about them losing someone they love or after attending a funeral service at a funeral home in Clarksville, TN, condolence calls and sympathy cards are very important.

You can try sending a sympathy card in the mail. Sympathy cards are the most traditional method of communicating these sentiments to the bereaved in their time of grief, but it can be tricky to accurately convey feelings and ideas. You can try to offer help. Offering help to the bereaved is always well-intentioned, especially since it can be hard for people to ask for help when they need it. To make it easier for the bereaved to get the help that is specific for their needs, try not to write statements like, “Call me if you need anything.” Instead, trying to say “I’m going to go grocery shopping on ____, send me your list and I will be happy to get it for you” or “Here is a gift certificate. Please use this to____.”

You can also express empathy. You might have lost someone, too. And while comparing your loss to the bereaved’s might seem like a good idea, it may come across as you trying to make it about you. Instead of writing, “I know how you feel” or “I’ve lost a ___ too”, try writing, “I’m grieving with you” or “I miss ___ too”. Sometimes you can’t make the service and want to apologize. Listing the various reasons why you couldn’t make a funeral or service may just look like you’re making excuses. Rather than writing, “I didn’t make the funeral because ___” try focusing on how you will support them in the future by saying something like, “I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it. I’m bringing lunch for you on ___ if that works for you.”

You can try to give the bereaved a call to express your emotions and support them in their time of loss. Expressing condolences can be a tricky thing, as it can be hard to know what to say. If you’re at a loss for words, you can try saying things like, “My thoughts are with you during this difficult time.”, “I’ll always remember how [name] would [insert story or characteristic here].”, “There are no words. Just know that I love you and will also miss [name].”, “[Name] was a great person. My sympathies to you and your family.”, “We are so sorry for your loss.”, or “No one can ever replace the remarkable person that your ____ was.”

Call or visit Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory today for more information on sympathy cards or if you would like to learn more about our Clarksville, TN funeral home and military services.

Dividing Possessions After Cremation Services

Beyond planning cremation services in Clarksville, TN the bereaved are also responsible for coming up with a plan for the deceased’s possessions. Organizing, going through, and dividing possessions is very difficult. It can be made easier when there is a clear will or an executor, but a lot of times there isn’t, and the family is left to do it all on their own. This can lead to a lot of tension.

These tips can help you divide your loved one’s possessions with as little pain and tension as possible.

Compromise – Despite what many people may think, it isn’t the most valuable items that cause the most problems. It’s usually the smaller, more sentimental items that can lead to arguments and pain. Remember, this is your family, and everyone is hurting after the loss. Try to act with empathy and come to compromises whenever possible.
Get Appraisals – Some items might have significant monetary value, such as coins, jewelry, antiques and other valuable things. Take the guesswork out and get a professional appraiser to determine the exact value of every item. Once the values are established, divide everything as evenly as possible making sure each person ends up with about the same monetary value amount. If there are items that no one wants, sell them and divide the proceeds.
Don’t Leave Anyone Out – Try to think of anyone that would appreciate a piece of the deceased’s life and memory. From aunts and uncles to long lost cousins, caregivers, friends and neighbors, you’d be surprised at who would greatly appreciate a token to remember the deceased by.
Think Before You Donate – While donating unwanted items is generous and helpful, be careful not to donate too quickly. Really take your time and think about each item. While it might not be wanted now, it might end up being very important down the line.
Take Turns – Take turns picking items and draw straws or use another method to determine the order. Think of it like a sports draft. It’s a fair way to make sure everyone gets a chance to choose something meaningful to them. It’s also an interesting and sort of special way to see which items mean the most to which people. You might have never known how much your sister valued Grandma’s cookie jar otherwise.
Use Stickers – Give each family member stickers of a certain color and have them place stickers on items they want. Items with only one sticker can go to that person, but items with more than one sticker will have to be divided another way, like taking turns.
Make Copies – There are some items that can be shared thanks to modern technology. Make digital copies of old family photos, movies, and tapes and then distribute the files so everyone has their own copy. Digitizing these old memories is a good idea beyond dividing them evenly as it protects them for future generations to enjoy.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you want more help or information about Clarksville, TN cremation services or other death related tips.

