For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Longfellow Finnegan Funeral Home – Anaconda, Montana
“Service of Remembrance”
6:00 P.M., Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Longfellow Finnegan Funeral Home, 107 Oak St, Anaconda, MT
More Details: https://www.longfellowfinneganriddle.com/. Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas!
Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home – Williston, North Dakota
A “Tree of Remembrance & Memorial Service” will be held Monday, December 11, 2023 at 6:00 PM at our Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home at 218 W Highland Dr, Williston, ND.
Bell Mortuary – Glasgow, Montana
Bell Mortuary in Glasgow, Montana will have their 9th annual “Christmas Tree of Remembrance Service” on Tuesday, December 5, at 6:00 p.m. at Bell Mortuary 701 2nd Avenue South, Glasgow, MT. You may join the service in person or live on Facebook.
Franzen-Davis Funeral Home in Livingston, Montana
Franzen-Davis Funeral Home in Livingston, Montana will have a “Tree Of Life Ceremony” on Tuesday, December 5th at 5pm at the Livingston Depot Center 200 W Park St, Livingston, MT.
Helping A Friend Cope with the Loss of a Loved One 11-2023
Your friend has lost a loved one. It happens, and it’s important to be there for them during this difficult time. Here are some ways you can support your friend:
1. Check in on them: Grief can feel incredibly lonely and overwhelming. Make an effort to check in with your friend, even if it is just a quick phone call, text message, a card or an invitation to grab a coffee together.
2. Understand the grieving process: As your friend navigates the many difficult emotions that grief can cause, it’s important to have a basic understanding of grief. People who are grieving commonly experience sadness, depression, anger and anxiety. Additional symptoms can include physical challenges such as digestive issues, sleep disturbance and fatigue, among others.
3. Listen more, talk less: When you are in the presence of someone who is grieving, it is often difficult to know what to say. Your natural tendency may be to try to make your friend feel better, but in a grief situation, you talking more will usually NOT help. Be sure to pay attention to how much you’re talking compared to the amount of listening you’re doing. Your friend will almost surely benefit more from talking about their feelings than anything else.
4. Offer practical assistance: Offering practical assistance such as running errands or helping around the house can make a huge difference in the life of a grieving person. Bring them some prepared food, clean the kitchen, help sort mail, get the car washed, cut the grass, babysit, give their kids a ride—whatever you can do to make their life even the littlest bit easier.
5. Recognize that certain times of year may be particularly difficult for those who grieve: Certain times of year, especially the time of year when their loved one passed away, may be quite difficult for your friend. So, try to contact or visit them around special days and holidays. A quick call or text showing you care can work wonders.
Remember that everyone grieves differently, so it’s important to be flexible and open to your friend’s way of grieving.
Introducing Andrew B. Goodwin
In March of 2022, Andrew Goodwin joined the Fulkerson Stevenson and Springan Stevenson family and is very eager to serve the communities around the Williston, Tioga, Stanley, Watford City, and Sidney areas.
Andrew B. Goodwin was the youngest child born to Harwood and Kristen Goodwin in Elko, NV. Shortly after his birth, the family moved back to Twin Falls, ID where he was raised and graduated from Filer High School in 2015. Andrew and his older sister Sara grew up riding horses and rodeoing which allowed them to travel all over southern Idaho. They both were very involved in sports, extracurricular activities, and raising 4-H animals. He later grew a passion for golfing in school and spent most of the summers helping with junior golf leagues and teaching younger children how to golf. Andrew was very active member of the FFA Chapter in High School, even became the chapter president his senior year.
It was during high school when Andrew found a true passion in the funeral industry, when he worked part time for a small family-owned funeral home in Twin Falls, ID. After graduation Andrew attended the College of Southern Idaho for 2-years and then transferred to College of Western Idaho for 1-semester to finish prerequisites before mortuary school.
Andrew moved to Gresham, OR where he attended Mortuary School at Mt. Hood Community College. During Mortuary School, he worked for Portland Funeral Service as a funeral attendant throughout the Portland Metropolitan Area, while also serving his internship at Sunnyside Little Chapel of the Chimes in Happy Valley, OR. After Mortuary School, Andrew moved back to Idaho and served his apprenticeship at Bowman Funeral Parlor in Garden City, ID. He received his Mortician License the summer of 2020. Andrew took a job outside the funeral business but felt something was missing. After receiving the offer of a position, he relocated to Williston, ND to fulfill his true passion. He realized helping people with funerals was the most rewarding job in the world.
He is the proud uncle of 3 great nephews (Ryder, Parker, Sawyer) and one very special spoiled niece (Bryer). Most of Andrew’s family is in the Twin Falls, ID area where he was raised.
When Andrew is not working, he enjoys concerts, traveling, skiing, golfing, and spending time with his family. He also enjoys cooking and making new things for friends and family.
Below is a short photo album which will help you get to know Andrew.
Funeral Planning Aid
We frequently receive questions regarding what the person responsible for making funeral arrangements should expect. Since we’ve received so many requests for this information, we are placing a link which allows our newsletter subscribers to download a complete copy of our Funeral Planning Aid. The informative article is presented as a PDF – simply click the PDF Button below to access it. That way, if you wish, you may keep it on your computer for future reference or sharing with others. If after you read the article, you have any questions, please contact the Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of your choice.
Who’s eligible for Military Funeral Honors?
- Military members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve.
- Former military members who served on active duty and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.
- Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service in the Selected Reserve and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.
- Former military members discharged from the Selected Reserve due to a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
How to establish veteran eligibility
Submit the DD Form 214. The DD Form 214 may be obtained by filing a completed Standard Form 180 with:
National Personnel Records Center(NPRC)
9700 Page Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63132
The Standard Form 180 may be obtained from: http://www.archives.gov/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf
Headstones for Veterans
For complete information and ordering, please visit: Legislative Changes Concerning Eligibility for Headstones, Markers and Medallions – National Cemetery Administration (va.gov)
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.
Financial Assistance
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.
Recently posted on the FEMA Covid-19 Funeral Assistance page: The COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023. FEMA will continue to provide funeral assistance until Sept. 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic.
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.
