End of Life Planning - A Gift for Those You Love
- Barbara Fasig
- Oct 22
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 24
Your final gift to your loved ones is to do your best to ease their burden when they are grieving your loss. Planning a memorial service and organizing your affairs can be overwhelming when waves of grief are overpowering them. You cared about them, worried about them, wanted the best for them, and so you do this for them. You give them as much information as you can to make this time easier.
Your loved ones need to know about your finances, insurance policies, precious possesions (whether monetary worth or sentimental value), the care of your dependents, whether children, spouse, parents, grandparents, and what your wishes are regarding your funeral, down to the pallbearers and the music you'd like. There's a lot to consider and to document ahead of time. But easier for you to decide and document than for your loved ones to try to agree on what they think you would want. Do this for them.
Items and actions you should address now:
Assign Power of Attorney
Medical: A living will, medical power of attorney and medical directive
Assets: A will & trust agreement
Assign an executor
Purchase cemetery plot, monument (head stone), monument engraving
Cremation, placement of ashes
List of tangible items and to whom you want them to go
Charitable contributions you'd like made from your estate
Guidance on your obituary
Funeral service wishes: Rite I or Rite II, Holy Communion, which scriptures, what hymns & music, reflections of family and friends?
Provide records/documentation of these items to your named executor, next of kin, and clergy as appropriate. Ensure executor has access (key) to your safe deposit box.
For our End of Life Planning brochure, click on one of the links below, and feel free to talk with one of our Christ Church Parish clergy at any time. Let's prepare and make this easier for your loved ones.