Have you ever heard someone stating they don’t want a funeral or anything before they die?

I get that, @Lilymoon, but please consider this:

The funeral is not for the deceased, but for those left behind. I can't tell you how many times a death notice has spurred me to show up for a visitation or (sometimes) a funeral, in order to tell the family how much someone meant to me at some point, and tell them how I saw that person.

I've done this with deceased teachers, parents, kids, friends of the family, etc., and people are always pretty surprised that I'd take that time, that some interaction was so meaningful to me that I'd do that, and how impactful their deceased family member was, and give them an illustrative example to remember / cherish.

The events around the funeral are one of the only times that one might have that opportunity to tell the family how amazing their departed member truly was; not having a funeral can deny people that opportunity to pass on good info.

[If it's partly the cost...I GET that. But a family can have an event at home to simply honor the deceased and invite others to come and share their memories with the family.]

@Lilymoon
Yes, it's your choice, and I'm sorry for how people can be, generally, and how they've treated you, in particular; it sounds as though there is a lot of pain in that statement.

...I think most of us have no idea how many ppl we have affected in positive ways. People lose touch, and the lack of public white pages makes trying to let someone know how much you meant to them much harder than it ought to be. So, sadly, a death notice is often a point where one CAN touch base.

I just hope that's a very long ways off for you, and that you know you have enriched my life. Thank you.

@SomeMichGuy Ty 🖤