Celebrations of Life for After Veteran Services

Funerals are somber events, especially those for veterans of our armed forces, leaving many people feeling worse afterwards instead of better. Celebrations of life, on the other hand, are happier occasions in which people celebrate life. Many people choose to hold a celebration of life in order to celebrate their lost loved one’s life rather than mourn their loss. Therefore, many funeral homes in Clarksville, TN offer celebration of life services.

A celebration of life, as the name denotes a celebration, so guests should expect a joyful event. These services are often more like parties than funerals, commemorating the deceased’s life. Funerals are generally more subdued events at which people speak in hushed tones and have subdued manners. Celebrations of life are usually more casual with the emphasis on the positives of the person’s life rather than the sadness of their passing. Think of a celebration of life as a more upbeat memorial service.

The choice to have a celebration of life instead of a funeral is usually at the behest of the deceased but can also be based on the bereaved’s personality. If you’re looking for inspiration for a celebration of life, you can:

make a playlist of the deceased’s favorite music or songs to play at the event
display some of the deceased’s prized possessions like collections, photos, or even clothing
encourage guests to share funny and happy memories as well as poignant ones.
ask friends and family to share their happy memories
have people bring photos and mementos
make a memory box or book and ask guests to write comments, memories, or leave mementos
play a video or slide show of photos and video clips of the deceased

Celebrations of life are most commonly held at someone’s home, a garden, park, or a rented venue, unlike funerals that are held at funeral homes and churches. However, many funeral homes are starting to offer celebration of life services.

Similar to memorial services, these events are held after the cremation or burial, while some choose to hold them a year after the death as an anniversary commemoration. There really are no hard and fast rules about what celebrations of life should be. They can be whatever the bereaved and the deceased want them to be. Since celebrations of life are unlike funerals, they require different attire other than funerals. Generally, the bereaved ask celebration of life guests to wear more casual, bright or upbeat clothing to mark the happier tone of the occasion. Guests can also send flowers to bring color and life to the event, or to honor an aspect of the deceased’s life such as colors of a favorite sports team or an alma mater.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is a Clarksville, TN funeral home with a range of veteran services and more. We can help you plan a service for your lost loved one. Call or visit us today to learn more. No matter what you plan for your lost loved one’s celebration of life it should be positive and a chance to remember the best of the deceased’s life.

Look Out for These Death Scams

Unfortunately, beyond planning a lost loved one’s cremation service in Clarksville, TN the bereaved also have to be on the lookout for scams as there are plenty of unscrupulous people ready to take advantage of the bereaved in their vulnerable state of grieving.

It is important to remember that, in general, if anyone ever contacts you over the phone claiming that you or the deceased owes money always ask for the person’s name, firm, contact number, and address. If they are legitimate, they will be willing and able to provide this information. If not, they will usually hang up.

When you’re facing a loss, you need to be extra careful and alert for scams. There are many death-related scams, but there are some that are more common than others. For example, there are IRS scams. Some scammers will call the bereaved claiming to be the IRS and stating that the deceased owed money on taxes. Sometimes the scammer will threaten the bereaved with legal action if they don’t pay. This scam can be avoided because the IRS will never demand payment or threaten legal action over the phone. The IRS only communicates via written statements through the mail. You can follow up with the IRS to determine a call’s legitimacy.

Sometimes the bereaved will receive a phone call or email saying that the deceased had a life insurance policy but he or she was behind on payments. The scammer will say that in order for the bereaved to get the insurance payout they will have to pay the overdue premium payments, and then the scammer will provide a wire transfer account or prepaid debit card for the bereaved to pay the “premium payments”. You can avoid this scam as a real insurance company will never ask you to give payments or personal information over the phone.

