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Rest Haven Blog

Explore our blog for valuable content about cremation, burial, how to write an obituary, coping with grief and much more.

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What to Do First When Someone Dies

Reading Time: 7 minutes What to Do First When Someone Dies Who do I call? What should I say? Here’s what to do first when someone dies, and what to do in the hours and days that follow. What should you do

Which to Choose: Burial or Cremation?

Reading Time: 3 minutes How do you choose between cremation vs. burial? Not sure what you prefer? Here are some things to consider to help you make the best decision. Advantages of Cremation The cremation rate in the U.S. has

The Complete Guide to Burials

Reading Time: 8 minutes When a loved one dies, one of the immediate next steps is planning the burial. Even those who opt for cremation may choose a cemetery burial, making this a critical consideration for virtually everyone. While it may seem

The Complete Guide to Cremation

Reading Time: 7 minutes Planning a cremation doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated. You can learn everything you need to know with our simple and comprehensive guide to cremation. What do scientist Albert Einstein, psychiatrist Sigmund Freud, musician George Harrison, and actor Christopher

The Complete Guide to Memorial Services

Reading Time: 10 minutes Planning a memorial service can often seem complicated, especially when trying to plan one in the midst of your grief. To help you, we’ve created this simple Guide to Memorial Services. Here you’ll find everything you need to get

Guide to Planning a Funeral

Reading Time: 7 minutes Planning a funeral doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated, but it can feel overwhelming. Start here with Graceland’s Complete Guide to Planning a Funeral.  With step-by-step insights and actionable strategies for finalizing every detail, you’ll have the tools you

A Daughter’s Guide to Planning a Funeral

Reading Time: 7 minutes They raised you, provided for you and supported every wish, whim, hope and dream. And now, when it comes to celebrating and commemorating your parent’s life, how do you pull all of the pieces together and both say

choosing music for a funeral or memorial service

Choosing Music for a Funeral or Memorial Service

The right song can say what words can't quite express. Classical or country. Hymns or rock songs. What matters is that the music feels true to the person you're honoring. Here's how to choose songs that celebrate their life.

How to Write an Obituary: Five Tips

Reading Time: 6 minutes We’ve all read the traditional obituaries packed with the the names, places, people, career highlights that defined a person’s life. And while these examples should make it easy to put pen to paper, when we’re called

How to Write a Eulogy: 3 Tips for Creating a Heartfelt Tribute

Reading Time: 6 minutes When Steve Jobs’ sister Mona Simpson delivered his eulogy she began with herself, explaining her life before she first met her brother at the age of 25. Mona was raised by a single mother and unaware she had

What To Wear To A Funeral

Reading Time: 3 minutes With funeral traditions changing so quickly, what to wear has become a very common question. In the 1970s, for example, it was unthinkable not to wear your traditional best to a funeral. Men wore a suit, or jacket

What to Write in a Sympathy Note

Reading Time: 6 minutes The sympathy note that goes along with a floral arrangement or one that you write in a card you send in the mail has one simple rule, says the Emily Post Institute: Say what you truly feel. Many

I don't want a funeral

When Someone Says, “I Don’t Want a Funeral,” What Do They Really Mean?

This seemingly simple phrase can carry a multitude of interpretations, leaving families grappling with its true meaning. Here's how to narrow the space between doing nothing and doing something simpler.
how to talk with your aging parents about end-of-life planning

How to Talk to Your Aging Parents About End-of-Life Planning (and what to do when they won’t)

How do you talk to your aging parents about end-of-life planning? It’s a conversation many families avoid, only to find themselves searching for documents they've never seen. Here are some tips for having the conversation now, before that moment arrives.

Navigating Grief Online

Reading Time: 5 minutes How to Announce a Death on Social Media & Memorialize a Facebook Page Social media is where we share not only our joy and accomplishments but also our grief and loss. How we mourn and remember our loved

Things You Can Do When Someone You Know Suffers a Loss

Reading Time: 4 minutes After a lifetime of helping families with final arrangements, we can tell you that the most frequent questions we get aren’t about headstones, caskets, memorial services, or burials. When people ask those questions, what they really

back-to-school grief

When Grief Meets Back-to-School

Back-to-school season can be a challenging time for grieving parents. How do you navigate milestones that remind you of those who are no longer here? Here are some tips to help you through.

