I have been thinking about many of the families that I have served over the years as a funeral director when I realised that very often when I asked questions about favourite music, hymms or readings I would get the answer 'I don't know' from the person arranging the funeral. Sometimes this also applied to basic questions like 'Burial or cremation'? We still find it very difficult to talk to loved ones about our own mortality so often the funeral service can become de-personalised. By allowing the last requests of the deceased to be the foundation of the funeral means that the service becomes a true celebration & reflection of the life of that individual.
The funeral service should be seen as an important step in the grieving process & is the last chance to say goodbye to the deceased, I believe that in beginning to come to terms with death it is better to have aspects of the service which fully reflect the life of that person.
None of us know when our death will happen or the consequences of that event upon the people closest to us. By personalising your funeral service you are taking some of the weight of responsibility off the shoulders of those you leave behind & you are allowing your family & friends the chance to celebrate you & what you meant to them as as a person.
The main idea of this site is to get you & your family thinking about how you would like to be remembered & celebrated. You can also use the last messages section to leave your family messages which you would find difficult to say to them. This can be particuarly comforting to children, partners, or parents.
I would like to mention that most people have been to funerals where they don't recognise the person been spoken about as their friend or relative. Using lastrequests means that your funeral service will truly reflect your life and will allow your life to be celebrated in a way that you would like. The funeral service is an important part of the grieving process because it is the last farewell from your family and friends and will help to cement their memories of you and the way you have enriched their lives.
Last Requests has been developed by Tim Jones a qualified Funeral Director with 15yrs experience within the funeral profession.