Some scammers will email or call the bereaved to say that the deceased’s Medicare insurance card needs to be updated and will ask the bereaved to provide the deceased’s birth date and social security number with the hope of stealing the deceased’s identity. But it’s important to keep in mind that the federal government will never attempt to get personal information over the phone, so any phone call asking about this info is a scam.

Sadly, scammers take advantage of the bereaved by claiming to be collection agencies after a debt that the deceased owed for a credit card or other kind of outstanding balance. The scammers will contact the bereaved by phone and will sometimes even take the time to send fake invoices addressed to the deceased indicating an overdue balance. Always seek legal advice before paying an outstanding debt or balance as the bereaved might not be responsible for paying it after the death of a loved one.

You have to be ready for scammers after the death of a loved one. Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help with more information on avoiding these scams and Clarksville, TN cremation services. Call or visit us today.

Go Green with Burials and Military Services

Lots of people are looking to make better choices when it comes to protecting the environment, many funeral homes in Clarksville, TN offer green burials that aim to have a less negative impact, especially for military services. After all, if a military servicemember worked hard to protect their country, wouldn’t they also want to protect the planet?

A green burial sometimes referred to as natural burial, is a kind of burial that seeks to have an as little negative impact on the environment as possible. In order for a burial to be labeled green, a burial must take the following into consideration: conservation of natural resources, protection of industry workers’ health, preservation of the environment. They help protect the environment, industry workers, and natural resources with things like green cemeteries.

By choosing a green burial you are choosing to lessen your personal environmental impact or carbon footprint. Other people might choose to do a green burial because they view it as a return to the traditional way of body disposition from back before the commercialization of the funeral industry. Still, others choose green burials because they follow certain religious traditions. Judaism, for example, requires burial traditions that are in line with green burial practices. There are others that are beginning to worry about the impact humanity is having on the planet and are therefore looking into ways they can do their part to protect the environment

There are green cemeteries, sometimes called natural burial grounds, that require all bodies be buried in green caskets or burial shrouds. They have these policies in place to help maintain the surrounding natural habitat and landscape, protect local groundwater, and maintain a safe environment for local plants and animals. Conventional cemeteries, on the other hand, often use herbicides to maintain the landscaping, outer burial containers that prevent natural decomposition and allow embalmed bodies to be buried.

Green burials also don’t have embalming. Embalming is when a body is partially preserved using harsh chemicals. Embalming is harmful for both the planet and industry workers. Embalming fluid contains known carcinogens, making it unsafe for the industry workers that are frequently exposed to it. These chemicals can also harm fragile ecosystems when buried in the ground.

Green caskets, unlike conventional caskets, are made from sustainably sourced materials used in sustainable production methods. Also, green caskets are completely biodegradable, meaning that they will decompose fully and won’t add toxins to the surrounding soil as they decompose. Conventional caskets, on the other hand, usually take a very long time to decompose if they decompose at all. Plus, many are made with potentially toxic materials and chemicals that can hard the surrounding soil. There are also green casket companies that are considered “fair trade”, meaning the people making the caskets are employed in safe environments and receive a fair wage for their work.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is a Clarksville, TN funeral home. Stop by or visit us today to learn more about green burials, military services, and what we can do for you in your time of loss. We are here to help in any way we can.

Planning a Child’s Cremation Service

The death of a child is traumatic and life-changing. How are you supposed to get through your daily activities, much less plan a cremation service in Clarksville, TN after losing a child? These tips are practical suggestions that can help you through your time of loss after the passing of your child.

