Funeral Homes and Death

Should the Goverment Proivde Public Assistance for after Death Expenses for our Loved Ones ??

            My mother Ruby J Van De Car born December 27, 1931 found deceased on October 15, 2005 passed into another world with out dignity and grace, she as many older citizens cannot afford to have paid funeral arrangements or life insurance. These people work their entire lives to have a retirement plan but when they retire they receive a very small amount of money each month from the Social Security benefit plan. Even after they paid into the system, at the time of death they end up being a number and a profit margin for the local funeral homes.

            We, as a nation, need to question the morals of funeral homes and funeral directors as well as the cost factors and what is legally required by law in the processing of a body after death.

            What happens to our loved ones after they pass on to a new life without a will or a pre paid funeral plan? This is an issue, which needs to be addressed. The government should provide a type of benefit to help out with the burial or cremation of our citizens. After being faced with this issue I have found our government system does not have a program in effect to help people in their time of need. The families left behind are grieving for their lost one and are faced with having to choose a place to have there loved ones taken care of. In my case my mother was sent to Miller Woodlawn Cemetery here in Kitsap County. When I went in to make the final arrangements for my mother I was sent away because I did not have the moneys needed to have her cremated. I was told it was a government run agency and unless I could produce the cash in form of a credit card or check they could not help me. I then was faced with having my mother moved to Lewis Funeral home which told me that they where a local run funeral home and that would never turn anyone away. I was told by a staff member that the cost factor would be between $600.00 to $800.00 after arriving there the cost factor magically increased to $1200.  I was turned down again unless I could come up with a down payment and monthly payments over a period of two years.