There is a special song that Daniel Motta, a gifted young member of Friendship Baptist Church in Pasadena, sings this time of year.  It’s a beautiful song with a powerful but simple message, titled “Give Love On Christmas Day.”  Some of the lyrics read: “No greater gift is there than love… What the world needs is love... Why don’t you give love on Christmas day?”  We all need love, especially those of us who are bereaved and grieving the loss of a loved one. 

The death of someone we love leaves us with a heavy heart and a myriad of feelings: sadness, emptiness, loneliness, depression, frustration, and even sometimes anger and guilt. We feel far less than jolly and joyful.  The holiday season can be a real challenge.  

To the bereaved I say look up to God, reach out to others and be patient with yourself.  The following poem has comforted many at Christmas time: 

“My First Christmas in Heaven”

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below,

With tiny lights, like Heavens stars reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear,

For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear,

But the sounds of music can’t compare with the Christmas Choir here.

I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring,

For it is beyond description to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me; I see pain in your heart.

But I am not so far away, we really aren’t apart.

So be happy for me dear ones, you know I hold you dear.

And be glad I’m spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift from my heavenly home above.

I sent you each a memory of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious than pure gold.

It was always most important in the stories Jesus told. 

Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do.

For I can’t count the blessings or love He has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear.

Remember, I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. 

                                                Author Unknown

Why don’t you give love on Christmas day?  Share this poem with someone you love who is missing

someone they love.  

Gail Valentine Taylor, M.S.W.

Funeral Director

Woods-Valentine Mortuary

(626) 798-8941

gailt@woodsvalentinemortuary.com

Death is the hard side of life.  Losing someone we love causes us to experience a lot of emotions and to exhibit behaviors that come under the umbrella of grief.  Grieving is a difficult, but normal response to loss. Consider this article:

Whenever we face loss, we experience grief. Our reactions are unique and individual; none of us experience grief in the same way.

Not only are each of us different, but our losses are different as well.  Some may grieve a spouse, others a child, parent, brother, sister, or friend.  Each of these relationships is unique.  Some may have been close; others may have had tension or conflict.  Circumstances may differ: Some losses are sudden while others follow a prolonged illness.  And, we may each be able to draw upon different levels of support.

As we experience loss, we may need to remind ourselves of these basic facts.  Sometimes we torture ourselves wondering why we do not respond as others, even our family members, do.  But each of us is different.

We may feel anger-anger at God, towards the person who died, perhaps towards someone who we feel is not responding the way we’d like him or her to respond.  We may feel guilt, too.  Could we have done something differently or done more?  We may even feel responsible for the loss.

Other emotions are common.  Feeling of sadness, longing for the person’s presence, jealousy of others who have not experienced our loss, even relief that a prolonged illness has ended-these all may trouble us, but they are normal and natural responses to grief.  Grief may affect us in other ways.  Sometimes, the experience of grief may be physical: aches and pains, difficulty eating or sleeping, fatigue.  We may constantly think of the person, even replaying in our mind some final episode or experience.  Grief can affect our spiritual selves.  We may struggle to find meaning in our loss: our relationship with our God may change.

I often describe grief as a roller coaster.  It is full of ups and downs, highs and lows-times that we may think we are doing better and times that we are sure we are not. The metaphor reminds us that our sense of progress may feel very uneven.

But there are things we can do to help ourselves as we experience grief.  First, it is important to accept the fact that we are grieving.  Take time to grief, to realize that life will be different and sometimes difficult.  We need to be gentle with ourselves.

Second, we can learn from the ways we have handled loss before. We need to draw on our resources-the coping skills we have, our own sources of support, and our spiritual strengths.  And from earlier experiences, we can learn the mistakes we need to avoid.            

We do not have to struggle alone.  We can share our grief with family and friends.  We can seek help from clergy or counselors.  Hospices and funeral homes may be able to suggest mutual support groups, and librarians and bookstores can point us to books that can assist us as we grieve. 

Written by Kenneth J. Doka, PhD., MDiv.

Gail Valentine Taylor, M.S.W.

Woods-Valentine Mortuary

(626)  798-8941

gailt@woodsvalentinemortuary.com

December 15, 2004 marks our 76th year in business at Woods-Valentine Mortuary (Pasadena).  During this season of glad tidings I remember the gospel song, “Glad To Be In Service.”   Part of the lyrics read “Glad to be in service one more time.”  We at Woods-Valentine are glad to be of service one more year.  We thank God Almighty, the community who have called on us in time of need, and a dedicated and caring staff for our longevity. 

