Q. A friend of mine died recently and her divorced parents were her next of kin and couldn’t agree on the services for their daughter. One parent wanted burial and the other wanted cremation. The mother ended up having to petition probate court for the right to make her own daughter’s arrangements. It was granted to her and she then was able to proceed with what she felt was right. I am single and in a like situation, divorced parents, etc., can I get pro-active and spare both my parents the arguing and needless extra grief if I should pass before them?
Gina H., Waterford
A. Most certainly. In fact, we encourage it! We believe everyone should pre-record their final wishes and vital statistic information. Wint Funeral Home offers that very service FREE of charge for anyone in the community. It is a very simple process that I can help you with and takes about 20 minutes. If you’d prefer to do it in the privacy of your own home, I will mail a booklet to you and include a postage paid return envelope. When we get it back we place it in a confidential file here in our office. Call me, I can help, 248-625-523.
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Q. It seems to me there is a lot of confusion about Veterans Benefits these days. I’d like to know whether or not someone has to have served in a foreign country during wartime to be buried at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly?
Tom S., Davisburg
A. Tom, you are not the only one who is unsure of their benefits. A veteran has only to be honorably discharged from any branch of the US Armed Services to be eligible for FREE burial at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly.
Because we at Wint Funeral Home care so deeply for our veterans, we are hosting a free Veterans Benefits Seminar on Thursday, May 15, at American Legion Post 63, 8047 Ortonville Road, in Independence Township. Refreshments will be served and we have 2 sessions available, one at 10 a.m. and one at 6:30 p.m. with keynote speakers Jim Goldsmith, assistant director at Great Lakes National Cemetery; Dan Crocker, state director of Veterans Services and Oakland County’s own Jack Becher, supervisor of the Pontiac office.
It is our sincere aim to facilitate getting the correct information out to all our vets and their spouses about all their benefits. RSVP’s must be made in advance, please call Connie, 248-625-5231 or email wintfuneralhome@aol.com.
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Q. My husband pre-arranged his funeral quite a number of years ago and pre-paid for it. I recently discovered that the price he paid then was so much less than what it costs today. I wish I had not been so stubborn and listened to a radio personality’s advice not to pre-pay a funeral. What can I do now?
Anonymous, no city
A. It’s not too late. You can still pre-arrange and pre-fund, therefore, locking in today’s prices, because one thing is sure, they will increase in the future. In fact, it generally holds true that funeral service doubles about every 10 years or so. I’m guessing that is what you found out. Call me today and we will put a plan in place for you so in 10 years you’ll be sighing a sigh of relief and feeling pretty confident about your economic savvy, too!
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Thanks, Clarkston area readers for your great response to this column, I hope the answers are a help to you. Please keep those questions coming to Connie Glynn, Director of Family Services, C/O Wint Funeral Home, 5929 S. Main St., Clarkston, MI 48346, 248-625-5231 or e-mail to wintfuneralhome@aol.com to the attention of Connie Glynn.