Bible Verse of the Month
Now the God of hope
fill you with all joy and
peace in believing,
that ye may abound in hope,
through the power of
the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13
A Very Special Letter of Thanks
Sent to Bronwin and the staff at Bell Mortuary in Glasgow, Montana.
Meet Rick Clemes, CFSP – Director at Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home in North Dakota
Rick Clemes is a Culbertson, Montana native. He has been involved with funeral service for 46 years, 40 of those practicing his profession in the Williston area. He attended Montana State University in Bozeman and is a graduate of San Francisco College of Mortuary Science.
He is married to Linda, and they have three daughters: Kendra (Justin) Routh, Heidi Clemes and Allyson (Shawn) Helde. They have 7 grandchildren. Rick has served as Past-President of the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association, was a Past Master of Mount Moriah Lodge #51, A.F. & A.M. He also is a member of the Dickinson York Rite and Kem Temple of the Shrine and the Korner Lions Club. He is a member and serves on the Church Council at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Williston. He enjoys golfing, walking and spending time with family, especially his grandchildren.
Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP)
The CFSP designation is the highest professional designation you can achieve in funeral service. When you see the CFSP credential next to a name, you know right away that you are working with a highly self-motivated person with a driven desire to learn, grow and achieve.
To earn the distinction, a funeral professional must meet certification requirements related to funeral service in four well-rounded categories: Academic, Professional, Public Education and Service, and Career Review.
A Funeral Planning Aid – Part 1
There will be a lot to do when you are the one chosen to make the decisions regarding the funeral arrangements for a loved one. The number of decisions and the complexity of the decisions will depend on many factors, starting with what your loved one’s final wishes were. And no matter how many or how few, or how complex or how simple, you will be grieving your loss, and that will add to the weight of these necessary tasks.
Two things to note before proceeding are 1) the staffs at all of the Stevenson & Sons Funeral Homes are always available to assist you in any way possible and 2) when your loved one has pre-planned their final arrangements, your burdens in the planning processes are minimal, and the deceased’s final wishes will be precisely obliged. Relieving a grieving loved one of coping with the countless necessary details is largely why the pre-planning of final arrangements is becoming more and more popular.
You will not immediately need everything listed below. To ensure that all of your loved one’s final wishes are met, that dates and times are workable, and that all legal aspects are properly attended to, an experienced Stevenson & Sons representative will meet with you on more than one occasion. At times, face-to-face meetings can be avoided, and matters can be fully handled via phone calls.
Getting ready for our first meeting
During this first casual get-together, we’ll discuss things that will, essentially, just prepare us both for our second meeting: we’ll know what we need to have for you to look at or make decisions about, and you’ll have a more comprehensive grasp of everything involved. We believe it is also very important that we get to know each other a little better. You are entrusting us with the final care of your loved one, and while our decades of service and sterling reputation assure you that we will treat your loved one with unwavering dignity and respect, we have found that the first personal meeting cements the highest level of trust and understanding possible.
- Who will be the primary contact for the Stevenson & Sons Funeral Director to speak with about details?
- In the event the primary contact is unavailable, who is the second contact.
- We strongly suggest that you bring a close friend or family member with you to the initial meeting with the Stevenson & Sons Funeral Director. The emotional support is always beneficial, and since so many details will be brought up, taking notes is advised; your companion can usually do this more easily than you will be able to. We recommend a digital system such as a tablet or laptop computer, but paper and pen are also just fine.
- If your loved one made any manner of arrangements, which would include written, specific wishes and cemetery plots selected – and possibly even paid for – be sure to know about these things. Bringing anything that is written will be most helpful.
- The discussions at this meeting will include quite a few things. Since Stevenson & Sons Funeral Directors treat each final celebration of life individually, particular details that will be discussed cannot be listed here. However, some topics of discussion will include: any specific elements that you wish to be part of the funeral? Does your family have specific traditions to observe? Will any religious rites be required at the funeral? A decision should be discussed about what type of funeral, burial, monument, etc. would best pay homage to the life, beliefs, and accomplishments of your loved one.
Three generations of Stevenson & Sons have created unique services for the people in all of the communities we have served for over 50 years, and this is only possible when we have all the important information about the deceased.
NOTE: Part 2 of A Funeral Planning Aid will be in next month’s newsletter.
Financial Assistance
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many families. At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. We are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus.
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020…
If you lost a loved one due to Covid-19, you may qualify for financial assistance for your family’s funeral expenses. Click here to find out more information.
Grief Support
Many people do not have the time to locate a proper grief counselor. Others do not live in an area where there are any grief counselors available. And finally, many people are not prepared to pay a professional for grief counseling. Fortunately, the internet provides some solutions for those who wish to seek grief counseling or to interact with groups of people who are also coping with grief. Many such services exist, as do professional counselors who will assist people privately on line, hence eliminating the need for travel. Not all services are the same, nor are all chat rooms/groups. You should research what you are interested in and follow-up on the leads you believe will be most helpful to your personal situation until you locate exactly what works best for you. In your search engine look for terms like “grief chat rooms” “bereavement support groups” “professional grief counseling” or “grief management.” Good research is the path to successfully linking up with what, or who, will work the best for you. Another option would be to start your search at the Mental Health American website. Lots of information, and many places to research groups, centers and more.
Supporting Others
If you know someone who would benefit from the uplifting messages and support information we provide in these monthly newsletters, they can sign up to receive their own copy here (https://stevensonandsons.com/news/sign-up/). It’s a great way to lend your support to a friend or a family member.
