Monday, September 28, 2015

A Celebration of Life Service for a Very Special and Loved Woman

We recently had the privilege of serving a family that requested our assistance in planning and organizing a celebration of life service for a young woman who died of cancer.  She was only 37 years old and left two beautiful, young daughters to be raised by their father.  When we met with the husband to plan her services, he was very adamant that the ceremony, as well as those components within it, was to be uplifting and celebratory, not somber and depressing.  He said that his wife and he were upbeat people, who liked to laugh and have fun together, as well as with their family and friends.  Therefore, he wanted his wife’s ceremony to reflect this. 

Our hearts instantly went out to the family.  In a very brief period of time, it was obvious that this was a very loving and close family.  Although there was much sadness, the husband continued to talk about and focus on all of wife’s wonderful qualities as well as all of the fun they had had together.  He also made sure that he involved his two daughters in helping to design certain elements of the ceremony. 

As we began to discuss what components he would like us to include in the service, we first wanted to learn more about his wife… what she was like and what she liked.  Based on this, we presented options to her husband that would help personalize her service.   A friend of the family offered a beautiful venue to use as the setting for the event.  There was plenty of space outside for children to play as well as a large pavilion that provided a place for people to sit and eat.  The husband’s employer provided the catering service, a further testimony to how much these people were valued by those they’ve touched. 


Although the option was presented, the husband decided not to include any clergy or celebrant and instead decided to hold a three hour event, where friends and family could come, have food and drinks, remember all of the good times they shared, and share those memories with each other.   We assisted the husband in organizing a memory table, which included many items that help provide an insight into his wife’s life.  One item that comes to mind was the Swedish Fish.  Apparently, she very much enjoyed eating this candy.  So much so, that she would buy them in bulk from BJ’s Wholesale Club.  This became a bit of a joke within the family, so of course Swedish Fish had to be included on the memory table. 

We were also asked to create a video tribute that would run during the ceremony for people to watch.  Because many of the photos supplied to us by the family were old and in poor shape, many hours were spent restoring these photos on the computer before including them in the video tribute.  These newly restored photos were then presented to the family for them to keep.

We asked the husband if he would like a DJ or live musicians to provide music during the ceremony.  He decided on a DJ.  After learning what type of music his wife liked, the DJ was instructed to play this type of music.  The DJ was also instructed, based on the husband’s wishes, not to play any “depressing” music.  The family also asked us to provide items for friends and family to take with them as a keepsake.

The weather on the day of the ceremony was beautiful.  The sun was shining and the temperature was in the 80’s.  About 250 people attended that day.  As I walked around, making sure that everything was proceeding as scheduled, it occurred to me how this ceremony differed from a traditional funeral service.  Although this was a very sad event, especially considering the deceased’s young age, people were openly talking and laughing, children were laughing and playing on the grass, upbeat music could be heard (some of the children were even dancing), and the “feel” of the event was more uplifting. 

Toward the end of the ceremony, we handed out balloons to the family and friends and asked them to join me out on the lawn.  I then read a poem and played a song, while everyone released their balloons together.  As they listened to the song and watched the balloons float up into the sky, many people hugged each other and cried.  After the song ended and balloons were no longer in sight, the ceremony concluded.  Many friends and family members, including the husband, made it a point to come up to us to say that the ceremony was perfect and exactly what their loved one would have wanted. 

It was gratifying and rewarding to know that we were able to provide an appropriate celebration of life service for such a wonderful and loved woman.  The husband even encouraged us to share his wife’s services, as well as some of the photos taken that day, so that others might better understand what a celebration of life service is and what some of the elements of these services include.

 For more information on celebration of life services, please contact:


A Classic Touch Celebration, Inc.
PO Box 2312
Methuen, MA 01844
(978) 289-9225
info@classictouch.info
www.classictouch.info