Speakers available for your organization

Buddy Phaneuf and the staff from Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium are available to speak at events and facilities on a variety of topics related to funerals, burials, cremation, death/dying and grieving. 

Buddy is a fourth-generation funeral director, and has given presentations at retirement communities, libraries and seminars. His talks are interactive, with plenty of time for audience questions. 

Topics of discussion include:

Advanced funeral planning

“I remember meeting with the distraught son and daughter of a woman who recently passed, and I said, ‘Did you know your Mom had the forethought of mind to make these arrangements years ago?’ I could see the answer from just the looks on their faces and a sigh of relief,” Buddy Phaneuf said. “Their Mom had never told them that she had made arrangements in advance, but there was a huge burden taken off the two children. 

‘We were dreading this. We had no idea what my Mom wanted. She never talked about it,’ her children said. 

Planning is a  loving gift people can arrange ahead of time, not only providing peace of mind for the themself, but also providing peace of mind for their family members and survivors.”

Cremation options

“Every day, the cremation options grow in the United States and around the globe, but misconceptions remain. Some believe it’s just a cremation, no service, no memorial, no opportunity for friends and family to say farewell,” Buddy said.

That is just one cremation option. It is typically referred to as a direct cremation, which generally does not include a memorial or funeral service. The body transfers to a crematorium, the cremation process occurs, and the cremated remains go to a designated family member. Direct cremations are sometimes followed by a memorial service at a funeral home or another location.

But that is actually one of many cremation options. There are also funeral options for cremation. Many families also choose to hold a traditional funeral, with a gathering on one day and a service the next. Often, the body is present in a casket before the cremation process.”

Cremation process

“Prior to the cremation process, it’s crucial that the deceased is properly identified and documented, to avoid any issues with misidentification after the cremation. You will need to choose a cremation container, and refrigerated space should be reserved for the cremations at your provider’s facility,” Buddy said. “Your cremation provider should have a reliable tracking system in place to save all of the deceased’s personal information, and a medical examiner should carefully review the necessary records and forms to identify any possible issues before the cremation takes place. You can see our 10-Step Cremation Process as an example.

The date and time of the deceased’s cremation process should be recorded accurately, and all cremation remains should be properly cooled and processed before they are placed into an urn or other cremation container of your choice, with proper identification included. Family members can then pick up the cremains at an agreed upon date and time. Each step of the process, from beginning to end, should be carefully and accurately noted in a tracking system for proper record keeping.”

Digital assets

“Here digital assets refers to any online accounts and the data held within, which may include personal information and/or critical data about our lives. In some cases, these digital accounts contain financial assets that others don’t know exist,” Buddy said. “Do you have one or more online accounts that hold private and important information? Most of us do and have not planned for what will happen to these accounts and this information after we’re gone.

We may forget to keep track of all of our digital accounts. If we don’t know how to access all of our online accounts, how can we expect our loved ones to be able to once we’re gone? Whenever we create a new online account, we don’t always think about how long that account may exist. In many cases, it will exist forever, unless we cancel it. We offer a free download providing detailed information about managing a variety of online accounts and the data stored within upon death.”

Other topics Buddy will speak on include but are not limited to:

• Veterans benefits
• State and federal laws
• Grief and bereavement topics
• Organ and body donation
• Green funerals

Contact Buddy Phaneuf if interested in scheduling a speaking appearance or get more information here.