Gather Keepsakes for Memories – Physical keepsakes are some of the best ways to remember a child after he or she passes. Gather keepsakes like blankets, toys, clothing, footprint or handprint sets, and hospital bracelets. You don’t have to hold them or display them if it’s too painful right away but do put them away in a box so you can have them later on when the pain of loss isn’t as fresh.
Plan Rituals – Rituals like cremations, memorials and funerals go a long way toward helping you say goodbye in a healthy way. They also help you express your grief in a healthy way. Don’t shy away from planning and hosting service for your lost child, but also don’t feel rushed into planning one right away. You can always hold a memorial after some time has passed and you’re more settled.
Take Your Time with Big Decisions – Take your time making any big decisions or choices as your grief might lead to you make choices you normally wouldn’t or might cause additional confusion and stress. If you have to make some big choices, like planning a cremation or dealing with something at work, try and talk over your options and decision with a trusted friend, family member, or your spouse.
Allow Mourning – No matter what the circumstances of your child’s death, you will need to share in your grief with someone else. Whether you share with a spouse, family member or friend, you need to take time to mourn and grieve in your own way with the help of a loved one.
Expect the Unexpected – Any loss can have a large effect on your mind and body alike, so be prepared for a wide range of physical and emotional responses after the loss of a child. You might feel confused, afraid, guilty, disorganized, and angry, even all at the same time. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly experience surges of grief, even at the most unexpected times. This is all normal and healthy after a loss.
Seeing and Holding Your Child – Many parents that lose a child via miscarriage or stillbirth are given the option to see and hold their baby before he or she is prepared for burial or cremation. This is completely up to you. Many people find it a good way to say goodbye and have a bit of closure, while others find it simply too painful. If you decide to see and hold your baby, spend as much time as you need with your baby. If you decide not to see your child, that’s perfectly OK.

Hopefully these six tips can provide some relief in the face of your tremendous loss. Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here for you if you want to learn more about Clarksville, TN cremation services.

Who Do I Call After the Death of a Veteran?

There is a lot to do after someone dies, including planning a funeral at a funeral home in Clarksville, TN, especially if that person was a veteran. This to-do list also includes notifying organizations, people, and businesses of the death, as credit cards, utilities, government programs, and other institutions need to know when someone dies.

Use this list to help make sure you don’t miss any important institutions or people when notifying after a death:

1.Employer – Contact the deceased’s employer to notify them of the death and to learn about any applicable death benefits, retirement funds, or life insurance. Have a copy of the death certificate ready when you call.

2.Taxes – Death doesn’t mean the deceased doesn’t have to pay taxes for that year. A survivor will have to file the deceased’s taxes or will have to hire an accountant to do it for them.

3.Credit Reporting Agencies – These agencies are usually notified of a death by the estate executor or the Social Security Administration. It’s important that credit reporting agencies are notified so they can put a lock on the deceased’s credit report file in order to prevent someone from using it fraudulently.

4.Insurance – Notify all the insurance companies with which the deceased had policies. Each company will have specific steps you will need to follow.

5.Social Security Administration – Luckily, Social Security will be notified automatically when you file the death certificate.

6.Retirement Fund or Pension – Be ready with the deceased’s Social Security number, identification number, date of birth and date of death, along with a death certificate when you call to notify the fund. Don’t forget to ask if a surviving spouse is eligible for continued benefits.

7.Medicare and Medicaid – Similar to the SSA, these organizations will be notified automatically.

8.Banks – Most banks will need a copy of the death certificate to close accounts. However, it takes a lot longer than you would think to close bank accounts after a death, so don’t rely on money from a closed account to pay for a funeral or cremation.

9.Loans and Credit Cards – The Credit Card Act of 2009 mandates that all credit card companies respond to final bill requests in a timely manner and prohibits them from charging late fees during the processing time. Payback loans from the deceased’s estate.

Be sure to cancel subscriptions like gym, magazines, clubs, online content, and others as well. This is especially true if the subscription payments are paid automatically every month as you don’t want the deceased’s bank account to be overdrawn. Don’t forget to cancel all utilities and bills. Cancel or change the name on all utility accounts, depending on if the deceased lived alone or not. Call the electricity, gas, telephone, and internet providers to make the necessary account changes. You will need a death certificate as proof.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory can offer more information on our Walnut Creek, CA funeral home and veteran’s services. Call today to learn more about what we can do for you.

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