Helpful Articles

Mother’s Day can prove to be challenging for anyone who is mourning the loss of their mother, even long after she passed. It can also be difficult to find meaningful ways to honor your mother and her life on Mother’s Day. Even though your mother is no longer here, you can still celebrate and remember her in ways that reflect the life that was unique to her.

After a loved one is cremated, about 70% of families opt to take the urn home with them after the funeral services. There are a number of reasons that families choose to take cremated remains home. Some are still working through their grief and want to hold onto their loved one a bit longer, others haven’t given thought to the final disposition of the ashes, or they have been left instructions about scattering or are simply uncertain what to do.

How We Describe Death Has Evolved Over The Years
Discussing death has always been a delicate topic, especially when it comes to crafting obituaries for loved ones. Over the years obituaries have evolved, shaped by society’s customs and the evolution of the language used to describe death in obituaries.
How we describe death today differs greatly from hundreds of years ago. This reflects not only the fact that attitudes towards death have changed, but also the prevalence of modern day causes of death. Back in the pre-1850’s many obituaries described death in euphemistic phrases like “slain by enemy” or “breathed her soul away into her Savior’s arms.”
The language of obituaries can be divided into three broad categories: polite euphemisms, transcendent experiences, and “there’s more to the story” style. Polite euphemisms are a gentle way to talk about death without mentioning the “d-word.” Transcendent experiences involve using religious or spiritual terms to define death. The “there’s more to the story” style-obituaries are similar to polite euphemisms in that they don’t explicitly state how someone died. This option is often used in times of sensitive topics such as overdose or suicide.

Steve Parthemore recently returned from the 2022 National Disaster Medical System Summit in Indianapolis, IN. At the summit, he was honored to receive the COVID 19 Pandemic Campaign Civilian Service Medal from the United States Public Health Service. During the pandemic in 2020, Steve deployed to Travis Air Force Base in California, Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia, and New York City.
Steve said that the people who should get a medal are his family and the amazing staff at the funeral home, who make it possible for him to volunteer. He is truly grateful. With out their support, he would not have the opportunity to serve.
While attending the summit he enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with old friends he has met over the years during various deployments and preparing for future disasters, whether manmade or natural.
The pandemic was the longest and most sustained activation in NDMS History. During the event 15,352 responders made up 356 teams and completed 2,207 missions with