Helping a Sister Through Grief – A Sister’s Guide

Reading Time: 6 minutes Life changes fast. Life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends. So begins author Joan Didion’s memoir “The Year of Magical Thinking” in which she shares what life and grieving were

Helping a Parent Through Grief: A Daughter’s Guide

Reading Time: 7 minutes When my father died my mother found herself alone for the first time in nearly 60 years. Since meeting at 18 they had done everything together, from college to first jobs to big moves, all underscored by a

Things to Say to Someone Who’s Grieving

Reading Time: 3 minutes Though we’re all well acquainted with how to celebrate happy occasions with people, sad ones are more fraught with worry. It’s sad, it’s awkward, and it’s hard to know what exactly to say when someone you know experiences

estranged from children on Father's Day

When Father’s Day Finds You on the Outside

For fathers estranged from their children: the grief no one names, the story you can't correct, and finding peace anyway.
ways to remember dad on Father's Day

However You Spend Father’s Day

Remembering Dad on Father's Day. You might choose to visit the cemetery, share stories, or simply let the day pass quietly. The key is to honor your feelings and the bond you shared.
It's Summer! Why Don't I Feel It? Rest Haven Memorial Park Lafayette, Indiana

It’s Summer! Why Don’t I Feel It?

It's summer, and you're not quite feeling it. A piece about seasonal nostalgia, Summer SAD, and the grief the season can stir up.
Memorial Day Newsletter Rest Haven Lafayette, Indiana

Memorial Day 2026 Newsletter

Our 2026 Memorial Day newsletter is dedicated to everyone who carries the memory of loved ones — those who served, those who lost someone in service, and anyone grieving a personal loss. Download it here.
small ways to mark memoral day Lafayette Indiana

Small Ways to Mark Memorial Day

Memorial Day doesn't have to look one way. A few small, simple ideas for marking the day — at the cemetery, at home, or wherever the weekend finds you.
when mother's day is complicated. woman at window looking down, hand in chin.

When Mother’s Day Is Complicated

If your relationship with your mother was complicated, Mother's Day probably is too. Grief doesn't care whether the relationship was good — sometimes it shows up harder when it wasn't. For anyone whose Mother's Day doesn't fit the script.

Flowers & Their Meanings

Reading Time: 5 minutes You don’t have to be a professional florist to know what flowers to include in your sympathy arrangement. Here is a guide on how to choose sympathy flowers, including types of flowers to send and their

what to keep what to let go of when a loved one dies

What to Keep, What to Let Go of When a Loved One Dies

Practical strategies for anyone facing the difficult task of deciding what to keep and what to let go of after a loved one dies.
valentine's day survival guide

Valentine’s Day Survival Guide

If you're grieving a loss, single, or simply overwhelmed by expectations, Valentine's Day can heighten feelings of isolation and heartache. Here's a Valentine's Day Survival Guide just for you.
holiday gift ideas for someone who's grieving

Holiday Gift Ideas for Someone Who’s Grieving

The holidays can feel impossibly heavy for someone missing a loved one. A thoughtful gift doesn't fix that pain, but it can say something powerful: "I remember them too." From personalized ornaments to self-care gifts, here are some ideas.

How to Support Someone Who’s Grieving During the Holidays

Reading Time: 6 minutes If you have a friend or family member who is grieving during the holidays, it’s important to offer your support in a way that is meaningful and helpful. Here are five specific ways to support someone who is

The First Christmas After a Loss

Reading Time: 6 minutes December is different this year. Different for my husband and his brother and two sisters. My mother-in-law Louise passed away in June at the age of 94. Her birthday is Christmas Day. Now, we are experiencing all of

A resolution that lasts

A Resolution That Lasts

Every January, we make promises to ourselves—eat better, exercise more, spend less time on our phones. But what if this year, you made a different kind of resolution? One that could bring your family closer and provide peace of mind