In the fifties my parents, Fred and Arzella Valentine chose as a motto:

“Our Aim Is To Be Worthy Of Your Confidence.”  That motto has not changed because we still strive to provide personal and professional services to the families who entrust us with the funeral arrangements of their beloveds. 

We appreciate our families taking the time to complete and return our Customer Satisfaction Surveys.  The feedback we receive allows us to better serve.  One respondent wrote:  “I prefer to do business with my own when they are competent and competitive, and you are.” The surveys we receive reflect that we provide thorough counseling regarding funeral service options, professionally follow through with your wishes, and do so in a comfortable and nicely decorated facility, at reasonable and acceptable prices.  Don’t just take my word for it and don’t take the word of someone else. At time of need or better yet, before the need arises, call us, ask questions, ask to see our completed satisfaction surveys, request a price quote and compare.  We are here to serve you and glad to be of service one more year.

 We wish you Happy Holidays and would like to share a poem that hopefully will comfort those of you who have lost loved ones this year:

“My First Christmas In Heaven"

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below,

With tiny lights, like Heaven’s stars reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear,

For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear,

But the sounds of music can’t compare with the Christmas

Choir here.

I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring,

For it is beyond description to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me; I see pain in your heart.

But I am not so far away, we really aren’t apart.

So be happy for me dear ones, you know I hold you dear.

And be glad I’m spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this

year.

I sent you each a special gift from my heavenly home above.

I sent you each a memory of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious than pure gold.

It was always most important in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do.

For I can’t count the blessings or love He has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear.

Remember, I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this

year.

                                                                        Author Unknown

Gail Valentine Taylor, M.S.W.

Funeral Director

(626) 798-8941

gailt@woodsvalentinemortuary.com

The history of African-American Funeral Service has it’s roots in Ancient Egypt.  Ancient Egypt was an African country ruled by an African people, a people whom historians credit with developing techniques of embalming and preparing the dead for funeral services.  Their practices were elaborate, using cloths, spices and special techniques to preserve the body.  The practice of preserving the dead for a long period of time and placing them in a container for a funeral and burial, was started by these Ancient Egyptians, people of color.  This is a common practice observed throughout the world today.  

In America during slavery, it was against the law for blacks to give their loved ones a decent funeral and proper burial. In the early years of slavery, they were prohibited from gathering together in any form.  Slaves could not assemble or meet in a group at all, for fear that they would revolt against their masters.  If they broke the law, slaves were beaten or killed.  The deceased slave was usually buried without ceremony on non-crop producing land in unmarked graves, sometimes dug by slave children to young to work in the fields.  Therefore, the first African-Americans were denied the opportunity to mourn their loved ones together and were not given a chance to publicly celebrate a life lived.  But when a member of the master’s family died, house slaves were given the responsibility of washing, preparing and dressing the dead.  They also had to plan the repast, the gathering of family and friends after the funeral.  Eventually, slave rebellions occurred and slave owners were forced to make changes and concessions in order to keep the peace.  They began to allow families to live together, but this did not stop them from separating and selling them if they chose. 

With the introduction of Christianity, slaves owners began to allow slaves to meet for religious services and funerals.  Whites were reportedly shocked at the behavior of slaves at funerals, because they were happy, jubilant and celebrated the homegoing of their loves ones.  The slaves, understandably, had no hope of returning to their homeland, so death was seen as going to be with Jesus and symbolized going home.  Death was also seen as a relief from the agony and  humiliation of slavery.  Slaves looked forward to leaving their raggedy shacks for their “mansion in the sky.” 

During the Civil War, Black soldiers were responsible for removing dead bodies from the battlefields and kept records of burial sites for soldiers killed in combat.  Embalming was necessary to preserve the bodies of union soldiers, killed in the south, so that they could be shipped back home for services and burial in the north.  Blacks assistants to military doctors were trained and did much of the embalming. 

Given the fact that Black slaves prepared the dead, dug graves, and maintained the cemeteries, Blacks were the most prepared for occupations in funeral service.  “Funeral Parlors” were among the first businesses opened by Blacks, after slavery was abolished. Around the 1900’s Black churches began forming Burial Societies.  They collected money from church members to pay for their funerals, coffins and graves. (This is a forerunner to what we now know as pre-need funeral plans, where a person can pay, in advance, monthly towards a funerals).   Black funeral homes began opening their doors at this time, because there was now money to support these businesses. 

