I MAKE A LIVING CARING FOR THE DEAD

A bad experience led Frances Alcock, 64, to try it out for herself

-  ASHLEIGH

Sitting in the pews, listening to the officiant’s eulogy of my uncle, in 2013, I felt baffled. ‘Bob loved going on cruises and there was one in particular that was special to him,’ he said, before telling a tale of ‘Bob’s’ supposed nautical adventures. 

Only, my uncle’s name was not Bob –terrible for his family but none of us said anything at the time. He deserved more and better,' I vented to my cousins at the wake afterwards. I didn't speak at Don's funeral and now regretted letting someone outside our family speak on our behalf.

During the next few weeks, I began to think about what I'd do when the time came to plan my mum's funeral. It sounds a bit morbid, but she was in her late 70s and Mum and I had already had conversations about how I needed to be prepared for when the time came to say goodbye. 'I want to be cremated, not buried,' she told me frankly.

FUNERAL FASCINATION

As we began looking at funeral homes, I became fascinated with the whole industry. Funerals have barely changed in the past 30 years,' I scoffed to Mum one afternoon. Male funeral directors walking around solemnly in top hats and tails, driving shiny black cars and insisting on hearses and formal ceremonies. 'I think I'd do a much better job,' I laughed.