The legendary American soul singer Etta James, who would have turned 74 on January 25, passed away 5 days before her birthday because of leukaemia complications. A public viewing is set on January 27, Friday, at the Inglewood Cemetery in California, and a private funeral on January 28, Saturday, at Greater Bethany Community Church City of Refuge in Gardena for immediate family and friends. Her last few months may have been of leukaemia, dementia and hepatitis C, but her fans remember her for her earthy voice and soulful songs. This Grammy winner and hall of famer lived an eventful life, inspiring people with her music since she was a teenager, including this generation’s award-winning singers, Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, and Adele, who all paid tribute in the wake of her passing.

What Funeral Directors Can Do for You

Funerals have a way of bringing people together. Although death is never a joyful event, even if it’s to end a suffering, no one will ever be prepared to face the death of a loved one. Death occurs; it happens, no matter how much we don’t want it to. And even though we know it’s a constant, and we try to prepare ourselves for it, we still need assistance and support services. Arranging for a funeral involves several tasks. Aside from dealing with the emotions, you also have to do the preparations – from the wake to the post-funeral services. That’s why you need someone to help you walk through the funeral arrangements. This is where the funeral directors come in. Here is some useful information you need to know about funeral directors:

   * Funeral Directors       o They will explain all the available services, costs, and reasons for each service.       o They are the professionals you hire for a specialised service.       o They should have the qualifications, facilities and abilities to perform the tasks.       o Preferably, they must be members of the Australian Funeral Directors Association (AFDA), the only national funeral service organisation, as they adhere to the AFDA’s Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct, and industry standards.       o They file the important certificates of the deceased: birth, death and marriage.       o They obtain signatures and necessary documents from the physician, medical examiner, hospital, etc.       o They transfer the deceased from place of death to the funeral home.       o If it’s a pre-paid or pre-arranged funeral, they fulfil the service according to the contract.       o They make necessary arrangements for the following:             § Memorial service location: church, chapel, graveside             § Type of coffin             § Viewing plans: private, public             § Obituary notices: newspaper, other media             § Words/texts: poems, scriptures, readings             § Music: tape, musicians, bands             § Florist             § Transportation             § Register books             § Acknowledgement cards

Funeral Cards: Sympathy Cards and Thank You Cards

Organising a funeral is not easy physically, emotionally and financially. But it’s something we do to show our respect for the dead and as part of our grieving process. Although it’s a time of grief, we must not forget to express our appreciation for families and friends who stand as a support system before, during and after the funeral services. We remember those who paid their respects, sent funeral cards, and offered comfort. Gabrielle Johnson Creative has a wide collection of funeral thank you cards you can choose from. If you want to personalise your sympathy thank you cards, Gabrielle Johnson Creative can customise their design to suit your requirements.