Lisa Bos-Atchison, Funeral Home Manager, Submitted
With over 70 years of service to Prince Albert and area, Prince Albert Memorial Gardens, River Park Funeral Home & Gray’s Funeral Chapel have long been woven into the fabric of life here, earning trust that’s come from providing more than home-like facilities and comprehensive ceremonies. What makes them truly exceptional is their benchmark team of funeral professionals, dedicated to helping families confidently navigate through some vitally important – and sometimes challenging – end-of-life decisions. They help to simplify the process, and they do so with heartfelt compassion and empathy.
They know it’s hard enough to think about death without having to consider the financial realities that go along with it. Making the right decisions about funeral and memorial expenses can be especially tough when you’re grieving the loss of a loved one.
Funeral and celebration of life services cost money – that’s unavoidable – but if you’re smart, you can reduce those costs and protect your family for that day when you have to leave them. With well-informed estate planning, you could save thousands of dollars, and spare your spouse and children from a heavy financial and emotional burden.
Branch Managers, Austin Atchison, Lisa Bos-Atchison, and Assistant Manager Colette Harnett have helped families with their end-of-life needs for more than 15 years.
“Many families have told us that after completion of their funeral pre-arrangements, they experienced comfort of knowing that their personal wishes would be fulfilled without placing a financial burden on their loved ones.”
Austin adds, “When we make retirement and estate plans, we also think about wanting to leave a financial legacy for our loved ones. Too often, parents pass, never realizing that their children will have to find funds to pay for their funeral. Pre-planning ensures your peace of mind, knowing that you’ve protected your kids financially by freeing them of financial pressures on your behalf.”
Have the conversation with your loved ones
Death is not a subject that everyone feels comfortable discussing, so many simply avoid it.
While we know it is an eventuality for all of us, it is only natural to push it out of our minds and focus on living our lives. But that doesn’t change the reality that life will come to an end. And it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t start a conversation with our loved ones about our end-of-life wishes – from sickness to ceremony to estate planning.
“Everyone is unique. So, it only makes sense that your funeral or celebration of life should reflect the person being remembered. Today’s tributes can be intimate and casual, elegant and grand, indoors or outdoors, spiritual or secular. The onus is on personalization to best honour your background and beliefs, life’s journey, and your identity as an individual,” says Lisa.
“That’s why having the power to plan your own funeral arrangements the way you want, with your budget in mind, gives so much peace of mind to families. And it all starts with a conversation.”
Why you should consider pre-arranging your final wishes with us
While most adults have attended funerals, it’s a very different experience to find yourself in charge of making comprehensive arrangements. There are up to 87 decisions that need to be made when a death occurs, 54 of which can be made in advance – a helpful list offered for free at Prince Albert Memorial Gardens, River Park Funeral Home & Gray’s Funeral Chapel.
When families have the information up-front, they can make decisions that ensure wishes are respected, and loved ones won’t be faced with tough decisions and administrative tasks at the time of grief.
With pre-paid funeral or memorial plans, you also have the option to choose a flexible payment schedule. Often, such convenient terms are only available when making your final arrangements in advance.
Understanding the scope of options and details becomes simple with a little help.
“Making your own end-of-life plans gives you the opportunity to talk it over and create arrangements that reflect the person you are, the life you’ve lived, and the way you want to be remembered,” says Austin. “We talk you through every step of the planning process and provide free private consultations, educational literature and public seminars.”
Call to ask for a FREE Estate Planning Kit, which includes a legal Will guide, Power of Attorney information, an official family registry, and more.
