By BEVERLY SPEARS

I just read the article “Planning ahead will help cope with grief” written by Susan Bressler (Renton Reporter, May 8) and decided it was time I share my family’s experience dealing with death. My sisters and I have repeatedly discussed amongst ourselves how we should write a book about the subject since we have lost so many people in our lives, including the recent loss of my young son and have had to quickly make arrangements for their memorials, including the difficult task of “Handling the Body.” Not everyone is comfortable with sharing what their wishes are before they expire and if they have, there’s still a lot of decisions to be made. Unless money is no concern, I think most are shocked at how expensive dying can be.

For those who choose burial, a funeral home like Greenwood is your best option and they are a great asset to our city. They have a beautiful facility and although it is sometimes too small for the huge Renton crowds that a Local attracts, it is a blessing to have them so close. I have come to realize that most people don’t know about the crematory right here in Renton that provides transporting, cremation, death certificate guidance, memorial card printing and all the other particulars on the checklist for dying. They are professional and caring and make the tragic experience a little less difficult, if that is possible. Best of all, you can call them direct, make all the arrangements at a fraction of what it would cost to contact a funeral home and have them conduct the cremation. Most local funeral homes outsource cremation because they do not have a crematory on site. Nothing is free and it shouldn’t be, but you don’t have to spend a fortune either to celebrate someone’s departure with class and dignity.

I have seen the results of a pre-purchased program for funeral arrangements. Don’t believe it and make sure you check out the fine print before you accept the service. Often families find out they haven’t saved a dime and in most cases it will cost them more than if they dealt direct with the crematory. So, from my own experiences and as a service to my community. I offer this advice and encourage you to consider Mount Olivet in Renton as your choice for cremation service. Have their information available before you allow anyone to transport, because you won’t be in a mental state to think clearly if something tragic happens. They are a little-known secret that can help lift a huge financial burden of losing someone you love. You’ll need comforting and time for sorting out the details without worrying about money.

Death touches most of us sometime in our lives, whether you are ready or not. I hope this information will help you minimize the cost of your loss when the time comes, leave you funds for grief counseling if necessary and maybe alleviate the necessity of financial counseling.

Beverly Spears lives in Renton.