Monday, August 5, 2013

Offbeat funeral services specialize in celebrating the deceased

From the Tribune Review-

As the closing theme song from “The Lawrence Welk Show” played in the background, family and friends circled the casket at a funeral in Indiana County, puffing iridescent bubbles into the air.

The family of the late Georgine S. “Jean” Butekoff of Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, is one of a growing number who plan personalized “life tribute” services.

The themes for the services typically are inspired by the deceased's favorite things: motorcycles, hunting clothes, fishing gear, personalized crossword puzzles, Clark bars, Popsicles, even Genesee Light beer.

Usually headed by a celebrant such as the funeral director, offbeat services are gaining popularity in tandem with the growing number of people who don't identify with a specific religious denomination. One-fifth of Americans have no religious affiliation, and the number is growing “at a rapid pace,” Pew Research Center figures show.

The trend likely will continue because of the proliferation of memories shared on social media, the appeal to baby boomers and Generation Xers, and the growing choice of cremation.


More here-

http://triblive.com/news/westmoreland/4345749-74/funeral-services-family#axzz2b9SW5wFz

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