Home » Blog

MNFuneralPlanning.com Blog

Grieving Outside the Box

On Sunday, November 18 Karen Shragg will be featured at a book signing for, "Grieving Outside the Box: Stories of Hope and Resilience." The signing will take place at Magers and Quinn Bookstore, 3038 Hennepin Avenue South in Minneapolis from 3-5:00 pm.

In addition, Katzman Monument Co, was featured in Shragg's book and will also be speaking regarding their Interactive Memorial QR Code.

Appetizers and refreshments will be served.

We Boomers are in Our Prime

I keep hearing about how Baby Boomers are aging - as if we are past our prime.  Yet Baby Boomers Control 70% Of The U.S. Disposable Income and are still creatively churning out great music, art, food and even technology.

We Boomers are now ages 47 – 66. We are are vibrant, healthy and an extremely lucrative audience. Looking at advertising and media messages, it seems this fact is often overlooked.

Memorial Day Program at Mound Cemetery

Band of Praise, a prominent Twin Cities Jazz Funeral Brass Band, will be playing a Memorial Day program at Mound Cemetery in Brooklyn Center on Monday, 5/28, starting at 10:45am. Related to that event, Band of Praise members were contacted by Angela Davis of WCCO to do a short story on the band.  That story will air on the 10 pm newscast this Sunday night, May 27 around 10:10 pm during the "Finding Minnesota" segment.

Twin Cities Widow's Lunch Club Summer 2011

First Wednesday of Each Month

Join us Wednesday, June 1st

Biaggi’s Restaurant

8251 Flying Cloud Drive at the Eden Prairie Mall
Time: 11:30 – 1:00PM
RSVP: Call 763-497-1779 (JoAnne)
Email: joanne@heartachetohealing.com

$17.00 per person includes meal, beverage, tax & tip

What is the Widow’s Lunch Club?

Stanley Mach Memorial Video

Created by Alan Naumann, Memory Vision

http://vimeo.com/19540138

Planning Music for a Funeral, Memorial Service or Celebration of Life

Sharon Planer, Minnesota Pianist

The music for your loved one’s service can be a wonderful way to portray their uniqueness and individuality.

  • What songs or styles of music were special to your loved one?
  • What songs reflect their uniqueness?
  • What type of music will bring comfort to the family?

Pondering these questions can start you in the right music direction.

Congratulations to Pianist for Parties, Sharon Planer!

Sharon Planer, owner of PIANIST FOR PARTIES, was awarded the 2011 Vendor of Distinction Award from the Central Minnesota Wedding Association. A panel of judges selected PIANIST FOR PARTIES as one of 9 winners from over 70 entries based on nominations submitted by recently married couples and other vendors in the local wedding industry.
Excellence in customer service and dedication to their industry and community were factors considered in the award.
Members of the Central Minnesota Wedding Association agree to do business by a strict code-of-ethics. CONGRATULATIONS SHARON!!

Am I Paranoid, Or Are People Really Avoiding Me?

 by Russell Friedman & John W. James of The Grief Recovery Institute

The simple answer to the question posed in the title of this article is, “No, you’re not paranoid, people really may be avoiding you.”

Even though you may feel like you’re slogging though emotional quicksand, in some respects you might have a heightened awareness of what is going on around you. In particular, you may sense people are avoiding you or changing the subject—away from the cause of your grief—if and when they do talk with you.

Reflections on Life, Death and Music

by Ben Siems, soundtrack composer and jazz/classical/folk musician

As a composer and performing musician, I am fascinated by the myriad ways in which various cultures incorporate music into end-of-life celebrations. Many communities in Africa and the Americas believe that drums carry the voices of the ancestors; playing drums during a funeral helps the soul of the departed to cross over safely to the afterlife. A traditional Irish wake would be incomplete without some troubadour singing tales about the loved one who has passed on.

How to Cope with Grief During the Holidays

by JoAnne Funch, www.heartachetohealing.com

The holiday season is a joyous time for most, but those who have experienced a loss, this usually festive time of the year can be a painful reminder that your loved one is no longer around.