On 2017-11-30 11:13 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 11/29/2017 11:18 PM, JBurns wrote:
>
>> My mother chose to have the dead spread and no funeral. She did not
>> want her money used on a funeral. I arranged to have her body cremated
>> and then we had a wake and only invited people that she loved or
>> liked.
>>
>> JB
>>
>
> Mom was smart, IMO.Â* Cremation is smart.Â* I don't see the value of
> putting a $3000 box in the ground, never to be seen again.Â* If I've not
> seen you in 20 years I won't see you if you show up at my funeral either.

It may be a cultural thing. In some cultures you are expected to spend a
small fortune to honour the dead. I am with you about putting an
expensive box in the ground. It is ridiculous, but some people feel
obligated to spend a lot of money on a casket and service.

Not to long ago I read a news item about a teenage buy who died
tragically and the family had set up a Go Fund Me account to raise money
for his funeral. They were aiming for $35,000. You can have someone
cremated and buried for under $4000. You have to wonder why a family on
welfare would expect 9 times that much.