In the early 1900’s most blacks lived in the rural communities (which my family calls “in the country”) and whites lived in the cities.  Therefore the first funeral directors had the challenge of driving long distances, over dirt, bumpy country roads, in horse drawn carriages to care for the dead at the family home.  When someone died at home, they were laid on a “cooling board” for purposes of preservation and the funeral director had to provide the ice for the cooling board.  In these rural communities the deceased was often casketed and viewed in the family home. 

In the 1920’s Blacks started moving into the industrial cities to get the good manufacturing jobs.  Blacks were allowed and encouraged to go to mortuary school and start businesses in order to service the increasing numbers of Blacks that were moving to the cities.  Racism and prejudice were alive and well and many White businesses preferred not to handle Black bodies.  My father’s uncle, Jimmy Woods was encouraged by a staff from a White mortuary in Pasadena, to get his embalming credentials and start a business.

In 1928 he opened the doors of James Woods Funeral Parlor. 

It was common practice for Blacks to convert the bottom floor of their private home into a Funeral Home, which were then most popularly called “Funeral Parlors.”  Most Black funeral homes I’ve visited still have the mortuary on the bottom floor and a residence on top. 

After the Civil War and after reconstruction, Black businesses began to spring up in the cities, restaurants and cafes, barber and beauty shops, insurance companies/offices, food stores, theaters, hotels, shoe shine stands, clubs, etc… thrived for a period.  They were the only businesses where Blacks were welcomed, and not subjected to “White only signs and sections.” With integration however, many Black businesses began to fail because Blacks were allowed to and began to do business with White establishments, but Whites rarely patronized Black businesses. ( My father often says integration was not a friend to the Black businesses, for this reason.) 

It has been said, that only four institutions in the African-American community survived the desegration of American Society: the Black Church, the Black Beauty Salon and Barber Shop, the Black Cocktail Lounge and the Black Mortuary. The Black mortuary was unique because it usually started as a family business and was passed on from generation to generation.  The Black funeral director is a community member who has traditionally been trusted, respected, viewed as a leader, and seen as compassionate, knowledgeable, and resourceful.  Funeral Service is and has long been, a worthy profession. 

The history of African-American Funeral Service is a long and rich history, that dates back to Ancient Egypt, continues thru slavery, the Civil War, and integration.  Blacks have had a long legacy of expertise in, compassion for, and commitment to, Funeral service. 

The lyrics of a familiar song describe Christmas as “the most wonderful time of the year.”  But is it?  Yes, if you have reasons to be jolly, if you are loved and if you can partake in the celebrating and gifting. Yes, if you know “Jesus is the reason for the Season.” But no, if you have lost someone you love.  Instead of “the best of times,” losing a loved one at Christmas, is “the worst of times.”  But hold on there is hope. 

I heard Johnnie Mathis’ beautiful version of the above song recently. The lyrics go on to describe the holiday season as  “a time of good cheer… the happiest season of the year… when loved ones are near …and hearts are glowing.”  Death of a loved one elicits emotions far from happiness.  Sorrow, pain, sadness, anger, guilt, frustration and anxiety are the rule, not the exception. 

I asked a few people who buried dear loved ones at holiday time, “How do you cope with loss at Christmas?  What helped you get through it?” 

My aunt, Vannie Brown, lost her mother 8 days before Christmas in 1993.  She was very close to her “Momma” whom she visited and lovingly cared for everyday, in her later years.  Vannie says she was angry because Christmas was Grandma’s favorite time of the year.   The casket spray and other floral arrangements received, had Christmas colors and Christmas tree bulbs, cedar, pine and other decorative items on them.   She was upset because she “associated Christmas with joy and happiness, not with death.”  It was some time before she stopped asking why, and asked why not? She came to realize that Christmas was such a special time for Grandma, but more importantly that Grandma was just where she wanted to be, in heaven, “in the presence of the Lord.”  This belief as well as her memories, have helped her find joy in Christmas once again.  She tells others to hold on, “time and the Lord will heal your heart.” 

Michael Fernandez lost a father at Christmas.  He remembers it was very difficult because he had also lost his mother in January of the same year.  He says he was “in a daze.”  “Older relatives, who were very wise, said encouraging things to me.  That really helped me get through it.” He did not have the faith in God that he has know, but recommends that people lean on God, as well as wise loved ones. 

