Generation of Planners

As one of three generations of women who believe in the importance of advance care planning for your final expenses. Live to Leave a Legacy is built on the belief that everyone deserves to Honor and Celebrate “Your Life, Your Choice, Your Wishes with Dignity, Integrity, Love, Legacy

My Story

In June of 2004, my husband, Joe, was diagnosed with stage IV Colon Cancer. For the next 12 months, our life was a world wind. Joe had major surgery to remove the cancer but was still not given a good prognosis to live. The following month, my mother was diagnosed with stage IV Lung CA.

Joe and my mother were going to chemotherapy together. Joe was having a hard time with chemotherapy; but my mother was there to encourage him every step of the way. Life was touch and go for both Joe and my mother. With each trip to the emergency room, I was faced with not knowing if that would be the visit that resulted in their passing.

I ran between two households caring for my husband and mother. Caregivers were hired to be with my parents because my father suffered from dementia. Eventually, I had to have a caregiver come into my own home twice a week for 4-5 hours to be able to take care of other responsibilities.

At the time of Joe’s passing, I was grateful that we established a pre-plan for our final funeral expenses and obtained a long-term care insurance policy. The benefits of the plan allowed me to acquire the supports necessary to care for my family’s needs and prevented the distress of unexpected expenditures that accompanies significant health conditions and end of life care.

Start Where You Are

Fortunately, Advance Planning was something that was not new to me.

My mother purchased three plots when I was about 12 years old. My father, sister and I thought she was crazy. My father’s wishes were to be cremated. My sister and I agreed with my father. In 1999, I helped my mother transfer the plots she previously purchased to the funeral home where I paid for my arrangements.

At the time of both my parent’s death, the only thing left for us to provide the funeral home was pictures and pick out the flower arrangements, which were paid in advance. By my mother planning ahead, it relieved my sister and I of a lot emotional and financial stress.

Make Provisions

Pre-planning did not just begin with my mother. My Paternal Grandmother pre-planned and purchased her funeral arrangements and mausoleum in the State of Washington. She later moved to Nevada and reached out to the local funeral home, paid for the funeral home to pick up her body, embalmed, and prepared to return back to Washington.

She made the process so simple for us. We contacted the funeral home in Nevada to pick up her body. Airline tickets were purchased for the body to fly back to Washington. The funeral home in Washington handled the rest. My grandmother left enough money to cover her air flight back to Washington and my cousin’s air flight as well.

Peace of Mind

In 1999, I had a conversation with Joe, my husband, about the importance of pre-planning and purchasing our final expenses. We sat down with a pre-need funeral specialist to discuss how each of us wanted to honor and celebrate our life. During the discussion we also purchased the Travel Protection Plan, in the event one or both of us passed while traveling, our loved ones would not be responsible for paying for us to return home.

Our decision to execute advance planning early on made it easier to manage the stress of losing my loved ones. It was one of the best decisions of my life.

With Dignity, Integrity, and Love

Joe was a man of dignity, integrity and love. During the time of Joe’s illness, his mother was sick an declining as well. His mother lived in another state and his siblings did not think it would be a good idea to inform him of her condition. Due to his pride and dignity I could not deny him of that information and the opportunity to pay his respects. I told Joe of his mother’s situation and asked him if he wanted to travel to Mississippi. Joe without hesitation agreed. To uphold Joe’s integrity to the end we made the trip.

Contact Info

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206.455.5318

The Evergreen State Washington