SEATTLE — Many people aren’t comfortable discussing death and funeral arrangements, but planning ahead can help ensure your final memorialization pays tribute to your life. It can also make things easier on your loved ones when you pass away.
“Being able to put what’s important to you down on paper and get it out there to your friends and loved ones really helps simplify everything,” said Nikole Mitchell of Dignity Memorial. “It puts you at peace. They know what to do.”
A funeral or cremation service can be personalized and bring comfort to family and friends. Dignity Memorial encourages using videos, photographs, music, special readings, mementos and the involvement of family and friends.
“We can do things, from a very simple service that is maybe just a toast in someone’s honor, to full course meals with wine tasting pairings and the whole thing, and everything in between,” Mitchell said.
Besides traditional cremation and burial, the Seattle market offers unique options for families, including composting. During this process, the body is placed in a vessel with wood chips, mulch, wildflowers and other organic materials, where it is then transformed over about 45 days.
“The end result is usable, beautiful soil,” Mitchell said.
Water cremation is another unique option. It’s similar to traditional cremation because it yields ashes and an urn, but it uses warm water for a gentler process.
“What matters is that just like every service is unique, there are lots of options,” Mitchell said. “I think it’s really important for people to know that they have choices.”
Dignity Memorial is hosting free events for Dia De Los Muertos and Veterans Day. The Dia De Los Muertos event is this Friday, November 1 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Evergreen Washelli Funeral Home. The Veteran’s Day event will be held Monday, November 11 and will feature a flag placement and memorial service.
“We have big, beautiful facilities, and we’re all centrally located. We want to do events and invite the public in, which is a great place to talk about these conversations and get to know us.”
To learn more and to download a free planning guide, visit the Dignity Memorial website
Sponsored by Dignity Memorial
Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest at 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.