Cherrie Hill lost her mother and father in December of different years.  She remembers “just going through the motions; nothing was real.”Her mother loved Christmas and made it such a joyful time.  Cherrie said that the family decided not to try to imitate mother’s Christmas and celebrated at their own homes.  They felt it would be more depressing to gather together without mother there.  They could never “duplicate” their mother’s Christmas celebration.  It has helped Cherrie to gift many of her mother’s decorations to residential care facilities.  It makes her feel good that others are enjoying her mother’s beloved decorations.  She says that her mother taught her children to “keep good thoughts and move forward, no matter what happens.”  Her mother’s teachings, encouraged her to get on with her life.    

Jessica Valentine, my aunt, loss Uncle Cliff 10 days before Christmas in 1999.  She describes being “in shock” for a long time.   His death was “unexpected” and she didn’t have a chance to prepare.  Jessica, a woman of strong faith, said “I knew everything was going to be alright because we were happy together and trusted the Lord.  I just had to take things one day at a time.”  Jessica encourages people to be loving and to “make the most of every opportunity to say or do something that is uplifting.” We may not get another chance to do so. 

Faith in God, wise words of encouragement, wonderful memories, giving and the willingness to take it one day at a time, can help you cope with death during the holidays.

This Christmas may not feel like the most wonderful time of the year but hold on, there is hope.   

“My First Christmas In Heaven”

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below,

With tiny lights, like Heaven’s stars reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear,

For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear,

But the sounds of music can’t compare with the Christmas

Choir here.

I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring,

For it is beyond description to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me; I see pain in your heart.

But I am not so far away, we really aren’t apart.

So be happy for me dear ones, you know I hold you dear.

And be glad I’m spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this

year.

I sent you each a special gift from my heavenly home above.

I sent you each a memory of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious than pure gold.

It was always most important in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do.

For I can’t count the blessings or love He has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear.

Remember, I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this

year.

                                                                        Author Unknown

Merry Christmas!  

I love this time of year and I know I am in good company.  My grandma Cora also loved Christmas and always set the tone for a merry one. She  started cleaning the house weeks before that special day, scrubbing floors, washing walls and windows, and starching and ironing curtains.  Grandma  decorated the old country house beautifully with holly, cedar and pine.  

Word has it that she began baking potato and egg custard pies, coconut and chocolate cakes, and other delights well before Christmas.  The delicious  aroma of these sweets and of fresh fruit permeated the house for weeks.  Grandma made sure that Christmas was “the most wonderful time of the year” for her family. 

Gifts, as we know them, were not affordable.  Kids received a shoe box filled with fruit, nuts, candies and one doll for girls or one cap pistol for boys; and they were more than pleased.  Grandma excelled at her gift of giving because she gave of herself; she gave her love.  She loved the Lord and sang hymns throughout the day.  On Christmas day the joy and excitement in Grandma’s house, was unmatched.    

Grandma was happiest during the Christmas season so it is no wonder that she died in December, one week before Christmas.  Grandma’s gone now, but our memory of her is fresh and full of joy.  Grandma is in heaven and that gives us so much comfort.  For those who will miss their “Grandma” or any other loved one this Christmas this poem is shared, in hopes that it will comfort you.   

Gail Valentine Taylor, M.S.W.

Funeral Director

(626) 798-8941

Last month’s Funeralwise article entitled “A Proper Burial” discussed the reality that most individuals and societies recognize the importance of a person having “a proper burial” or “a proper final disposition” (to include the option of cremation). To be laid to rest in a respectable manner is a natural and reasonable expectation.   However, it is not something that just automatically takes place.  There is a process, procedures and costs involved.  How can you insure a proper burial?  You can do so by pre-planning your services and, those of your immediate family. 

There are a number of circumstances that can threaten  a proper final disposition, such as inability to find insurance information and other important documents, indecisiveness, time delays, family conflicts, lack of money, etc...  Thorough Pre-Need Funeral Planning can help you avoid these pitfalls. 

Pre-Need funeral planning involves:

providing information that is needed for the official records at time of death, such as birthplace, birthdate, SS#, Veterans Service #, parents names, etc.. 

 making selections regarding: type of service, place of service, merchandise (such as the casket, vault, register book, urn, flowers, headstone,  etc.), vehicles (limousines), programs, newspaper notices, type of interment,  etc…  and,

Identifying or establishing a means to pay for funeral services and interment (burial or cremation). This is last but not least, as having funds to pay for the service is the most important step in insuring a proper disposition.  Without the money, it is difficult at best for families to proceed with any type of service. 

