SHOPPING FOR CASKETS: NOT AN EASY TASK

Have you ever tried shopping for caskets?  This may sound weird,  but I have had my chance of going through the web, to funeral parlors,  to casket manufacturers in my quest to look for the most appropriate casket for my friend.

This friend of mine was spending her annual summer vacation at a popular beach resort in the Philippines when unexpectedly her husband suffered a cardiac arrest and was already proclaimed dead upon arrival at the hospital.   Since she didn’t have any immediate family members who could  assist her (her family have all migrated to the USA),   it was my name who first came into her mind, as she knows that I am in the memorial park business and I am  conversant when it comes to funeral matters and the like. So she called me up and asked for my help.  She has already purchased a memorial lot so her request was for me to get a casket ready upon their arrival the day after.   So there it goes.   I said yes without hesitation, thinking that it was an easy task.

My first move then was to ask for her preferences.  What kind of casket does she want ?  She merely said she wants the best for her departed partner,  adding that she wanted him to look his best while inside the coffin.  I translated that as a casket which could  make her deceased husband look neat, relaxed, and comfortable.  For this, I had  to choose a caskets of modern design.

The budget??  I was then given the budget, which was quite high that I thought I could build a native house with that amount.  So now I got the price range.

Finally,  I asked for her color preference and she wanted something “glossy” and classic.  Her husband had a normal body size so there wont be any need for the casket to be custom-made.

I then started working on my assignment by looking at the websites of casket makers and funeral parlors within the city.  I narrowed then my choices to two types.   Those made of hardwood and the bronze metal caskets.   I find these two as the most attractive kinds.  I then looked into the designs, chose 3 of each type, until I came up with the two most attractive units.  One made of hardwood, and one made of bronze metal.  I then compared the prices,  and finally I came up with my final choice… a bronze metal casket with soft velvet almond interior, adjustable bed and mattress, with a black finish.  It was a bit expensive though compared to the one made of hardwood,  but I found it more durable and chic.

I then took a picture of the casket and e-mailed this to my friend together with the specifications.  My friend was real satisfied with my choice.   It was only then that I realized that shopping for a casket is indeed not an easy task.