Funeral homes

[dunvilsteev]

Sadly, my mother-in-law recently passed way due to lung cancer. She wanted to donate her body to science, but she was rejected, due to the cancer. It came to me to do the final arrangements and did I ever get an awakening into this business.

 

She wanted a cremation with no service, as inexpensive as possible. When contacting funeral homes I was quoted in the $3600 to $4000 range. But there are "burial services" out there that do the same job for $1300 to $1600. We go with an outfit called Tranquility that had NO pressure sales, nice to deal with and just over $1300 for everything.

 

In the meantime, I receive a letter from Bay Gardens, stating that although my mother did pay for the "group package" when my father died,($5000 back in '94) which included everything for my father and then my mother when she passes, one part was omitted and if we wish to save $$ on the future HST tax, we can pay now. I call and ask about this "missing part" and it is the transporting of the body from the nursing home (her current residence) to Bay Gardens for cleaning, and then across the street to the crematorium. For this they want $2000!! I was stunned, told them wait we already paid for the package but I was assured that this was STRICTLY for the transporting of the body. When I asked about Tranquility doing the whole thing for $1300 his answer was they treat the body with dignity .... WTF???

 

So, I go to pick up my mother-in-laws remains and the guy at Tranquility hands me the box, on top is a receipt of the contents from ...... BAY GARDENS. Seems they contract out the jobs to Tranquility anyway!! Talk about a scam .... And everybodies make a profit here too.

Then I start telling the guy at Tranquility about my mum and what a scam these crooks are pulling, when he suggests that since I have paid for the cremation, opening and closing of the niche already with Bay Gardens, I can use their services and instead of $1300 it will only be $800. Versus $2000 with BG! Boy, did I enjoy that call to the smarmy crook at Bay Gardens telling him about the "change of plans".

 

When we originally looked into donating the mother-in-law to science, there is a charge, the transporting of the body ..... the REAL fee $170! Whoa eh?

 

And one last note: Every look through the obits and see those crooks advertising their funeral home right in the persons obit? Thats because the low lifes have said they'll write the obit for the family, plunk in their logo and stick the family with the bill for their advertising.

 

Bottom feeders - IMO:mad:

 

Thanks for letting me rant .... feels better already. I already told the wife when I die to put me on an ice floe and send me out. If I happen to go in the summer, throw me in the freezer for a week, ice should be back by then!

[Bubber]

I think one of the problems here is that they are dealing with a grieving family and and arguing about money is a taboo kind of thing. To that I say BS!

 

It isn't a time for them to take advantage of the family!

 

That being said there are good and honest funeral homes out there...I think.

 

I would hope that one uses their brain when dealing with them even in time of grief.

 

For me drill a big deep hole and stand me up straight and put a concrete cap over it. For me it isn't the body it is the person that inhabits the body that counts. And that is what you can call the spirit of the person or what ever term you like.

 

Sorry to hear about your Mother-in-Law.

 

I guess we learn a little as we go through life.

 

 

Ps. I once heard of a guy that picked up a body in the back of his station wagon. in New Mexico and drove it to Minnesota to be buried . There was no license required to transport a dead body. After all what can you do to hurt it?

[flb_78]

Yep, Funeral Homes and all the related folks seem to be vultures. It's amazing how much those kind of services can cost.

 

I think everyone should have funds set aside and arrangements already made to avoid having to deal with the funeral homes during a stressful situation.

[qdude]

I did my mom's in advance of her passing, could have easily ran $12,000 but planning in advance it cost $6000 and was exactly the same. They have so many little guilt expenses that are completely unnecessary. That $6000 didn't include the plot and stone. There are so many extra expenses that at the time of passing they all will use your regrets and grief for a sales advantage. I loved the line, "this would show visitors nothing would be too good for your mom" when they showed me a $8000 casket.

[straycatt]

OK, I'm not sticking up for all of the sleazy Undertakers, but I had to go thru this last May when my mom died, and I have nothing but praise for the funeral home that helped me.

 

My mom too had pre-paid for "most" of her services (she too was cremated), it cost me an additional $300 for the obit (the funeral home ran it at their expense for two extra days because of an error that was MY fault). That $300 was exactly what the paper charged ( I checked).

It also cost me $50 for several extra official copies of the death cert.

 

When it came to the container that moms cremains were to be placed in until I spread them, the funeral director told me she would put my mom into ANYTHING I asked. She went onto the same box that held my dads ashes.

 

These people made a very difficult time just a tad easier, at a time when just a tad easier was a virtual lifeline.

 

Because of an error of omission on our part, the estate had to go thru probate. The guy that REALLY screwed us was the lawyer. It cost me over $2000 for a very simple probate.

I hope there is life after death because if there is, I know my mom would be haunting this guy. She'd be furious if she knew how much I paid.

[Condor]

Sadly, my mother-in-law recently passed way due to lung cancer. She wanted to donate her body to science, but she was rejected, due to the cancer. It came to me to do the final arrangements and did I ever get an awakening into this business.

 

When I had to take care of my son's remains we used 'direct' cremation. The key word here is direct, and dealing direcly with the crematorium instead of a mortuary. This was five years ago, and at the time the fee was $500 plus a transportation cost of $60. The trip from the morgue to the crematorium was about 100miles 'round trip. Then because he was a victim, the local 'Victim/Witness Society reimbursed to us the costs.

[Jethroish]

When my father-in-law passed several years ago, it cost us all of $900. Although I am sure price has gone up. That included the funeral home picking up the body at the nursing home and cremation. the funeral director also filed the social security papers for us well as obtaining his flag fromt he VA.

Just like lawyers and mechanics, good honest ones can be hard to find.

[dunvilsteev]

Just like lawyers and mechanics, good honest ones can be hard to find.

 

Thats for sure!!

 

At least if I going in to buy, say, a car or a bike, I know this guys trying to get a little more and I'm trying to get a little less. Its a "game", but at least its fair, you both know the rules, so to speak.

 

But preying on people when they are at their weakest, "to show people you really cared?" WTF!! "Vultures" is a darn good term, "bullies" sure comes to mind, but I think I'll stick with "parasites"

[Venturous Randy]

All though I have not made it offical yet, I have said I would rather be cremated and my ashes thrown to the wind at an overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Maybe even invite some of my Venture buddies to be part of it.

RandyA

[dunvilsteev]

I heard of a guy who had his brother-in-law drive down a country lane with his wife on the back of the bike and she let the ashes go ..... forever In The Wind.

My place has great sentimental reasons, we even have a painting over our bed of the place, the Grotto at Tobermory.