Decision time.

Hate to say it but, alot of you drivers are walking heart attacks out there. Time to do something about it.

 

I’d probably go with FFE, really dont hear alot of negitives, which is great in trucking.

 

Oh, I could sit here and write a thousand words on that one subject. I won't primarily because I know it will devolve into a font war. So ------

 

At any rate have your final arrangements taken care of. If I was to drop dead on the east coast they will ship the ashes back to Arkansas US Mail priority for my ex or funeral home to dispose of. no fuss or muss. Our Funeral Home is part of a network. The next of kin does not have to do anything or make any decisions. It's all set. Dying would be the hard part.

Not to be morbid but death sometimes come easy to the trucker. Ive escaped it a number of times. 8 so far in my life. If I can see the situation developing.

 

There is nothing unique to truckers when it comes to pre-planning. I no longer drive and I have all my services planned. In fact, I will be interred in a Virginia Veterans Cemetery across the James River from me, I have already communicated my wishes on my services and I will have a DAV honor guard conducting mine. If I happen to not be in Hampton Roads when I pass all that has to happen is two Funeral Homes communicate. I don't think it is legal to ship a body in interstate commerce that has not been prepared first. I highly recommend getting preplanning done. If you are like me, an honorably discharged veteran and need a FREE burial spot contact your nearest DAV, VA or VFW location for a list of places.

 

When we had a relative pass in Alaska after the Local police and so forth cleared the situation, the funeral home there took charge of the body, cremated same and mailed him marked human remains priority. I picked up the ashes at the Post Office to my spouse as a Heir to dispose of ashes per his wishes. So they were able to get closure.

Regarding bodies, funeral homes know how to place a body into a specific by law defined container to ship. Usually by air the details are too much to get into here because it relates to shipping of the body with a specific type of container. If the deceased is a vet then additional things apply such as honors etc. Thats why we preplanned and prepaid for cremation.

Cancer was our motivation and it got everything sorted that way. In our area when the time comes three phone calls go out, first to law then funeral home and county coroner who examines and rules on the death situation. Once he clears the body the funeral home takes charge. If for whatever reason related to crime or foul play the state takes the body to state lab then to funeral home after thats done.

Spouse was a vet but we declined VA arrangements we have our own preferences be that as it may. However I take her to the VA from time to time for ER purposes and that is under advanced directives and so forth. They will take charge of the body and thence to the funeral home. It all ties into the funeral home locally. There are three crematoria in the area most likely Jacksonville. Essentially burn the flesh out, grind the bones and that goes into a container and two day cooling.

 

Many years ago I went with a High School friend of mine in the Funeral Home Van to go get a body at a Funeral Home in Georgetown SC. ( I lived in North Georgia at the time) It was a long trip and we did not stop except to get some food and buy gas. I helped drive and keep this guy awake. The guy that died was from Cornelia Georgia and had died in a bad car crash on US 17 between Georgetown and Myrtle Beach. It happens sometimes you are not at home when you pass on.

 

I could not transport bodies. I don't drive that well. Tip of hat to you.

I guess in our area death more or less is routine. We have people pass on for a variety of causes fairly recently in numbers. It keeps us in practice. What is not welcome is those who live alone and pass on and then decompose. And that is one of the things that circles me back towards truckers. Sometimes that scenario plays out.