When Final Disposition Isn’t Really Final Disposition

“Back in my day…”

Gas cost $1.10!

Cassette tapes were the coolest things since sliced bread.

Shoot, I even remember MySpace dominating Facebook (all two minutes of it).

Back then, fads were fads. They came and went.

Some things stayed the course, however.

Tried and true. Traditional. Custom. Classic. Final.

When a death occurred, it was a foregone conclusion what was going to happen next.

The decedent was taken back to the funeral home, embalmed, and prepared for the nightly wake and vigil service that was held days after death.

The following morning brought one more mini-gathering at church before the Mass of Christian Burial Service.

Family and guests loaded themselves into their vehicles as they followed the hearse and funeral lead car to the cemetery.

Committal prayers were said by the Priest, presiding over the freshly dug grave.

The funeral director closed by thanking those in attendance and then inviting the remaining guests to join the family for continued fellowship back at the church for a meal.

This is how things have been in funeral service for a long time.

It wasn’t until the last ten years when things started to shift.