There are costs associated with funeral services that are best taken care of in advance.  Life insurance is one of the best methods of doing so.  It is important to choose a life insurance policy that can be “assigned” to the mortuary.  In this instance the insurance company pays the funeral costs directly to the mortuary and additional proceeds, if any, then are paid directly to the beneficiary. Selecting an adult beneficiary is important, as proceeds left to children are not readily available at time of death. Selecting a primary and a contingent (or secondary) beneficiary is a good idea, in case the primary beneficiary dies before the insured person. These steps help avoid the proceeds going into your estate, and therefore not immediately available for funeral services.  Most mortuaries offer excellent plans that you can pay on monthly to cover the cost of funeral services. 

Some people don’t believe in insurance and that is their prerogative.  It is important then that they have enough money in the bank that their next-of-kin can access right away, once death occurs.  The person designated should be a joint tenant on your bank account (one with at least enough to pay for your desired services and interment) and not just beneficiary, in order to have  immediate access to funds upon death. 

There are substantial death benefits available to veterans and their spouses, but the veteran’s Discharge papers: the DD214 and Honorable Discharge Certificate are needed.  It is best to locate them before death occurs.  We have had instances where the family knew their loved one was a veteran, but the Veterans Administration could not verify this, and denied burial.  This should not happen to a veteran who has served honorably, and can be avoided by securing the documents in advance.  

Pre-need funeral planning addresses all of the above as well as other issues that can cause problems and delays in the services and interment of a loved one.  Information, needed records and signatures are secured, important decisions and selections are made, and a means to pay for desired services is identified or established.  A trained counselor assists you and all of the above is kept in a person’s pre-planning file at the mortuary.  Copies are given to the appropriate family members also. You can insure a proper burial tomorrow by planning ahead today.   

Gail Valentine Taylor, M.S.W.

Funeral Director

Woods-Valentine Mortuary

(626) 798-8941

gailt@woodsvalentinemortuary.com

When something happens to you that is good and beneficial, you often want to tell someone.  In church we hear testimonials about overcoming problems. On TV and in other settings we hear testimonies about how products and services will wonderfully meet our needs.  When a salesperson tells us these things we may become curious, but we are more convinced when we hear from someone who has used the product or experienced the service.  When you testify about something, you share an experience you had first hand. Testimonies often encourage, motivate and inspire others to take action.  We benefit from other’s testimonies and often make decision based on them.  Successful pre-planning is one of those things that people are happy to testify about. 

More and more people are pre-planning their funeral services because of the benefits that it affords them as well as their families. They have peace of mind that their final affairs are in order, that their family is not left with an added emotional and financial burden and that their wishes are known.  For these reasons and more, statistics indicate that  8 out of 10 people believe that pre-planning is a good idea.

The following individuals were more than willing to testify about their experience with pre-planning:

“Pre-Planning is one of the most important things a person can do for themselves and their family.  I am so pleased that I did.  When my husband died, there was no pressure on my family and me.  All we had to do is just set the date. All of the decisions were already made and everything was paid for.   I’m telling all of my family and friends it’s the best thing you can do.” 

Ruth Maxine Wallace 

“I pre-planned my funeral services so that my wishes would be carried out.  I wanted to make the decisions and take the burden off of my family.  At that time, the family needs comfort and not something else to worry about.  Woods-Valentine helped me walk through the process step and step and now it is done.”

Joe Hopkins 

“I encountered my first experience when my mother passed and again when I lost my husband. The pre-need process allowed my mother and husband to choose the type of service that they wanted and alleviated the unhappy task of planning their memorial services from scratch.  This was an excellent benefit not only to myself, but also for the whole family.

My mother and husband had the opportunity to pre-select their favorite songs, scriptures, casket and to make other special requests.  When time came my family and I made an appointment with Woods-Valentine Mortuary to go over the pre-planned agreement, which was done by them with such genuine tender loving care. It made the whole unhappy ordeal a lot easier to endure.  I would highly recommend that everyone consider enlisting in this excellent plan. “ 

Kathryne Lang 

“When I was first approached about a Pre-Need I was reluctant.  But when I thought about the love I have for my family and knowing that one day, death is going to face us all, I thought, why not make it easier for the one’s I love. The thing that I had to realize is that planning ahead would not lead to my death.  I decided to choose what I wanted and to start a plan.  And now I can go ahead and live, knowing that my family would not be burdened.” 

