Humanist Funerals
Jul 22nd 2012, 3:12 pm
#16
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,590
Re: Humanist Funerals
I have friends who have been to these type of funerals and all say it's far better than the religious ones, apparently they really look into the persons background and bring it out brilliantly.
I have never been to one but they sound brilliant and even if you're religious it might tempt you.
I have never been to one but they sound brilliant and even if you're religious it might tempt you.
Jul 22nd 2012, 4:08 pm
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2012
Location: Alicante
Posts: 70
Re: Humanist Funerals
I have already made my arrangements in Spain but found this post interesting and checked things out a bit further.
I never knew that in the UK you can bury someone in your garden after having collected them from the hospital or wherever. A coffin isn't even necessary, only that the body be covered decently.
As the BBC article said, this might not be a good selling point when a property is up for sale but it is very economical.
I thought that burial anywhere except a graveyard was banned.
You never stop learning.
I never knew that in the UK you can bury someone in your garden after having collected them from the hospital or wherever. A coffin isn't even necessary, only that the body be covered decently.
As the BBC article said, this might not be a good selling point when a property is up for sale but it is very economical.
I thought that burial anywhere except a graveyard was banned.
You never stop learning.
Jul 24th 2012, 7:03 am
#18
MODERATOR
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Costa Valencia
Posts: 14,806
Re: Humanist Funerals
No sure how useful this may be to people but here is my recent experience.
Graham and I had both written down details about funerals, the aftermath, necessary papers etc so that if one of us died the other would have everything at their finger tips. During his last couple of weeks in intensive care it was obvious that there was a strong possibility that I would need his file so I had it with me when he passed.
This file included the following:
Instructions on what to do if the death occurred at home.
Instructions on what to do if the death occurred in hospital.
Details such as name, status, parents names, nationality, residence, D.O.B., place of birth, passport number, S.I.P., N.I.E. The heading for each of these things were in English and in Spanish for the ease of the person completing any forms.
A signed document stating that cremation was preferred.
The gentleman who completed the forms asked very few questions because he had so many of the details on the paperwork that I provided, this was less painful for me than him going through the form and asking me. He commented that I was very prepared. He checked whether there was jewellery on him and if he had a pacemaker. Apart from that he explained about a local crematorium and offered two different times for the following day. I had to provide both of our passports and our residency certificates for him to photocopy, I asked why he needed mine and was told it was because I was the person paying. The only other question was whether I wanted a priest or someone else to speak (this would have cost extra) and whether there was any particular music I wanted playing.
In the morning of the following day I had to go to the bank to do a bank transfer to pay for the funeral and the receipt had to go with me to the funeral as proof of payment. I would advise that when you do this transfer you ask the teller for two receipts so that you have a copy for your own files in case it is needed at a later date.
At the tanatorio I had to identify Graham before we commenced and was asked whether I wanted the lid open or closed during our little service and whether I wanted the curtain open or closed for the cremation. The day after the funeral I collected the ashes which were in a beautiful heavy glass urn which was in a small cotton tote bag and the certificate of cremation was in a thick folder. The death certificates, three Spanish and three International, were ready for collection three days later.
I paid 2000 euros for the whole package, there have been no hidden extras at all.
Bank.......I had been told not to tell the bank, when I paid for the funeral I provided the number of the account of the recipient and used my separate account not the joint account. A few days later I transferred much of the funds from the joint account into my account. I took my friend with me when I met with the bank manager to change all of the direct debits from the joint account to the individual account. He talked to her in Valenciano and told her that he knew that my husband had died and informed her that he needed me to go to the notary to gain a paper certifying that Graham only had the one will that I would be presenting at the bank and that he would not be freezing the account.
Rosemary
Graham and I had both written down details about funerals, the aftermath, necessary papers etc so that if one of us died the other would have everything at their finger tips. During his last couple of weeks in intensive care it was obvious that there was a strong possibility that I would need his file so I had it with me when he passed.
This file included the following:
Instructions on what to do if the death occurred at home.
Instructions on what to do if the death occurred in hospital.
Details such as name, status, parents names, nationality, residence, D.O.B., place of birth, passport number, S.I.P., N.I.E. The heading for each of these things were in English and in Spanish for the ease of the person completing any forms.
A signed document stating that cremation was preferred.
The gentleman who completed the forms asked very few questions because he had so many of the details on the paperwork that I provided, this was less painful for me than him going through the form and asking me. He commented that I was very prepared. He checked whether there was jewellery on him and if he had a pacemaker. Apart from that he explained about a local crematorium and offered two different times for the following day. I had to provide both of our passports and our residency certificates for him to photocopy, I asked why he needed mine and was told it was because I was the person paying. The only other question was whether I wanted a priest or someone else to speak (this would have cost extra) and whether there was any particular music I wanted playing.
In the morning of the following day I had to go to the bank to do a bank transfer to pay for the funeral and the receipt had to go with me to the funeral as proof of payment. I would advise that when you do this transfer you ask the teller for two receipts so that you have a copy for your own files in case it is needed at a later date.
At the tanatorio I had to identify Graham before we commenced and was asked whether I wanted the lid open or closed during our little service and whether I wanted the curtain open or closed for the cremation. The day after the funeral I collected the ashes which were in a beautiful heavy glass urn which was in a small cotton tote bag and the certificate of cremation was in a thick folder. The death certificates, three Spanish and three International, were ready for collection three days later.
I paid 2000 euros for the whole package, there have been no hidden extras at all.
Bank.......I had been told not to tell the bank, when I paid for the funeral I provided the number of the account of the recipient and used my separate account not the joint account. A few days later I transferred much of the funds from the joint account into my account. I took my friend with me when I met with the bank manager to change all of the direct debits from the joint account to the individual account. He talked to her in Valenciano and told her that he knew that my husband had died and informed her that he needed me to go to the notary to gain a paper certifying that Graham only had the one will that I would be presenting at the bank and that he would not be freezing the account.
Rosemary
Jul 24th 2012, 10:06 am
#19
Banned
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Living in a good place
Posts: 8,824
Re: Humanist Funerals
2000€ is very reasonable. A friend paid over 3000€ and that was about 6 years ago. I think some of the cost was for a daily charge at the morturary whilst relatves flew out.
Can I ask did you come across any funeral directors hanging around the hospital and approaching relatives after a death. There are quite a few at the CDS hospital.
Take care of yourself
Can I ask did you come across any funeral directors hanging around the hospital and approaching relatives after a death. There are quite a few at the CDS hospital.
Take care of yourself
Jul 24th 2012, 10:23 am
#20
MODERATOR
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Costa Valencia
Posts: 14,806
Re: Humanist Funerals
2000€ is very reasonable. A friend paid over 3000€ and that was about 6 years ago. I think some of the cost was for a daily charge at the morturary whilst relatves flew out.
Can I ask did you come across any funeral directors hanging around the hospital and approaching relatives after a death. There are quite a few at the CDS hospital.
Take care of yourself
Can I ask did you come across any funeral directors hanging around the hospital and approaching relatives after a death. There are quite a few at the CDS hospital.
Take care of yourself
I was astounded at the price and that the certificates and urn were included in the price. My friend had to pay 60 euros per certificate whereas mine were free. Also the urn is a large heavy glass one that must be expensive, when I was given the quote I did not expect such quality.
Rosemary
