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Family Plot Blog
Making Memorial Services a Celebration of Life
January 22, 2010
Daily Herald
Harper College, Continuing Education Meeting and Event Planning CE Certificate Program
January 12, 2010
Daily Herald
Palatine business focuses on personalizing memorial services
By Kim Mikus October 20, 2009
Crain's Chicago
Business of Life
Luncheons, music . . . funeral planners
By: Kevin Davis September 07, 2009
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Family Plot Blog
Making Memorial Services a Celebration of Life
January 22, 2010 |
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When Debbie Williams lost her best friend to cancer in 2002, she held a celebration of life event that was so meaningful, people came up to her afterward saying, “You should do this as a business!” and “Will you do my memorial service?” After she was laid off from her hotel/hospitality industry job, she pondered what would be fulfilling work for her, did some research and started Loving Touches Memorial Services in 2009.
She is essentially a party planner, changing a traditionally sad or somber event into a celebration of life. Co-owner Beth Kingwill brings her expertise as a creative producer of special occasion videos, making loving memory DVDs for families.
In Williams’ research before starting the business, she found that a majority of people who had done a funeral for a family member felt dissatisfied with how traditional funeral services had gone, and that they felt pressured in their choices, especially if they hadn’t pre-planned.
“The worst time in people’s lives is when there’s a death in the family. Holding an event that celebrates the person’s life is healing and very uplifting for them,” says Williams.
She sees a growing trend toward cremation, possibly reaching a 50/50 split with burial in the next five to 10 years. Generations younger than the Baby Boomers are leaning toward cremation, whether due to a desire to reduce environmental impact (embalming chemicals in soil, taking up space in a cemetery, the wood, metal, stone, and cement used for burial) or reduced cost (no plot, headstone, casket, or fees for burial).
With cremation, many options open up for a creative, meaningful memorial service. “If the body is cremated, you have all the time in the world to get the family together, to wait for nicer weather, or to secure a meaningful location to hold the service. You can wait two weeks, or months, however long you need to prepare. You have options outside of a three- to five-day limit when there’s a funeral with a body,” explains Williams.
Her research indicated that 92% of the people she surveyed said that the reception was a key component of a memorial service that makes the celebration of life so special. “It can be an afternoon tea, it could be an evening cocktail party. Think about what the venue should be as a reflection of the person – eating the food that person loved, using their favorite colors and flowers – to connect attendees to who that person was,” says Williams.
In addition to planning a stellar celebration of life event, Williams can help with producing beautiful programs, video DVDs or picture montages, obituaries and eulogies, and mementos related to the deceased. While funeral directors view her as a competitor, she says she would like to work more closely with them and feels she can enhance their business.
She has expanded the business to include helping people memorialize their pets and pre-plan their own funerals. “Everyone seems to accept that their pet is going to die, but when it comes to human beings, we don’t want to accept that it will happen,” says Williams. “Pre-planning allows your loved ones to move forward with the service that you have laid out in advance and relieve some of the pressure on your family during an emotional time.”
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Daily Herald
Harper College, Continuing Education
January 12, 2010 |
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When Debbie Williams' job in the hotel industry was eliminated, she decided to revisit her life and focus on what she wanted to do next. She enrolled in the Harper College Continuing Education Meeting and Event Planning CE Certificate Program. Months after completing the certificates, Debbie and her business partner launched their own company, Loving Touches Memorial Services, which specialized in services that honor the memories of loved ones who have passed. Debbie says that starting her company was not just a career change but a personal change as well.
" I wanted to take a different path and I find that helping people in their time of need is so much more rewarding and fulfilling for me. "
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Daily Herald
Palatine business focuses on personalizing memorial services
By Kim Mikus October 20, 2009 |
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Palatine business focuses on personalizing memorial services
By Kim Mikus October 20, 2009
A new Palatine business is attempting to make the process of planning a funeral similar to the way an event planner organizes a wedding.
Debbie Williams and Beth Kingwill launched Loving Touches Memorial Services, specializing in event planning for funerals. The women say they focus more on celebrating the person's life.
"We're trying to make it more of a memorable experience rather than a lot of mourning and sadness," Williams said.
She noted that grieving will always be part of the day, as it is a necessary aspect.
The women create personalized DVDs and mementos and then help with catering, flowers, travel arrangements and other aspects of the funeral.
She finds that Loving Touches' services are often sought after when the client is planning to have their loved one cremated. The celebration of life event can then be planned at a time that's more convenient as well as at a meaningful location, such as a park or someone's home.
Williams and Kingwill also work to make the traditional funeral more personal. The top product they produce is a personalized DVD with video clips and pictures with music.
Kingwill, of Inverness, handles this aspect of the business. She previously worked as a television producer as well as a professional in the advertising industry.
Before launching the business, Williams worked in the corporate world in the hotel industry. When her position was eliminated, she studied event planning at Harper College.
A situation that occurred several years ago following the death of her best friend prompted her to mold her event planning skills into the new business.
"It makes people feel better at one of the worst times of their lives," Williams said.
The price for the basic package, which includes the DVD production, is $1,000.
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Crain's Chicago - Business of Life
Luncheons, music . . . funeral planners
By: Kevin Davis September 07, 2009 |
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Call the caterers and book the band: Funeral planning is going the way of wedding planning.
As families rent private rooms, commission video tributes and put out fancy spreads for "life celebrations," a new company in Palatine now offers help with the event planning.
Debbie Williams, co-founder of Loving Touch Memorial Services, got the idea after helping organize a memorial bash for a friend with terminal cancer who requested a fun, uplifting service. Ms. Williams rented a hotel ballroom, hired a band, served hors d'oeuvres and had a DVD produced.
"It was a lovely event," attendee Stella LeBlanc says. "None of us like to plan for a funeral. It turned out to be a positive experience for all of us."
Ms. Williams later studied event planning and teamed up with video producer Beth Kingwill to form the company.
"We work to make that send-off special," Ms. Williams says. A $1,000 basic package includes a memorial DVD, photo display, programs, guest books, thank-you notes and arrangement of a luncheon or reception.
Funeral directors offer expanded services, too. "I can provide musicians, soloists, flowers," says Ray Hallowell, owner of Lakeview Funeral Home in Chicago. "If they want a bartender, I can provide one."
Like many other funeral homes, he has a room for banquets and a 46-inch screen for video tributes. At one event, the ashes of the deceased man were placed on a grand piano next to a gin and tonic, his favorite drink.
"It's only limited to what the family can imagine," Mr. Hallowell says.
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