Gerald Brown

“I am very thankful that Gail called me and told me the Pre-Need insurance plan existed.  Six months later my mother passed.  Her death was totally unexpected.  It was made easier for my brother, sister and I, because all of the arrangements were already made.  When that time comes the fewer decisions you have to make the better.  Forethought paid half of the total bill, which was a blessing.”

Phyllis Harrison

Pre-planning has been described as a  “load lifter”. If you can testify to this fact, call or email me.  Your experience can benefit others.

Gail Valentine Taylor

Funeral Director

(626) 798-8941

gailt@woodsvalentinemortuary.com        

A jewelry box is a container for beautiful and precious gems.  Most women have jewelry boxes filled with an array of colorful, stylish jewelry.  A casket is a container for dear departed loved ones to be viewed in, and buried or cremated in.   How are a jewelry box and a casket related?   I heard a Pastor during a eulogy describe the person that had passed away, as a “precious jewel.”  He went further to say that the casket was “a jewelry box”, made for the beautiful jewel that lie in it.  I looked up the word and lo and behold, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a  casket as, 1) a small chest or box-as for jewels, and 2) a usually fancy coffin.   When you think of your loved one as someone precious and valuable, the casket they lie in, is truly a jewelry box.

Caskets of old were better known as “coffins.”  They were usually rectangular and made out of wood.  In America, the casket industry originated in the 1800’s, and most funeral directors, known as “undertakers” then, built their own.  In the 1950’s metal caskets became more popular and casket manufacturers began springing up.

There are three different types of caskets available today:

1) Cloth covered, which are wood or particle board based 

2) Metal-made of steel, copper or bronze and       

3) Wood

Cloth covered caskets come in different colors: pink, white, gray, blue and others.  Their lining is usually made of crepe material.  Cloth caskets are generally the least expensive type of casket.  The exception would be the pine box.  Each of us has heard someone say, “just put me in a pine box.” They are available, and they cost less than cloth caskets.

Metal caskets come in a full array of colors, blue, gray, white, pink, green, brown, black and others.   Some are air brushed and two tone.   The interiors are either crepe, velvet or linen.  Metal caskets come in varying thicknesses called gauges: 16 gauge (the thickest), 18 gauge or 20 gauge.  Certain features dress up or decorate a casket: embroidered flowers, birds, flags or other designs in the panel.  Sayings such as “May the Work I’ve Done Speak for Me”, “Going Home” or “Mother” are also available in the panel of some caskets.  The hardware  (handles, corners) can be very decorative and made in the shape of angels, flowers, eagles etc…  Some have sealing devices and others do not. These devices guard against outside elements entering the casket for long periods of time.  However, there is no evidence that any casket with a sealing device preserves human remains.  The more durable a casket is and the more ornamented a casket is, the more costly it generally is.   Copper and bronze caskets are the most expensive because they are thicker, non-rusting (permanent burial containers), fancier and have velvet interiors. 

Wood caskets are made out of cherry, maple, pine, walnut, mahogany wood, etc., and have a natural beauty.  They are finely crafted, like furniture.  They two are made with crepe or velvet interiors and come with a variety of hardware styles.  These caskets are porous and thus corrode and return to dust faster than metal caskets. 

Rental caskets are available also, and are primarily used for services that culminate in cremation. A cardboard container with crepe bedding is inserted in the rental casket. After viewing and services, the decedent in the cardboard container is lifted out of the rental casket, a cardboard top is placed and the person is cremated in that container. 

Occasionally a family cannot find one casket with all of the features they prefer. Custom caskets can be made upon request.  Since they are special made, there can be a three-four day delay before the casket can be delivered.  There is an additional cost  for a casket to be custom made.   Most people can fit into a standard sized casket, but those that are larger, require what is referred to as an “oversized casket.”  These are usually more expensive, also.

Casket costs range from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.

People choose a casket based on appearance and cost.  Some have favorite colors, or want one that matches the special clothing the family will dress their loved one in.  No matter what type, style, color or cost, the casket chosen is indeed a “jewelry box” for a precious and valuable jewel.

Gail Valentine Taylor,  M.S.W.

Asst. Vice-President

(626) 798-8941

gailt@woodsvalentinemortuary.com